“You sure you have time for this?”
“Absolutely. I want to help.” He lifted a shoulder. “I am a little bored at the gym. Nothing exciting about sweaty people. This is far more interesting.”
I laughed, not surprised. Egan loved computers as much as I did and was talented when it came to hacking and investigating. “Okay.”
We drew up a list, dividing it. Tossed around some more ideas.
“I was thinking of calling Marcus and Julian. With their experience, they might have ideas.”
Egan reached into a drawer and handed me a laptop. “Encrypted,” he said.
I used my own program to video call them. Marcus answered, his voice a familiar rumble, his smile wide.
“Damien. How are you?”
“Well, Marcus. I’m well. You alone?”
He turned the laptop he was using so I saw who he was sitting with. “Actually, I’m with Julian and Matteo. We’re having a drink and relaxing. Do you need me to be alone?”
“No, the more, the merrier. I need to pick your collective brains. Egan is here as well.”
“Hold on. Let me get us set up.” A moment later, I could see all three of them. They looked healthy and relaxed. We chatted and exchanged news, laughing over some antics their kids had been up to, offering congratulations on yet another baby for Marcus and Missy. Then Marcus paused. “What’s going on?”
“I have a situation.”
Instantly, they became the men I knew best. Intense, fierce, ready to lend a hand.
“Talk to us,” Julian stated, leaning forward, assuming his role as Commander.
I took in a deep breath and told them everything, leaving out the newer, private parts of my relationship with Raven.
They asked questions, listened carefully. Viewed the sketch that Egan scanned and sent them. They all looked a bit surprised when I described our first meeting and the fact that Raven was now ensconced in my apartment, but they didn’t comment.
“What can we do?” Marcus asked. “What do you need?”
“I could fly out and be another set of hands,” Julian offered.
“No,” I replied. “I don’t want to take you away from your families. I need your contacts. I was the IT guy—behind the operations. You had the more, ah, personal relationships with the law enforcement agencies.” I cleared my throat. “Those known and not known to the public.”
“You need to see if they have anything,” Marcus stated. “If there are any similar cases. If the guy in this sketch is known to them.”
“Yes. They might have reports I haven’t accessed yet. I would rather do it with a phone call than start hacking. I’ll save that for a last resort.”
Julian rubbed his chin. “You said Raven moved to Toronto in the last while?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe this perp did too. Check other provinces. Some of the dating sites are locally supported. Maybe he moved recently too and has done this elsewhere.”
“Good idea.”
“We’ll get on to our contacts right away,” Marcus assured me. He met my eyes. “This girl—Raven. She’s important to you?”
I ran a hand through my hair. “Yeah, she is.”
Marcus tilted his head. “How important?”
“It’s early, Marcus.”