I hadn’t forgotten what Rob said: we needed our smoking gun. Irrefutable evidence.
“How would Dante even have this information if he wasn’t somehow part of it all?” I asked, dropping a folder back on the table. “Maybe that’s evidence in itself and will give his word some more credibility.”
Beck placed both hands on his knees and leaned forward in his chair. “This could have all just been doctored or typed up by anyone. We have no original documents. Nothing that their computer techs could search. The phone is a burner, and can’t be connected to anyone. This is all just circumstantial stuff and will end up being a known gang member’s word against Catherine Deboise, of Delta corporation.”
Evan rubbed a hand over his face before ruffling up his hair in a tired manner. “We need help. We’re in over our fucking heads with this law shit. We’ve always fought with our hands, this is something different. We need to find an expert.”
I waited to see if anyone would speak first, and when they didn’t, I decided to remind them. “What about Sami from school? Her father is supposedly a big shot lawyer in New York, remember? Can we check and see if he’s on the Delta payroll? And if he isn’t, maybe he will help us. Or at least point us in the right direction.”
The guys exchanged a look, but no one argued. “If he’s based in New York, there’s a high possibility that he’s on the Delta payroll,” Beck warned me. “But it’s still worth checking out.”
“One issue though,” Dylan said, standing in one smooth movement. “The true client files are only on internal servers. We’re going to have to get into Delta offices and go from there.”
The others stood as well, and I followed suit. “I’ll get the car,” Jasper said.
Beck nodded. “Are we going to sneak in or make this an official visit?” he asked us, leaving the choice in our hands. “I have access to the files, all of them, but it is going to leave a trace that I was there.”
I raised my hand and then felt like a fucking idiot when they all smirked at me. “Maybe Richard will help. I don’t have to tell him what I want his login for, but he owes me. Or more importantly he owes us all for bringing Debitch into our lives. Maybe it would be safer to use his login.”
Beck’s attention was fully on me then and heat flared through my stomach, wrapping around my arms and legs, holding me immobile. Fucker always knew what he was doing.
“You might be placing your father in danger,” he said softly.
I shrugged. “Honestly, I’d prefer he was versus any of you. And I’m really not that worried—Richard is a secret psychopath like the rest of them. Nothing will take him down easily.”
Beck nodded then, and I ducked off to grab my phone and make a call. Five minutes later I was back, code written in a small notepad and nerves fluttering in my stomach.
“He didn’t even question me,” I told them, lowering my voice. “And he said he’d keep the board busy for the next day or two in the safe houses, going over their game plan for the vote.”
No one looked hugely reassured by this, which didn’t surprise me—Richard wasn’t exactly trustworthy, but I hadn’t told him our plan, so there was a minimal risk to asking for his help.
Beck extended his hand to take the notebook from me, and without really thinking, I moved it out of his reach and pressed it to my chest. The motion made us both pause, and Beck arched a brow at me in askance.
“Butterfly?” he prompted. “I need the code if I’m going to search the database.”
I frowned, mostly at myself, and glanced down at the notebook pressed into my shirt. “Yeah, I know. But you don’t need it until we’reatDelta HQ, right?”
At this, Beck’s other brow shot up to join the first, and he looked legitimately startled. “So you’re going to keep it secret until we get there?”
I nodded, not totally sure what I was doing.
Beck’s gaze darkened. “Don’t you trust me, Butterfly?”
My mouth opened, but no sound came out. His glare held me frozen to the spot like I’d been doused in liquid nitrogen, and I flailed for the right answer. Obviously, yes, I did trust him. Sort of. With some things ... like my heart, I guessed. But did I trust him to take Richard’s login code for Delta and not use it past this one task?
“Well, that’s a question asking for trouble,” Dylan muttered, saving me from an actual response as he physically stepped between us and wrinkled his nose at me. “You have every reason not to fully trustanyof us, Riles. Beck shouldn’t be pressuring you when he’s the one at fault.” This was delivered with a sharp glare in his friend’s direction, to which Beck just grunted and sank back into his seat.
“It’s not that,” I tried to salvage the situation before it got out of hand. “I’m not holding old grudges, it’s...” I trailed off with a helpless shrug. I didn’t really knowwhatmy issue was. Maybe I was just being a bitch to punish him for leaving me high and dry in the shower?
Dylan shook his head and smoothed his palms over my shoulders, rubbing my upper arms in a comforting, friendly way. “You don’t owe us explanations. If you don’t want to hand over that code, we won’t make you. When we get to Delta you can input it yourself then tear up the paper, okay?”
I nodded, not wanting to dig myself any deeper into the hole I’d created. Already, I could feel Beck’s angry glare and see the worried frowns on Evan and Jasper’s faces. When I glanced over at them, though, they were quick to fade into easy, reassuring smiles.
“Okay,” I agreed, giving Dylan a grateful smile. He’d diffused what was potentially heading for a nasty fight with Beck, and all of our energy was better spent elsewhere. “So when do we leave?”
Dylan deferred to Evan for that question, who checked his heavy Tag watch. “Like, two hours? The police haven’t grabbed the flowers yet, and I’m sure they want to ask a few questions.”
While they were distracted, I ripped the page with Richard’s code out of the notebook and tucked the paper into my front pocket. Beck watched me do it, though, so I made a mental note to just memorize the damn thing.
