by Desiree Holt
“It is.” Noah shook the man’s hand. “Is everyone here?”
“They are. Let me have Jolene buzz them and send them down to the conference room.”
“While we’re waiting, I’m texting you a license plate number. Can you get someone on it ASAP to see who it’s registered to?”
“Sure. Someone on your tail?”
Noah nodded. “I’m sure they thought they were invisible. They were damn good at it.”
Charley laughed. “But not good enough to fool you. Okay, let me pass this along to someone in the IT unit.”
In less than five minutes, seven agents were seated at the conference room table with Noah and Charley, and Jolene had set a carafe of coffee and a platter of pastries in the middle, with cups, plates and napkins.
“Thanks for this.” Charley nodded to her and winked at Noah. “Jolene thinks it’s part of her assigned duties to make sure we’re always caffeinated and have enough sugar in our bodies to keep going for hours.”
“A woman of many talents,” Noah acknowledged.
“And more added every day. Okay, ladies and gentlemen, let’s get our coffee mugs filled so Noah can lay out for us what’s brought him hotfooting to Tampa.”
“Let me start by saying I cannot stress enough the confidentiality of what we discuss here. We have a high-level defense contractor working on a top-secret project for the DoD. Whatever we discuss here never leaves this room.”
Charley nodded. “Understood. And that goes for all of us.”
In concise, clear sentences, Noah laid out the situation for them. He started with the reputation of Software By Design and why Taylor wanted to bring it into the Arroyo fold and worked his way up to the Hoffman project, the unexpected problems, the death of Eric Braun and Liam’s arrest.
“First thing we need to do,” Charley told him, “is dig into every inch of the lives of the people who work for him. Only someone who knows how to write code could have messed with the software and probably put a back door in there.”
Noah nodded and looked across the table at Sarah Gaffney. When Charley had hired her, he’d told Noah that there was none better in her area. If it had to do with programming, tracing, digging around in files or whatever, there was no one better.
“Eric was also running a trace on the hack.” He explained what SBD has set up in the Hoffman system to trap any hacks and trace them back. “It’s complicated, the way the hackers are set up, and bouncing all over the place.”
“Sometimes they set it up so there are more than a hundred bounces,” Sarah told him. “If you get me the laptop, I can set it up here and continue running the trace.”
“I’ll do that.” Noah made a note in his cell phone. “Liam had tried to pick up where Eric left off, and while he’s well qualified in many areas, he’s no forensic specialist, which is one of the reasons he hired Eric Braun. Anyway, I don’t think his mind’s truly focused on that right now, no matter what he says.”
“What about the back door in the Hoffman software? You said that was Eric’s primary focus. Did he find out who did it?”
Noah nodded. “He left a note on Liam’s voice mail when he couldn’t reach him. That’s what he was doing at the Gasparilla parade. Looking for Liam.”
“Okay, get me that too, please.” She turned to her boss. “Charley? I know another forensic data specialist. I can call him if you want. He can find whatever Eric Braun did. If he’s free, we can get him on the next plane. But he’s expensive.”
It was Noah who answered. “Call him. If he’s free, I’ll send the Arroyo plane for him. And whatever he costs, it’s worth it. And we’ll get him to tell us how to protect against this in the future.”
“Good, Sarah,” Charley told her. “Call him right away.”
She hurried from the room.
“Let me arrange to get those laptops,” Noah told the others, while he punched in a number. “Yeah, Syd? When are you leaving for the courthouse? Uh-huh. And when will you be back? I want to send someone to pick up those laptops. We’re getting another forensic data specialist and Charley, here, has an ace that can keep backtracking that hack. Uh-huh. Okay. Call this number when you leave the courthouse and ask for Charley. Good luck today.”
“When can we pick them up?” Charley asked.
“They’re on their way to the courthouse now. She’ll call the minute they are finished and arrange for one of your people to meet her and pick them up.”
“Okay. I might just do the pickup myself.”
Then Noah outlined for the group the rest of what he needed.
“Basically, every last detail of the lives of every employee at Software By Design. I not only want their complete histories, including the things that never make it into their resumes. I also want each of them followed. Charley, you’ve got enough people you can pull in to do that, right?”
Charley nodded. “I’ll get on it as soon as we’re done here. Just get me their files.”
“I’ll have Rosalie from SBD send them over.” Noah chuckled. “I told Liam I think she really runs that place, not him.”
At that moment Charley’s phone buzzed and he looked at the screen.
“Damn. Noah. You guys are playing hardball with some dangerous folks here.”
Noah frowned. “What do you mean?”
“The plate on that car comes back as registered to Far Eastern Tourism.” He gave a derisive snort. “On the surface, the head of the firm is a member of the Chinese Board of Tourism. They arrange tours from this country to China and vice versa. But you can put your mind to work on all the under the counter things they can do under the guise of tourism, everything from spying to drug smuggling.”
Noah frowned. “Nobody I’d want to have cocktails with, for damn sure. You think they’re involved in this mess at Software By Design?”
