Fatal Transaction (Thriller & Suspense, Cyber Crime) (7 page)

Chapter 15

A
t the top step, Sara heard Mike and Kai talking in Levy’s office. She slowed to listen, but noticed Mike looking out the door directly at her.

“It’s about time. Levy wants his update.”

Entering the office, Sara glanced around. “Where is he?”

Mike stepped away from Kai. Moving around behind Levy’s desk, he placed his hands on the back of the black leather chair. “You can give your report to me.”

Sara wondered if this move made Mike feel empowered.

To show her lack of respect for him, she plopped down on the couch and propped her feet up on the coffee table. “Plans are to run the full test the end of this week. If it runs without any problems, we can start operations the beginning of next week. Would you like me to write it down for you?”

Mike stared at her feet resting on the table. “Have any problems shown up yet?”

Sara thought about her plans to leave soon, and decided to curb her abuse of Mike. She pulled her feet off the table, letting them drop to the floor. “Only small ones. I’ve been able to trap them and write workarounds.”

Moving around to the front of the desk, Mike crossed his arms and stood erect. His gaze met hers. “So, next week you’ll be done?”

It wasn’t so much the question as the look in his eyes that bothered Sara. He was privy to Levy’s plans for her. Just one more confirmation that she needed to run. Soon.

“Close. I’ll need to run a complete diagnostic on the system and check the results once we’ve been in full operation for a few days. It won’t impact the operation, but it could locate problems that might show up down the road. Two more weeks, and everything will be ready to set up in other cities.”

Mike looked down at Sara for several seconds without a word. “That’ll be all.”

Sara rose and exited the room. Kai tagged along. Reaching the bottom step, she looked at Sara.

“What?” Sara continued to walk. She wanted out of the building; she needed some fresh air.

“What was that?” Kai stayed with her.

“What do you mean?”

“You were nice to Mike, sort of. I think that’s a first.”

Kai was too close to Mike. Sara couldn’t let her catch onto the truth. “My brain’s fried. It’s been a hard week. I must be slipping. Tell you what. I’ll make it up to the jerk next time. I’ll treat him worse than normal.”

“You don’t have to. I was hoping you were finally seeing Mike for himself. He really is a nice person away from work.”

Sara didn’t want to talk about it. “I’m hungry, how about you?”

“Sorry, Mike and I are going to grab a snack later. You can join us, if you like.”

You, me, and Mike? No thank you!
“That’s okay. I need to run by Jasper’s.”

***

At fifteen ‘til six, Derry shut down his laptop, packed it up, and started thinking about food. With his mind on the young lady from Jasper’s, he didn’t have any motivation to stay and work late tonight.

As he stepped inside the restaurant, Jasper greeted him. “You must like my food! You keep coming back.”

“First time I ever had Greek food.”

It didn’t answer his question, but it wasn’t a lie. The food was okay, but not good enough to want it every night. Jasper showed him to his regular table. The lady’s table was empty. Surveying the restaurant, Derry recognized the same two men from last time. Strange.

Without the young lady to gawk at, Derry was bored. Might as well get more work done. He pulled out the laptop.

Jasper brought a Coke without asking. Derry had the same drink every time he came. “Oh, getting some work done, I see.” With a bigger smile than needed, Jasper added, “We have wireless, you know.”

Derry glanced up. “Thank you, I’m already using it.”

“Yes, I added it to bring in more lunchtime business.” His smile faded.

“Has it helped?”

“Some.” He shrugged without a smile.

“I see you have a little business tonight.” Derry nodded toward the others in the room.

Jasper glanced around and made a face. “Yeah, it is okay, I guess.” Then, acting as if he had said too much, he changed the subject. “So, what is it you do?”

“I’m an accountant. I’m auditing a software company in this
building.” Without thinking, Derry asked, “You ever have your books audited?”

Jasper’s eyes widened, and his face lost some color. He recovered quickly, but not quick enough. “I do my own books. I have no need for an accountant.” He spoke faster than normal.

Derry felt a little sorry for the man, and wanted to set his mind at ease. “Oh, I understand. It can eat up someone’s profits to hire an outside accountant. I would imagine the profit margin is not that great in the restaurant business. You must work hard just to keep it going.”

“I do. This place was a lot busier before. I had two servers and a cook. And on the weekends, I had a young lady working the front door. Now, I do it all.”

“What happened?”

“Too much competition. An Italian restaurant opened across the street, another Greek restaurant just two blocks away, and a sushi house two minutes from here. I don’t think there’s enough business for all of us to survive. The new places charge too much money. Soon my customers will come back.”

“How long have they been open?”

“They started moving in a couple of years ago.” The words came out harshly.

“So, how long have you been doing everything by yourself?”

