Beatrice told me that Rome & Juliet's was a fancy joint, but I wasn't ready for just how fancy.

  In the middle of a busy and bustling downtown, with tall buildings, and a bunch of bars and shops squeezed together, there was what looked to be a roman villa.

  We had to pass through a gate, and drive up a path that wound around as to appear longer. Reaching the entrance, my car was taken by a valet.

  Inside, we were greeted by an old man in a fitted cream suit.

  "Greetings," said the old man, then, seeing Beatrice, said: "Ah, Miss, you've come back for your purse."

  Beatrice and I shared a look. Her eyebrows seemed to say "let's play along".

  "Yeah, thanks for holding on to it," said Beatrice.

  "We'll bring it right out," said the old man.

  The old man pressed a button on his podium, and spoke into an unseen microphone.

  While we waited for the purse to be brought out we stood aside. The old man seemed content for us to not bother him anymore than we had to.

  A minute later, a man came holding a black purse which the old man directed to give to Beatrice. Inside, we found a photo ID of Emma Strong, and a dead phone.

  "It's hers alright," said Beatrice.

  "We still don't know if Peabody was actually her date. You don't happen to have a picture of him do you?"

  "I do actually."

  I must have made a face, because Beatrice got defensive.

  "It's not what you think. He forced us to attend mandatory morale 'retreats'." Beatrice did quotation marks with her hands. "Basically, he made us attend dinners and parties at his house. It was super awkward. But yeah, I've got pictures."

  "Mind if I see one?"

  "Sure."

  She pulled up his photo, and I reached out, asking for her phone. When she put it in my hands, I winked, and whispered: "Play along."

  "Excuse me sir, my wife said she was here with her boss a couple days ago. Were you there?"

  "Your... wife?" The old man looked back and forth at both of us, and suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "Erm..."

  "Yes or no."

  "Yes..." He looked at Beatrice, and his eyes seemed to beg for forgiveness.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  "Was it this man?"

  I showed him the photo of Peabody.

  The old man coughed into a balled fist. He just nodded.

  "Did it look like they were having a good time?" I asked, and for added effect, I shot a look at Beatrice.

  She crossed her arms, and put on a smug smile.

  "It's okay, you can tell my husband the truth."

  The old man coughed again, his eyes darting between us both, and beginning to sweat.

  "Uhm... the miss and the mister were... uhm... They seemed to be uhm... enjoying each other's company..."

  I flashed a look at Beatrice that I was hoping conveyed "barely contained raged".

  "How long has this been going on?" I asked, keeping my eyes on Beatrice. She didn't say anything, just raised an eyebrow. "Do you happen to know when their reservation was made?"

  "Ye-- yes..." said the old man, swallowing. "We keep the date just in case we need to-- to uhm... make a judgment call on priority." The old man looked at my 'wife', his eyes wondering if he was allowed to tell me. Beatrice nodded, so he did. "The reservation was made... Uhm... a... year in advance."

  What the fuck?

  I had to try and contain my actual surprise.

  "Thank you, sir," I said, trying to maintain the fake anger on my face, and left.

  Outside, I asked the valet for my car, and waited for Beatrice to join me.

  "What does it mean?" she asked, appearing beside me. "Emma's sister said they'd only met days before their date. How did he already have a year old reservation?"

  "I don't know what it means," I admitted. "I just know I don't like it."

  "Yeah," she said. "Where do we go from here?"

  "We have to find him."

  "But he could be anywhere!"

  "Not just anywhere," I said, turning to look at Beatrice. "He stole a warehouse sized piece of tech. If he wants to use it, he's going to need another warehouse to set it up in. He also seems to have his eye on you and your colleagues. A predator is never far from its prey."

  Beatrice cocked her head at that last turn of phrase.

  "Sorry, but what I mean is we know his modus operandi. We know the kind of place he needs to set up in, and we can be reasonably certain that he hasn't gone far."

  "So... what? We just start searching every industrial park within driving distance? Because there are a lot. I know, because I helped Peabody pick out the warehouse that became Quantum Future's main lab."

  "Then we'll make scouting warehouses plan B."

  "What's plan A then?"

  "We search his house. Nobody's a ghost. If he left any traces of where he'll be, or what he's up to, we might be able to find'em there."

  Beatrice pursed her lips.

  "And if we don't find anything?"

  "Then we start plan B and hope to find him before he does anything we can't fix."

  "Okay."

  A few minutes later we were back in my car.

  In the passenger seat, Beatrice didn't seem to be feeling okay.

  I debated asking her about what was on her mind. She didn't look much up to talking in the moment. She spoke up before I made a decision.

  "Nando?"

  "Yeah?"

  "What if he's killed them? I mean... I don't know what he's doing with my colleagues, but... what if they're already dead? Or..."

  "Or?" I asked, distressed by the sudden gravity in her voice.

  "Or what if they're not?"

  There are definitely things worse than death.

  That we still didn't have a single clue what he was doing with these women invited stomach turning ideas.

  "Whatever he's doing or done, I promise I'll put an end to it."

  Casting her eyes to the ground, she nodded, shedding a tear.

  "Okay."