Juggernaut: The suspense is killing me.
Me: I need you to look into someone for me.
Juggernaut: Gimme what you got.
Me: What’s it gonna cost me, first?
Juggernaut: Don’t know. I kinda like the thought of you owing me.
Jesus, that could be a really bad thing. Was it worth it? I filled my glass again.
Me: Yikes
Juggernaut: Don’t worry, I won’t rake you over the coals. Too much.
Me: Maybe this was a bad idea.
Juggernaut: Up to you.
Me: I’m not sending you nudes.I added an eye-rolling emoji as I giggled, despite the gravity of the situation.
Juggernaut: Bahahaha. That’s what Pornhub is for.
Me: Ew
Juggernaut: Yes or No. I’ve got someone—I mean, something I’m in the middle of.
Me: Double Ew.
Juggernaut: tick tock.
Hesitant, I strummed my fingers on the tabletop. Then I took another sip of wine, then typed.
Me: Fine. Lucian Donovan Stone, age 31, last known residence, Ankeny, IA. Did prison time in South Carolina.
His chat had dots, then nothing, then dots, then nothing.
Me: Hello?
Juggernaut: Is this a joke?
Me: No… why?
Juggernaut: I’ll get back to you.
His chat box went off-line.
“Well, that was weird.” I finished the wine. When I sobered up, I’d likely regret what I’d done. At the moment, I was lost in memories of a young Lucian Stone.
My phone rang, and I quickly looked at the screen. I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
“Yes,” I said as I swiped the phone and held it to my ear.
“What’s going on? Are you okay?” the voice said.
With a sigh, I explained what had happened.
“You can’t stay there,” Ryan said. Crazy how a disembodied voice was my best friend. I had no idea who “Ryan” was, because we’d never met in person. He became my case agent when my original one retired from the US Marshals three years ago. We only spoke over the phone and only on a burner phone.