Page 33 of Broken Trust
“You sure?” Dante’s voice carried the gravel of too many battlefields. “No one named Cipher has contacted you online? You haven’t received emails, messages? Maybe payments routed through your accounts? Have you taken any bribes?”
They knew at least one person who had—a general of a military base who had accepted bribes from Cipher in exchange for moving a bomb.
Silverton shook his head violently. “No! I—I work in IT for a local branch of the government. I build computers for people on the side. That’s it. I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
Mason pulled out a chair and sat, bringing himself to Silverton’s eye level—a technique used to build trust. “You mentioned your job. Tell me about your current projects.”
“I—it’s mostly infrastructure updates. Server maintenance.”
“Anything classified?”
Silverton hesitated. “Some Pentagon work for national security reasons, but it’s just—”
“Pentagon?” Con’s voice sharpened. “Explain.”
“It’s a security project! Completely legitimate! They said it was routine monitoring, sending daily status updates.”
Mason exchanged a glance with Dante, but he couldn’t read his eyes under the dark glasses. “Daily updates. What kind?”
“Just…just confirmation that systems are operational. It’s two words: ‘All clear.’ Every morning at 8:45.”
“What happens if you don’t send it?”
“I…I don’t know. They said it was critical for national security.”
Mason leaned back. “Who’s ‘they,’ Charles?”
“The directive came from higher up. I didn’t question it.”
“The street your parents live on now?”
The sudden return to security questions made Silverton stumble. “Oak…Oak Ridge Drive.”
“Your first girlfriend’s name?”
“Sarah Williams.”
“Ever wonder why ‘all clear’ was so important?” Mason’s voice deepened dangerously. “Ever think about what you might really be clearing?”
Silverton’s face went pale. “I just follow orders. It’s legitimate government security work.”
Mason studied him in silence. The guy’s hands trembled, and sweat traced a path down his temple. Either he was a world-class actor, or he was exactly what Elin feared—innocent. A man framed with precision so clean it looked deliberate.
And Cipher did like to use people.
“Ever hear the name EchoZero?”
His brows pinched. “That’s the name of the security project.”
“Is it, Charles?”
“That’s what I was told. Look, I’d never risk my job. My family.”
Mason felt the ache between his ribs, an echo of Elin’s emotions when she realized they might have the wrong man. He could hear her trembling voice in his memory.
There was a dog.
“There’s a golden retriever at your house,” Mason said quietly.
