He said, “No shit? Why didn’t he call the police?”
“Let’s do a video call. I want you to see.”
We hung up and I video-called him back. Ryan held his phone low when he answered, so I saw him from below. He was shirtless and appeared to be in his childhood bedroom. The image instantly jerked sideways to show the computer tower and keyboard connected to a monitor on a small desk.
“See? I brought it home.”
The image jerked back to Ryan.
I said, “I believed you. I’ll pan around the room. Tell me if anything looks different.”
I flip-flopped the camera and gave him a slow tour. I walked him around the table and walls and neatly stacked articles and notes.
He said, “Looks the way I left it.”
I walked him down the hall and slowly around the living room. I lingered over the boxes and furniture and walls and the big flat-screen, and then around the kitchen.
Ryan said, “Dude. Nothing’s missing that I can see. Nothing’s even disturbed. That guy Karsey’s a jerk. He made it up.”
I considered the room and wondered why nothing had been disturbed. The meatball and the scarecrow hadn’t broken in at three in the morning to use the bathroom. I flip-flopped the image so Ryan and I could see each other.
I said, “They were here. Them and at least two others. They’re watching the bungalow, Ryan. Don’t come back, okay? It isn’t safe.”
Ryan squinted.
“What others?”
“I don’t know, but I’ve seen them twice.”
“Why would they watch Josh’s place?”
“Maybe they’re looking for Josh. Maybe for Skylar. I don’t know.”
“This is bullshit.”
Ryan seemed irritated.
I glanced around the room again, seeing the meatball and his friend slipping through the darkness with night vision goggles. It seemed absurd, but two guys in an SUV had tried to kill me. Or scare me.
“How well do you know Josh’s dad?”
“Corbin?”
“Does he have more than one?”
“He’s kind of a dick. Josh hates him.”
“Wendy and Kurt work for Adele. Maybe Corbin hired people to watch the bungalow. Maybe the people last night work for him.”
“It’s possible, I guess. Corbin has people like Wendy and Kurt.”
“Guards?”
Ryan made an uncertain shrug.
“I guess so. Josh’s folks are kinda rich.”
“I thought they were retired teachers.”
Ryan smirked.
“Uh-huh. Right.”
I gazed down the hall toward the studio. The bungalow hadn’t been ransacked, but this didn’t mean it hadn’t been searched. If the meatball and his partner were looking for Josh, they had probably been looking for clues.
I said, “Did you find anything helpful?”
Ryan’s mouth tightened and he looked unhappy.
“I don’t know how helpful, but it pissed me off. Josh was working on something he didn’t tell me about.”
“What are you talking about, Ryan?”
He shifted, and I saw the computer behind him.
“A folder on the drive. Looks like research for a show.”
“On the computer?”
“Yeah. On the drive. It’s stuff he downloaded after Skylar called. All these downloads about real estate stuff.”
“What kind of real estate stuff?”
“Like from the news. Articles and stories and stuff. Looks boring as hell.”
“Is there anything about Skylar or Josh or his plans?”
“It isn’t about them. It could be a coincidence, I guess, but the download dates start when Skylar called. Remember what I said? I was right. Josh was working on something with this bitch and cutting me out.”
Ryan looked hurt and angry.
“We don’t know what he was up to, Ryan.”
“Screw him and screw her. I know I’m screwed.”
I sighed.
“Can you send me the folder?”
“It’s only articles. All public stuff.”
“Send it anyway.”
“Okay.”
“Anything else?”
“Isn’t this enough?”
Ryan looked sullen and miserable. I tried to think of something encouraging to say, but my best efforts felt maudlin and false.
I said, “Is there anything you need or want from here? I’ll bring it to you.”
“I don’t need shit.”
Sullen.
“Okay. Just remember. Don’t come back. Not until we know what’s going on.”