Chapter 26
SAVANNAH
Wiggling in my seat, I try to relax. I’ve been fidgeting ever since we got here this morning, and I don’t know how to stop.
And I don’t even want to think about how sore I am.
I knew sex would make me work up a bit of sweat, but I didn’t know I would be this tired.
I’ve read this same line at least twenty times on my screen, and I still don’t know what it says.
There’s a familiarity to it, but I can’t place it.
My brain is fuzzy, preventing me from being able to think clearly.
As soon as I sat down at the conference table of Hunter’s office, Luke immediately took the seat next to me while Rory claimed the seat across from me, and neither of them has moved a muscle. They’ve been working easily without a word.
Unlike the three of us, Hunter has been restless. He grumbled something under his breath that sounded like, “What’s the point of having your own offices if you’re just going to take over mine every day?” and stalked off. Since then, he’s been in and out of here and yelling on his phone quite often.
I’m just happy I’m not on the receiving end of his ire.
The characters and symbols on my screen blur together, and I rub my eyes, crossing and uncrossing my legs.
Rory sighs, dropping his pen on the legal notepad next to him. “What is going on with you, Dream Girl?”
“Nothing. I’m fine,” I answer smoothly.
“That’s the fifty-second time you’ve crossed your legs,” Luke points out while typing away on his laptop.
My head swings to him. “You’ve kept count?”
“Of course,” he answers, like I should’ve expected it of him.
Hunter ends his call, resting his phone on his desk. “She’s sore, you idiots. Leave her alone.”
Of course, Hunter put two and two together. But did he have to announce it to the whole room?
“Oh,” Rory utters.
Hiding my face behind my screen, heat rises in my cheeks, and my hair falls in my face. If I could have one wish come true right now, I’d ask for the floor to open and swallow me whole.
Luke brushes my hair over my shoulder and places his mouth right next to my ear. “When we get home, I’ll draw you a bath.”
His words cause a warmth to spread through my chest, easing the tightness.
Twisting to look him in the eye, I whisper, “Thank you.”
Luke leans in, brushing my lips with his in a tender kiss, then goes back to working on his computer. It’s a simple motion, but the feelings left behind when he pulls away are anything but simple.
“Hey, I want a kiss too!” Rory whines.
“Then do something to earn it,” Luke grumbles, causing Rory to frown.
Hunter snickers from across the room, and Rory shoots him an annoyed glare.
Shaking my head, I focus back on my own work. As I grab my coffee, lifting the mug to my mouth, I reread that same line from a few minutes ago. But this time I finally comprehend what it is. I know this code, I know what it does, and I know who created it.
Me.
My stomach contracts, and the room spins.
It can’t be. It’s not possible. The only place this should exist is in an FBI file. Only one other person knows this code by heart.
“Savannah?”
But he’s behind bars. He couldn’t have done this. He doesn’t even have computer privileges.
“She’s catatonic.”
CLAP!
The sound echoes off the walls and jolts me out of my brain. Hunter’s, Rory’s, and Luke’s faces swim into view as I blink away the fog.
“It’s a good thing your coffee went cold, or else you’d be in a ton of pain right now,” Rory comments.
Glancing down, I find my entire lap wet. “Dang it.”
“What happened?” Luke asks.
“I need a new pair of pants,” I claim, avoiding Luke’s question.
“Savannah,” Hunter says with reproach.
“Can William give me a ride? I’ll ask him to bring me right back,” I direct toward Rory, and his brows pinch.
“Savannah,” Hunter chides again.
Ignoring Hunter, I continue speaking to Rory. “I might need a shower too, so it might take me a while.”
“Savannah.” I can’t overlook Hunter’s tone this time, but I’m still reluctant.
“Yes?” I respond with a bright expression.
But Hunter isn’t having it with my attitude. “Don’t do that. You’re smarter than that.”
I shrug innocently.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Heartbreaker, you were unresponsive for three minutes. You scared us all half to death,” Hunter explains, making me feel guilty. “What happened?”
My shoulders sag as the facade rolls away.
I have to tell them. I can’t pretend I didn’t see it.
My only hope is that they still want me after.
Rolling my lips, my eyes fall to my lap. “I found out how the hacker got through your security.”
“That’s great!” Rory exclaims.
“How did you find it?” Luke inquires.
“I recognize it,” I admit, twisting my fingers. The lack of response piques my curiosity, and I tilt my head up.
