It’s not a totally implausible excuse, but it’s also not a great one. Although I get tasked with all kinds of random chores for my family, Uncle Aaron has never, ever asked me to access anything on his computer. Luckily, Harmony seems so distracted by her daydreams about making out with my boyfriend, she doesn’t question me on my attempt to break into her father’s laptop so I can investigate him for the FBI. (What is my life?!)
“Matthew seven underscore fifteen,” Harmony tells me distractedly. “His favoriteBible verse.”
My heart is racing for a different reason now. Could it really be that easy to unravel Uncle Aaron, and bring all this horrible pretending and betraying to an end?
There’s only one way to find out.
Chapter 32
Nina
Later, when I make it back to my family’s hotel suite, I’m surprised to find the rooms empty. There’s no note from my uncle or aunt. No text messages either.
Based on the hour, I’m guessing they went out to dinner? My stomach rumbles as the thought crosses my mind. Something delicious and warm and nutritiously filling sounds amazing. But I don’t want to get my hopes up anticipating they might bring something back for me.
Instead, I grab a granola bar, then check my watch. It’s a little after seven. They could still be out for a while.
I should check Uncle Aaron’s computer.
The moment the thought pops into my mind, I break out into a cold sweat. Sure, I’d asked Harmony for the password with the intention of using it, but the plan felt vague and distant this morning. Now, with an empty hotel suite and access to Uncle Aaron’s computer, the possibility has swiftly become a reality.
Shoot.
Reminding myself that Uncle Aaron is a liar and has hurt people, lots of people, I approach his room with a firmer resolve. I’m doing this to help Wes, yes, but I’m also doing it for all the people Uncle Aaron has hurt. I’m doing it forme, for the little girl who just needed someone to love her but instead got trampled againand again and again.No one deserves to feel that way.The reminder, repeated like a mantra, carries me the rest of the way.
Even though the hotel suite is so silent I know no one else could be here, I hesitate outside the closed door to Uncle Aaron’s room, knocking once, then again. Silence. “Uncle Aaron? Aunt Hope?” More silence. I knock one last time to be certain no one’s there.
Then I enter the room.
It’s the biggest room in the suite, with a king bed, a small sofa, a walk-in closet, a bureau, a desk, and an en suite bathroom. Despite the size, I zero in almost immediately on Uncle Aaron’s laptop on the desk.
Holy guacamole. A part of me was hoping it would be hidden, so I’d have to report back to Morrie that I’d tried and failed, oh well, can’t be helped, back to square one. (Cowardice.)
I try to summon up the mental image of one of my favorite inspirational GIFs. Maybe Walt Disney, telling me if I can dream it, I can do it? I don’t know if trespassing into someone’s private computer files was exactly what Mr. Disney had in mind, but it does make me feel more resolved.
WWHTMKGL&DD, I remind myself sternly.
Then I open Uncle Aaron’s laptop and type in the password.
To my astonishment, it works. I know it shouldn’t be surprising that his own daughter knows his password, especially since he and Harmony are so close, but some part of me was expecting an alarm to go off. Uncle Aaron to come bursting out of the closet. God to strike me dead.
Instead, I stare at the computer screen, wondering how to get started. It may be surprising to learn I’ve never broken into someone’s computer for the FBI before. Where does one hide proof of illegal wrongdoings? Without any better ideas, I click on the Documents folder.
Most of the file names seem pretty mundane. Then again, I have no idea what I’m looking for. But none of them are labeled anything like “Super Shady Business Deals” or “Illegal Things I’ve Done.” I guess that may have been hoping for too much, but it sure would have made my job a lot easier. Very inconsiderate of Uncle Aaron not to mark his white-collar criminal activities more clearly.
If that internal dialogue isn’t clue enough, I am not very good at this whole being-an-FBI-informant thing. I’m halfway determined to inform Wes and Morrie that this was a mistake, I’m clearly useless, when I see something strange. Near the bottom of the files list is an unmarked folder. When I click on it, I jump as the computer emits a trill, my heart racing from the unexpected sound. A message box pops up, demanding a password to proceed.
Look, I’m no special agent, or mastermind criminal for that matter, but it seems to me if I’d committed a crime I didn’t want anyone to know about, I’d hide it in a folder with its own secret password.
With shaking hands, I type in the same one I used to log in to the computer. The laptop emits another trill, this one sounding mildly disapproving.Incorrect password,the message box reads.
I have no way to know what another password might be. It could be anything, from another Bible verse to one of his favorite hymns to something completely random. If I try too many incorrect options, I worry the computer might lock me out—or worse, send an alert to Uncle Aaron that someone’s trying to access this content.
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the flash drive Morrie gave me just in case I found anything. I insert it into the laptop and begin downloading the folder, checking my watch anxiously. Knowing my family, it won’t be too much longer until they get back. Uncle Aaron believes it’s a bad idea to be out past eight o’clock, unless in service of the Lord. I’m actually not sure why. Presumably because the devil works in darkness? Or maybe he just gets sleepy after eight. I can’t really judge him for that. For other things, sure, but not for that.
While I wait for the file to finish processing, I cross over to the window and glance down at my view of the front entrance below ...
Just in time to see Uncle Aaron, Aunt Hope, and my three younger cousins walk through the front entrance of the Lodge and into the lobby.