“I had to let the last of my help go right after Christmas, about seven or eight months ago.”

“Oh, the drop in business must really hurt.”

“Yes, it is hard, but you did not come here to hear about my problems. What would you like to eat tonight?”

Derry ordered, and ate his meal in disappointment. The young lady never showed.

He was sleepy after the big meal. On the way out the door, he collided with someone coming in. It was the woman he had been waiting for. His body hit hers hard enough to knock her back against the door.

“Excuse me, I’m so sorry.” He reached out to help her.

With her head down, she shoved him back and forced her way past him. “Watch where you’re going, jerk!”

By the time Derry realized what had happened, she was gone.

Chapter 16

“M
ike, step in here and close the door.” Levy sat at his large glass and chrome desk, the window behind him revealing the tall buildings in downtown Denver, the Rocky Mountains off to the left.

Stepping into Levy’s office at the Denver Tech Center, Mike took a seat in one of the leather chairs. He studied Levy’s silhouette against the Front Range as he waited.

Levy finished reading a document and signed it. Then, setting the papers aside, he focused on Mike. “I need an update on New York. When will we be ready to start running cards, and how many people do you have set to go?”

Levy rarely talked about his outside activities in this office. Mike was unprepared to answer. Pulling out his smartphone, he read over his notes. “I have two businesses lined up, another restaurant and a bookstore. Both on hard times and in need of cash flow. Neither have the equipment we need, but it’s on order. I need either Sara or Kai to set them up. As for the number of people ready to run the cards, we’re working on that.”

Mike lowered his phone. “In New York, it’s easy to find card runners. As soon as I put the word out, I had them coming out of the woodwork. Problem is, several of them won’t work. They’ve got big mouths and want to tell everyone what they’re doing, but I’m handling it.”

Levy appeared satisfied with the news. Rising to his feet, he moved to the tall windows. “And Denver? What did you find out from Sara last night?”

Sighing, Mike filled Levy in, finishing with, “But something isn’t right.”

Levy was unmoved, almost as though he expected this. “What do you mean? It sounds like the project’s on time.”

“Sara’s up to something.”

“Yes, of course. We know that, so why the concern all of a sudden?”

Mike rose and walked to the far edge of the large windows. He faced Levy. “She wasn’t acting right last night when she came back. She was more or less nice to me. Too nice for her.”

“Where was she when you called her last night?”

“The GPS put her near a post office just off Colfax. She was running tests on the cards.”

“Everything sounds fine.” Levy peered down toward the road ten floors below. “Her schedule has her finishing most of her work by the end of this week.” His tone suggested he was thinking out loud.

Mike cut in. “She said something about doing a complete analysis once we’re in full operations for a couple of days.”

Levy moved back to his desk and took a seat. “That’s just subterfuge. She’s hoping I will see a need to keep her around, poor girl.” Levy spun his chair around to face Mike. “Will Kai be ready to take over in another week?”

“She feels she needs more time. She said the program is very confusing, and she’s having problems understanding all of it.”

“She’d better get it soon, or I’ll find someone to replace her, too.”

Mike knew what this meant. He was not about to let Levy eliminate Kai. He had genuine feelings for her. “Maybe Sara’s trying to make it hard on purpose. Make it where we can’t get by without her.”

“Regardless, you need to tell your little girlfriend to figure it out quickly.”

Mike had suspected Levy knew about him and Kai. He hoped that would not make him expendable, too. “I’ll talk with her.”

Levy pivoted his chair back toward his computer. “Send Ben and Jarred to New York tonight to train the new recruits. If it looks like any of them can’t be trusted, have Jarred, not Ben, take care of them. We can’t have this project compromised. I have too much riding on it.”

“Sure thing, Mr. Levy.”

“While they’re out of town, you follow Sara.”

Mike instantly balked at this. It meant he’d be pulling all-nighters for a while. “Yes, sir.”

***

After a hard week and a half, Derry was pleased with his progress on the new account. He should be finishing up this Friday, a solid week ahead of time. He headed toward the elevator and toward the restaurant. Hunger, and the desire to see the lady again, got the best of him.

“Come in, come in. Would you like your regular seat?” Not waiting for an answer, Jasper led Derry to his table. “This way.”

Derry spotted the woman sitting in her regular location. His heart jumped a little as he took the seat facing her. Not wanting to feel too childish, he surveyed the room. Tonight was the busiest he’d seen Jasper’s. There were a total of ten customers sitting around the dining area, including him and the woman he faced. Two of them were the same men he had seen there before. Maybe business was picking up.

After ordering, he spent the next several minutes sneaking peeks at the woman, hoping not to arouse her suspicions. Again, she barely touched her food. She spent most of the time making designs with it.

