“I trust you, but I’d still like to take a look at it.”
Payton didn’t look offended like he thought she might. “Suit yourself.”
Chapter 10
Payton sat in the back seat of Colin’s car as they drove to his house. She was glad they finally decided to work with her versus against, but she felt it was more so Alex could keep an eye on her instead of wanting her input. She didn’t believe for a second, he wanted her help. He was a Delta. He probably thought he could do everything on his own. Knowing she was a detective didn’t change his opinion of her.
That was fine with her. She still had an ace up her sleeve. She’d discover what they knew then leave. If it wasn’t for her car being totaled, she’d already be on her own solving this case.
Payton’s heart began to race when she saw the street they were turning down. She recognized the street name because this was where she’d been heading before her run-in with Jones and Smith. What were the odds? Her answer came when they pulled into the drive of a one-story pale yellow house. Her eyes zeroed in on the house number. The odds were slim to none.
“Colin, how long have you lived here?” she asked casually. Alex turned in the front passenger seat. Payton met his glance head on with innocence. It was just a question, nothing more to it.
“Since I got out of Afghanistan. Your dad helped me get a job on base, and I found this place right after.”
That sounded like her dad. He was a bad ass colonel but a total softy when it came to helping people. It’s why he took in Alex when he was eleven when he got caught trying to pick her dad’s pocket. Alex’s mom had run away shortly after having him, and his dad spent more time with the bottle than him. Alex had to learn to care for himself at a young age because he didn’t want to grow up in foster care.
He’d been living on the streets when he and her dad crossed paths. Her dad could have turned him in, but he saw what Payton always saw in him. Potential, heart, guts, and loyalty. Her dad brought him home and that had been it.
Colin’s dad was nice, but he didn’t have the pull her dad did in the government. And since he was Alex’s best friend, her dad made sure to keep a close eye on him throughout his career. He never outwardly said anything, but she’d found the reports on both Alex and Colin in Alex’s room years ago.
Colin led them inside. It wasn’t a large house. A living room with a couch and computer, and a dining room to the left. Down the hall was a bathroom, bedroom, and the kitchen. It couldn’t be more than a thousand square feet. For one person used to living in small living quarters on base, it was all he needed.
Payton noted how clean and organized everything was too. It made her wonder what Alex’s living quarters were. Did he live in base housing or off base? Was it a big house or little? Did he share it with someone? He was a good looking man. He’d never had trouble when they were younger finding female companions. She doubted that had changed.
“I know it’s not much,” Colin said bashfully when she just stood there in the doorway.
“It’s great,” she assured him. “More than I have. I just live in an apartment.” She practically lived at the station always working on cases. A house was too much work, she didn’t have time for. She didn’t want the responsibility of lawn work. Her one bedroom apartment was more than enough for her.
Payton didn’t grow up with the frivolous things most girls did. She didn’t have Barbies and tons of dresses and shoes. Her dad was a minimalist. He didn’t want a lot of stuff cluttering up the house. She learned to be the same way.
Alex cleared his throat. “Let’s see what’s on this flash drive.” He stepped between her and Colin and headed for the computer.
“Shall we?” He held out his elbow, but Payton declined. She cared for Colin, but she didn’t want him getting any ideas there would be anything between him. He was like the brother Alex should have been. She didn’t feel anything more than brotherly affection for him. Alex was a different story. One she wouldn’t get into. He’d made his feelings for her more than clear before he’d left for the army. She was a leper to be beat away with a stick if she got too close.
Colin shrugged off her rejection good naturedly and joined Alex at the computer. Payton knew it was a waste of time, so she opted to stand back and let them fool around. She had real evidence to follow.
She sat back on the couch and read her father’s letter. She couldn’t shake the feeling her father was trying to tell her something. Leaving clues only she’d know to follow.
Come on, Payton, think.
“We got something,” Colin announced.
Payton hopped off the couch and came to stand behind him to see what they’d found when she hadn’t found anything. She stared at the same screen she had before. “I don’t see anything.”
“Exactly,” Colin said excitedly.
She was missing something. How was that a good thing? “Want to explain to me how that’s finding something?”
It was Alex who told her. “It only appears blank to fool people, but your dad actually hid files on the drive. Show her,” he told Colin.
Payton leaned forward, her shoulder brushing Alex’s. She felt the instant blistering heat from his skin on contact. She pulled back and glanced over at Alex to see if he’d felt it too. His gaze met hers but was unreadable. It was probably nothing. A trick of her overtired brain.
“He hid it under this file drive,” Colin carried on, oblivious to what was going on behind him. “It’s a list of names.”
“What’s that file?” She pointed at the yellow folder below the list.
Colin clicked on it, and a pop-up appeared asking for a password. “Any idea what the password would be?” he asked, looking up at her.