“That bomb Samer built? It’s big. We’re talking several city blocks just gone. Poof. Wiped out as if they never existed. Now, imagine your mother and little sister are within the blast radius. What do you think would happen to them?”
More tears fell in silver streaks down the boy’s cheeks, but still, he refused to even look at the image of his family.
“I can’t protect them if I don’t know where the bomb is.”
When Elias remained silent, Atwell slapped her hand down onto the table and yelled, “Tell me where the bomb is!”
“I don’t know, okay?” He swung his tortured gaze back to the federal agent’s.
“Stop bullshitting me, Elias.”
“I’m not! I swear to you. I don’t know where Samer or the bomb is. H-he…he never told us where he was taking it, or what the target was. We’d just meet up at random locations, discuss the plan for the banks, and that was it. I swear!”
“How did he communicate with you?”
“Untraceable flip phones.”
“And he never said anything, not even once, about who he was targeting?”
Elias looked much younger than his nineteen years as he sat there, shaking his head in defeat. “No. But…”
“But what?”
“He has a computer. A laptop.”
“Did you ever see what was on it?”
“Only once. I walked by while he was on it.”
“You see anything that can help me find him?”
“No, but I…I’m pretty sure he kept all his notes and stuff on there.”
“Okay, good. That’s good, Elias. But you see, without Samer, I can’t get to his computer. And without that, I can’t find the bomb.”
Clarity filled Elias’s eyes just then, and his head tilted to the side a tiny bit when he asked, “Your people searched the house, right? The one where you found the picture of me with Samer?”
“We have.”
“Then you should’ve found it.”
The comment had Raegan perking up.
“What do you mean?” Agent Atwell asked.
“I mean, the guy kept it there, at the house.”
“My people searched that place from top to bottom. There was no laptop.”
“Did your people know about the hidden space beneath the floorboards of the upstairs bedroom?”
“Which one?”
“I don’t know. The one at the top of the stairs.” Elias sat back against his chair and sighed. “And before you ask, I only know this because I heard him telling one of the other guys about it once.”
“What’s that guy’s name?”
“Lawrence something. I don’t know his last name. I just heard him saying he helped Samer carry some stuff into a house in the suburbs once. Apparently, the guy had to take a piss or something, and the bathroom downstairs was being used, so he went upstairs. Said he saw Samer putting the computer into the floor of the bedroom at the top of the stairs. But that’s all I know, I swear.”