“Earlier today,” Emma started.“I put out a shadow tracker and the hacker took the bait.I found ransomware disguised as ghostware in the archived file for Hugo Wayne.”
Nick sat forward.
“While Emma was doing that, Ben and I were interviewing the night crew,” I said.“Doug Randall confessed to being the inside guy.”I held up my hand when Nick went to speak.“Short version: Doug Randall was the inside guy.Hugo and Baylor, two former FI employees are involved and Greg Webster and Lee Milligan, two Tri-O-Tech employees, are working with them.Webster’s motive was to sabotage Emma’s work, get her fired, so he could swoop in and save the project.Milligan’s motive is revenge, because Emma wasn’t interested in dating him.Hugo was the mastermind; Baylor played along for revenge.Randall was essentially blackmailed to be the fall guy.”
Nick let out a whistle.“Why would Tri-O-Tech employees want to come after us?”
“Like Asher said, they weren’t interested in FI,” Emma commented.“It was about professional jealousy and revenge.Trying to ruin me.”
Emma was so matter of fact it worried me.Was she burying everything?I hoped not.She needed to let out her anger at what happened.
“Nick, next steps?”John prompted.
Nick looked at us.“I assume you’ve contacted the local FBI field office for the pickup?”
“Ben and I recorded Doug’s confession after we covered all the legal bases.He declined legal counsel before and during the recording.Security has Doug in custody and will hold him until the feds pick him up.They’re due here within the hour.”
Emma slid two flash drives over to Nick.“These are exact duplicates, one for us and one for the feds.The drive contains all of the information the feds will need.Chain of custody is meticulously documented.The confession is included.I’ve made sure everything is readable across all platforms.”
“Thank you both.I’ll get on this.”Nick stood and left the room.
The silence after Nick’s departure lasted only seconds but felt like hours.The problem had been solved, but now we’d have to deal with the aftermath.
John leaned forward in his seat.“Asher, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you and your team for the outstanding work you’ve all done here.I have no doubt the Board will want to meet with you in the immediate future.”
He turned to Emma.“Thank you seems inadequate.I will be petitioning the Board for a written and monetary commendation for you.Your work has saved this company millions.You are an incredible asset to your employer and an outstanding member of your profession.Thank you, and I know I speak for my entire company when I say we are lucky to have you as project manager for the coming expansion.”
Emma ducked her head, and her cheeks turned pink.
“Thank you.I look forward to our continued association.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
We stood as John rose from his seat.He shook our hands and left.
I turned Emma to face me, wrapped her in my arms, and wondered if she was as exhausted as I felt just then.“Let’s go home, Emma.”
She pulled away just enough that she could capture my gaze.
“Yes, let’s go home.Now that the crisis is over, it’s time to make good on my promise to rock your world.”
Chapter Forty-Two
Emma
I polished off my burger and fries quickly.Asher had picked up the food on our way to his house.Thank goodness, I’d totally forgotten about food with everything going on.One could only survive on Red Bull and protein bars for so long.
“You were hungry,” Asher said.
“Like you weren’t.I only ate one burger.You ate two.”
He grinned.“I’ll need my energy.”
“Oh?”I picked up the wrappings and carried them to the trash.
“You do know you’re staying here tonight.”
I glanced at him.“I’d hoped you’d ask, but I don’t have a change of clothes.”
