by Marion Todd
‘So was she not an ethical hacker?’ Chris asked.
‘Oh yes. And a good one too. But she hadn’t worked for the government agencies she claimed on her CV. My guess is that most of her work is for large international corporations, possibly abroad. But to be employed by Police Scotland she needed to have done work with UK organisations. Civil service departments – that kind of thing.’
The nurse opened the door a little and, seeing Clare was now wearing the oxygen mask, she let the door close again.
‘But how did she persuade them there was a leak?’ Chris said.
‘I’m not absolutely sure yet. There will be an enquiry without a doubt. But I’m guessing once she’d found her way into the system she set up a ghost IP address using a virtual private network. The software’s freely available and if she used that, plus a browser like TOR that doesn’t keep track of internet activity, she’d be able to mimic hacking attacks from within Police Scotland itself.’
Clare shook her head.
‘In a way,’ Diane went on, ‘she’s done the Force a favour by exposing their vulnerabilities. Bit of a crap day at the office for you, though, Clare.’
Clare rolled her eyes and Diane went on. ‘Anyway, once I knew there was something dodgy about her I put a tracker on her car.’
Clare’s eyes widened and Diane laughed.
‘I attached it to the inside of the wheel arch. And, once I did that, I could see where she was at any time. She was at your cottage a lot, Clare.’
‘But how did she get in?’ Chris asked.
Diane shrugged. ‘No idea. But she was there one evening I think. For dinner?’
Clare nodded and Diane went on.
‘She might have taken an impression of the key then, maybe if you went to the loo. She could have used that to make one using a 3D printer. Or, if you have a spare key she probably found that.’
Clare groaned inwardly. It had all been far too easy. She had let her guard down and she had almost died as a result. She pulled back the oxygen mask. ‘But what made you suspect her in the first place?’
Diane smiled. ‘She made one mistake, Clare. She chose me as her fall guy. I think she considered making you look responsible for the leaks. But she probably knew you didn’t have the skills to carry out a plan like that. So she looked round for a target that was close to you. Any IT technician worth his salt would be capable of setting up a ghost IP address and leaking a few documents, if they wanted to. I could certainly do it and she would know that. And, as we were friends, she chose me in order to get close to you. I’m guessing she warned you off speaking to me about the supposed leak – am I right?’
Clare flushed then gave a nod. She pulled the mask back just long enough to say ‘Sorry, Diane. It all seemed so official.’
Diane smiled. ‘Don’t be daft, Clare. I can imagine how it must have been. Anyone would have been taken in by someone like her.’
‘You weren’t, though,’ Chris said.
‘No,’ Diane admitted. ‘I received an email that didn’t look quite right. When you’ve been in IT as long as I have, you have a nose for that kind of thing. There was an attachment and I suspected it was malware. So I scanned it and realised it was a backdoor attack designed to access my emails and my work account. Now that always interests me. Why has someone sent it and what information are they after?
‘So I opened up an old laptop, created a quick clone of my account with an email address so similar to my usual one that no one would notice the difference. I populated it with enough emails and files to make it look genuine and forwarded the rogue email to that. I then downloaded the attachment and went offline to stop it spreading. After that I deleted the original copy in my real account so whoever had sent it wouldn’t know I’d forwarded it. All I had to do then was to set up a redirection for any email coming from that sender to my new, slightly different address.’
‘But how did you work out it was Gayle?’ Chris asked.
‘I didn’t – not at first. But she was new in the station and I didn’t believe a word about the new comms system. So I thought it was worth trying her before I looked elsewhere. I started creating emails on different topics, feeding information to whoever was spying on my machine. Then I waited to see what would happen. And I didn’t have to wait long. Cadham Rest, for instance, Clare?’
Clare’s eyes widened and Diane smiled.
‘I thought as much. I knew Gayle would be sowing seeds of doubt about me in your mind. I wondered if she might say something about Cadham Rest. I’ve no intention of sending my mother there. I just wanted to see if Gayle would bite.’
