Dusk was overtaking the sky as Axel pulled up outside the address Dane had given him. He parked across the street, a couple of houses down from the number he wanted, so that he could take a moment and observe the lay of the land.

It looked like a pretty typical neighborhood for this part of Texas. Single-story houses with garages to the side, small front lawns and well-kept streets. The grass had suffered during Harvey and was still struggling to re-grow, but some people had obviously gone out and replaced their lawns with fresh turf. Others remained brown and patchy, and stood out even more for the pristine yards around them.

The houses themselves showed little sign of lingering damage. Most of the worst of the storm had hit Houston itself, or areas to the west of the city. Hidden Creek was on slightly higher ground, so for the most part had avoided total flooding. Here or there Axel could spot lines low on houses or mailbox stands where the waters had left their mark, but that was about it.

Nothing stood out about his target’s house. Like most, it had blacked-out windows around the overhanging AC units to keep the strong Texas sun from cooking everything inside. People around here used trash bags, because paint cooked and peeled off in no time. He saw no gaps in the black-out, no cracks through which people could be observed. Chances were that Marsters didn’t even know Axel was here yet.

He unbuckled and eased out of the SUV, locking the door remotely as he approached Marsters’ house. The garage door was closed with no car in sight, but that was no indicator of whether or not anyone was home, so he stopped on the porch and thumbed the doorbell.

The only sound inside the house was the buzz of the bell. No dog bark, no shouting.

Axel waited. He was about to press the bell again when he heard locks turn on the door, so he lowered his hand and affected a relaxed stance.

The man who opened the door was white, medium build, in his early to mid thirties. Axel catalogued everything about him in a second: his baggy sweats, his short brown hair, and the slightly crooked canine tooth to the lower left of his mouth.

“Uh. Yes?”

“Clive Marsters?”

Marsters shrugged. “Who’s asking?”

“Special Agent Ford, FBI. I’m reaching for identification,” he added as he moved a hand with care into his jacket.

Marsters waited, then nodded as Axel showed his ID. “Okay. What can I do for you?”

“I’m sorry to trouble you this time of night.” Axel put his ID away. “Am I right in thinking you work for Hidden Creek Insurance out on Victory Boulevard?”

“Yes, sir. That would be correct.” Marsters waved his hand in front of his face as a mosquito flew past. “You wanna come inside before these fuckers invade my home?”

“Thank you.” Axel followed Marsters into the gloom and waited for him to close the door. As he did, he glanced around the interior.

The front door opened straight into the living room and the kitchen was off to Axel’s right. It was one big space with only a countertop separating the two zones. The kitchen had sliding doors out into the back yard, and screens across the doors so they could be left open without the mosquitoes and lizards getting inside.

On his left, the bedrooms and bathroom. Straight ahead were a mismatched assortment of chairs and a TV screen which dominated the living room. The carpet was beige, the walls were beige, and even half the chairs were beige.

Marsters sauntered past and sank down into an armchair. “Make yourself at home.”

“Thanks.” Axel sat on the forward edge of another armchair, with the couch between them for distance to stop Marsters feeling crowded. “It’s about your employer. They caught fire earlier today and burned down.”

Marsters nodded and curled his legs up on the seat to his side. “Yeah. I heard about that. My phone’s been going crazy all evening.”

“You weren’t in the office today?”

“Nah.” Marsters shrugged. “I work from home some days.”

“And today was one of those days?”

“That’s right.”

Axel idly scratched his earlobe as he looked around the living room. Something was out of place here, and it was taking a while for his brain to figure out what it was, so he smiled to Marsters and dropped his hand to the arm of the chair. “You’re the IT guy?”

“Yep.” Marsters dipped his head.

“Does anyone but you have access to the server room?”

“Eh.” Now it was Marsters’ turn to scratch his ear. “The board all have access.”

Axel leaned back and crossed his legs to see if Marsters would do the same. It wasn’t unusual for people to echo the body language of those around them, especially if they were relaxed or friendly, and soon enough Marsters also lowered his legs from the chair so he could cross them.

“The directors?” Axel nodded. “All right. Thank you for your time, Mr. Marsters. I’m sure you’ve got things to do, so I’ll get out of your hair.” He stood and crossed the room so he could offer his hand to Marsters.

Marsters shook it as he stood and offered an apologetic smile. “No problem. Glad to help.”

Axel caught a distinctive odor just as Marsters pulled away. The faintest touch of something familiar.

