Chapter 22
This time when we go to Haven Security, we head the other way down the main hallway and end up in a large conference room. It's completely modern, with a huge wood table, glass whiteboards covering each wall, and pull-down screens on either end. Apparently we're the last to arrive.
A huge, handsome man stands up when we walk into the room.
Mack says, "Gabriella, this is my boss, Dylan. He owns Haven Security, among other things."
Mack grins like that's a private joke, but Dylan's eyes are gentle on me. "I've heard a lot about you. How are you doing?"
I try to smile, to be polite, but I don't even know how to put it into words. So I just shrug and say, “I’m hanging in there.”
Dylan nods like he understands. "This is Cole, who runs Haven Security."
Cole is another tall man. For a split second, I think about making a joke, asking what's in the water around here, but I refrain for all of our benefit. Cole is taller than Mack and just as muscular, but there's something cold around his eyes.
I smile at him, but he just nods back, and I wonder if he's annoyed that he has to work on this project. I'm sure these guys are very busy. Mack cups my elbow as if to offer comfort, like he saw every thought that ran through my head. He and I take two empty seats, the only ones left side by side.
The receptionist is the only other lady in the room. She gives me an encouraging smile.
There’s about a dozen other men sitting at the table, and they’re all unique.
It's like looking at a professional football team--you can kind of figure out people's roles based on their body type.
There's a few big guys that are just as intimidating as Dylan and Cole.
Ziggy is the only there who looks like the odd man out.
Everyone else is physically impressive in one way or another, either huge and muscular or thin and tightly coiled like a snake.
Cole stands in front of the room. "Most of you have been briefed on the situation. Malcolm, tell us what else you have for us."
A thinner man with brown hair stands at his spot at the table.
"Looks like Daniel Bellafonte was involved with some Albanians who’re connected to a white-supremacist group out of Laredo.
Ziggy was able to get into his email account as well as cloning his cell phone.
There were a bunch of old texts between Daniel and Alex.
However, those texts have stopped over the last week, which supports the theory that Alex was not the only guy these guys were mad at when their plan went to shit. "
I look at Mack silently, asking for an explanation. He nods and says, "Can you fill us in on what the plan was?"
Cole nods. "It appears that Daniel told his co-conspirator about Alex's computer program, and they had the genius idea to roll it out at scale."
I frown, still not quite understanding.
A guy named Gage says, "We think that they were going to use Alex’s computer program at a bigger bank.”
"So this is just about money?" I say.
"Yes and no. A lot of these guys are true believers. They’re looking to spread their ideology by any means possible.
However, we think their group recently got cut off from one of their major funding sources overseas.
The State Department has been taking a closer look at international monetary transfers.
These men may have been looking at your brother's program as a way to bridge that gap. "
“I don’t get it,” I say. “The guys who came to my house looked hispanic.”
“We think they were probably Albanians.”
I lean back. I don't know what that means or what the hell is going on, but by the grim expressions on most of the faces around the table, I assume this isn’t a good thing.
Cole's cold eyes land on me. "We don't have a line on your brother's whereabouts yet, ma'am," he says gently, "but we are looking at every angle possible. If there's a way to find him, we'll find him."
I don't find his words as comforting as they're obviously meant. He had said if there's a way to find him, like there very well may not be. It's hard for me to even imagine a possibility where I never find out what happened to Alex.
"We believe Daniel Bellafonte is also being targeted by these individuals," Cole says. "However, based on different data, we have reason to believe that they have Daniel, but do not have Alex."
That cheers me up. At least the bad guys don't have my brother…yet. At the same time, that probably means they’re pissed off and are waiting for their chance to get back at him. Or me. Or him, via me.
I do my best not to blurt out all the questions I have, but it's difficult to stay silent. Thankfully, others at the table start asking some of the questions for me.
"So what are our options?" Dylan glances over some paperwork.
"I think we need to look at looping in our friends at the agency," a huge man named Brock says, from the end of the table.
