Page 81 of Hacking the Holidays
“He hacked into my computer while I was sitting four feet away from him in the conference room.” I sank onto the edge of my bed, twirling my hair with my index finger. “He just breezed right through my security like a tank plowing through a screen door. Then, he triggered a self-destruct protocol on my laptop when I tried to access his files. Luckily, I didn’t lose anything.”
“Wait, you were hacking him while he was hacking you?” she said as she bent down to grab her phone from the floor.
“It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
Chloe stared at me for a long moment, then started laughing—the kind of slightly hysterical laugh that said she couldn’t decide if this was the best or worst thing that had ever happened.
“This man is a miracle worker,” she managed between gasps. “He’s broken through your personalandprofessional defenses. He’s from another planet.”
Despite everything, I felt myself smile. “There’s something about Sam that makes me feel alive, you know? When I’m with him, I’m not the FBI agent who screwed up five years ago. I’m not the woman who can’t trust her own judgment. I’m just ... me. The best version of me, spontaneous, relaxed, creative …”
Chloe sat down beside me, bumping her shoulder against mine. “Sam is good for you. I can see it. So here’s the real question: Can you see yourself being with him? Like, really being with him? Because he’s a small-town guy, you would most likely have to leave Seattle.”
“I know—and I would be okay with that,” I said without hesitation. “But we have more than a few obstacles. He needs to avoid jail, for one. I told him not to tell me anything incriminating because I’d be forced to tell the truth if they put me on the witness stand.”
“Not if you’re married,” Chloe said, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Spousal testimonial privilege. You wouldn’t have to testify against your husband.”
I waved her off. “The way Beverly is on the hunt, what I do or say may not even matter. I passed her on the street after I kissed Sam, and she had this look in her eyes—like she was planning something much bigger than that stunt with the fake daughter. I warned Sam not to let his guard down after I left him at the library.”
“What could Bimbo Babbs be up to?” Chloe asked.
“She’s up to no good; we know that much. She just wants glory and victory, regardless of the lives she may destroy.” I checked my watch. “Thorne should be callingany second. After that, I need to get back to the library and brainstorm with Sam. He said he had an idea.”
“What kind?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe he’s planning to go completely straight and narrow. Or maybe he wants to make some kind of plea deal with the Bureau—help us with future cases in exchange for staying out of jail.” I stopped pacing, frowning. “But I can’t see him doing that. And honestly? It doesn’t seem fair that he’s helping so many people, but if he gets busted, all those corrupt sleazeballs he’s stealing from get to keep defrauding and taking advantage of the public while the good guy gets sent away.”
Chloe nodded. “I don’t like it either. It doesn’t feel fair. And it doesn’t even make sense why the Bureau is so gung-ho and going after him when there are so many other dangerous, high-profile cases just collecting dust on someone’s desk.”
“I’m just as baffled as you are.” I moved to the desk, opening my laptop to prepare for the video call. “Whatever happens with this case, though, I take the blame. I don’t want you getting dragged down with me, so we can’t mention that Sam knows we’re federal agents. Okay?”
“Zara—”
“Promise me, Chloe.”
She sighed. “Fine. I promise.”
“In fact, fake an illness so you have to go back to Seattle. That way, you won’t be around if things head in the wrong direction, which I have a feeling they just might.”
Right on cue, my laptop chimed—the distinctive sound of an incoming secure video call.
I settled into the desk chair and pulled it closer while Chloe perched on the edge of the bed behind me.
I clicked to accept the call.
Agent Thorne’s face filled the screen, but something was different about him from the last time we had connected. His usual intensity had been replaced by something almost relaxed.
Too relaxed.
My stomach clenched.
“Mazini, Davis—I’ve only got a minute.” He glanced at something off-screen. “Good news. You can both come back to Seattle. Agent Babbs has got everything covered in Leavenworth.”
The words almost knocked me off the chair.
“What? No, that’s not necessary.” I leaned forward, my hands gripping the edge of the desk. “I can handle this. I just need a little more time. The suspect is close to making a mistake, and if I can just?—”
“The decision has already been made, Mazini, and there’s nothing more to do,” Thorne said. “Babbs had a breakthrough in the case.”
