Apparently we were here to see Cade Booker, an “of counsel” with the firm.
Damn.
Joe was right. Who knew who might be into the leather lifestyle? It wouldn’t bother me, but apparently lifestylers preferred to keep their association private.
“Mr. Booker isn’t in the office,” the receptionist said to us. “We expect him back any minute. I’m sure he’ll want to see you.”
Had Joe been here before? Right, he had. The paperwork for Daphne Steel’s commitment to the facility.
So why the big secret? Why hadn’t he simply told me that Cade Booker had gotten him the name of the hacker? He could have left out the whole BDSM thing.
The receptionist led us to a separate waiting area, obviously for VIPs. Marble coffee tables held trays of French pastries, and a brass espresso urn graced a buffet. Books by renowned photographers sat in an array around the room, interspersed with complimentary charging stations for all types of devices.
I sat, my nerves skipping. Marjorie never left my mind. What if someone was hurting her? Violating her? I clasped my hands together, my knuckles white.
I should have never started a relationship when I couldn’t protect her. Oh, she’d told me she didn’t need protection, but she did.
I’d failed her.
Another young woman entered the room. “Mr. Steel?”
“Yes?”
“Mr. Booker has returned. He’s waiting for you in his office.”
We both rose.
“He wants to see only Mr. Steel,” the woman said to me.
“No way,” I said. “I’m coming along.”
“Maybe you should wait here, Bryce,” Joe said.
“Yeah. And maybe not. We came here together, and we’re going to get to the truth together.”
“Mr. Steel—”
Joe whisked past the employee. “It’ll be okay. I’ll explain everything to Cade.”
“But—”
I followed Joe, whisking past the flabbergasted woman. Should I be sorry? Hell, no. I got that she was only doing her job, but Marjorie was everything to me. I had to get to the bottom of this, and if Cade Booker knew anything, I was going to find out.
Joe seemed to know exactly where he was going in this huge office. I followed him down the halls, people gasping when they saw us and edging out of our way quickly. Finally we came to a corner office. Joe knocked loudly.
“Come on in, Joe,” a voice, presumably Cade Booker, said from inside.
Joe opened the door, and I followed him in.
“Have a sea—” Booker eyed me. “Who’s this?”
“Bryce Simpson, a good friend of mine.”
Booker eyed me. I recognized the look—the look that said, “You’re Tom Simpson’s son.”
“Yeah,” I said. “He was my father. But I’m not him. Got it?”
Cade Booker stood. He was tall, though not quite as tall as Joe and I were, and clearly in great shape. He wore his dark hair shaved at the sides and slightly longer on top—the kind of cut that didn’t require any effort to maintain, except monthly haircuts. His suit was obviously tailored, and he wore two gold rings, one on each hand. All normal, except… He had a dark quality about him that went beyond his nearly black hair and tan skin. Something sinister seemed to exude from his pores. It was almost palpable in the room.
How had Joe not seen it? Or was it just my imagination?
I didn’t trust him. But I did trust Joe.
“Have a seat, both of you. What’s going on, Joe?”
“My mother has disappeared from Newhaven, and now Marj is missing as well.”
“Your sister?”
“Yeah. May I speak freely?”
“Of course. This place is swept every evening for surveillance devices.”
I stopped myself from widening my eyes. Why the hell would any place be swept every evening?
“The Spider hasn’t answered us in days,” Joe said.
Booker lifted one eyebrow, which gave him a sinister look. “Oh?”
“Bryce knows about the Spider. He’s in this with me. He and I are the only ones who remember the kid. By the way, we remembered his last name. Valente. Justin Valente.”
Booker’s eyes fluttered slightly. A nervous habit?
“What was the last contact you had with the Spider?” he asked.
“He said he had information, and that he’d send it in a separate email. The email never came, and he hasn’t responded to anything since. Plus, he seemed to be communicating with someone else on our encrypted account.”
“I’ll see if I can find him.”
“He’s the least of our worries,” I said. “Marjorie and her mother come first.”
“Of course.”
“I understand you got Daphne into the facility,” I said.
“I handled the paperwork for her commitment,” Booker said. “My involvement doesn’t go any further than that.”
I looked to Joe, raising my brow. He didn’t respond. He trusted this guy, clearly.
“Look,” Joe said finally. “I know you need to keep your hands clean, and I respect that, but—”
“I can’t help you,” Booker said. “I’m pretty sure the Spider can’t be involved in the disappearances. That’s not how he works.”
I shook my head. “Seriously? You like to keep your hands clean? What kind of person who keeps his hands clean has to have his office swept for bugs every night?”
“Bryce—”
“Come on, Joe. This guy isn’t who you think he is.”
“Look—” Booker began.
“Easy, Cade,” Joe said. “Bryce’s nerves are on edge.”
“Yours should be as well,” I said angrily. “I’ll say it again. This guy isn’t who you think he is.”
Booker stood. “You’re right. I’m not. And you need to leave. I’m armed.”
“So am I,” I said. “And I’d be willing to bet everything I own that Joe is too.”
“Cade knows I don’t go anywhere without Rosie,” Joe said, eyeing his ankle.
“Tell us who the Spider is,” I gritted out.
“That’s not how I work,” Booker said with equal grit. “I can’t work with this hothead.”
I was a hothead? Hardly. I’d spent half my life calming Joe down and keeping him from going off half-cocked.
“Cade,” Joe said, “is there any other way to contact the Spider?”
“Not that I know of. Now you two are going to have to get the hell out of my office.”
“Not until we get what we came for,” I said.
“If he doesn’t have any other way to contact—”
What would your clients think if they knew how you spent your free time? Oh, the words were on the tip of my tongue. But I had nothing against BDSM, and I appreciated his—and Joe’s—need for privacy.
But I was pissed. Fucking pissed.
How could Joe not see right through this guy? Cade Booker was not on our side. Not at all.
Chapter Six
Marjorie
“Your mother has been moved to a safe house,” Dominic said.