Clare removed the oxygen mask completely now. She had too many questions for Diane. ‘It was up on her laptop,’ she said. ‘One day when she invited me for coffee – in the room she was using at the station. The website for Cadham Rest was up on the screen and, now that I think back, she left it there just long enough for me to see it before she made a pretence of shutting it down in a hurry.’
Diane grimaced. ‘Yes, she set it all up beautifully. And it wasn’t long before I discovered the rogue invoice for eight thousand pounds, plus a copy of the genuine one hidden away on the hard disc of the dummy laptop I’d set up. I knew as soon as I saw them she was out to get you, Clare. What I didn’t know was how to stop her.’
‘And I played right into her hands,’ Clare said, shaking her head. ‘I’m so sorry, Diane. I should never have doubted you. But she said she’d have me suspended if I breached her confidence. And, if you’d seen that place where we first met her… well it was all pretty scary.’
‘Forget it, Clare. She was a formidable opponent.’
Clare’s brow creased. ‘She must have had access to my computer account too. I found the eight thousand pounds invoice in my documents on the network and I know I didn’t put it there.’
Diane nodded. ‘She sent you the same piece of malware she sent me, only when you downloaded it, you gave her access to everything on your account. I could see from the network that there was some unusual activity. Your account was being accessed from different locations, including that hotel on the coast road out of town. I looked at the times and knew it wasn’t you who had accessed it because you were in court that day and that confirmed my suspicions. That’s why I tracked her car.’
Clare’s eyes were bright now. ‘I owe you my life, Diane,’ she said, her voice shaking as she spoke.
‘Don’t be daft. You’d do the same for me.’
* * *
Later, when they had gone, Clare lay on her bed, turning over the events of the past few days. She’d made the rookie error of assuming the leaks Gayle claimed to be investigating were linked to Tamsin’s locations being compromised; that whoever was leaking information was also leaking Tamsin’s whereabouts to Paddy Grant. ‘Stupid mistake, Clare,’ she told herself, clutching her aching left arm with her right hand. ‘Stupid.’
Jim had phoned towards teatime. ‘We’ve charged her with attempted murder,’ he told Clare who breathed a sigh of relief. ‘The fire brigade confirmed the boiler flue had been tampered with and their calculations put the time the escape began to within an hour of Gail’s car being tracked to Daisy Cottage. Tech Support are examining her laptop now and they seem pretty confident they’ll find evidence that she accessed both your and Diane’s accounts.’
‘Are they allowing Diane to work on gathering the evidence?’ Clare asked.
‘No. She’s volunteered to take a week’s leave to avoid a conflict of interest. But her whizz kid assistant Craig’s working on it round the clock. And there’s no question of anything being laid at her door. She’s probably in line for a commendation.’
Clare allowed herself a smile at that. If anyone deserved a pat on the back it was Diane. Tech Support really were the unsung heroes of the Force. ‘Thanks Jim,’ she said. She was tired now after a steady stream of visitors and she just wanted to sleep. And then a thought struck her. ‘Did she make any reply to the charge, Jim?’
; There was a hesitation, just long enough for Clare to know that she had.
‘Tell me…’
‘She said that it didn’t matter. That she’d get you next time. But Clare – that’s all rubbish. She’ll go away for years. You know that.’
Clare saw, in spite of the heat in her hospital room, that she had goose pimples on her arms and she pulled the covers further up the bed. ‘I know, Jim,’ she said, hoping she sounded more convincing than she felt. She was about to ring off when she remembered Tamsin Quinn. ‘Any further forward with Tamsin and Paddy?’
