“Will you have Gage call Blake if he hasn’t already done so?” she asked.
“You got it.” Alex jogged down the stairs behind Felicia.
Eryn turned. “Time to look at that router log.”
Trey’s forehead furrowed. “Again, I know nothing about this, but aren’t there security protocols in place so not just anyone can log in?”
“Usually, but I have the feeling our suspect wants me to know he was here, and I’ll get right in. If not, I’ll have to figure out the router password.”
In the bedroom, she sat down on the floor and crossed her legs to place her computer on her lap. She turned it on and leaned back while waiting for it to boot up.
“Wait,” Trey said. “Don’t you have to physically connect to the router?”
“It’s a wireless router and if I can connect to the network I won’t need a hardwired connection.”
Trey knelt behind her and looked over her shoulder. She was so aware of his presence that she could barely think straight.
Ignore him. Focus on your computer. On the networks loading on the screen.
She scanned the list of five networks in the immediate area and the closest was called GotchaCalloway.
“We’re in the right place,” she said as her stomach tightened. She pointed at the unsecured network. “He wants me to find this for sure.”
“Can connecting to it hurt your computer?”
“Not unless he’s also connected to this network right now and is waiting to download something to my computer.”
“But you’ll still connect?”
“Yeah, I’ll risk it to see the router logs. Like I said before, this computer can easily be reformatted.” She clicked on GotchaCalloway and was immediately connected to the Internet. She typed the standard router IP address in the address bar.
A Wi-Fi router window opened on the Internet. She entered the word password into the password field, and the router page opened.
“How did you know to find that page and use that password?” Trey asked.
“Home routers have default private IP addresses. Each manufacturer usually uses the same one for all their devices. I happen to know the addresses for the most common router manufacturers. And the most common passwords used by people are “password” and “123456.” Our suspect would know this, and if he wanted me to be able to log in, he would use one of those.”
She opened the log window and quickly scanned down.
“So what are we looking at?” Trey asked.
“The fact that only two computers have used this router recently.” She pointed at the first device listed. This is my computer. The second one is the IP address that connected to the resort, and the destination URL is the resort.”
“So the hacker was here?”
“Again, he could’ve had someone do this for him, but, yeah, I think he was here. And it seems like he wanted me to come to this house for some reason, too.”
Trey’s eyebrows drew together. “Then we need to be even more careful leaving.”
“Agreed,” she said and was already trying to think of a way to get to the SUV without taking a bullet or falling prey to another attack.
9
Blake marched in the front door in less than thirty minutes. He wore his khaki uniform which made his dark hair look even deeper black. His pointed gaze fixed on Eryn as he crossed the room. Trey watched her stow her phone and frown. Either she got bad news from her cable company friend who she was asking for billing information for this address, or she didn’t appreciate Blake’s aggressive stance.
Trey didn’t mind seeing Blake’s attitude. In fact, Trey was glad that they were in Blake’s jurisdiction. He was a fine sheriff. Blackwell Tactical worked with him often. Trey had gotten to know him through the team, and he appreciated that the sheriff took the time to show up himself.
“You should’ve called me, Eryn.” He scowled, and Trey could imagine him easily intimidating a suspect.
Not Eryn, though. She pulled back her shoulders. “I couldn’t risk the actor taking off.”
“I’d have been here as fast as you. Maybe faster.”
She lifted her chin. “And then what? If Rodrick was home, you wouldn’t have known what to ask him. And he might’ve clammed up when he saw law enforcement, but it’s possible he would’ve talked to me.”
“Why don’t we move on,” Trey suggested. “This is old news.”
Eryn nodded vigorously. “Good idea.”
Blake looked less enthused. “Gage brought me up to date on your hacker situation. That crime also happened in my jurisdiction, and you should’ve reported it.”
She curled her hands into fists. “I wasn’t certain the physical crime took place in your county until coming here. And even if I did report it, there’s really nothing you could do about the cyber portion.”
Blake widened his stance. “Stop splitting hairs, Eryn, or you’re going to make me mad.”
She looked like she might boil over so Trey stepped in again. “If anything else happens, we’ll be sure to involve you.”
Eryn gave him a yeah right look but quickly erased it. “I do want to talk to you about one of your officers.”
“Related to this?” Blake eyed her.
“Yes. A Rodrick Newton last rented this house. You have a William Newton on the force who’s scheduled to attend my class at the conference.”
“And you’re thinking there might be a connection.” Blake pressed his lips into a fine line. “There are a lot of Newtons in our county.”
“Understood, but can it be a coincidence to have an officer named Newton taking my class and a suspect with the same last name?”
“I can see why you want to go there, but you’re barking up the wrong tree.” Blake fixed a pointed stare on Eryn. “William has been a deputy for over twenty years, and he’s a respected member of my team.”
“Then you won’t mind if we question him.”
“I don’t mind at all.”
“And you won’t warn him so I have the element of surprise.”
Blake took a breath and let it out. “Feels like I’m selling out one of my guys, but I know he’s not involved, so fine. Not a word.”
