“Of course I did,” I said, trying to smile through the stress of the situation. “I got on my laptop only to discover that all of my access had been pulled. All of it. Total lockout of FBI systems.”
“That means that you were probably locked out before you got that alert about the file,” Austin said, his eyes sharp and angry.
“Yep. Lipton knows me. Knows how I’d react. So when I got that alert, of course I couldn’t wait to look at it, and that was part of his plan. I did exactly what he wanted.” I paused closing my eyes to fight against the hurt, betrayal, and rage. “That was when shit just started popping up on my screen. Files that I didn’t recognize. I knew I was fucked. The names of some of those files alone told me what they had to do with. I was being set up, and I figured it wasn’t long before they came to take me in.”
“So you ran,” Austin said.
“So I ran,” I said with a small nod, managing a tiny smile in response to his understanding face.
“Makes sense,” Violet said.
“He wanted me to run,” I said as it clicked into place. “If I’m on the run, I look guilty, and I can’t deny any of it. Fuck!”
It was all part of his plan.
I shot up, rage rushing through my veins. I’d played right into his hand.
Lipton had somehow already set me up before he even sent me that alert. The files that downloaded to my computer were just a decoy. The FBI already had the incriminating information by that point.
“He knows me.” I felt the need to state it again as I locked eyes with Austin. I needed something from him right now, but I didn’t think I had the right to ask.
“Hey,” he said softly, Violet on the other end of the line temporarily forgotten. “We’re gonna fix this. We’re gonna take him down.”
I got lost in his eyes. He was genuine and open, and I wished I could hold on to this real, unguarded version of him.
As soon as he realized it, his expression slipped into the mask he wore most of the time.
“Violet,” Austin said, using a take-control voice I hadn’t heard from him.
“Yes, sir?” Violet said, responding to the authority in Austin’s tone. I could practically see his back going pin-straight as he spoke.
“Oh no,” Austin said, shaking his head. “Call me Austin, please.”
I snorted and shook my head.
“Austin, sir,” Violet shot back, a whisper of a laugh in his tone.
If those two ever got in a room together…
That was something I never wanted to deal with.
“We need to find out where those files came from and who sent the alert. And, fuck, how it got on Ford— I mean, Agent Priestley’s computer.”
“Not sure how I can do that,” Violet replied.
“Keep this phone on you. I’ll have someone get in touch with you,” Austin said.
“Got it.”
“You might not have a job if you do this,” I said, the guilt choking me. It was bad enough to have my life ruined, but Violet and the rest of the team? I couldn’t ask the same of them.
“I don’t want this job if this is the kind of bullshit it’s gonna pull on its good people,” Violet replied, making a smile faintly take over my face. “We’re behind you, sir. We always will be.”
“Keep it between us for now,” I ordered softly. I wanted to trust the rest of my team, and I think a huge part of me never lost that trust, but the fewer people I brought in, the easier it would be to keep things quiet.
“Got it.” He took a deep breath. “I’ll keep this phone for now. If I can’t answer, I’ll return the call to whatever number comes through.”
“I’ll let them know,” Austin said.
