Chapter 53

chapter

fifty-three

Nia’s heart still beat in overtime.

Being here.

Being close to Gage.

Being given a glimpse into the memory of what had happened on the night Rob died.

It all felt like too much, yet not enough.

How would she find Sophia? What would those men do with her sister?

She glanced back at the computers on the desk. “You don’t suppose those cameras record anything, do you?”

Gage shook his head. “I already thought about that. But they’re strictly for monitoring unless you hit record. So they didn’t pick up on what happened.”

“That’s what I figured. But I thought it was worth asking.” Nia sighed and glanced around. “I feel like the answers are here. Like they could be staring me in the face, and I’m still not sure what they are. ”

“We may need to come back and revisit this place after we sort out our thoughts more. But I can’t make sense of most of these notes Rob wrote or the coding. What can you tell me about developing apps?”

She pressed her lips together as she tried to recall that information from long untouched mental files. “Based on what I’ve learned, when someone is developing an app, they come up with the idea. Then they come up with the coding and the graphics. Sometimes they’ll have someone help them with that part. But Rob didn’t need to do that, which was a good thing. People are always afraid their idea will be stolen in the process. The truth is that ideas themselves can’t be copyrighted, but the execution of the ideas can be.”

“Keep going,” Gage said.

“The important thing is to keep the source secure. That was one thing that Rob was very adamant about. Even though we were going to help distribute the app for him, Rob—in some ways—was a one-man show. He wanted to be the one who worked with the companies to put his app on various platforms. I guess he learned his lesson the hard way when it came to Water Splat. All the vultures came out trying to steal his ideas.”

“I know a whole bunch of rip-off games similar to his came out afterward,” Gage said. “I think it bothered him.”

“Maybe, but none of them were as good as Rob’s, so he could have felt good about that. Anyway, I suppose there are ways that someone could reverse engineer the coding of the app to figure out what makes it work. But by the time an app is released, if you were to do that, then it would be clear you were simply copying someone else’s idea.”

Gage crossed his arms as he thought through what she said. “So the idea that someone was trying to steal this about-to-be-released app seems far-fetched?”

Nia thought about it a moment before nodding. “Kind of. However . . . this new idea Rob was developing, his third project . . . maybe that’s really what this is all about. I only wish there was a way we could figure that out.”

Before Gage could respond, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and grimaced.

“What is it?” Nia asked.

“It’s Brittany.”

Gage hesitated another moment before answering. He put his cell on speaker so Nia could also hear.

“Gage?” Brittany sounded breathless. “Is that you?”

“It is. Nia is here with me. Is everything okay?” She didn’t sound okay.

“I don’t know,” she whispered. “I think somebody is following me. I don’t know what to do.”

Gage exchanged a look with Nia. Was this all some kind of ruse?

It wouldn’t surprise him if it was. Brittany hadn’t proven herself to be someone who always told the truth. For that reason, he needed to answer with caution.

“Why do you think someone is following you?” he asked.

“Because every time I turn around, I see the same man behind me. Sometimes he ducks out of the way so I won’t see him. But I sense that he’s there. I know he is.”

Her fear did sound genuine, and there was the possibility that she was in the line of fire now also. “Where are you right now, Brittany?”

“I got in a cab. I figured it was the safest thing to do. But for all I know, this guy could be following me right now.” Her words came out faster and faster.

“Here’s what you’re going to do,” Gage said. “There’s a diner near Bayfront Park that stays open late. Mickey’s. Have you seen it before?”

“I have.”

“Go there and wait inside. There should be plenty of people so you should be safe. Get a table, and Nia and I will be there to meet you in fifteen minutes. Got it?”

“Oh . . . okay. If you can meet me there that would be great. Thank you.”

“Keep the phone with you, and if you need anything in the meantime, call me, okay?”

“I will. But hurry.”

Gage ended the call and glanced at Nia. Neither of them had to say anything to know what the other was thinking.

This could be a trap. Brittany could be exaggerating. Leading them right into danger .

Neither of them had any idea what they would be walking into right now.

But Brittany had earnestly sounded fearful.

For now, Gage’s first order of business would be to get Nia out of Rob’s apartment safely and undetected.