“Okay, but let me tell her about it.”
“Then have her call me.”
“Okay. I’ll call her as soon as we hang up.”
He had a thought about dinner and the show. Wondering how much time she had. And how patient Bo Neanderthal would be.
“I have a lunch meeting tomorrow in LA,” he continued. “I plan to drive in a little early and check out the physical address where the IP address is registered.” Before she suggested she could do it herself, he added, “But in the meantime, I’d like to know how many people actually knew and used this email address.”
“Just Lacey and me.”
“I mean, who might have known it from emails you’ve sent.”
“I have no idea...” Her voice trailed off and he heard a toilet flush. Heard her chuckle and make a muffled comment. “Sorry, someone was in here. We haven’t sent emails or given out the address in years. Not since Lacey went to college. But when we were in high school, our close friends had it.”
“I’ll need those names.”
“Okay, but...should I be calling the police, Michael?”
“And tell them what? That someone used your email account to post a picture of you?”
“A Photoshopped picture.”
“But coming from your account.”
“But it made me look...drunk. Or high.”
“A year ago, from what you’ve said, the depiction would have been accurate, so it would be hard to prove a motive of maliciousness, or even harm.”
“It’s illegal to hack into someone’s email account.”
He heard the tiger in her voice and almost smiled again.
“Yes, it is, but until we have proof that it’s happened, or proof that malicious harm is intended, or any harm, we have nothing to take to anyone. This could be little more than a prank.”
“Do you think that’s what it is?”
He wanted to tell her he did. Simply to ease her mind.
“No. What I want is for you to be careful. Watch over your shoulder, but live your life and let me do what I do...”
“Okay.” She sounded...definite.
“How soon can you get me those names?” He had all night.
“You want me to cancel my evening plans? I can go home right now and look through past emails. At the advice of an agent, Lacey and I have always saved everything we’ve ever sent or received. They’re on flash drives. I’m happy to go now if you think it’s necessary.”
Poor Bo.
“No, that’s fine. But call Lacey for me, would you? I’d like to speak with her tonight, while she’s at home, just in case there’s someone in her office who’s trying to cause trouble.”
He didn’t think that was what had happened. At all. Whoever had posted the picture had clearly been after Kacey. But to what purpose? Why now, after she’d stopped living the wild, partying lifestyle?
Ringing off, he reminded himself that the purpose was not his business. His job was internet investigation. Beyond that was up to Kacey. Or, if things turned bad, the police.
* * *
THE LAST THING in the world Kacey wanted to do was phone her sister with her crap. Their whole lives Lacey had been the one to take care of things, whether it was smoothing the way with their parents when Kacey had gotten them into trouble or getting rid of an unwanted suitor—and, their whole lives, Kacey had been the one to shine.