‘Yes. Good news there. We’ve recovered the blue Transit van. Oddly enough it wasn’t burned out, as we might have expected. I’m guessing as Tamsin was leaving with a new identity the plan was to wipe her DNA from the system. Fortunately we were able to access it before that happened. Paddy has pre-cons so his was on the database anyway. We have a match for Paddy on Johannes’s body and both Johannes and Tamsin’s DNA has been found on a blanket in the back of the Transit van. So, although Tamsin was in the safe house in Perth, we’ve charged her with Conspiracy to Murder and Paddy with Murder. Johannes’s blood is there too. So I think we can be sure they’ll both be convicted. And, with a bit of luck, we’ll get Rose for Threatening Behaviour too.’
‘No problems with the Serious Organised Crime lads muscling in?’ Clare asked.
‘Nope. The DCI stepped in and said the lad’s death was an unrelated charge and that if SOC had a problem with it he’d be happy to set them straight. Oh, he sends his regards by the way.’
‘Oh!’ The exclamation was out before she could stop herself. ‘Please say thanks from me,’ she said, hoping she hadn’t given herself away. She had been watching the door to her room all morning, wondering if he might visit. Obviously not. The doctor appeared at the door and Clare ended the call.
‘Good news,’ the doctor said. ‘Your carboxyhaemoglobin levels have dropped to within the normal range and your lung function is much improved. We’d like to keep you in overnight just to check this progress is maintained. If the levels are as good tomorrow, I’ll be happy to let you go home. Let’s say early afternoon.’
Clare sent a message to Jude to let her know. The reply pinged back almost immediately.
Fantastic news
We’ll be in to collect you.
Just say when.
James keeps saying your name!
Love of love,
J xxx
Clare smiled at that. Wee James was such a darling. And his first words had been her name. Once she was feeling a bit better she’d have him to stay again. Give Jude and Frank a proper break this time. She sent a message back saying not to worry, that she’d get Chris and Sara to pick her up.
Jude sent back a You sure? and Clare replied with a thumbs-up. She yawned and leaned back on her pillows. She was outstandingly tired now. Yesterday’s events seemed so far away. She just wanted to forget. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift off into a deep and dreamless sleep.
Sunday, 24 May
Chapter 42
Clare wakened early to the clattering of breakfast trolleys. Her door burst open and a cheerful nurse entered, bearing a tray which she put down on the table next to Clare’s bed. She then opened the curtains to reveal the window streaming with rain.
‘Not so nice this morning,’ the nurse said. She helped Clare sit up and propped her pillows behind her. Then she swung the table across in front of Clare and lifted the covers off the plates.
Clare looked without enthusiasm at a bowl of muesli and a triangle of toast. A small tub of olive oil spread and another of marmalade lay next to the toast.
‘Tea?’ the nurse asked.
‘Please. Milk, no sugar.’
The nurse went back out into the main ward, returning moments later with a small catering-sized cup of milky tea which she placed on the tray beside the toast. Clare picked up her spoon and made an attempt at the muesli.
After breakfast – or what she could face of it – she texted Chris again to check he was okay to pick her up.
Doctor says any time after 2, she added.
Chris replied with a thumbs-up and Clare put down her phone. She thought about work, wondering if she’d be fit enough to return on Monday. Her arm was still pretty painful but she was sure they’d give her some decent painkillers. There was such a lot of paperwork to be done and she’d have to give a full statement on what she could remember of Gayle’s attack. She shivered at the memory of it and wondered if she should leave the gap in the floorboards unfilled. It felt like tempting fate to have it filled in. Would she ever be free of the legacy of Francis Ritchie’s death or was he to haunt her for ever? Perhaps she should take that trip to Boston – once her arm had healed. She how she liked it. Maybe go to the place on the postcard – Provincetown, wasn’t it? That was assuming Geoffrey still wanted her, of course. Maybe he’d already made a new life for himself out there. Him and the toothpaste blonde.
‘Perhaps I’ll go and find out,’ she said to herself.
‘Beg pardon?’ the nurse said, coming in to check Clare’s blood pressure.
Clare shook her head. ‘It’s nothing. Look – when you’ve done all this – can I get dressed?’