“I’d bet on it.” Charley nodded. “This kind of stuff is right up their alley. Like I said, their real business is spying for the Chinese government. But what could Liam’s firm have that would make them do this? And screw with Liam?”
Noah was silent for a moment. “This is only to be shared as necessary. That’s an absolute. Hoffman Contractors does business with the Department of Defense. They currently are working on the design for a state-of-the-art drone that can make itself invisible to radar and any other tracking devices. It can do surveillance without being spotted or deliver a variety of payloads. It’s a versatile little bugger and a key part of our arsenal. If they can steal the design and produce it before we can, we’re facing a whole pot of trouble.”
Charley stared at him. “How the fuck did the Chinese even get wind of this? Never mind. Forget I said that. I understand they can find out anything from anyone anywhere.”
“The question is,” Noah told him, “how did they know who to target at SBD? Someone obviously has a weakness they dug out and used as leverage. Something that didn’t show up on any of Liam’s background checks of his people. We need to know what it is.”
“Or maybe,” Charley said in a thoughtful tone, “they created the weakness, fed it, until that person had nowhere to turn except to do what they asked.
“Sounds about right to me.”
A knock sounded on the door and Jolene entered with a thick pile of papers in her hands.
“From Rosalie,” she told them. “Everything she has on everyone who works there. She emailed me the files and I printed it all out.”
“Excellent.” Charley took the files and looked around the table. “Then this is where we start. Let’s divide this stuff up and get on it. Whatever you can find online, track that first. But by the end of the day, at their quitting time, I need one of you on each staffer at SBD. I want to know where they go, who they see, what they do. And as always, be invisible.”
“We’ll wear our invisible cloaks,” Sandra Harlan joked.
“Do that. Time is short here. Liam’s arraignment is this afternoon. Sydney will get bail continued but they will probably move quickly on this. We
have to move faster.”
Half an hour later Noah was on the phone with Sydney delivering his update, focusing on the information about the Chinese involvement.
“I know this whole thing is a setup,” he told her. “We just have to find out who has their ass in a sling and could be pressured to do something like this. From what Liam had told us, he swears by every one of them. Especially those who came over from Winters and Pryce with him.”
“As long as Charley’s people are on it,” she said, “we’ve got the best. What’s your role in the game plan?”
“I have a quick errand to do for Taylor. Then I’m going back to Charley’s offices to work with the people digging into the background of SBD staff. I know they’ll do a great job, but time is short and two sets of eyes are better than one.”
“Agreed. I’m taking Liam to the courthouse after lunch for the arraignment, then bringing him back here. He wants to go to his office but I think we’ll wait on that until tomorrow. Call me if you get anything, no matter how small it is.”
“Will do.”
Noah disconnected the call and pressed the button for Taylor’s cell.
“Where do we stand?” she asked at once.
“Charley’s on it,” he answered, “and has his best people assigned to it. But as soon as I take care of your little errand, I’m going back there to work with his research people. Somewhere in their personal histories is the answer to all this. I feel it in my bones.”
“And your bones don’t lie,” she chuckled. “Touch base with me after you see John, and we’ll catch up again at the end of the day.”
Noah disconnected and headed for John Martino’s office. Charley Graham’s people might find out every detail of a subject’s life, but no one could find hidden money better than Martino. He had saved Arroyo’s bacon when Taylor’s father died and left controlling interest in the conglomerate to her, and helped both them and their friends in many other situations. If an SBD employee was getting money for screwing up the software for Hoffman, Martin would find its source and where it was hiding.
He had a feeling they were closing in on the truth. He just hoped it happened before Liam had to go to trial.
As he pulled out of the parking lot, he checked both his rearview and side view mirrors. Nothing popped out at him but he would be making sure today that every one of his senses was on high alert.
Chapter Eighteen
Shan was on a secure long-distance call to their boss in Beijing.
“This is turning into a disaster of epic proportions,” Chen Wang said in his annoyingly harsh voice.”
“Yes? Tell me about it. I never bargained for a mess like this.”
“Are you telling me this is beyond your capabilities?” Wang’s tone was laced with censure. Everyone knew that tone of voice meant trouble for anyone within a hundred yards. Maybe even a hundred miles.
Bastard!
When this was over, Shan was taking everything and disappearing somewhere. Anyplace where Wang did not have tentacles. She hesitated to tell him about this latest wrinkle, promising herself to take care of it first. But how?
Because of the nature of this situation, they had photos of all the key players in the game, easy to identify them if necessary. She had been excited when one of her people, dropping someone off at the private terminal at Tampa International Airport, had spotted Noah arriving on the Arroyo plane. But what the hell was Noah Cantrell doing back in Tampa?
“I am well in control of the situation,” Shan assured the man. “I have my finger on everything, and my heel on the neck of our code specialist. My people who are hacking the system are working at a steady pace and will have the breakthrough in the next twenty-four hours.”
“And Benedict? You tell me his conviction is all but assured, but I don’t believe that’s true. I have seen situations like this before. Too many things can happen before the final verdict.”
