The Internet’s Most Haunted Influencer
Page 240
“I’ve still got his number,” Walt added. “Do you know him?”
“I know a Caleb. Could you read me the number?”
Leo let go of his hand so he could open his contacts. Nate found his cousin’s name while Walt looked for the number, then checked the digits as he read them out.
The same number.
Of course it was the same fucking number.
“He’s my cousin,” Nate said.
“Oh.” Walt sounded as though he wished he’d known that before complaining.
Leo’s hand lay beside Nate’s on the table. Nate took it again.
“He was here recently,” he told Walt. “He didn’t mention knowing you.”
“He must remember me. I told him about—” Walt stopped. “I told him who I wanted him to help.”
“He asked about the research,” Leo said.
Nate remembered. Caleb in the sitting room, asking whether they’d found out who Leo was. Whether they’d asked around town.
He’d watched Nate trying to find someone who remembered Leo.
He could have given him Walt’s name. He could have given them Leo’s name, probably.
Damn it all to hell.
After hanging up with Walt, Nate called his cousin before he could spend any more time thinking about what he might say.
“Nate?”
“You know Walt.”
A pause on the other end of the line. It sounded as if Caleb were sitting in his car. “I do,” he said eventually. “I’m sorry, Nate. I was going to call you, but I’d rather talk in person. I’m on my way to you now. I should be there in about twenty minutes.”
“We can talk now. Leo’s here too. Or should I say Danny? That’s the name you know him by.”
Caleb was quiet for long enough that Nate checked the screen to make sure the call hadn’t dropped.
“I know you have questions,” Caleb said at last. “I will answer them. I’d just rather do it in person.”
“You were here in person not long ago,” Nate pointed out.
“I should have told you then.”
“Yes. You fucking should have.”
Leo’s hand shifted in his. Nate loosened his grip. He hadn’t meant to squeeze so hard. He looked at Leo, whose entire attention was fixed on the phone.
“Let him come here,” Leo said. “I want to talk to him too. I don’t want you to have to repeat everything I say.”
Of course. Caleb would be able to hear him here, even if he couldn’t see him properly. Over the phone, Leo had to wait for Nate to pass his words along.
“All right.” Nate turned back to the phone. “Come here. We’ll be waiting.”
“Thank you.”