The front windows of Eddie Macklin’s pawn shop on Fifth Avenue reminded Caitlyn of the place her father used to take her when he’d run out of money after drinking too much before payday. He’d grab a piece of her mother’s jewelry or something else he thought might sell and try to convince whoever was behind the counter that it was actually worth something. Usually all he got from the venture was enough to keep him drunk another night or two. On the days he wasn’t drunk and was feeling generous, he’d let her buy a soda from the vending machine that sat next to the cluttered cash register. His good mood never lasted, but sometimes she’d forget for just a moment that he hit her mother when he got mad. For that moment she was just a girl happy to have her father’s approval.
But those days had been few and far between.
Josh paused before getting out of the car. “You okay?”
She brushed the memory away. “Just nervous. Are you sure you trust this guy?”
“I do. He’s a good guy. He served in the Marines for almost a decade, until he was injured. Then he set up his own security firm. He’s got connections all over, is IT savvy, and if he doesn’t know someone, he knows someone who knows someone. He’s always come through for me in the past. And he’s got the resources we need right now.”
“How much is this going to cost?”
“Don’t worry about that. He owes me.” He reached out and squeezed her hand. “We’re going to figure this out. I promise.”
She frowned, because not worrying didn’t really seem like an option at the moment. She got out of the car and prayed he was right.
A bell jangled as they walked inside. The place was as cluttered as the window, with case after case of weapons and ammunitions, knives, jewelry, and electronics, surrounded by piles of sports equipment. A customer was talking to an employee in his early twenties at one of the counters.
Caitlyn took it all in. “If I ever decide to arm myself, I’ll know where to come.”
Josh started walking toward a man who came from the back of the store. “Eddie.”
“Josh Solomon?”
Eddie looked exactly like what she’d imagined after Josh’s brief description. Clearly ex-military, by the way he carried himself, along with his short haircut, tattoos, and hardened physique. Definitely not someone she’d want to meet in a dark alley, but someone she hoped would be able to give them the contacts they needed.
Eddie gave Josh a bear hug. She hadn’t expected that either.
“Well, I have to say, you’re the last person I imagined walking into my shop today. It’s been a long time. Probably since your wife’s death.” The man’s smile faded. “How are you?”
“It’s been a rough year.”
“I’m really sorry she’s gone.”
“Me too.”
Eddie glanced around the store. “I suppose you’re not looking for a good deal on a used stereo system or smartphone?”
Josh laughed. “Actually, I was wondering if we could talk about something in private.”
“Of course. Andrew . . .” He signaled to his employee. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“No problem, boss.”
They followed Eddie through a door in the back, then waited while he shut the door behind them. The room was set up like a small apartment. There was a tiny kitchen with a fridge, hot plate, and microwave on one side, a couch and flat-screen TV on the other, and a desk piled with receipts and office work.
Eddie shoved a pile of clothes off the couch and into a laundry basket. “Sorry about the mess. I’ve been sleeping here the last few nights, working late on inventory.”
“How is Jeanette?” Josh asked.
“Jeanette’s doing great, but her mother’s in town, and while I love my wife . . .” He let out a low chuckle.
“You prefer working on your inventory,” Josh said.
“Exactly. It’s good to see you, Solomon.” He glanced at Caitlyn. “And I’m being rude. Who’s this?”
“Caitlyn Lindsey,” Josh said. “She worked with Olivia.”
“It’s nice to meet you, despite the difficult circumstances. Why don’t you both sit down and tell me what’s going on.”
She sat on the edge of the cracked leather couch next to Josh, then pulled a pair of socks from under her and tossed them into the basket. At least they looked clean.
“Sorry. Can I get you a drink?” Eddie asked. “I’ve probably got a couple of Cokes in my fridge.”
“I’m fine. Thanks,” she said.
“Me too. Listen.” Josh leaned forward. “You’ve got a shop to run, so I’ll get right to the point. We need your help.”
Eddie sat down on the coffee table in front of them. “And you know I’m always happy to serve my local police force.”
“This time the situation is both sensitive and . . . personal. I’m going to have to lay low for a while, but I also need some answers.”
“You’re in trouble?”
Josh glanced at Caitlyn. “In a manner of speaking, yes.”
“You came to the right place. So what are you looking at? If you need to disappear—”
“We’re not there yet. For now, we just need information.”
“Okay.” Eddie pressed his hands against his thighs. “You know me. I have my sources, and I can be discreet with whatever it is you need.”
Josh hesitated. “Olivia’s death is involved in this. The two men who were arrested for her murder . . . I don’t believe they killed her.”
Eddie let out a low whistle. “Okay . . . that is personal.”
“It is, but there’s more. Two of her coworkers are dead, all within the last few months.”
“And you think there’s a connection?”
Josh nodded. “We know there’s a connection.”
Eddie turned to Caitlyn. “Do you have any idea what Olivia and the others were working on?”
Caitlyn nodded. “We have lab notes from a project called Starlighter that both Olivia and another coworker, Helen Fletcher, had concerns about. Helen died of an apparent suicide a few days ago, according to the ME.”
“But I’m sensing you don’t believe it was suicide.”
The reminder stung. “Definitely not.”
“I have to ask the obvious question, Solomon,” Eddie said. “You’re a cop. Why not just go to your boss with all this?”
“My partner wants me to hold off. We’re both getting . . . resistance. We don’t know who might be involved, if you get my drift.”
“So you need to stay sidelined for now.”
Josh nodded. “That’s one way to put it.”
