Dead Presidents (An Aria Raymond Thriller Book 3) by Thomas Ransom (that summer book txt) 📕

It was a USB.

Chapter 10: Getting Closer

“Come on! Hurry, put it in. I can’t stand the suspense,” Diaz announced the minute they entered Sanjay’s apartment. “Where is your laptop?” She looked around the room.

Sanjay sighed, “We’ve just stepped inside, Nicole. I know, I know, I know,” he held up his hands when he saw Diaz glaring at him. “Here,” he took the laptop from his work desk at the corner of the room and handed it to Diaz, who was making herself comfortable on the couch. She hastily opened the laptop and took out the USB she had kept in her jacket’s pocket. Sanjay sat down next to her.

“Shit!!” they both said at the same time. The USB was encrypted.

“Why does this keep happening to us?!” said Diaz, frustrated.

“Don’t worry. It will only take a few minutes for our IT guys to fix this,” Sanjay reassured.

“But is it safe to ask anyone from the police to help us with it?”

“Jake will point us to the right guy. They are already working on the case and have managed to keep things low key, which is a good sign.”

“Okay. Let’s go then!” Diaz stood up and started putting on her coat.

“Where?”

“To your IT guy. I need the information on this USB Sanjay. Time is running out.”

“Right now?”

“I am going!”

“Okay. Okay. I am coming. Let me call Jake and ask him to make sure the guy is there when we get there.”

“Good thinking.”

They drove to the precinct and arrived there within half an hour. Jake was waiting for them and led them to another room. “So, you didn’t tell me what is this all about? Did you guys find anything?”

“Maybe,” Diaz answered.

Jake raised an eyebrow at Sanjay, who sighed, “We… we went to Wayne’s place.”

“WHAT!? Why? Even after I told you there was nothi…”

“But there was something there that you missed,” snapped Diaz.

Jake pressed his temples, trying hard not to get angry. “The IT guy is working on a case. He is finishing up and will be here in a few minutes. In the meantime, what did you find? And where? Why didn’t you tell me? And what were you thinking sneaking into his house?” He looked at Sanjay. “That’s breaking and entering.” He said in an urgent whisper.

“I am working on the case. How on earth is that breaking and entering?” Sanjay asked.

“You have to follow the procedure!” Jake sighed. “It could have been dangerous. After everything we know about this case, how can you put Nicole in danger? You should have called in some people…”

“I can take care of myself. Thank you. Where is this guy?” Nicole glared at Jake.

Jake looked and Nicole and then at Sanjay.

“Yeah. Okay. It was my bad.” Sanjay admitted.

Jake shook his head and sighed, “What did you find?”

“It’s a USB and it is encrypted. Show him,” Sanjay nodded at Diaz, who reluctantly handed the device to Jake.

“Where did you find this?”

“Loose floorboard under the bed.”

“Ugghh! Of course!”

“Where is this guy? This is taking too long!”

Jake rolled his eyes, “He is working on a case. I can’t just tell him to neglect the case and start helping you. Have some patience.”

“We don’t have much time. I have been too patient already. This could be something really important. Wayne knew something and that is why he was killed!”

“What?! What do you mean killed? I thought he was getting better!”

Sanjay shook his head, “That’s what we thought too. He asked the staff to call me there to talk. He wanted to discuss something with me, but by the time we reached the hospital… Even the doctors were surprised.”

Jake’s face turned white. “What the hell! How did this even happen?!”

“No idea!”

“See? That’s why it is important to get the information from this USB.”

“This is too dangerous! A civilian shouldn’t be involved in this. Look what happened to Wayne.”

Diaz snatched the device from Jake’s hand angrily, “I will get to the bottom of it, with or without your help.”

“Nicole, listen to me… it is for your own good. Leave it to us. We will keep you updated…. Nicole!”

Diaz was already storming out of the room and started calling someone on her phone.

“Go with her! This is serious Sanjay. You need to convince her to stop this. These people are dangerous and can do anything to anyone. Don’t let her out of your sight. Go!”

Sanjay nodded and hurried after Diaz.

“Where are you going?”

“To my IT guy.”

“Listen…”

“NO!” Diaz turned around and faced Sanjay. “I am done. Okay? I am going to do this myself. This is important for me. You guys don’t get it.”

“I do, Nicole. I do get it. Trust me! I have been trying to solve this case since the beginning. It even got to my head. I have to solve it. So, yeah. I do get it. But I know this much, that you need me with you. It is impossible to solve this case and catch those guys alone.”

Diaz sighed and nodded, realizing Sanjay was invested in this case as much as she was. “Fine. You can join me.”

They sat in silence in the car as Nicole drove, following the GPS navigation. Her guy frequently moved around a lot and was always residing in some new place every time she called.

Sanjay cleared his throat, “How come we didn’t go to this guy earlier?”

“Because he is an idiot! He has been slacking off lately. Hasn’t really helped me in this case. I told him months ago to find that guy in the hoodie. I sent him all the surveillance videos I could find and nothing! But he is an amazing hacker. Can get in this USB