“And Rodrick. I need to talk to him as well. My friend at the cable company told me that he cancelled his cable, but then changed his mind and asked to leave it connected. I can’t think of a reason he’d do that unless he was involved in the hack.”
Blake opened his mouth to speak, but she quickly held up her hands. “I know you want to interview him, too, but again, I’m the one who knows what to ask. So maybe we can compromise. You bring him in for questioning, and I can attend that interview.”
Blake watched her for a long moment and Trey expected she might squirm under the sheriff’s intensity, but she held firm.
“I can do that,” Blake said.
“Today?” she asked.
“First I have to get his contact information and get ahold of him, so I don’t know if I can promise it will happen today.”
Irritation flashed in her eyes. “Just search the property tax records for recent sales. His name is unique enough that you should be able to find him.”
“I know how to do my job, Eryn.” Blake frowned.
“Sorry, I was only trying to help.” She took a long breath. “Will you call me as soon as you have a time set up?”
He nodded.
“Then if there’s nothing else you need from me, I’d like to get going. I have other interviews to conduct.”
“Maybe you should bring me up to speed on who you plan to talk to before you leave.”
Her irritation grew, but she gave a sharp nod. “First up is Chuck Coker.”
Blake’s eyes widened. Obviously, he knew Coker. Not a surprise to Trey as any good sheriff was well aware of troublemakers in the area.
“ERT’s Chuck Coker?” Blake asked.
Eryn nodded and gave a concise description of the protest. “He wants me to stop teaching, and he p
ossesses the technical skills to deploy malware.”
Blake nodded. “I’d tell you to let me talk to him first, but like you’ve told me over and over, I don’t have any idea what to ask him.”
“You’re not the only one confused.” Trey chuckled to lighten things up. “I’ve had to ask a ton of questions, but Eryn does a good job of helping me understand it. What if she put together a document for you that explains details in laymen’s terms and lists out the suspects she plans to talk to. That way you’ll know what’s going on and also be more informed.”
Blake raised an eyebrow. “You’d be willing to do that?”
Eryn gave a crisp nod. “Sure. I’ll have it to you by the morning.”
“Good,” Blake said and the air cleared between them. “I’ll call you if I have any questions.”
“Sounds good.” All the fight seemed to wash out of her, and her shoulders dipped. “I’m sorry I didn’t keep you up to date, Blake. You’ve always been so helpful to us, and I know you only want to do the right thing. I guess I let this guy’s threat cloud my judgement.”
“Understandable.” He held out his hand, and they shook.
Trey was glad to see them make up. Not only because they didn’t need additional stress in their lives, but if Blake’s help was needed before they had the hacker behind bars, he was more likely to give it if he wasn’t upset with her. And also, his presence, along with a deputy and crime scene team, gave them a way to safely get Eryn out of the house.
“Can we borrow a Tyvek suit?” Trey asked.
“What for?” Eryn asked before Blake could say a word.
Trey met her questioning gaze. “If the hacker’s watching the house, and you put on one of the suits with hood up, maybe he’ll think you’re a tech.”
“You think this guy is lying in wait for her?” Blake’s voice rose.
“After your arrival, no, but we can never be too careful.”
Blake nodded. “Sounds like a good plan. I’ll grab a suit for you.”
Eryn turned to Trey and ran a hand through her hair. She seemed like she thought he was taking this too far, but he didn’t care. His role was to ensure her safety, and he’d do his job to the best of his ability.
The suit was overkill, but Eryn put it on and let the team and Trey circle around her as they headed for the SUV. She kept her head down to hide her identity, and Trey guided her by the arm. Honestly, if the suspect was smart at all, he would know they wouldn’t escort a tech to the vehicle like this. But even if he figured that out, he also couldn’t prove she was wearing the suit, so he wouldn’t likely take action.
They all piled in the SUV, Trey keeping his head on a swivel even after they were seated in the back. Gage got them on the road, and they stopped to pick Riley up.
Gage glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “Run through your plans for the rest of the day for me.”
“First up, is interviewing William Newton and Chuck Coker. Then I should finally be able to get to the background checks on Rudd and Petrov, and we can talk to them, if it seems warranted.”
“Can someone else on the team help with those checks?” Trey asked.
“We could, but Eryn would double-check our work anyway.” Alex grinned. “So why not let her do it from the get-go?”
Eryn wrinkled her nose at Alex. “He’s right. I have sources. They don’t, and my work will be more thorough, too.”
Trey watched her, and she didn’t like his skeptical expression. Did he think she was full of herself? She wasn’t. She was just realistic about her strengths and the strengths of her teammates.
She held his gaze. “I don’t mean to sound conceited. I’m simply better at online research than these guys.”
He nodded when she wished he would’ve said something. Why was his opinion so important anyway? Sure, she was attracted to him, but had she let her feelings go deeper than a physical attraction?
The thought took her aback, and she looked away. She needed to move the discussion forward. “And if Blake locates Rodrick Newton, I’ll be interviewing him as well.”
