He ended the call and blew out a breath. “Commissioner Thomas is on his way there. We’ll know for sure soon enough.” He squeezed Sam’s shoulder and nodded at him. “Thanks.” Returning to his desk, he said, “I need all the information gathered to be put on the table at the back so we know where it is, and then I need all of you to return to your posts, please.”
It was the hardest thing he’d ever had to say.
And the forty-five-minute wait was the longest in the history of time.
When his phone finally rang, he snatched it up. “Yes?”
“It’s not him.”
Brett’s body didn’t know whether to feel relief or anger. “Who is it?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Can you send me a photo?”
Brady sighed. “Yes, but it’s not pleasant. It’s not easy to discern his face.”
Brett’s stomach churned. “And you’re sure it’s not Felix?”
“Absolutely certain.”
His phone beeped, and he put it on speaker while he looked at the photo Brady had sent him. It wasn’t Felix, the shape of his head was enough confirmation. Sam had been right, though. The man was wearing what looked to be exactly the same clothes as Felix had been in that video. It wasn’t a big thing, as black trousers and a black top and jacket were common, but it was the logo on the jacket that made him reconsider.
“That’s the same logo as was on the video,” he murmured, his brain trying to connect all the fraying edges of threads that should make up a cohesive story. He closed his eyes and rewatched the video in his head, the poor quality, the clothes, the voices, the noises. His heart stopped.
“Brady, I’ll call you back.” He hung up and shouted to Sam. “Bring up the video on the screen again.”
Sam did without hesitation, though Brett could see the confusion. He watched it through, making a note of where the skipping or lines were.
“Again,” he said when it finished. He stepped closer, staring at one particular spot. When he saw it, he didn’t quite believe his eyes. “Again.” He watched it six more times to be sure. “Fuck me.”
He brought his phone up to his ear after dialling. “Dominic, I need you here. Now.”
While he waited, he paced, not sure if he believed his eyes, which was why he waited for Dominic, someone he knew would tell him like it is.
“What?” Dominic said, breath sawing out of his lungs.
“Watch this, but keep an eye on where I’m pointing.”
Dominic nodded, and Brett asked Sam to play it again. His finger hovered over the screen at the location he needed Dominic to concentrate on.
“There.” He waited. “Did you see it?”
Dominic frowned. “I saw what looked like a lighter shade for a few seconds. The video is shit quality.”
“But not that shit. How can the colour of his buckle change when nothing else seems to? If it were the quality of the video, all aspects of the colours would change, surely?” He looked to Sam, whose expression showed he was a little out of his depth.
“To the extent of my limited knowledge, you’re right. Most of the time, all the colours would change to some degree,” he agreed. “I can ask the guy Felix’s dad send our way, if you want?”
Brett shook his head.
“What are you saying, Brett?” Dominic asked.
“I think the video is fake. I don’t think Felix is dead. And if I’m right, then the question becomes:whyis Felix alive?”
****
Chapter 16