Page 40 of Out of Reach
The meat and condiments were still on the counter, so Hawk made himself a ham sandwich while he filled Mal in.
“I’m tempted to just call Prescott and tell him I have Jude’s computer.” Hawk sat across from Mal at the table.
“That would alert him that you’re onto him,” Mal said.
Nodding as he took a large bite of the sandwich, Hawk took a moment to savor the tangy mustard, ham, and Swiss cheese on rye. After he swallowed, he asked, “If you were Prescott, what would you do in this situation?”
Mal considered a moment. “I’d try to get the information from Jude, either by deception or by force, which sounds like what he’s done.”
“I told Jude that if he asks for the laptop to tell him he loaned it to me.”
“Did you tell him why?”
“No. It’s better that he doesn’t know.”
Mal smiled wryly. “I’m sure Jude was thrilled with that answer.”
“He was busy, or he probably would have pushed harder,” Hawk said.
Footsteps had them both looking at the door.
“Well, that wasn’t very challenging,” Dex said, joining them at the table.
“You mean you’ve cracked the code already?” Hawk pushed away his plate.
“If I’d known it would be that easy, I would have gotten to it sooner.” Dex placed a notepad on the table in front of Hawk. “It’s a list of names, each with a color beside it.”
Scanning the paper, Hawk murmured, “I don’t recognize any of these.” He went over the list a second time. “Wait.” His gaze snagged on a name. “Sebastian Knight. He was at Prescott’s party last weekend. He’s a model friend of Jude’s.”
Dex’s phone buzzed.
“It’s Slade. I texted him that I’d cracked it.” Swiping the screen, he answered, “Hey, boss. Yeah, Hawk recognizes one as a model friend of Jude’s that was at Prescott’s weekend party in the Hamptons…Sure.” Lowering the phone, he pushed the speaker button and Slade’s no-nonsense baritone filled the room.
“Hawk, what’s the name of the model?”
“Sebastian Knight,” Hawk said.
Slade sighed. “Okay, that’s all the confirmation I need. I’m sending you and—who’s available?”
Hawk glanced at Mal, who nodded.
“Mal can go with me.”
“Okay, I’m sending you guys to New York as soon as possible. Dex, fax me that list of names.”
“What’s going on?” Hawk asked.
“I’d already suspected Prescott has been grooming Sebastian Knight, from the way Knight suddenly disappeared from the modeling scene and started hanging out with Prescott for no apparent reason. Several years ago, someone helped Tomaso Ricci out of a huge financial mess. We’re talking millions of dollars. I’m willing to bet it was Prescott who bailed him out and now he’s calling in on the favor, getting Ricci to feed him models for his human trafficking business. Did you see any interaction between Knight and Prescott at his house in the Hamptons?”
“Jude spoke to Knight for a few minutes outside, and when Prescott realized it, he rushed out there even though he’d been in the middle of a conversation. Within seconds, Knight came inside and disappeared upstairs. That’s the only time I saw them together. The next morning, Prescott said Knight had left. He’s been telling everyone Knight has a drug problem, and now he’s supposedly going to a rehab facility for help.”
“Yeah, I’m willing to bet thatfacilityis overseas. Dex, is the name Zion Reynolds on that list?” Slade asked.
Dex checked the list. “No.”
“Wait. Why are you asking about Zion? He’s a friend of Jude’s,” Hawk said.
“His sister reported him missing earlier this week.”