TANTRIC (Book 3 of the Soundcrush Series)

Chapter 65: Front Men Squeeze The Trigger

Okay, I know everyone's been waiting for this chapter, so let's get into it. 

One note,  I think the life that the guys end up trying to save here is Varrick's, because I think he lost his life a long time ago. The song "How To Save A Life" is a look at Matt's natural sympathy for Varrick...the younger guys probably are too caught up in their emotions to see as much at Matt does.

Leed

I'm doing one of those stupidest fucking things I've ever done.

I'm not talking about convincing Dev to help me commit B and E and risk both our careers and potentially incarceration.

I'm not talking about hiring a high-tech cat burglar to slide us into Varrick Von's smart house by completely hacking his computer controls.

I'm not even talking about dragging Trace into this and leaving him with the technically legal but maybe most dangerous part of this whole deal—keeping Von occupied while we toss his house and later, probably his office too.

No, the stupidest thing I'm doing right now is ignoring my instincts.

They are screaming at me that I'm off track.

There's something I'm not seeing.

And yet I don't know what else to do but finish what we've started here. I'm standing over the professional thief, who's hacking into Varrick's PC, and it's not squaring with the reality I'm expecting.

There are no videos of Ashlynn. No videos of any Subs. No homemade porn at all. Hell, even his porn viewing is just standard stuff—a mix of random videos, most of them not even BDSM.

But there are a shit ton of articles about Megan's disappearance on his browser history. Also a lot of research about Costa Rica—particularly gorges, lakes, landfills and very remote trails with driving access. All hits within the last six weeks. It also looks like his recent trip to Brazil was actually a cover for visiting Costa Rica, because his emails show car rentals and hotel confirmations in Costa Rica.

It doesn't make sense. If he killed her twenty years ago, why is he suddenly obsessed with revisiting the event in the last six weeks?

Unless he knows that we know about Megan.

How could he know that?

He could only know if Ashlynn or maybe Laurie contacted him.

Or—if he was having us followed in Costa Rica and realizes we met Laurie Davis.

Fuck.

Dev comes loping back into the room, looking all too comfortable in a ski mask and gloves. He pulls the mask off. "I don't get it. If he's a Dom—where's his fucking play room?"

Dev's right and that's another thing that is wrong here. There are no tools of a Dom's trade, anywhere—and we've tossed the whole fucking place. There's not even so much as a set of restraints or a flogger.

"Fuck," I mutter and shove past Dev, shouldering down the stairs to his basement. I don't know why, it just seems like the place to keep secrets.

There's nothing here but an expansive home gym. We've already searched it, but there has to be something more down here. I pace in front of the wall of mirrors.

I'm angry, hostile—criminal—I don't even look like myself. I don't feel like myself either.

"What are we missing?" I round on Dev. "What the fuck are we missing?"

He rubs his jaw. "Well, there's the obvious, mate. Maybe we've got the wrong guy."

I shake my head. "It's him. Ashlynn admitted it."