“You think Tanner was at the fulfillment center?”
“I think hercarwas.”
“You think she was kidnapped from there?”
“I don’t know. But Tanner had a connection to Baron. She was his ex-girlfriend. He was helping her financially. That’s why she was killed.”
“And Babbot?”
“He’dtrespassed on Baron’s property, like Lassiter said.”
“Why? Maybe looking for the treasure? But how could he have known about that?”
“It’s a small town. He might have heard something. And a treasure is a big incentive.”
“Do you think Babbot also knew about the drug ring?”
“It’s certainly possible,” said Decker. “At the very least he might have suspected whatwas going on at the fulfillment center with Ross. He knew about the secret space in Ross’s office, because that discrepancy was on his drawing. I just don’t know if he knew what was in it or how to access it. If he did suspect, then when they killed him they also got a double payoff. He was used to help frame Baron, and he would be silenced before he could disclose what he knew about Ross’s officehaving a hollow back wall.”
Decker suddenly leaned back in the seat and tightly closed his eyes.
“Decker, are you okay?”
“I’m just trying to remember something but it’s not coming.”
“Is it because of the hit you took on your head?” she said worriedly.
He rubbed his brow. “It could be.”
“What are you trying to remember?”
“Numbers.”
“What number?”
“Numbers!” he said testily.
In Decker’s mind was a swirl of numbers. They were all different colors. That was his synesthesia talking. Yet it was different, because the colors were different for some numbers than they had been in the past.
Seven, four, three, is that a zero? No, an eight? Red, orange, green, two?
He scrunched up hisbrow.
Is that a nine or an upside-down six? Come on, dammit, come on.
Finally, the numbers all lined up correctly. And he was able to weigh one set against another. And they tallied perfectly.
He opened his eyes, took out his phone, and hit some keys.
“Who are you calling?”
“No one.”
He hit more keys.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m searching for a listing on a phone number I saw.”