Shan nodded, even though no one was there to see. “He is being arraigned as we speak.”
“That does not assure a conviction,” Wang pointed out. “A good attorney—which we know he has—can muddy the waters, so to speak. It might serve us better to eliminate him. Yes, that is what we must do. What you must do.”
Shan jerked upright in the chair.
What the fuck?
“You want me to kill Liam Benedict? Are you out of your fucking minds?”
“Not in the least.”
Shan felt perspiration popping out. “Wang, this is too high profile to do something like that. Everyone in the world has eyes on him and this.”
“I don’t care.” Anger edged Wang’s voice. “I believe this is our best answer. We have wasted too much time already. His death will cause everyone to re-examine everything. Perhaps then you can arrange for the appropriate person to whisper in Hoffman’s ear that they should start all over with the security software. And have our pet code writer handle the whole thing.”
“And if he chooses to hire a different firm?”
“I trust you will not let that happen. Otherwise it would be your body the police find. We do not tolerate failure.”
“I will do my best.” Or hide someplace you’ll never find me.
Silence hummed across the connection.
God, Shan hated that silence. People had been killed if that silence lasted too long.
“I want your assurance on this,” Wang ordered.
“It will be taken care of. In fact, as soon as we hang up I will be on the way to meet with our prized pigeon.”
“I want a report the moment you have made the arrangements,” Wang snapped. “And the results had better be what I want to hear.”
Shan had been flipping a pencil back and forth during the conversation. Now, a muscle reflex caused it to snap in half.
If only it was Wang’s neck.
“Of course. Count on it.”
“I do. If you want to continue living, you’ll make sure what you have to tell me is positive.”
When the call ended, Shan resisted the urge to slam the cell phone down on the desk. How had everything gotten so fucked up? It wasn’t supposed to be this complex. The tip that Hoffman Industries had a contract for a super-secret new type of drone. The news that Software By Design was creating an impenetrable wall of code around it. Seeking out the coder known as Eight. Seducing Eight into more and more gambling losses, then draping the noose and pulling it tight. Getting the back door inserted in the code.
It had all seemed so fucking simple. A few minutes to tweak, and Shan’s people could electronically walk through that back door and steal all the design plans.
Then it had blown up in their faces. All because they had not credited that fucking Liam Benedict with the brains he apparently had.
Well, it wouldn’t be Shan that went down the tubes on this. If it all fell apart, Eight and Liam Benedict would be going down first. Count on it.
Shan pulled a burner phone from a back pocket and, fingers flying, texted Eight. No asking this time. No suggesting. Just a terse message.
Meet at usual restaurant. Eight o’clock. Do not be late.
* * * *
Liam walked out of the Thirteenth Judicial District Courthouse in downtown Tampa, feeling as if he needed a shower. Or maybe a drink. Maybe even both. Sydney had been fantastic, mentally propping him up while they waited their turn in front of the judge. The actual appearance took less than five minutes. It was the waiting that got to him, and the knowledge there was a slim chance the judge would decide to deny bail. Syd had assured him that would not happen but after the past few days, he wasn’t sure she could guarantee him anything.
He took off his sport jacket, yanked the tie from around his neck where it had begun to feel like a noose and just stood for a moment letting the sun warm him.
He sensed rather than saw Sydney come up to stand beside him.
“Feeling better now that we got that over?”
He snorted. “I’ll feel better when they get the real kille
r and I’m out of this totally.”
“We’re working on it.”
Liam looked around for the bodyguard, who’d driven them to the courthouse.
“Where’s Vega?”
“He’ll be back any second. I sent him to the condo to fetch your two laptops.”
“What?” Liam tensed. “Why did you do that? I need to go back to the condo and work on them. Both of them. We are far from solving the problems.”
“Liam.” Sydney rested a hand on his arm. “You are in no mental shape to do anything. Please believe me. Charley Graham is meeting us here in a few to take possession of them. He—”
“What the hell, Sydney?” Someone else was getting their hands on those laptops?
“You are in no mental shape to work on either the backtrace or digging into the Hoffman security software for the glitch. Charley Graham gave Noah the name of another forensic data analyst and he is on the Arroyo plane as we speak.”
“And the backtrace? Which is taking way more time than it should, by the way.”
“Charley has a super expert in his office who is taking that over. Noah assured me no matter how many times whoever wrote it pinged it off multiple locations, this woman can track down the point of origination.”
“And what am I supposed to do? Sit and twiddle my thumbs?” He shook his head. “Not happening.”
“I understand. Look at me a minute.”
He turned his head and caught his breath at the sight of her. She was the image of the consummate professional, in her gray suit, silk blouse, five-inch heels and her hair ruthlessly pulled into a twist at the back of her head. There was a fierce light in her gorgeous blue-almost-violet eyes that made him damn glad she was on his side.
Despite his situation, he found himself smiling. “Yes, ma’am?”
Her full lips curved in a tiny grin. “You don’t want to work on things that intricate when your brain is only at half power. When you’re distracted. And besides, you hired outside expertise to do this to begin with. Keep with that program.”