As he grumbled under his breath, he moved toward one of the computers. “Well, of course. I am a much better dinner companion than Maverick.” After huffing, he pulled up ascreen, his fingers flying and I realized he was making a video conference call, yet I didn’t recognize the application. He noticed I was peering over his shoulder. “We use very secure platforms, all systems protected by powerful firewalls. Both our privacy and security are paramount with what we do.”
“That means you can’t be hacked or spied on?”
His chuckle was as dry as his sense of humor. “There are always hackers who can bypass any firewall, but we have experts constantly monitoring every system, which is connected through use of satellite and bouncing capabilities. Plus, we have our own hacker. If anyone tries to hack a single computer or secure phone line, alarms will go off, every scrap of information and contacts rerouted through another an even more secure server. Every mention on the dark web of any activity pointing fingers in our direction is a red flag we don’t ignore.”
“You’ve thought of everything.” I was highly impressed, more confident than before.
“Often, we’re dealing with some very skilled, highly trained individuals who’ve managed to calculate ways of kiting the system that no one has ever heard of before. There is no such thing as too much caution or security.”
A man’s face suddenly appeared on the screen and I gasped, even covering my face with my hands to keep from making an obscene outburst.
“Hey, Mav. Meet your biggest fan. This is Reese Murphy.” He pulled back, eyeing me with that same cute smirk on his face, eyes almost daring me to gush all over Maverick. “Oh, and no flirting. That’s against the rules.”
“For you maybe, bro, but not for me. My biggest fan, eh? Well, hello, Miss Reese Murphy. I’m honored you’ve read a book or two.”
“All of them. At least twice.”
He laughed, the creases in his eyes giving him a rugged appearance, which wasn’t far removed from the photographs on his book jackets. “I’m impressed. I think you are my biggest fan. I’ll certainly never be able to say that about my buddies. Now, will I?”
Kendrick shot him his middle finger and the gesture of disdain highlighted their close friendship.
“You’re former FBI, an admirable position.” I was beginning to realize just how highly skilled the group truly was. “I have so many questions.”
“I am, although the longer I’m out of the game, the more uncertain I am that my work was admirable. However, when this nightmare is all over, I’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have over a very intimate dinner,” Maverick offered, exchanging a mischievous glance with Kendrick who grimaced in response.
“Fuck you, buddy.”
Maverick’s laugh was good natured and as strange as it might sound, I sensed the same determined darkness that I’d instantly seen in Kendrick. They were very close, the relationship calming my nerves. “Not that I’m not honored to meet a fan, but you reached out on the business line, Kendrick.”
“That’s because my guest of honor needed a little convincing that we knew what we were doing.”
Maverick sat back in his chair, allowing me to see he was in an office with a massive whiteboard behind him, notes written across almost every inch. While his handwriting was difficult to read, I knew exactly what he was working on.
The case involving the Privileged.
He noticed my intent gaze, his following mine. “I’m a little old school, Reese. I found that the act of physically writing notes was always helpful in solving a case. You’d be amazed how you can put two and two together.”
“Does that mean you’ve solved anything?” Kendrick asked.
“Maybe one clue.” Maverick stretched. “They need a gatekeeper and I’m not talking about Steven Powell, a man with no existence.”
“No surprise there,” Kendrick said, laughing. “So who are you thinking is the gatekeeper?”
“He’d need to be someone high enough in power that he would be alerted immediately if anyone was making inquiries into the group.”
The two of them had a strong connection. Kendrick’s face clouded. “Someone like the director of the CIA.”
“Or the FBI. It all depends on how broad reaching the group’s web is.” Maverick lifted a single eyebrow. “But I’d be very careful if I were you.”
“I understand.” Kendrick’s voice was clipped. “Have you heard from Catcher?” He looked at me. “The man on the inside of the Privileged.”
Maverick shook his head. “Which unnerves me a little bit.”
Catcher. The man on the inside. Now I understood even better how Kendrick’s infiltration had come about and the lengths he and this group had gone to. Whatever happened, I’d be forever grateful.
“Yeah, well, it’s best we all move forward very carefully. I’m about to send off some sketches of the women we noticed. Any activities with the seaports?”
“None. I’ve alerted the port master and I have a buddy on the Coast Guard. None of the women will be heading out on any of the cargo ships.”
