Page 78 of Penny For Your Thoughts
Were Darcy’s problems my problem? Also, no, but I couldn’t seem to walk away.
Darcy exited the bathroom wearing Tallus’s joggers and an old tee. They fit baggy but were better than anything I could have offered from my closet. He held his dirty clothes and the wet towel.
“Toss them by the door. I’ll wash them in the next load.”
He obeyed, then stood awkwardly, lanky arms wrapped protectively around his middle, bare toes folding over one another, cheeks flush from a hot shower, and hair a towel-dried, uncombed mess.
“Now what?” he asked.
“Are you still hungry?”
He shook his head, wet bangs slapping his face, lower lip protruding in a childish pout I’d seen on Tallus a few times when he didn’t get his way.
I gestured to the phone. “Unlock it.” Gentler, I added, “Please.”
He hesitated for half a beat, then complied, despite the sulky mood.
The burner had no apps or excess functions. The address book contained one contact number.Luke.I scanned their text exchange. It mostly consisted of blunt instructions; not enough detail to guide me anywhere in particular.
“How do you know Luke isn’t his name?”
“When I met him, he said, ‘You can call me Luke.’ No one says that. Besides, why would he give me a real name if he’s a criminal?”
The kid was right.Lukewas an alias, but it was such a normal-sounding name that it made me think the guy’s real name might be a variation of Luke. Regardless, it didn’t help.
The text thread started in December, the same timeframe as Elwood’s scam. At least Darcy had been telling the truth that Elwood was the first job. Based on their communication, Darcy had taken several jobs from the scam artist since. Their most recent exchange happened three days ago.
“How many times have you done this?”
“About four.”
“Are all of them in old age homes?”
“No. The rest were seniors still living on their own. Evergreen was my test run. It’s why it took longer. He was… training me.”
But why send the kid to a nursing home in the first place, even for a test run. He would be surrounded by staff and other residents. It made no sense.
Luke sent Darcy links to online profiles for the people he was to impersonate. He instructed Darcy to study the details and download pictures from their albums to support the illusion. In each case, Darcy bore a striking resemblance to the person he was meant to imitate. Darcy was instructed to familiarize himself with his subject’s friends and family. Luke sent maps to each location, relayed visit times, and gave him explicit instructions for each encounter.
In most cases, his interactions were limited to one visit.
Darcy texted when he completed the task, passing along banking information and relevant passwords.
I suspected this Luke person had a pool of kids Darcy’s age, all with varying looks, all willing and desperate enough to act the role of an absent grandchild. If he hired youth living on the edge of poverty, theywould do anything to earn a buck—illegal or otherwise—and they would keep their mouths shut.
“How were you paid?”
“Cash. He gave me a time and a drop location where I could pick up an envelope. We didn’t meet in person again after the initial few visits. He only pays when the job is complete.”
“Five hundred a pop?”
“Yes. I got more for the Evergreen case since I was told to go three times and build a rapport.”
“Why is that?”
Darcy shrugged. “Training? I don’t know.”
“Don’t tell me you didn’t know what you were doing.”
