Chapter 13
CHAPTER 13
O live arrived at the office early the next morning, just as she did every day.
This was the best time to not only clear her head but to do some snooping.
She’d already had a vitamin-infused smoothie—her coffee replacement most days—so her brain felt alert. On this job, she couldn’t afford to be sluggish. Being at her best at all times was required to both keep her cover and find answers.
She sat at her computer and wiggled the mouse, ready to pull up her emails and see if she’d missed anything.
After typing in her password, she stared at her screen and paused.
Something wasn’t right.
She squinted.
She couldn’t put her finger on exactly what, but she was sure something on her computer was different.
Someone had been on it, she realized.
She scanned the screen, trying to pinpoint exactly what had indicated to her subconscious that something was different.
That was when she realized what it was. When she’d left yesterday, she’d kept a document open—a document with questions she’d written out as part of her security review process.
But right now, that document was closed.
Olive hadn’t closed it. She was certain of it.
Unease churned inside her.
As soon as her administrative assistant got into work, Olive hurried to ask her a question.
She stepped from her office and met her. “Bree, has anyone been in my office since I left yesterday?”
“No, ma’am.” Bree paused by her desk and took off her heavy wool jacket, appearing surprised at her question.
She may have even felt ambushed. Olive should have acted more casually. She took a deep breath and reminded herself to act cool.
“Who has the key to my office besides you?” Olive asked.
Bree’s motions were stiff with alarm and curiosity as she leaned against her desk. “Only me and you and maybe the head of maintenance. Those should be the only ones.”
Olive didn’t bother to ask who else might be able to get on her computer. She knew she wouldn’t get a satisfying answer anyway.
But she needed to figure out who’d been in her office.
“Is everything okay?” Bree stared at her, a wrinkle between her eyes.
“It’s fine.” Without any more explanation, Olive stepped back into the office.
She would ask Tevin to get her a camera to hide on her bookshelf. That way if anyone came in here again, she’d know who.
The fact someone had been on her computer could mean that someone was onto her. But it could also mean that someone was nervous that she might discover something in her job as an External Information Security Analyst.
She stood and began to check her office for listening devices or cameras that may have been placed here if someone had snuck in.
She didn’t find any. That was a relief, at least. But she still didn’t like this situation.
She glanced at the time. Most employees should be in the office by now, and Olive needed to set up a meeting with Ryan. She was interviewing each executive as part of her job, so calling a meeting with him shouldn’t seem unusual. Right now, he and Bennett were her best suspects.
She dialed Ryan’s number, and he answered on the first ring. “Ryan . . . it’s Olive Whiten. As you probably know, I’m setting up meetings with all the senior-level executives, and I was hoping to meet with you today. Do you have time in your schedule?”
“Today?” He hesitated. “I have several meetings already.”
“This won’t take long.”
Ryan hesitated again. “I suppose. How about at one o’clock? Would that work?”
“It’s perfect. Meet me at my office.”
“Okay then. I’ve made a note of it. Anything I should prepare?”
“Nothing at all. I promise it’s not as scary as it sounds.”
He let out a low chuckle. “That’s good to know.”
One o’clock? That gave her four hours.
She had a lot of work to do until then.
Just before lunch, Olive headed downstairs to stretch her legs and grab a cup of peppermint tea.
Just as the barista called her name, she looked over and saw Bennett Artfield step off the escalator and head away from the Conglomerate headquarters. He talked on his cell phone, and even from a distance, the conversation looked heated.
Where was he headed in such a hurry?
Her hunch could be nothing, Olive realized.
Or it could be something.
She nibbled her lip as she contemplated what to do.
If she was going to act, it needed to be now.
Gripping her tea, she headed toward the exit.
She stepped outside into the brisk, gray day.
As she did, her phone buzzed. It was Tevin.
Where are you going?
She slipped her sunglasses on and then typed back:
Following a lead.
A moment later, he replied with:
Be careful.
He was parked in his van somewhere around here, and he must have seen her step out. That was why he was so good at what he did. He paid attention to the details.
Olive spotted Bennett ahead. The man paused on the corner, glanced around, then took a sharp right.
She stayed a safe distance behind him, sipping her tea and trying to look casual as she walked.
Then he slipped inside an organic-foods market.
Olive paused outside the building, acting as if she was looking at something on her phone. But through her sunglasses, she watched what Bennett was doing.
He didn’t appear to be shopping. He didn’t pick up a basket.
Instead, a man waited for him inside.
She raised her phone, angled it as if taking a selfie. Instead, she took a picture of Bennett and the man he was meeting. The key to these things was blending in. That was what her dad had always taught her.
Of course, Dad had always made it a game. Now Olive knew it was far from that.
She glanced at the man Bennett was meeting again. She’d never seen this guy before. He was tall and thin with pale skin and a wiry brown beard that was flecked with gray.
Olive continued to watch the two men as they leaned closer to talk. Whatever they were discussing, it looked serious.
She moved closer to get out of the way of the jostling crowds headed down the sidewalk.
If only she could hear through the window . . . but she couldn’t. Besides, the street beside her was bustling with cars and honking horns.
She watched as Bennett slipped something to the other man. The action was so subtle and discreet she nearly missed it.
Olive squinted as she tried to get a better look at the object.
Was that a . . . jump drive? That was Olive’s best guess.
She had no idea what this meeting was about. But the fact it happened covertly indicated Bennett didn’t want to be seen.
Bennett was moving up her suspect list.
As he turned to go, Olive also turned. She couldn’t afford to be spotted.
She ducked into the next storefront and pretended to peruse some high heels near the front window.
She waited until Bennett walked past, alone now.
When he was a safe distance ahead, she stepped out, ready to head back to the office.
But first, she needed to send this picture to Tevin and see if he knew who this other man was.