Page 2 of The Lost Zone (Dark Water #3)

“I was sent to Belvedere to learn how to be a good little indie for Tyler – but that’s another story.”

Josiah sat back in his chair, feeling sickened. “It’s astonishing that you survived. Ted was right – you’re strong, Alex, and your strength will bring Tyler down.”

Alex looked up. “Do you know how to do that?”

“I’ve got an idea, yes.” Josiah stood up and rummaged around in the sideboard for a pad of paper and a pen.

“Old school,” he said with a grin, sitting back down.

“I don’t want this going on my holopad. Now, tell me the names of all the people he was blackmailing: Martin Bagshaw…

Jake Harper… what was the name of the man who worked with Bagshaw? ”

“Clive Hastings.”

“And Solange, Ted, Mick, Drummond, Mason, Chef, Lorenzo – I need to know everything you can tell me about them. Their full names, where they came from – any personal information you can remember.”

“What are you going to do with all that?” Alex asked as Josiah completed his fifth page of notes. “How will it help you arrest Tyler?”

Josiah looked at the long list grimly. “Oh, I’m not just going after Tyler. I’m going to track down every single person who abused you, and I’m going to make them all pay.”

Alex smiled. “Thank you, but that’s not necessary. The only person I’m seeking justice for is Solange.”

Josiah leaned forward and spoke in a low, hard tone. “And who’s going to get justice for you? You’ve always been on her side, but nobody has ever been on yours. That ends now. What you’ve done for her, I’ll do for you. I’m taking them down – all of them.”

Alex went very still. Then he rubbed his gold-stained fingers across his eyes. They came away wet.

Josiah reached out and touched his hand gently.

Alex’s fingers fastened around his and squeezed.

“Do you think Esther will let you investigate all this?” he asked doubtfully.

“She’s already told you to leave Tyler alone.

She doesn’t trust me, so she’s hardly going to take my word about what happened.

She’ll think I’m playing you to take the heat out of your investigation into Elliot’s murder. ”

“I know. That’s why we need to speak to another witness who was there and can testify about what happened that night.”

Alex looked up sharply. “Ted.”

“Yup.”

“Tyler won’t like it,” Alex warned. “Esther was right; certain questions about Peter’s death might be asked if you make yourself a target. There’s also the escape network. You’ve got a lot to hide, Joe, and Tyler is good at digging up dirt on people and using it. He’ll fight you.”

“Good.” Josiah stood up, briskly snapping the notebook shut. “I love a decent fight.”

“He fights dirty.”

Josiah grinned. “So do I.”

“This is really happening, isn’t it?” Alex looked dazed. “After all these years – it’s finally happening.”

“Yes, Alex, it’s really happening. So, if you have any doubts, or you’re getting cold feet, you’d better tell me now, because once I get started, we’ll both be on this rollercoaster to the end. There’s no turning back.”

Alex stood too and looked Josiah in the eye. “No doubts, no cold feet,” he said resolutely.

“Good, then let’s do this.” Taking hold of Alex’s face, he pressed a kiss to his lips. Alex wrapped his arms around him and kissed him back. Drawing away, Josiah gazed at him speculatively, tempted to make love to him again.

Alex laughed, guessing his intent. “Careful, I only just finished mending the vase… although there’s always the bedroom.”

Josiah shook his head regretfully. “I now have two murderers to bring to justice, to say nothing of a long list of other people to investigate. There’s no time to waste. Go and get dressed – we have work to do.”

“I’m coming with you?”

“Yes, of course. I need your help – and one more thing…”

Alex turned back on his way to the door.

“I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you to be discreet about this… us… whatever it is we are now.” Josiah grimaced. “If the press finds out, it’ll make bringing Tyler to justice harder. Best if nobody knows – for now, at least. Can you do that?”

Alex laughed. “Oh, Josiah, I’m just as good at keeping secrets as you are, remember.

” He closed his eyes, humming a few bars of his song.

When he opened them again his expression was vacant, his shoulders loose and his jaw slack.

The transformation was startling. There was no sign of the man Josiah had been speaking to this morning, or had made love to so passionately last night.

It was as if a different person had taken his place.

The man standing in front of him was every inch the compliant, obedient servant without a single thought in his head.

“Fuck,” Josiah said. “Where the hell did you learn to do that?”