Dylan frowns. "If there's any way that we can handle this without involving them, I'd like to do it. They have more constraints on them in terms of reporting. If there's any possibility of getting Alex free of this without any blowback, I think that's worth protecting."
I don't know Dylan, but I could kiss him for saying that. I don't want my brother to get into trouble. I don't know what I fear more--never finding my brother, or being the reason that he goes back to prison.
Cole nods. "Understood. We’ll keep it in-house for now. Malcolm, where do you stand on the local hotels?"
"I staked out three of the hotels the last few days. I know he's not at the Hidden Cove or the Days Inn. I was able to get eyes on each of those rooms. Plus I have a friend who will call me if anyone matches his description shows up."
"What about you, Ziggy?"
"No activity on credit cards or bank account. If he's using cash, he's probably running low by now. My guess is that he's with a friend."
I shake my head. I don't want to argue, but it's also important they understand.
Dylan turns to me. "Why do you think he’s not with a friend?"
"He doesn't have friends." I shake my head. "I don't mean for it to sound bad, but he doesn't get to know people that quickly. And I would know."
Even as I say the words, I wonder if they’re true. After all, I didn’t know about him meeting up with Daniel.
Dylan nods. "Okay. Can you think of anything that might help us?"
I shake my head. "I'm sorry. I've been thinking about it nonstop, but I really don't know where he went. He's a homebody. I just don't understand how he could have left at all."
Cole nods. "Malcolm, stick to the places just within a ten-minute radius. If there's a hotel you haven't cleared in that diameter, look at it first."
"What about any vacation places?" another guy--Flint, I think his name is--asks me.
I say, "We went to the water park outside Austin a couple times."
"That place is closed." Ziggy scowls as if it's a personal affront.
I nod. "So other than that, I really don't know where he would go. Even that would be too far away, probably."
Dylan frowns. "What about his place of work? You guys work at the same place, right?"
I nod.
"Gabriella, are there any empty rooms or places he could hide out?" Javier is one of the huge ones. He's nearly as attractive as Mack, with dark hair cut with such precision, I think he must spend half his life at the barbershop. His accent reminds me of my Grandma.
I consider the question, and everyone in the room watches me think.
"The buildings are too busy," I finally say. "He wouldn't be able to hide out there. One of the cabins down by the lake is closed for renovation, but there's workers in and out of there all the time. I can't really see him going unnoticed."
"I'll send Javi and Lucas to check it out tonight," Cole says.
There's part of me that instinctively wants to point out that it's private property. But then I remember who I'm talking to. Somehow, I don't think a semi-retired security guard driving around on a golf cart is going to be enough to deter the men in this room.
"Javi already checked out all people from the phone numbers in Alex's phone," Cole says.
His tone is as bland as if he were discussing what kind of floss to buy.
I try not to be offended. After all, for these guys, it's just another day at the office.
It's not their brother who's missing. I should be thankful that this case is boring to them.
That means it's easy and they shouldn't have any problem with it.
But if that's the case, why haven't they found my brother yet?
Then again, these guys have been on the case for all of five minutes, so maybe I should give them a chance.
I catch my leg jiggling beneath the table, and I make myself sit still. Mack slides a warm hand over my knee beneath the table and gives a gentle squeeze that I take as encouragement.
"I didn't see any change in spending habits, any odd communications. Not from Gabriella’s brother, or from the people on his phone.
" Javier says. He gives me a kind smile, and I feel Mack's hand tighten on my thigh.
“So I think that Gabriella is right," Javier continues.
"I don't think Alex is with any of these people. "
“Our priority is obviously to find Alex,” Cole says, “but I think we should also be looking for Bellafonte. He's the other missing piece. He's the one who got Alex tied up in this. If we can find him, maybe he can shed some light on the situation.”
Cole sounds grim--like if they find Daniel, they’ll lock him in a dark room and he'll have no choice but to tell them everything. I find that I'm strangely okay with the idea of them torturing the man who put my brother in this situation.