Seth flipped the monitor toward her. Jess read the message on the screen. One line from a man named Ivan Andreyevich Krylov.
Delivery from AK on its way to Chicago as agreed. ETA two days.
“A Russian?” She cocked her head and stared at the screen. “And maybe a connection to Alaska.”
“Actually, I Googled the name and got some Russian fables and folklore dude. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. We’re not gonna find these guys using their real names.”
Seth shrugged and kept talking.
“On the surface, this message isn’t incriminating. Granted, the wording is a little cryptic, but for all we know, he’s addicted to the Home Shopping Network or he’s got an eBay delivery coming from Alaska. However, when you couple the way this message was transmitted in a digital photo file with the use of aliases and international IP addresses, I’d say the whole setup reaches outside the U.S. in an impressive array. At the risk of using a redundant fish analogy, I’m thinkin’ Baker may be a guppy in a very big pond.”
Jess reread the embedded message from the Russian.
“ETA two days.” She backtracked the date and looked at her watch to confirm her suspicions. “That means whatever is being delivered to Chicago is coming in today.”
If Seth was right and Baker closed up shop, this last bit of intel might be the only link she would have to his organization. This so-called shipment had been set in motion. Did the bastard have time to call it off or would this be her best shot at nailing him?
“I’ve got to play a hunch, Seth. It might be a stretch, but I’d bet money he’s bartering in human lives. The delivery may be some poor unlucky kid caught up in Baker’s web of lies.”
A worried look spread across Seth’s face. “So what are you gonna do?”
“I don’t know yet. I gotta think.”
A scheme started to form in her mind. Baker would still want his property back, so his laptop could be a bargaining chip. She touched Seth’s arm to get his undivided attention.
“Hypothetically speaking, I may be forced to return Baker’s property to get another crack at this guy. And that thought makes my blood boil unless I have the upper hand.” She took a deep breath. “If I knew someone really connected to certain people, could this computer-savvy guy install software on this laptop? I want to track Baker’s movement in the cyberworld from inside his own computer.”
Seth stared at her a long moment.
“I see you’ve got pliable ethics when it comes to turning the tables on Baker using my crimeware bootleg stuff. The all-important end justifies the means, is that it?”
He didn’t let her squirm long. Fighting a smirk, he cocked his head and raised an eyebrow in a good-humored challenge. What the hell could she say?
“Hey, you got me. When it comes to Baker and his perverted world, I guess my ethics take a backseat. Sue me.”
“That’s okay. I understand. I’m just sayin’…” Seth grinned, a totally wicked smile, and let it go. “Hypothetically speaking, of course, such an absolutely freaking genius could load a Trojan horse the guy would never see coming. Keystroke loggers can collect sensitive data, steal his new passwords and store them on his own system, leaving cyber bread crumbs to follow. Once Baker accesses those encrypted files I was telling you about, we’re in too.”
Seth’s eyes radiated light. This stuff really turned the boy on.
“Plus, we could add bells and whistles to allow us remote access or even redirect his browser to a counterfeit link of our choosing. He’ll think he’s logged into his site, but he’ll be talking to us. Very cool stuff. And I may have one or two other tricks I can add. Is that covert enough for you?”
“Perfect, just like you.” She pinched his cheek, and flaming red streaks shot across Seth’s face. But then she got serious. There was too much at stake to trivialize what they were about to do.
“I really need this to work, Seth. Rig his laptop with your Trojan horse. I got a feeling it’ll be our last shot at Baker.”
“I’m on it. I’ll have it done and tested before you step out that door. Maybe if I have time, I can kick in something extra.”
Seth turned his attention to the computer in his lap, leaving Jess rapt in her thoughts.
If Baker was in the process of severing his links to the old setup, the delivery to Chicago—some poor kid— might turn out to be a sacrificial lamb. She had no way of knowing where or how the “delivery” might be coming. No leads at all, except for the e-mail reference to Alaska. Hell, she didn’t even know if she could trust the intel. There’d be no way to intervene, so she had to do the next best thing.
Her instincts told her to focus on stopping Baker—for the greater good—but could she ignore the feeling that a faceless kid’s life hung in the balance? She hated how that made her feel. No doubt about it. Life sucked on a grand scale, a fact she understood better than most.
Even if Sam could work her cop magic this late in the day and check the flight manifests for all inbound planes from Alaska, the odds weren’t good that her friend would have the resources to go much further. They wouldn’t even know what to look for. And if the CPD knew she was connected to Sam’s search, everything would come to a grinding halt. Besides, given the time of day and the duration of a flight from Alaska, the plane was already gone, narrowing her odds for success considerably.
She knew she was on her own—as usual.
In no time, Seth had Baker’s laptop rigged and ready to go. He packed it back into the computer bag it came in and handed it to her, the thin gloves removed.
“Call me on my cell if you think of anything else,” she asked.
“Yeah, okay.” He nodded.
Jess got to her feet and headed for the door. “You got my number, right?”
“Yeah, programmed into my cell.” He stood and followed her. His hands fumbled through his pockets, pulling out coins, cash, and a set of keys.
“Let me walk you out. I gotta meet a friend for drinks.” He shrugged and added, “It’s gotta be five o’clock somewhere on the planet, right? You’re welcome to join us.”
“Thanks, but no. I gotta motor, but can I get a rain check?”
“Yeah, no problem.” Seth locked the door behind them and walked with her to the elevators. They chatted as they rode down to the ground floor, the idle chat of two people getting to know one another. For Jess, it felt good to act normal for a change.
He walked her out the building and stood on the sidewalk by the front door, but before he took off, she wanted to make a point. Seth’s part in the computer Trojan horse wasn’t over.
“One last thing. I gotta ask you a big favor.” She winced, realizing the magnitude of what she was about to ask from a new hourly employee. “I’d like you to track Baker’s activity once he gets his property back. I know I’ve got no right to ask, but—”
Without hesitation, Seth replied, “Sure, I’ll do it.”
“Wait, before you commit, you gotta know. With a lowlife like Lucas Baker, I have no idea when or for how long that will be. I’ve gotta scare him up first. You still in? Even with all the flaky hours?”
“Count on it. I’m in.” Again no hesitation.
Jess grinned and shook her head at her employee. “If you’re buckin’ for a raise, Harper, you should probably consider playing harder to get. You’re too easy.”
“And for a guy, there’s no such thing as being too easy.” Seth smirked. Jess had a sneaky suspicion the boy wasn’t talking about the almighty dollar anymore.
“Before I forget…” She grabbed her cell phone off her belt loop and thumbed the menu to her contacts page. “Give me a phone number where I can reach you. Now that you’ve volunteered for duty, I’ve got to reach you twenty-four/seven.”
He gave her his cell number and she keyed it into her phone.
“I’ll stay in touch. And thanks, Seth. You’re a good man.”
She tugged at a loose strand of his hair, and her show of affection sent a blush across his cheeks. In return, he rewarded her with a quirky grin and a shrug. Cute. Damned cute.
With Baker’s laptop slung over her shoulder, she left Seth to carry on and headed for her car, mulling over her situation. Her mind raced with things beyond her control. Under the circumstances, Baker would be laying low, not
