Page 73 of Kiss Kiss Bang
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Governor McGregor refuses to comment about growing protests outside his Broward County home. Pressure to buy back land from the sugar farmers and use it to site a much-needed reservoir is mounting as environmentalists advise that building additional reservoirs is the only way to combat the algae that is creating unprecedented havoc on Florida’s water supply and coastline. People are demanding to know what happened to the money that was supposed to be used to build the reservoirs . . .
The query Joey had ran last night didn’t give him much information. He needed to find Connor Mathers. It was driving him crazy knowing that a convicted felon was on the loose, and that the felon’s brother had attacked Olivia. There was a connection, he one hundred percent knew it in his heart.
* * *
He was squeezing the back of his neck. Think think think. What am I missing?
There was a knock on his door.
“Yes?”
Charles, the new receptionist, opened the door. “There’s someone here to see you, Mr. Clad.”
He looked up, eyebrows furrowed. “Without an appointment?”
“Yes, and he says it’s urgent. It’s actually Governor Harry McGregor.”
Joey stood up straighter. What? “Send him in.”
Joey’s foot tapped up and down as he waited for McGregor to walk in. Had McGregor found out he’d been the one hacking him all these months? Joey really doubted it. But why else would he be there?
“Mr. Clad, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Harry McGregor.”
“I know who you are.”
The governor’s eyebrows furrowed. “May I sit?”
Joey gestured to a seat before sitting down across from him. “How may I help you, Mr. McGregor?”
“I’m in need of your services.”
“What exactly is it that you need?”
“As you’ve probably read, I have a little nuisance that is starting to become a huge nuisance,” he began. “There’s a hacker who keeps getting into my computer. Personal and at work. I need it stopped. Even the FBI can’t figure out where it’s coming from. Last night I was blocked out of all my accounts. My bank accounts, emails, social media.”
Ahhh . . . okay. Now it made sense. Joey sat back comfortably, feeling a little smug. He’d done that before leaving the office yesterday. It wasn’t a huge deal, he’d have to reset all his passwords, but it felt like a small victory. It was childish, he knew. But still, it felt great. “Harry’s Hacker.”
“Yes. I want to find him and then prosecute him.”
“Why ICS? Have you called the police?”
“I need discretion. I don’t want too many people getting into my computer system. In fact, before I give you too much information, I would need you to sign an NDA.”
A non-disclosure agreement? There was no way an NDA would do shit for something as shady as whatever this asshole was about to disclose. And he knew McGregor was up to no good. Too much money had gone missing from the federal funds provided to him to fix the reservoir in the Everglades.
“I don’t know if I’m the right man for the job. And how is it that you think I can help?”
“I need the best, and you are the best. I understand you’ve won Hak Con four years in a row.” Hak Con was a hobby of his. It was a world-renowned hacking convention with a prize of a million dollars from some of the world’s leading cybersecurity companies. They bet that no one could hack into their systems and if someone did, he’d win a million dollars and a contract of employment. Joey always declined the employment, but not the prize.
“And all you need me to find out is who this hacker is?”
“Yes.”
“Why? What secrets are you hiding? It can’t all be over a silly Facebook joke or some locked-out accounts that you can reset in a few minutes.”
“I don’t want anyone messing around in my personal database. It’s a violation and it’s illegal.”