Two separate people paid their bills while Derry waited for his food. One of the men bent down and whispered in the lady’s ear on his way out. She shoved him away, giving him a sharp look, and insisted that he leave her alone.

Derry almost rose to her rescue, but the man laughed as he exited the dining area. She glared at his back.

A minute later, Jasper brought Derry’s food then went over to the lady’s table.

“How would you like to pay for your meal, Sara Beckwith?” His tone carried sarcasm.

Her eyes flashed hatred. “Don’t use my name.”

“Anything you say.” His sarcasm remained.

As Jasper walked off with the credit card, Sara’s angry glare followed him. Derry dropped his gaze to the plate of food in front of him.

What is she so afraid of? Is her name different from the one on the card? What kind of scam is she running with Jasper?

His emotions were confused. Sara was rude, crude, and doing something illegal, yet he was strangely drawn to her. What brought him back here each night? He looked at his plate for answers, but found none.

Derry glanced up to see Sara eyeing Jasper at his terminal.

The owner returned a few minutes later and gave the card back to Sara. “I see you were busy today.”

Sara’s eyes flashed with rage. She took the card back and shoved it into her wallet.

“Don’t get mad at me. I’m the one taking all the risk.”

“You came to us, remember?” Sara grabbed her bag and stood up fast, propelling her chair backward to the floor. Jasper stared at the fallen chair as she headed out the door.

“Obstinate little thing, isn’t she?” The words were out of Derry’s mouth before he realized he spoke them aloud.

“What was that, sir?” Jasper leaned over to pick up the chair.

Since Jasper had received the worst end of the conflict with Sara, Derry didn’t want to invite his anger. Never make the cook mad. “Oh, nothing, Just talking to myself.” He took another bite of food.

Chapter 17

S
itting across from Natalie and Kevin, Derry watched in amusement as the two commented about each other’s choice of dessert.

“How can you eat all that fat?” Natalie wrinkled her nose.

“Better than rabbit food.” Kevin shoveled a large bite of banana cream pie into his mouth.

The two of them went through this game almost every Wednesday night after church. Kevin swallowed his bite as he eyed Derry. “You’ve been quiet tonight. What’s going on?”

Kevin and Natalie lived next door to Derry, and the three were good friends. Kevin remodeled buildings, and Natalie worked as a physician’s assistant.

At Kevin’s question, Derry thought about Sara and the restaurant. Should he say anything? How much? He wanted to say something to someone, but wasn’t sure where to start.

Derry hesitated.

Natalie stole a bite of Kevin’s banana cream pie. He stopped her hand before she could get it to her mouth. Natalie nodded toward Derry. “You asked him a question but didn’t wait for an answer.” When Kevin shifted his attention back to Derry, she shoved the pie into her mouth before he could stop her again.

“Thief.”

She gave him a little smile.

Kevin was amused by his wife’s attempt to look innocent. “Anyway, is something bugging you? Is work going okay?”

“Work’s fine. It’s something outside of work.” Derry took a deep breath then recounted what he’d witnessed at Jasper’s.

As the tale ended, Natalie swiped Kevin’s last bite of pie and asked Derry, “You’re sure this girl Sara and the owner are doing something illegal?”

“It sure looks that way.” Derry scraped the last of his apple pie off the plate.

“Have you told your FBI friend, Lamar?” Kevin set his plate on top of Derry’s and moved them to the center of the table.

“Not yet.”

“Don’t you think you should?” Natalie picked at the remains of her lettuce.

Derry said nothing.

With her focus still on her salad, Natalie added, “You think she’s cute, huh?” A mischievous smile spread across her face.

Her observation was all too true, but Derry didn’t think it was that obvious. Maybe that was the reason he hadn’t told Lamar.

***

The building was silent as Sara slid through the back door. It was past two in the morning, and she hoped everyone was either gone or asleep. Taking a quick scan at the camera locations and angles, she was relieved to see they hadn’t changed. Her planned route would go unrecorded.

The building had an eerie feeling as she silently moved around the edge of the dimly lit room. Cutting through a couple of the interconnected downstairs offices, she bypassed the cameras in the hall. Taking a deep breath, she prepared for the ascent to Levy’s office.

As her hand reached out and touched the wood handrail, she felt a mixture of excitement and fear. Soon this nightmare would be over. She silently climbed the stairs, thankful they were cement, not wood. If she got caught, she would pay with her life in a very slow and painful way.

Once at the top, she pulled a pair of thin latex gloves out of her pack and put them on. She took one more glance down the stairs. Empty. Reaching out, she grabbed the handle to Levy’s office and tried to turn it.

Locked
.

