"I feel the same way every time Kacey and I have to spend the night apart. It's worth it, but I sure don't sleep well. Come inside and get something to eat, then we'll get to work."
"I ordered pizza for us and the guards around the house. I figured they've put up with a lot from us having all the deliveries in and out the last two days. It should be here in ten minutes," Xander informed them. "We can go over cases as we eat."
"She's not gone five minutes and we're already ordering takeout." Bryon laughed. "Set us up in the living room. Geo had some good information I'm going to have him share about what went on in the foster home. It might give us a few more leads to go forward with."
"The kid is amazing. For growing up on the streets, he's really smart. Got a great head on his shoulders." Xander glanced over to where Geo was standing with Matt and Kacey on the front porch. "He said there was an old school teacher who helped teach the kids in the tunnels. He said the lady could barely remember her own name, but when it came to math and reading, she was with it."
"He's lucky. A lot of the street kids never learn how to read. I agree, he's got a lot going for him. I hope we can find him a good foster home to go to when the time comes," Noam said as they walked inside. "It's not always easy to place a teenager."
"We'll find him somewhere good." Bryon closed the door behind them and headed for the kitchen. "What does everyone want to drink?"
"I guess whisky isn't on the menu?" Xander sighed.
"Once we finish up here, I'll buy." Matt opened the fridge and pulled out two cases of soda for everyone to choose from. He handed his selection to Xander. "Grab us a comfy spot in the living room. I'm going to go get the files we need to discuss."
"Want me to build you a pillow fort?" Xander quipped.
"Would you? That would be great." Matt winked as he walked off.
Bryon rolled his eyes. "I can only imagine you two at home."
Xander laughed. "How long has it been since you've built a pillow fort? You should try it. Becca would love it. Take the laptop in there with you and curl up to watch a movie. We used to do it with Faith before she left home."
"You're serious, aren't you?" Bryon stared at him.
"Very. I take my fort building very seriously." Xander nodded.
"Trust me, it's true. Noam and I dropped by a few weeks ago and had to sit in the kitchen because all the couch cushions were being used for their fort. I have to give them credit. It was a really nice fort." Kacey grinned.
"Thank you." Xander smiled. "I'm telling you, there's nothing better than escaping inside all those blankets and forgetting about the world outside."
"If you're building forts, do it in the basement. Not in the living room where I have to hold meetings." Bryon laughed. "How we ever get any business done with you guys acting like kids is beyond me."
"Try it. Betcha Becca would find it romantic," Xander called over his shoulder as he headed into the living room.
Geo laughed as he reached for a Coke. "Are they always like this?"
"More often than not." Bryon sighed. "But they are professionals and get the job done when it matters." He gave Geo's shoulder a squeeze. "Let's go sit down. We have a lot to talk about."
As they walked into the living room, Bryon took a seat in a chair where he could see everyone as they sat around the room. Not that there were many of them now. With the others on their way to California, that left Geo, Xander, Matt, Kacey, and Noam. Since they were the ones who would go after anyone if they decided to, it was good they were the ones left behind. He waited several minutes for everyone to get settled.
"Here are the files we have so far." Matt handed him a stack.
"Thanks." He was surprised by the thickness of a few of them. He turned his attention to the group. "While we wait for pizza, let's get to work." He glanced at Geo. "Do you want to tell them what you told me about the foster home or want me to?"
"You." Geo glanced around the room. He looked uncomfortable with attention directed at him.
"No problem." Bryon reached for his notepad. "So Geo was at the foster home for several weeks. Over that time, he remembers seeing eight girls come and go. All of them were under the age of twelve and taken away by the police officer we now know as Roger Carson. He's a forty-two-year-old who has been with the Las Vegas Police Department for eighteen years. He's single and is rumored to take girls he likes home for a night or two before turning them over to Diaz or whoever he might be working with at the time. Matt managed to get into his home computer but is still gathering information." Bryon glanced through the officer's file on his lap. "Just with what we've already gathered, we have more than enough evidence to go after him if we choose to."
"Why wouldn't you choose to?" Geo asked.
"We vote on everything here. We all have to be in agreement if we're going to go after someone. That way, one person's personal feeling won't be what motivates us. We work on facts, and everyone has to agree we have enough proof the person is a pedophile," Kacey explained.
"So you don't kill anyone who doesn't deserve it, right?" Geo asked.
Bryon bit his lip and looked at the group of men around him. "Quick vote on how much we tell Geo."
"I say let him know everything. He's been through enough that I think he deserves to know it all." Xander shrugged.