“How?” Luke queries again.
Letting out a pensive breath, my entire body clenches. “I wrote it.”
Rory’s mouth hangs open wide enough to catch flies. Luke’s arms are folded across his chest, but his face is alarmingly blank. Hunter’s lips are flat, and his face is pinched.
Hunter pulls up a chair, lowering himself to my level. “I’m going to need you to explain that right now.”
Rory and Luke follow Hunter’s example and drop back into their seats.
My lungs fill, preparing myself to tell them something very few people know. “John, my father—”
“He doesn’t deserve that title,” Luke interjects.
Rory reaches across the table and smacks Luke’s arm. “Let her talk.”
“It needs to be said,” Luke defends himself.
“Shut it,” Hunter barks at them, then says to me, “Continue.”
Nodding my head, I do just that. “John had the same job in IT throughout my entire childhood, and sometimes he would work from home and set up shop at the kitchen table. My mom would get irritated by the sound of typing while she was making dinner. I’d make my own computer out of cardboard and sit next to him, pretending to type.
” The memory forces a slight smile on my lips.
“As I got older, he’d teach me things here and there.
I picked it up quickly and eventually was able to code on my own.
John would have me encrypt, decrypt, debug, build from scratch, and all that. ”
Rory’s eyes widen. “That’s impressive.”
“Thanks,” I respond with a shrug. “One day, we started a project together. I was so excited to work alongside him as his equal. We were building a vulnerability scanner and patching program that could detect holes in a security system and fix them. What I didn’t know was that on John’s side, he was making a framework that would inject payloads into the vulnerabilities that would shut down their entire system without notifying the security company or the homeowner. ”
Luke tilts his head. “That’s how he got into their houses?”
I nod in confirmation.
“And that’s the code you’re seeing in our system now?” Hunter leans forward in his chair.
“Yes.” I chew on my bottom lip.
“Do you know how to fix it?” Rory places his hands on the table with his palms up.
“As long as there hasn’t been any big changes, yes.” My gaze moves downward, unable to look them in the eyes.
“But you didn’t do it, and there’s no way John could. So, who’s left?” Luke extrapolates.
My head snaps up. “How do you know it’s not me?”
“I just know. We all do,” Luke states matter-of-factly.
I glance around at the three of them, searching for a sliver of deception, something that would indicate doubt. But each of their faces is firm.
Something inside my soul mends, sewing together a wound I long forgot existed. It had become part of my every day. I made myself keep going and ignore the pain.
Being here with these three men right now, I’m reminded of the ache because for the first time in over a decade, it’s not there.
“What about that dick of an FBI agent?” Rory rubs his chin.
Hunter slides his hand on my leg, giving me a light squeeze. When our eyes connect, I’m met with compassion. His quiet support grounds me.
“Agent Huntley,” I answer Rory.
Rory snaps his fingers. “That guy. He’s always had it out for you. What about him?”
I frown. “Maybe. Not many people saw the program during the trial. Most of them are FBI, but I highly doubt many of them would know how to use it.”
“What about one of the original victim’s family members?” Rory sits back in his seat.
Hunter shakes his head. “What motive would they have?”
Rory scoffs. “I don’t know. I don’t hear anyone else coming up with ideas.”
Hunter ignores Rory’s jab and throws out his own theory. “It has to be someone connected with the trial.”
Luke points to Hunter, adding in his own two cents. “Or someone who is obsessed with John.”
With a heavy exhale, I fish my phone out of my bag. “We could go back and forth like this all day, and if that’s the plan, then I need to make a phone call and change out of these pants.”
“I could help you with that,” Rory offers with a wink, and I smirk in reply.
“Who are you calling?” Hunter adjusts his chair so he’s in my view.
Raising the phone to my ear, I hold my finger up in the universal sign for “hold on.” His returning glare is comical. Hunter doesn’t like to be kept waiting, but I find I like riling him up.
The person on the other end of the call answers. “I really hope this isn’t a call to tell me Travis is bothering you again.”
I shake my head even though Rio can’t see me. “It’s not. I have some information for the FBI, and I figured it’d be smart to have my lawyer present.”
“You’re turning out to be an interesting client, Savannah Foster.” His tone sounds like he’s holding in a laugh. I’m not sure if it’s humor from disbelief or if he actually finds the situation funny.
“Meet me at the FBI field office?” I offer.
“Nah. I’ll bring the FBI to you.”