Within minutes, she exited the hospital. Dark, gentle warmth embraced her as she stepped from the air-conditioned hospital onto the sidewalk. A breeze lifted the tendrils of limp hair from her cheeks. She inhaled. The air was sweet with the scent of summer. She needed oxygen. She craved sleep.

She dialed Hillcroft’s number while she walked. Unsurprisingly, her call went into voice mail. “It’s Kate Lange. I have important information regarding Aiden Boyne. My client believes he was charged and possibly convicted of a hacking crime several years ago. Possibly as a young offender.”

She hung up. How often did Hillcroft check his messages? He might even be asleep.

She dialed the police switchboard. Within minutes, they had connected her to one of the GIS detectives on the case. “Detective Ellis.”

“Detective, this is Kate Lange, counsel for Ms. Roberts. I’m calling with information about Aiden Boyne.” Kate had arrived at her car. She leaned against it. Weariness crawled out of her muscles. “My client is offering this information in good faith to honor the immunity agreement.”

“Understood. What information do you have?”

“She says he has a pirate tattoo on his arm. And that he was convicted of a hacking crime several years ago.”

“In Nova Scotia?”

“She didn’t know any more details than that.”

“Thank you, Ms. Lange. I’ll pass that information along to the team. Do you have any other information you can provide?”

Kate gazed at the sky. The stars were beginning to emerge from darkness, points of brilliant light that hinted of the vastness beyond. “No. That’s all. Good night, Detective.”

She slid into the car. She had one more call and then she could go home. She dialed Matt’s number. It went into his voice mail. “Matt. This is Kate Lange. I need the laptop ASAP. Please call me.”

She wished she had asked Matt where he was staying.

But then was glad she hadn’t. She needed to keep a certain distance.

The streetlights blurred through the windshield while she drove home. She staggered out of the car, almost drunk from exhaustion.

Neither Hillcroft nor Matt had called by the time she slid under her sheets.

Alaska curled up on his dog bed, his head on his paws, his eyes watchful. He wasn’t going to let Kate out of his sight. Foo curled up next to him.

Kate’s mind was on edge, trying to piece together a puzzle that seemed to reveal a different perspective every hour.

But her body had hit its limit.

She fell into a deep slumber within seconds of putting her head on the pillow.

Chapter 39

Chapter 39

10:15 p.m.

The genie was out of the bottle.