Alex gave an empty smile. “Belvedere, sir.”

Josiah reached out and gently touched his cheek. “I’m sure that wasn’t an easy trick to master,” he said softly.

Alex’s eyelids flickered but the mask remained firmly in place. “It wasn’t, but I mastered it well.”

Josiah dug around for information on Solange while Alex was dressing.

As expected, the IS agency showed she’d been indentured to Tyler at the time of her death.

But instead of marking her as deceased, it showed that her contract had come to a natural conclusion and she’d been paid in full.

Josiah wasn’t surprised; Tyler had had seven years to work out a cover story for why she’d never been seen again.

He put in a call to Reed. His faithful info-tech was at his desk working, where he’d no doubt been since the crack of dawn.

“I’m sending you a list of names,” Josiah told him, without bothering with pleasantries. “I want anything you can get me on any of them, starting with Theodore – Ted – Burgis. Tyler Tech registered him as an IS, but his contract ended a few years ago. Find out where he is now.”

“Is he a suspect?”

“No, he’s a lead.” Josiah deliberately didn’t say what he was lead for, which gave him a pang of guilt.

“Are you coming in today?”

“I have no idea. It depends on what you find for me.”

“Does this take priority over finding the woman who posted the gun? I was just about to head out to look for her again.”

“Send someone else. I want you on this. Call me if you find anything.”

Reed glanced up in surprise. “Where will you be?”

“I have something important to do,” Josiah said tersely, ending the call.

This was becoming serious. He was lying to Esther, asking Reed to investigate a case they had no authorisation to pursue, and if he found Ted Burgis and persuaded him to testify, then he was sure Tyler would bring down a whole world of pain on his head.

He’d promised Alex he would bring Tyler to justice, and he intended to do just that, but it was hard lying to his friends and colleagues.

Yet, without something more than Alex’s word to go on, Esther would never authorise him to look into Solange’s murder.

Then there was Elsie and the Kathleen Line.

If Tyler dug around in his life, then he was putting them all at risk.

This whole thing was becoming more dangerous by the second.

Josiah strode into the garden for some fresh air.

Sitting on the swing, he rocked back and forth, considering his next move.

He wished he could hear Peter whispering advice in his ear as he’d done most days for the past seven years.

He suspected, if he asked a psychologist, that they’d say Peter’s voice had always been a manifestation of his own self, born out of shock and grief.

So, if that voice was a part of him, then surely he could still access it within himself?

“Peter, I have to do something that I’m going to hate. It’ll feel like a betrayal of you and all we worked for together. I hope you understand,” he mused out loud. He knew, instantly and instinctively, what Peter’s reply would be:

“The Kathleen Line was my baby, not yours. Don’t feel you have to hold on to it for my sake.”

He couldn’t hear Peter whispering in his ear, but he argued back all the same, seeking the clarity that talking to Peter had always brought him.

“Newsflash, Peter. You left me to run it for the past seven years, so it’s just as much mine now. More, probably.”

“You’ll put Elsie and all the others in danger if you pursue Tyler.” That’s what Peter would say, so Josiah said it out loud, needing to hear it.

“I know.”

“You could always walk away from this whole mess. Solange died years ago. Does it matter that her killer is brought to justice when there are ISs out there who need your help right now?”

“I promised Alex I’d do this.”

“ Are you in love with him? ”

Josiah stopped swinging and sat there, frozen. Even his subconscious was annoying these days. “Don’t be an idiot. I’ve only known him a few days.”

“ You fell in love with me in about thirty seconds flat when I offered you a puppy. You fall fast, Joe .”

“Shut up.” Josiah grinned. He was arguing with himself; it was ridiculous.

“Just do the right thing.”

How convenient that “Peter” was giving him such an easy absolution.

Maybe he was fooling himself. Peter might just as likely have argued that he should find another way, but Josiah couldn’t see what that way would be.

He also couldn’t see the point of prolonging a conversation where he was the only participant.

“Sorry, Peter,” he murmured. “It was a lot easier when I could actually hear you.” He took out his holopad and, before he could change his mind, called Elsie. “I’m coming over,” he told her.

“Now?” she asked, looking startled. “Why? Is everything okay, Joe? Are we in trouble?”

“No, I just need to talk to you. It’s important. I’ll be there soon.”