Maddie’s features brighten. “Okay, yeah.”
“Great.” I smile and take a seat, going back to examining the papers scattered on the table. “Now go pack that getaway bag.”
Maddie rolls her eyes but returns to her room, rustling about as I go over her notes, working the information she’s collected into what I already know.
I’m not sure how long I’m immersed in it, but eventually, Maddie’s back with two cups of coffee.
“You get anywhere, Huckleberry?” she asks, taking the seat next to me.
“I don’t know. Nothing makes sense.” I sigh and lean back. “The drastic change in MO, the shift in criminal avenues… It reallyisas if Harlow has a split personality.”
“I favor the young lover theory, personally.”
“I didn’t take you for a romantic.” I flash her a grin, and Maddie just smiles.
“When you witness epic love stories growing up, it’s unavoidable that you become a romantic, no matter how realistic and cynical you are.”
“I don’t recall you being cynical.”
“A week isn’t a long enough time to claim you know someone well.”
I want to argue, tell her that I know her, that I see her big, tenacious heart that’s been persevering through this mission despite the fear becauseit’s the right thing to do.
Instead, I force myself to accept the simple truth in her statement and change the subject. “So, whyfinancialcybersecurity?”
“The most vanilla reason ever.” She laughs. “When my dad asked Uncle Lee to find me a mentor to steer me into the legal occupation of hacking, they also agreed it should be in a low-danger field.”
“That’s definitely proven itself.” I laugh with her, loving the jingly sound of her genuine laughter.
“Right?” She opens her arms wide, palms up and shoulders pulled to her ears, before she continues her story, fingers and hands weaving a visual tale to accompany her words, and I’m enthralled, captivated by this part of her that I hadn’t even realized I’ve been missing. “Anyway, finances seemed like a good fit. White collar, banks, it all sounded so pristine. My mentor’s father was an Enron accountant. He was a salaries guy, but they were investigating everyone back then. He was cleared pretty fast, but he still lost most of his pension and had trouble finding a job because his most substantial resume line was Enron. My mentor was bullied at school so she closed herself at home in front of the computer most of her pre-teen and teenage years. Ten years later, she was at a crossroads on what to do with her life, and Madoff happened. She saw it as a sign and joined the bureau.”
“And since she was your mentor, she passed her creed and passion onto you.” I can’t help the warmth of adoration and pride that spreads through my chest. Whatever happened last year that made her ghost, it doesn’t change the fact that Maddie isgood.
“She died of breast cancer a few years ago. I’m proud to be able to uphold her legacy.” Maddie’s smile is a mix of joy and sadness, and I want nothing more than to get up and pull her into a crushing embrace. “That’s the general story, more or less.”
“It’s nice, how protective your dad and uncle are of you.”
“It’s just the way our clan rolls.” She shrugs with a broad smile.
“Are you close with your dad?”
“Yeah, I talk to him twice a week when I’m away for a job, which is most of the time. You?”
“He died a really long time ago.” I knew the question would be coming, and it’s the closest to the truth I can allow myself to share with Maddie.Never too close, never too deep. Especially with her. Maddie looks me over before sliding one of the paper stacks on the table closer to me.
“What about the inside job aspect?” She indicates the page at the top of the pile.
“There’s definitely someone in Cuthbert Bank, in the DC branch for sure, but I think even higher, in general management.” I stare at the paper for a few seconds. “You think Harlowisthe inside job?”
“It would make sense, no?” She looks at me over the rim of her mug as she takes a sip from her coffee. “Some of the shareholders and board members are old enough. Most of them have younger lovers, and it would explain the easy shift into the world of finances.” She taps the table in thought. “If the access was already there, all it would take is someone who knows how to use it.”
“But if Harlow is inside the bank, he would have known about your scan.”
Maddie vigorously shakes her head.
“No one knew what I found until I took it to Uncle Lee,” She explains. “And it’s a Federal Reserve issued computer, I was the first to touch it and the last. No outside access, self-destruct fail-safes, zero chance anyone knew what I was doing.”
“Improbable, not impossible.” Highly improbable, but still, something to keep in mind. “Also, I’m not sold on Harlow being inside the bank. It seems out of his new character— nameless, faceless, no ripples in the pond. Why bring it so close to home?”