Page 67 of The Mouse and the Maestro

“Only if the package is good,” Blue said.

“It’s good,” Cracker Jack was quick to assure him.

“We’ll see,” Blue said.

Nuthatch produced a box from beside him and set it on the table. Jane let go of Blue to reach for it. If it was a legitimate artifact, they were out of luck. She poked her head in the box, reached for the scarab, and withdrew it. It was good. It was very, very good. But it wasn’t real. She gave Blue a slight shake of her head.

“No deal,” Blue said.

“What?” Nuthatch exclaimed. “That’s legit, Cyan. Seriously.”

“Jane says otherwise,” Blue replied.

“Who’s she to know?” Cracker Jack asked.

“The preeminent expert in her field,” Blue said. “I have to tell you, this does not make me happy. I hope I don’t have to, hmm, retaliate.” Nuthatch and Cracker Jack shuddered, and Janerepressed a smile. Her imagination ran wild imagining what two criminal hackers would find scary enough to be threatening from a fellow hacker.

“I swear, we thought it was good. He told us it was good.”

“I want to see him,” Jane interrupted, and the two men across the table looked at her.

“He doesn’t want to be seen,” Nuthatch said.

“Let me put it this way. I have a rather unlimited budget, but there’s one caveat. It either has to be real or real enough to convince me. I want to talk to him and see if we can come to some kind of arrangement or agreement,” Jane said.

Nuthatch and Cracker Jack regarded her, considering.

“Conjure him, and I’ll give you a finder’s fee worth your while,” Blue promised.

Now the two men regarded each other. “Let me see what we can do,” Nuthatch said, withdrawing his phone. He sent a text, waited for the answer, and nodded his assent. “He’s coming. Cracker Jack has to let him in, he’s not a hacker.” Cracker Jack got up and headed for the door.

“So, Cyan, how’d you do it?” Nuthatch asked Blue.

“Do what?” Blue asked.

“Come on, you know what. How’d you crack the DoD?” Nuthatch said, leaning forward on his elbow, listening intently.

“Does a magician reveal his secrets?” Blue asked.

“Nobody’s been able to do it since,” Nuthatch said, shaking his head. Jane knew it was because Blue had taken over cyber security for the DoD, assuring no one would be able to hack it the same way he had. “Is it true you hacked the President’s bank account?”

Blue pretended to lock his lips.

Nuthatch’s attention was diverted behind them. “Here he comes.”

Blue and Jane tried hard not to tense expectantly. Cracker Jack and another man slid into the booth across from them, and all of Jane’s pretense slid away as recognition hit.

Chapter 28

“Nick,” Jane exclaimed.

He seemed equally as dumbfounded to see her. “Janie. You cut your hair. I love it.”

Jane’s shock wore off, quickly replaced by anger. She leapt over the table, grabbed his shirt, and dragged him closer. “What are you doing here, you exponential moron?”

“Maybe you want to take this outside,” Nuthatch suggested. “If we get kicked out of here, it’s going to take more than we’re worth to work our way back in.”

“Fine,” Jane said. She scooted from the booth, grabbed Nick by the arm, and frog marched him outside.

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