“Gladly,” Astra says. “Anything to stop thinking about that kid in his Speedo.”
“Nina,” I say, trying to steer the conversation back to something that isn’t related to Tyler’s Speedo. “Have you found anything at all since we’ve been gone?”
She shakes her head. “Nothing of note and nothing that sent up red flags of any kind. Both Violet and Lieb are squeaky clean… relatively speaking. But there’s nothing in their backgrounds or current associations that make me think they were involved. I can keep digging deeper though.”
“Please do,” I say.
“What about Speedo-boy?” Nina asks.
“Dig into him, too, and see what’s in his background. Better safe than sorry. I don’t think he’s our guy though. He didn’t give me that kind of vibe. He’s smarter than he lets on, but I don’t think he’s organized or methodical enough to pull off the abduction we saw,” I tell her.
“Nina, has there been any activity on Ashley’s phone or cards?” Astra asks.
She shakes her head. “Nope. Both are still quiet. No activity at all,” she replies. “If I had to guess, I’d say he disabled and disposed of her phone.”
“Yeah, that seems likely,” Astra says.
“Do me a favor and get Rick and Mo on a video-call,” I say.
“Comin’ right up,” Nina replies.
She hits a few keys, and the large monitor at the foot of the table lights up. There’s the electronic sound of a phone ringing, and a moment later, Rick’s face comes into view with Mo leaning on the back of his chair.
“How are you kids doing over there?” I ask.
“Bored,” Mo says. “No ransom calls, no communication with anybody.”
“I didn’t think there would be,” I say. “Are you guys in a place you won’t be overheard?”
“Nobody’s here,” Mo says. “Violet is out running errands, and she gave the house staff a few days off. We’re all by our lonesome.”
“Okay, good,” I reply. “Rick, did you get my text?”
“I did, and I’ve been digging through Ashley’s laptop. And you’re not going to believe what I found. She is not the sweet, innocent little girl everybody thinks she is,” he says.
“What did you find?” I ask.
“She’s got an account on a sugar baby website,” he says.
“A sugar what?”
“Sugar baby,” he responds.
“What the hell is that?”
Astra casts an inscrutable look at me. “Really?”
“What?”
“You seriously don’t know what a sugar baby is?” Nina asks.
“Should I?”
Astra shakes her head. “You’re so sheltered and naïve. It’s adorable, really.”
“Boss, do you know what a sugar daddy is?” Rick asks.
“I think so. Isn’t that what a guy is who has a financial arrangement with a girl who provides him with sex and companionship?” I ask.
“Exactly that,” Mo adds. “It’s usually affluent men and much younger women.”
“A sugar baby is the other side of that coin,” Nina says. “But rather than the men trolling for women, this is younger women who put themselves out there looking for their sugar daddy.”
“It’s gross, but I get it. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement,” I say.
“Emphasis on the gross,” Astra chimes in.
“And not illegal,” Rick adds.
“You don’t make enough money to be a sugar daddy,” Astra says.
“Boss, can I have a raise?” Rick teases.
“No,” I say. “So, anyway, you’re telling me that Ashley was one of these sugar babies?”
“Bingo,” Rick says. “I’m going to share my screen.”
A moment later, the screen splits. Rick and Mo are on the left, and on the right is the homepage for a website that’s done in pinks and purples and is called “The Sugar Shack.” Just below a line of pictures of young, attractive women that scrolls across the screen is a purple banner with bright pink lettering that reads, “Meet Your Sweet Little Thing Here.”
