“She kept me safe without letting me know she was doing it,” Harmony whispered. “And the night she died; she was not the intended target.”
My hand reached for hers before I even realized I had moved.
Becket swore under his breath. “One of Marcel’s enemies?”
“One of them,” Harmony said. “There were many.”
“My father used a fixer. His alias was Vesper. He handled the digital operations for him until he didn’t.”
Becket’s brow tightened. “What are you saying, Harmony?”
“I took over that alias. My father left me no choice when he took him out. I was the only one qualified. The only one he could trust. I did not understand who the messages were meant for until much later.”
A faint shiver moved through her.
“I kept copies. Quietly. Every thread and every encrypted chain. It was my insurance. I thought no one knew except the police when I turned everything over for the case.”
“And now someone wants those files,” I said.
Harmony nodded. “That’s the only thing I can think of. I’ve been getting encrypted messages from someone who knows.”
“Harmony, why didn’t you say anything?” I asked before I could hold myself back.
She gave me a knowing look. “Because I didn’t want you to know what I had done. I wanted to protect your family from this mess, because I was embarrassed. Because I thought, somehow, I could handle it and it would go away.”
I let out a shaky breath, feeling bad for snapping at her like that. Of course she was trying to look out for us.
“You did what you had to do, you shouldn’t feel ashamed of that,” I said.
“He’s right,” Becket agreed.
“Wow, that coming from a cop,” Harmony joked and Becket gave her a crooked grin. “There’s always gray areas in life.” My brother shrugged.
“It’s not Olivier. He isn’t skilled enough for that encryption. And Nico wouldn’t hide behind screens.”
Becket nodded. “Agreed.”
Harmony swallowed. “Vesper was deliberate and quiet. He rarely made mistakes. And if he did, I think they were intentional.”
“And he might be back,” I said.
“Not the original Vesper. Someone who took over his alias,” she said.
The heater clicked and the air inside the cabin seemed to grow heavier.
Becket took out his phone and typed quickly. “I will run that alias when I get back to the station, although Montreal kept everything locked down during Marcel’s trial. I’m not sure anything will even show up.”
“Do you think Vesper knows Harmony turned evidence against Marcel?” I asked.
Becket didn’t answer right away, and the silence told me everything I needed to know.
Harmony’s breath wavered. The heater dipped low for a moment and then rose again.
Becket narrowed his eyes. “Old wiring, maybe.”
“Maybe,” I said.
Harmony shook her head. “No. When the encrypted messages came through the other day, the power flickered exactly like this.”