Silence descended on the SUV, filling every nook and cranny with tension. The quiet was unnerving because her team liked to laugh and cut up. Especially after an op to release stress. She had to think it meant they were as worried for her safety as Trey. That also meant they would try to baby her, too. She didn’t want that and needed to lighten up the mood.
“And of course, most important of all, I have to take Bekah to the playground. You know how she likes to get her way. Wonder where she gets that from.” Eryn chuckled, but no one laughed with her.
“Then we’ll provide an escort for that and the team is on standby until further notice.” Gage eyed her in the mirror. “Text me when you’re ready to go.”
She nodded, and having failed to change the mood, she sat back for the rest of the drive. She watched out the window and the closer they came to the resort the more overcast the sky turned. They soon drove into a heavy downpour, the driveway slick with water and the lush grass soggy. She rushed into the resort’s back door and shook off the rain.
Inside the building, Trey was right next to her, and it took only a few minutes to get to William’s room on the third floor. The door was opened by a burly guy who weighed in at a minimum three hundred pounds and stood about six-two. He wore thick glasses that counterbalanced the imminent threat emanating from his overwhelming size.
“William Newton?” Eryn asked and pretended she wasn’t the least bit concerned by the way he towered over her.
“Who wants to know?” William growled.
Trey moved closer to her, and she resisted taking a step back from the detective. “I’m Eryn Calloway. I’ll be teaching your computer class tomorrow.”
“Oh, right.” A broad smile spread across his face, revealing a gold tooth. “The one I’ve been waiting all week to take.”
“A fellow geek, huh?” She managed to laugh, though she was still unsettled by his size.
“Geek, me?” He slapped a beefy hand against his chest. “Nah. Just a detective who wants to tell my tech team what to be on the lookout for.” He shifted on his feet. “What can I do for you?”
“I was wondering if you’re related to a Rodrick Newton.”
He tilted his head. “Rodrick, nah. No one by that name in the family. We have a Rodney but not Rodrick.”
“Thank you for your time. Sorry to bother you.” Eryn gave him another wide smile. “See you in class.”
“I’ll be in the front row taking notes. But I gotta warn you. It’ll be right after lunch so you’ll have to work hard to keep me awake.” He laughed, a deep belly rumble that shook his whole body as he closed the door.
“So you believe him? Just like that?” Trey asked.
“Yeah, I do. But I’ll ask a few more questions in class to see if he really is the computer novice he claims to be.”
Trey grimaced. “Then on to Coker.”
“Yeah, and I guarantee you that interview won’t be nearly as congenial.”
10
Coker stood before his tribe, spewing hatred for electronic surveillance of any kind, the words flowing as fast as the cold wind whipping off the ocean. At least the pouring rain had stopped. Looked like Coker’s group had been prepared for the unpredictable Oregon coast weather in August. After the downpour and wild winds, it could end up seventy degrees. Hopefully the sun would come out so the protestors would remove their coats. It was hard to keep an eye on everyone, and any of them could be a threat.
Eryn moved closer to Coker, and Trey kept pace with her. He didn’t like the anger raging from the group leader. The creep would likely take it out on Eryn. His people didn’t seem to be swayed by his speech, though. They looked wet, worn out, and ready to go home. Maybe because of him. At least Trey would be worn out from such venomous intensity all day. Coker’s speech appeared to be a ploy to whip them back into the earlier frenzy Trey heard at daybreak. His associates started noticing Eryn, and they gawked at her
.
A frizzy blond with an underbite pointed at Eryn. “It’s her.”
Coker turned slowly, his eyes narrowing to snake eyes. Trey took an instinctual step closer to her, and Coker’s hand went to his side. Trey knew that move. The guy clearly had a weapon strapped under his jacket, raising Trey’s concern.
Coker sneered. “Well if it isn’t electronic super snooper, Eryn Calloway.”
“Coker,” she said, and Trey didn’t know how she could be so civil. “You got a minute?”
“Here to ask us to leave?”
“Nah,” she said. “You can stay. It’s no skin off my nose.”
The jerk’s bravado deflated for a moment until he recovered. “Then what do you want and who’s your goon?”
“A friend,” she said.
Trey appreciated her consideration. The last thing he needed was for his name to end up in the news and get back to his LT.
“I have a couple of questions for you,” she continued. “Mind if we step inside where it’s a bit warmer and more private?”
“I’m not going to make things easier for you.” He widened his stance. “You got questions. Ask them here.”
“If that’s what you want.” She moved closer, and Trey matched her every step.
“Your guard dog is fairly salivating,” Coker said.
Trey fisted his hands to keep from decking the guy.
Eryn completely ignored Coker’s obnoxious behavior. “Do you know a Rodrick Newton?”
“No. Should I?”
His straightforward answer was odd. At least according to the videos Trey had seen of the guy. He liked to string people along and play with them before answering, and when he did answer, it was hard to know if he was telling the truth. But this response seemed almost earnest.
Eryn pulled back her shoulders, giving Trey the first inkling that she was disturbed by Coker’s behavior, and she felt a need to appear more confident. “Tell me about your efforts to try to cancel my classes.”
“You’re looking at them.”
“So the protest is all you’ve done?”
Cold Case Page 10