“What do you think his deal is?”
“That’s what I want to find out. Come on.”
We climb into the car. The drive to the diner is only a few minutes. It’s mostly populated by truckers with its proximity to the interstate. The lunch rush is dwindling, the parking lot half full. We head inside and ask for a booth near the back. Maisy sits on my side and I keep an eye on the door while she chats to the waitress about our friend who will be joining us. It’s not long before Ethan arrives with a leather satchel hanging off his shoulder, ambling over to our booth after a quick scan of the diner.
“So who are you really?” I prompt before his ass hits the fake red leather bench seat.
Ethan chuckles. “Damn, kid. Hasn’t anyone taught you anything about the art of subtlety?”
“Don’t really have time for subtlety.” My fist clenches on the table, my other arm draped across the back of the seat around Maisy’s shoulders.
Ethan holds up his hands as the waitress brings over a menu for him. He perks up and takes his time browsing over the specials. Maisy’s elbow catches me in the side and I grunt. She lifts her brows and gestures toward Ethan with her head.
“I’m starved, aren’t you?” She picks up her own menu, muttering out of the side of her mouth. “Let’s order something so we don’t stick out.”
> Ethan hums in approval, darting a look at us over the top of his laminated menu. Sighing, I flip mine open and order the first thing I see when the waitress comes around to collect our orders.
“Talk,” I say once she drops off our drinks, unable to fully relax until I know what his deal is.
Pursing his lips, he stirs his Coke with the straw. “I work for Nexus Lab, but it's because I’m an undercover journalist. I’ve been investigating a network of elites tied to it. Politicians, other businesses—the works. The network stretches across the states.”
Maisy’s lips part and she leans across the table. I want to tug her back and keep her close.
“What have you found out?”
Before he tells us, there’s something else I want to know. “Why are you telling us? You met us less than an hour ago.”
“Your name is Fox Wilder,” Ethan says matter of factly. “You look just like your dad. I’ve got access to employee records and your parents’ files were some of the first that tipped me off to some of the bigger things at work when I first began infiltrating the company.”
My jaw clenches as I slump back against the seat. It’s gratifying to know there are others who found what happened to my parents suspect. Maisy’s hand lands on my leg beneath the table and she squeezes, leaning into me. I curl my arm further around her, catching a strand of her ponytail between my fingers.
“It’s taken time to gain access, but I’ve been able to gather a good look at the history of the company,” Ethan explains. “The money records are something else. Something changed a little over a decade ago that really put Nexus Lab on the map compared to its more humble beginnings.”
We all pause when our food comes out. Ethan makes heart eyes at the burger set in front of him while Maisy digs into a breakfast special with a side of sausage links. I don’t have the appetite for the sandwich I ordered, but I shove a chip into my mouth anyway. Maisy reaches over and steals one, making me smile reluctantly.
“So,” Maisy prompts.
It takes Ethan a minute to continue, too busy taking a huge bite of his food and sighing in delight. “Gonna miss this.”
Maisy and I glance at each other. She hitches a shoulder and presses her leg against mine, knee to hip.
“In the last couple of weeks I’ve been able to dig deeper without raising alarm now that I’ve built up my reputation and respect at the company. I came across a sealed file on employee termination. It seemed weird. I haven’t had any luck cracking it—computers aren’t really my thing.” He meets my gaze directly and my stomach drops. “What caught my interest was the date. I checked the local papers and it lined up with your parents getting into an accident.”
Everything he’s telling us lines up with what Colton has found out for me, so I know what we’re chasing is real.
“I have someone I trust who’s good with computers. I want to prove my parents were murdered,” I say. “That’s it.”
Ethan nods. “Of course. Take this.” He rummages in his satchel and pulls out a flash drive. I palm it and tuck it into my pocket. He sticks another fry in his mouth. “The trail’s leading me to the east coast. This is my last week at the company. I’ve already given notice because I’ve burned through my resources here.”
“Why can’t you stay and see it through?” Maisy asks.
“This is just one piece of the picture. I want the whole thing when I break this story. Everything I’ve got so far is on that drive.”
“Thank you,” Maisy says. “I’m glad we ran into you, or we might’ve missed out on knowing this.”
“Probably would’ve gotten yourselves caught by the patrol, too,” Ethan says with a pointed look as he drizzles ketchup over the rest of his fries. “Seriously, watch out for them. You’ll find what I’ve pieced together on this in what I gave you, but when someone from their parent company has a meeting with the Nexus Lab board, it throws off this shady vibe. My co-worker goes white as a sheet whenever they come around.”
I don’t mention what we learned from Colton earlier about who owns the shell corporation that owns Nexus Lab. “Yeah. We’ll be more careful.”