She reached into the side pocket of her pack and pulled out her homemade lock-picking tools. As she worked, every second stretched itself out. Every sound echoed in her mind.

Finally, with what seemed like a very loud click, the cylinder rotated. Slowly twisting the knob, Sara opened the door. Her body stiffened with the door’s every creak and groan. Knowing the room was empty didn’t stop her from looking around before stepping in. Once inside, she eased the door shut. Using only the light coming through the window, she made her way across the dim office to Levy’s computer. Sara sat on the edge of the leather chair and reached up to verify that his monitor was turned off to prevent light from escaping into the room when the computer was turned on.

Using a straightened paper clip to open the CD drive, she inserted her disk. Stopping, she listened. The building remained quiet. She pulled a portable hard drive out of her bag, plugged it into the USB port, then turned on the system. The computer now used her CD to boot, giving her full access to all the files.

The CD, one of her own creations, copied the entire file system over to the hard drive. Then the software would install some of her own programs onto Levy’s computer. These programs would be buried deep in the boot sector of his system, a place few virus protection programs would look.

Once her programs were in place, the CD would remove all traces of her work and shut down the computer.

As she waited, she realized one mistake in her plan. The only way to know if the program had a problem was to see the screen. But turning on the monitor would flood the room with light, so she had to trust that her program would work correctly.

It was taking longer than it should. Was there a problem?

She fought the desire to look.

Three times, she jumped upon hearing a noise outside the door or out the window. The waiting seemed interminable. She resisted the urge to rifle through Levy’s desk. It would make too much noise and leave behind proof someone had been there.

Time passed slowly. Seeing Levy’s desk clock, she noted the time.

2:28.

How long had she been here? She didn’t think about checking the time when she came in.

She waited.

2:31.

The CD popped out as the computer went silent. Tension melted away. Her program had worked. She hoped. The only way to be sure was to examine the contents of the hard drive, but that would have to wait until she got home.

She closed the CD tray after removing her hard drive and CD. Sliding them into her pack, she took one more look around. Everything was just as it had been when she entered.

Rising to her feet, she moved the chair back to where she had found it and stealthily moved to the door. Again she listened. Nothing.

She opened the door and turned the lock on the inside. Stepping into the hall, she eased the door shut. The latch made a loud click. Sara froze and waited. All remained quiet. Trying the knob one last time, she made sure it was locked. Resisting the desire to run, she quickly retraced her path to exit the building and looked for a taxi.

***

The taxi stopped two blocks from her apartment building. Sara looked around before getting out. All clear.

A short walk took her to the end of her block, then an alley led to the parking lot for her apartment building. She peeked around the dumpster in the corner of the parking lot. Mike was still asleep in his car, his head leaning against the side window.

Continuing down the alley, Sara made her way behind the building and up the stairs at the far end. Two minutes later, she stood at her apartment door.

Before entering, Sara checked the small piece of paper she stuck in the crack between the door and doorjamb. Ever since discovering that Levy’s men had been in her apartment, Sara had started putting a very small paper in the doorjamb as she closed the door to leave, something she’d seen in a movie once. It was lame and she knew it, but it made her feel a little more secure. The paper was in place.

She opened the door and stepped in. After closing the door, she debated about turning on her living room lights.

Would Mike see them? He was asleep, right?

But what if someone was in there?

She turned on the light. The apartment looked okay. She quickly shut off the lights again and felt her way to the bathroom. Paranoia was getting to her, but she didn’t care. She turned on the water to make noise as she pulled her laptop out of her pack, then leaned against the bathroom wall. Not the best place to work, but it was well hidden.

First things first. She checked the tracking number for her passport. It had been delivered today to her Estes Park PO box.

Great.

One more nail for Levy’s coffin
.

Everything was in place. Her excitement grew. In three days, she’d be on her way. She would be free, and Levy would be poorer, much poorer. That would teach him to blackmail someone smarter than he.

Enough daydreaming.

Sara plugged in the hard drive and backed up everything from Levy’s computer to an off-site server. As the process ran, Sara rested her head against the wall and thought about what her life would be like living in Italy.

Why
not
Italy? I’m half Italian
.

She got up and went to the kitchen as she waited for the backup to finish. Returning with a small snack, she found the task complete. Taking a seat again, she went into Levy’s files. She needed his bank information. He kept it in an encrypted password-protected file. It took quite some time to crack his encryption, but
she had the right tools. She retrieved the information and stored it in a secure location.

One last task and she could go to bed. Bringing up the credit card program, she entered Levy’s banking information in a special file. After compiling the new version of the program, she loaded it on one of the special credit cards, which she placed in the side pocket of her pack. She’d wait to install the program until the day before she ran, giving herself the maximum amount of time before Levy learned the full extent of her plan.