Smoke.

Axel wandered to the door and waited for Marsters to open it for him, then stepped outside. “Have a pleasant evening, sir,” he said.

“Same to you.”

Axel didn’t call Dane until he was back in his SUV and on the move.

* * *

“I want surveillance on him,” he said as he began to head east.

“No problem,” Dane said. “I’ll get Jones over there right away.”

“Thanks. Any more out of our guests?”

Dane snorted softly. “Nothing yet. We’re letting them stew a while.”

“All right. Get some rest. We can pick this up in the morning.”

He hung up and drove another block before he realized he was automatically heading back to Fox’s motel, and before he could question it his stomach made the most amazing noise he’d ever heard. It was more than a rumble. It was almost a geyser of hunger.

Damn, when did he eat last?

Fox had to be hungry too, right? Especially after all he’d been through this afternoon. Adrenaline did that.

Axel pulled off at the first food joint he saw, and once he was able to get his phone out, he checked whether Fox had emailed him his contact details and then tapped the phone number he found in his inbox.

“Yo! This is me,” Fox said cheerfully when he answered.

“Hey, you. It’s me. Are you a vegetarian or anything?”

“Worst pick-up line ever!” Fox laughed. “No, I eat meat.”

Axel rolled his eyes. “Sure, but what about food?”

“Spoilsport. No, I’m not a vegetarian. Why’d you ask?”

Axel eyed the florescent signs in the pizza place’s window. Pizza really wasn’t his idea of a good meal. “Well I figured we both haven’t eaten since lunch, and if I’m picking something up, I might as well grab something for you, too. If you wanted?”

“Oh man, I would kill for a gyro right now. Are there any places around here that do them?”

“That’s what Google’s for. I’ll figure it out and meet you back at yours?”

“That’d be awesome. It’ll take me like fifteen, maybe twenty, to get there.”

“Perfect. No allergies?”

“Nope.”

Axel nodded. “All right. One gyro, coming up. See you soon.”

He tapped at his phone until he found a place, then transferred the address to his GPS and left the parking lot once he had directions.

Axel drummed his fingers against the steering wheel as he drove. Marsters had to have been at the office today to smell like that, but it wasn’t enough to arrest him on. They’d need evidence, which hopefully forensics would pull from the remains of the explosive device and crime scene.

There really wasn’t much more he could do until that evidence came in, which meant he really did have time to look after himself for a little while. And Fox. The guy had lied to the paramedic, he was sure of it, so maybe a breather would be good for them both.

It was a couple more blocks before he spotted his destination. The huge roadside sign proclaimed it to be Gyro Kitchen, which was a pretty big clue that it sold exactly what he was after. He pulled in, parked, and strode in to find the take-out counter.

It took him all of a minute to order and pay, and he sat down to check his emails and wait for his order to be called.

“Excuse me, sir?”

For a moment, Axel wasn’t sure it was directed at him, but he looked up anyway. And up. It wasn’t often a civilian could match him for size, but this guy looked like he was cut from stone. “Hey.”

The guy grinned and gestured toward the SUV outside the window. “Cop of some kind?”

Axel laughed and tucked his phone away. “What gave it away?”

“Just a wild shot in the dark.” He rubbed his jaw and sat. “I’m Ryan,” he said as he offered his hand.

“Axel.” Axel shook it.

“Don’t suppose you know much about the explosion out on Victory earlier today?” Ryan’s smile was honest, and yet his gaze was sharp as a knife.

Axel shrugged as he evaluated Ryan. The guy was a smart cookie, possibly some kind of investigator himself. If nothing else, he was way more observant than your average civilian. He had to have some serious gym time under the belt, too.

“I know there was one,” he answered. “Led to a fire. I guess it was on the news, huh?”

Ryan nodded. “Only local that I saw. Plenty of eyewitnesses saying they heard an explosion, though.”

“Huh.” Axel gave a slow grin. “They must’ve heard a lot of ’em if they know what one sounds like, I guess.”

Ryan’s eyes narrowed faintly, then he snorted. “Damn, you’re good.”

“Order three fifty seven!” The server at the counter called.

Axel bounced to his feet and gave Ryan a thumbs-up. “The best. Have a good evening, sir.”

“Yeah, you too!”

Axel grabbed the take-out bag and hurried away before anyone else could pick his brain. He had plans for a nice quiet dinner and then a good night’s sleep, and he didn’t want anything else to get in his way.