“Then I’d say it’s time we find some answers. What exactly do you need from me?”
“I’d like you to do a background check for a man who goes by the name of Jigsaw,” Josh said. “We believe his first name is Shawn. We also need some surveillance photos identified.” Josh nodded at Caitlyn, who handed Eddie the file they’d put together. “This is everything we have so far.”
“Anything else you need from me?” Eddie asked.
“We also need to know everything you can come up with about MedTECH Laboratories,” Josh said. “Its backers, and anything shady that might be going on there. But I can’t have any of this traced back to either of us, and I need it yesterday.”
“I’d forgotten you’re such a demanding client.” Eddie chuckled. “Anything else?”
“One last name.” Josh flipped open the file. “Jarred Carmichael’s a lab employee we believe is involved in whatever’s going on there.”
Eddie turned to Caitlyn. “What kind of access do you have to the lab?”
“I’m still an employee, with access to most departments and files. Why?”
“If you want to find out what’s going on in that lab, their computer files seem like the logical place to start. All the test data and research should be in the system. It’s very possible that the information is coded or hidden, but I’m guessing it’s there. To find out exactly what they’re working on, I’m going to need access to their mainframe. And to be honest, I’d prefer not hacking into their system or using any other illegal methods.”
“I agree,” Caitlyn said. “The only problem is that the lab has a state-of-the-art security system in place to ensure their intellectual property isn’t stolen. I’m no IT expert, but we’re talking firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, and web security procedures. It’s all going to depend on how secure the information we need is, but if I can get evidence of what Helen wrote about, in addition to her notes, we’ll have what we need to go to the authorities.”
“What exactly is Starlighter?” Eddie asked.
“It’s an experimental vaccine project they were working on. On the surface, everything about the reports appears normal, but there seem to be some discrepancies with the results.”
“What exactly are you saying?” Eddie asked.
Caitlyn glanced at Josh, who nodded. “There’s a chance that the virus in question could potentially be used as a weapon.”
Eddie let out a low whistle. “Do you have any concrete proof?”
“I have Helen’s notes that point to it, but that’s why I need to get into the lab.”
“I can run profiles on the names in question like you want, but from what I’m hearing from you right now, I have to agree. We’re also going to need to get into those computers.”
“How would I get the information?”
“You should be able to transfer the files onto an external drive.”
“And how long will it take?” she asked.
“It depends on how big the files are and on the download speed of the connection. Hopefully, it will only take a few minutes. All you have to do is get into the building, go to a computer terminal, and download the files. We can sort through them later.”
She let out a sharp breath of air. All without getting caught. Simple.
“What if they’ve erased the files?”
“From what I’ve heard from you so far, that’s possible, but even if they have, there’s still a good chance that they’d be recoverable. I can give you a flash drive with a file recovery program. It will run a self-contained search without leaving an electronic trail.” He turned to Josh. “And in the meantime, I’ll see what I can come up with on your suspects. Do you have a safe place to stay?”
Josh nodded. “We’re checked into a motel about twenty minutes from here. No names, and they take cash.”
“I’d suggest changing motels every couple days.”
“We will.”
“I’d also suggest you don’t come back by the store.” Eddie crossed the room, then pulled something out of his desk. “Here are a couple of clean phones. My number’s already programmed into the contacts. You can get ahold of me with them.”
“Wow.” Josh’s brow rose. “You’re prepared.”
“You’re not the first person to ask me for this kind of help. I try to be ready.” Eddie turned to Caitlyn. “And there’s something else you’re going to need.”
He pulled out a second item from his desk. “This is a wireless earpiece that will allow you to communicate with Josh while you’re inside the lab.”
“How does it work?” she asked.
“You can connect it to your mobile phone’s Bluetooth. With you both wearing one, Josh will be able to hear your voice and what’s going on around you. And you’ll be able to hear him, and no one will have a clue.” Eddie grabbed a flash drive from another drawer. “I’ll show you quickly how to recover the files.”
“I appreciate your help,” Josh said.
“Forget it. What are friends for. And besides . . . I owe you.”
A minute later, they headed for the car in silence, her mind distracted as she worked through the plan Eddie had laid out for her. And as she contemplated, not for the first time, the severity of the consequences if anything went wrong.
“I like him,” Caitlyn said, as soon as they were both settled into the front seat of his car.
“Like I told you, he’s a good guy.”
“You never told me why he owes you.”
“He got himself into some trouble a few years back. A client blamed him for a breach of security and tried to kill him.”
“You saved his life?”
“Nothing official, but he ended up with a bullet in his leg and spent six weeks in the hospital.”
He pulled back onto the street heading west through traffic.
“You okay?” she asked after a few minutes of silence.
“Just trying to work through all of this. I know we need to, but I’m not sure I like the idea of you going into the lab.”
“I’ll be fine. I promise.”
“You sound like me now. Making promises you can’t keep. Whoever’s behind this is working in that lab. I think we can be sure of that. Which is calling it a bit too close.” He took the ramp onto the freeway. “We need to come up with a solid plan. What time of day is best. The layout of the building. Contingency plans if something goes wrong. And anything else we can think of that will make sure nothing does go wrong.”
“Okay.” She started working through his questions. “I think the best time is late afternoon. There’ll be fewer people for one, and Carmichael comes in early every day and is usually gone by three.”
Josh turned off the freeway and made a right turn, the opposite direction of the motel.
“Where are we going?”
He pressed on the accelerator, then made a sharp left-hand turn. “We’ve got another tail.”