Page 59 of Guarding Truth
“There’s a diner a few streets over from here,” Juliette said. “I’ve been there before. It shouldn’t be too crowded this time of day, and we can make a few calls and use their Wi-Fi. We’ll figure things out from there.”
Caleb’s eyes were fierce. The man was gearing up for a fight. “Can we stop at a place where I can buy a laptop?” he asked. “I feel lost without one. I won’t do anything to attract attention to myself. No one will track me. I’d trust a brand-new computer way more than any of my old ones. Someone working for Cyberskies has to be in on this hacker group. It would be the easiest way for someone to bypass security and gain access to the bank.”
“Who do you suspect?” She agreed it might be an inside job, but they needed proof. Or at least a lead.
“I can’t imagine it would be Blake. He’s been a great friend for a long time. I trust him, or I wouldn’t have become his business partner.”
“But anything is possible.”
Caleb shrugged. “He would have the highest level of access and the knowledge to pull this off. But why physically rob banks? Why not just finish the program and send the ransomware? And Blake would know how to complete the program.”
Juliette had no answers as she navigated the country roads, her anxiety ratcheting with each passing mile. Within fifteen minutes, she pulled into a big-box computer supply store, having had no revelation as to their next steps. Once Caleb had the supplies he needed, they’d head to the diner for breakfast along with the opportunity to regroup.
The Elite Guardians Agency had two clients in desperate need of protection.
Juliette had developed a soft spot for both of them. Caleb’s kiss didn’t help squash the desire that took up residence in her heart. She needed to get her head out of the clouds and into her job. Caleb was first and foremost a client.
She refused to let her personal feelings jeopardize his safety. Because she’d do whatever it took to keep Caleb and Ivy safe. Even if she had to put her own life on the line to do it.
* * *
FRIDAY, 9:15 A.M.
The back booth of the café resembled a display rack at Best Buy. Caleb had bought two MacBooks and an iPad. All machines ran at the same time. He’d have bought more, but considering he and Ivy were homeless at this point, he decided to make do with just the essentials.
“What can I get you, hon?” the waitress asked Caleb. She pulled a pen from her bun and poised it over her notepad.
“I’ll have the shrimp and grits.” He couldn’t go wrong with a classic Savannah dish, even though the drone chase had stolen his appetite.
The diner thrummed with voices and dishes clinking and smelled of coffee and sugar. Juliette had already ordered an entire pot of coffee plus some cinnamon buns for the table before they’d sat down. Now she added a platter of bacon, eggs, and hash browns just before the waitress scurried off to take an order from another table.
“Where are we going next?” Ivy asked, the normal sparkle in her eyes now dull.
Juliette nursed a cup of coffee with both hands. “I called Agent McGregor. He’s on his way over.”
Great. The man who couldn’t protect them would come up with another brilliant plan. Why didn’t he just hand Ivy over to the hackers? That’s all McGregor wanted—to use Ivy.
Caleb turned his attention to his laptops strewn about the table. He’d hunted for the least sticky spot before placing them down and was using three menus and twelve napkins as a buffer. He accessed his own system, hunting for any signs of the hackers. A nagging in the back of his mind wouldn’t quit. This had to be an inside job. These hackers had manipulated his system and had been passing messages back and forth right in front of him. And he’d employed them. But Cyberskies had seventy-five employees, so he needed to narrow the pool of suspects.
He ran a hand through his hair and then remembered the sticky table situation. “I need a shower.”
Juliette smirked. “Yeah, you do.”
“Speak for yourself. You’ve got a nice streak of dirt across your T-shirt.” That was putting it mildly. Her white T-shirt showed streaks of dirt like it’d been dragged through the mud a few times.
She frowned at her attire. “I guess that’s to be expected when dodging robotic land mines. Sorry you ruined your favorite nerd shirt. But I know you keep backups for your backup shirts. For emergencies like this.”
He glanced at his blueStar Trekshirt. Pajama shirt, since their flight from the house had been an abrupt one. At least he’d been wearing jeans and not his flannel bottoms with the Spock heads on them. And how did Juliette appear so put together despite outrunning a drone army and having mud on her shirt?
Ivy stared, saying nothing. The food arrived, and the waitress arranged plates in between the laptops and cords.
“I guess I’m right on time for breakfast.” Agent McGregor strode in and pulled a chair from an empty table. He sat down at the head of the booth. Caleb kept watch outside and saw a vehicle pull into the parking lot with two occupants. Feds. He relaxed a bit. Even though the safe house had wound up being compromised, any reinforcements were appreciated.
“I’m not sharing.” Juliette covered her mountain of food with her hand.
McGregor laughed. “I’ll be surprised if you can finish that platter.”
Caleb snorted. “Oh, just watch her. I have no idea where she puts it.”