Her lips tightened. “I don’t know, but they gave me $500,000.”
"Cash?”
"Crypto.” Her eyes filled. “I’d give it all back and undo the damage if I could," she said, breaking down into sobs again.
"I need to know who these people are.”
"I don't know who they are! I’d tell you if I knew.” She paused for a moment, then sighed. "I can’t be sure, but I think this might have to do with the app.”
"What do you mean?”
16
"Iknow people have been wanting access to platform data for a long time," Vanessa said. "Private messages, sensitive information, names and addresses of users. Imagine how devastating it could be if that data gets compromised. People rely on the platform all around the world—intelligence communities, field agents, people with nonofficial covers. If that information falls into the wrong hands, people could die. Not to mention the kind of control it would give governments. Imagine being able to get that kind of dirt on your political opponent or wealthy donors. Every sordid detail of their personal lives. Memo has become a powerful platform.”
"Who contacted you?”
Vanessa hesitated for a moment. "I don’t know who. They didn’t give me a name. But these are powerful people. People in government. People in the shadows. I didn't have a choice. I figured I’d take the money and do what they said. These are the kind of people who can get to anyone.”
I regarded everything she said with a dose of skepticism.
We pushed away from the table and started for the door.
In a panicked voice, Vanessa screeched, "What happens to me?”
I shrugged, then knocked on the door. A guard buzzed us out, and we stepped into the hallway.
The sheriff joined us a moment later. "You believe any of that?”
"She'll say anything at this point, but there might be some merit to it. Memo is a valuable platform. It's heavily used in the intelligence community as a secure communications tool. Even my people have a hard time accessing data from that app. It would be a boon to foreign intel agencies, non-state actors, corrupt officials.”
Daniels frowned. “Go talk to that rich asshole. See what he has to say about this.”
“You got it,” I said, then called Sebastian.
He picked up after a few rings. “Deputy, please tell me you are making some headway.”
“We have two suspects in custody,” I said. “When was the last time you spoke to Vanessa?”
“Early this morning. I’ve been trying to get in touch with her for the last hour. She’s not returning my calls. Quite frankly, it’s pissing me off. I pay her to be available 24/7.” Then he added, “I hope she’s okay.”
“I’ve got some news you’re not going to like.” I caught him up to speed and told him about Vanessa’s betrayal.
“Vanessa?” he said in disbelief.
“I’m afraid so. I think at this point you need to reevaluate your entire staff. If she’s been compromised, there’s no telling who else has been.”
He went silent for a moment.
“Where are you right now?“
“I’m at the hospital. I’ve been here all night.”
“We’ll be right over. I’ve got some questions for you.”
We left the station and headed to the hospital. I found a place to park, and we strolled through the seafoam green hallways. The atmosphere was depressing. All the pastel seascapes in the world wouldn’t brighten the mood of this place.
The charge nurse pointed us to Ava’s room.