The nurse hooked Clare up to the blood pressure monitor then stuck a digital thermometer in her ear. As she waited for the results from the machines, she checked Clare’s pulse. After a few minutes she smiled and picked up the chart from the end of the bed.
‘You look pretty fit to me, Clare. I’ll speak to the doctor and see if he’ll sign you off. Then I’ll help you into your clothes. Just make sure you take it easy for a few days. No aerobic exercise – nothing strenuous that’ll put a strain on your lungs. And definitely not back to work for a couple of weeks.’ She gave Clare a severe look. ‘Take my advice. Or you’ll end up back here.’
Clare assured her she would follow all the advice she was given. She picked up her phone and thought about messaging Geoffrey. And then she decided there was no point in worrying him. Once she was home and back to normal, she’d let him know what had happened. Or maybe she wouldn’t…
She was surprised the DCI hadn’t been in touch, other than messages via Chris and Jim. She hoped that business with the eight thousand pounds invoice would be forgotten now. Hopefully the Chief Super would accept it hadn’t been Clare’s doing. And then she remembered her house. Swarming with firemen, Chris had said. Would it be safe to return to? Or would the fire brigade have declared it uninhabitable? She sent him another quick message:
Just wondered about the house.
Can I go back home?
Fumes all gone?
The reply came quickly.
Yes, all fine now.
They checked it again this morning.
Boiler fine and fumes gone.
Off out for a run now with Sara. God help me!
Clare laughed. She thought how lucky she was to have friends like Chris and Diane. Coming to St Andrews had definitely been a good move. She was longing to see Benjy again and she opened up the photos app on her phone to watch some videos of him tearing through the woods behind Daisy Cottage.
And then there was her car. What would happen about that? Would the insurance company pay up? No doubt they’d take their time deciding and would probably choose to be difficult about it. Well she’d be ready for a fight. She’d survived Gayle Crichton’s worst efforts. She could definitely take on her car insurers.
She eased herself off the bed and looked at her clothes. Following advice from the nurse, Diane had brought Clare a large man’s shirt and she contemplated this now, trying to work out how to put it on without knocking her arm. Finally she gave in and buzzed for the nurse who promised to come and help her as soon as she was free. She had been told she wasn’t allowed to have a shower for at least two weeks and Diane had brought in a pack of baby wipes. She set about trying to freshen herself up with these while she waited for the indignity of the nurse coming to dress her.
Onc
e she was dressed and her belongings gathered together she had nothing to do but sit and wait on Chris and Sara. She flicked through TV channels but it was all news, politics and cookery shows. Clare thought it would be quite some time before she could even lift a frying pan, let alone cook exciting meals. Not that she cooked much anyway…
The time ticked slowly by as she waited for Chris and Sara to arrive. She had been dressed for hours and even the doctor had popped in with a bag of medication. She played Candy Crush and Solitaire on her phone with one eye on the clock.
And then the door opened, tentatively at first, and Clare stared at the figure in the doorway. Instead of Chris and Sara, it was Alastair Gibson. She suddenly felt self-conscious and wondered what her hair was like.
‘Clare…’ he said, then he broke off. He shook his head. ‘I can’t believe it. I’m so ashamed of myself.’
‘Al… I was expecting Chris…’
‘I told him I’d collect you.’ He came forward and sat on the bed facing her chair. ‘I warned him not to tell you – in case you wouldn’t let me come. And I wanted to see you so much, Clare.’
She looked at him and he returned her gaze.
‘I can’t believe I let you be in such danger. That I was taken in by – that woman.’
‘Al – we both were. Let’s face it: the highest levels in Police Scotland were taken in by her. She was bloody good.’
‘Diane wasn’t.’
Clare smiled. ‘No, she wasn’t. And thank God for that, Al. We both owe her a big drink.’
‘And some.’
There was an awkward silence and Clare broke it first. ‘So you’ve come to take me home?’
He nodded. ‘Yes, if that’s okay. If you’ll let me, I mean…’