Page 41 of Hacking the Holidays
Nine words that managed to contain an entire interrogation.
Eleanor smiled with the patience of someone who’d explained this a hundred times before. “It’s the best bratwurst outside of Germany. Word gets out.”
I inhaled deeply, letting the aroma settle into my memory. It triggered something—a flash of the past,Oktoberfest, dancing to accordion music, laughing with strangers who’d somehow felt like good friends for a night.
“Now that I think about it,” I said, “I devoured two of them the last time I was here. Plus, a pretzel. And way too many beers.”
“You should have mentioned that before I offered to treat,” Sam said.
He laughed—a genuine, unguarded sound followed with a wink. For a moment, he looked completely relaxed, like a man making a joke with someone he enjoyed. Then his eyes shifted, and I caught a flash of something analytical underneath. Was he flirting with me, or was he testing to see how I’d respond? The honest answer was probably both, and I had no idea how to navigate a situation where attraction and suspicion occupied the same space.
I pushed the thought away and waved at Chloe, who was approaching us. I needed to talk to her ASAP.
“The food smells absolutely divine,” she said, stopping in front of us. “I already know what I want since I saw the menu online.”
I pulled her arm before she could get in line with us. “Actually, I need to use the restroom. You want to come with me?” I widened my eyes, hoping she would sense the urgency.
She glanced at the line, then back at me. “Sure.”
“I can order for you both since the line moves pretty fast,” Sam offered. “What would you like?”
I glanced up at the board and shrugged. “Everything looks wonderful, so surprise me, and thank you.”
“Of course,” he said. “And you, Chloe?”
“The Big Bob Bratwurst,” she said. “And whatever beer they recommend is fine with me. Thanks so much, Sam.”
“My pleasure.”
“I’ll grab us a table,” Eleanor said. “The food comes out lightning-fast, and we need to be ready to eat, so it doesn’t get cold.”
Chloe and I made our way across the courtyard, past the tables and outdoor space heaters. We found the bathroom, and I locked the door behind us before turning to face her.
“Okay, what’s going on?” Chloe asked. “You look like you’re about to have a panic attack.”
“Sam saw the flash drive in my purse at the library,” I whispered.
Chloe’s eyes widened. “Did he ask about it?”
I nodded. “Yes, and I gave him a flimsy explanation. He almost looked like he didn’t believe me.”
Chloe moved to the sink and ran the water, keeping the noise going as cover. “Okay, so he’s suspicious. That doesn’t mean he knows anything or is going to dig deeper.”
“Not yet,” I said. “But his brain works the same way mine does—always analyzing, always questioning. He saw that flash drive, and now he’s going to wonder what I was doing with it or why I needed it so badly that I carried it to a volunteer shift?—”
“Stop,” Chloe interrupted. “You’re losing your way. Here’s what’s actually true: millions of people own storage devices. That you have one proves nothing.”
“But combined with everything else?—”
“What specifically has he caught you doing that’s actually suspicious?” Chloe leaned against the counter. “Being smart? Being clumsy? Owning hardware?”
I wanted to argue, but she had a point.
“Besides,” Chloe continued, “even if he gets curious, what’s he going to do? Investigate you? Hack your accounts? He’s a brainiac archivist with a Robin Hood complex, not some paranoid conspiracy theorist.”
“Still, he’s someone with a brain that never stops working. That makes him dangerous.”
“Or it makes him someone who gives people the benefit of the doubt because he actually understands how complicated we all are.” Chloe’s hands landed on my shoulders, firm and grounding. “Listen to me—you need to stop looking like you’re about to confess to murder every time he so much as glances your way. Your behavior is what’s going to give you away, not anything he’s figured out.”
