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She points me across the hall. I go in and then leaf through the papers in my hand, biding my time. I check my watch and pace the floor. As soon as five-fifteen hits, I peek out of the bathroom. A few voices can be heard, but they’re at the far end of the hallway.
I know that while Townsend security monitors the main hallways of the offices, they’re shut off after five-fifteen.
Carefully, I make my way back to Rachel’s office. Her door isn’t locked. Also, lucky for me, she’s left her computer on for the evening. A quick click of the monitor and the screen asking for password entry pops up.
I hesitate, hating that I have to do this. I let the moment pass before I type in the password I memorized from watching Rachel in our previous meetings. Within seconds, I’m logged into her computer and able to pull up Townsend’s secure databases, including their accounting files.
I thumb through some of the unimportant files before coming to the real estate portion of the books. This company is truly worth billions. Their real estate division alone brings in about ten billion in annual revenue. I’m not a specialist in accounting or numbers, so it all looks on the up and up to me.
Right before I close out, I see an asterisk on the spreadsheet that directs me to a locked page. When it asks for a password, I again type in Rachel’s code, but it’s incorrect. I try a second time with the same result.
I know that trying a third time with the wrong password would then require a password reset. That would alert Rachel that someone was in here. I don’t try again. Instead of trying to guess the password, I navigate out of that file and download a few other files. I send them to my work email.
As I’m leaving the office, the ringing of my phone startles me.
“Hey, Ladybug,” I answer, hating the uncertainty I hear in my voice.
Eve doesn’t pick up on it. “Hi, Aunt Ry. Did you finish work for the day?”
“Um, almost.” I glance around the empty hallway before planting my back against the door. The knots in my stomach continue to twist as Eve tells me about her day. Usually, a call from my favorite girl helps with any stress I may be feeling. However, right now, I can only think that if I don’t get Dean the information he wants, I’ll leave Eve with no one.
Yet, providing Walsh with whatever he’s looking for leaves me with tremendous guilt and unease. All I can see is Kyle’s intense, untrusting stare looking at me. I like him more than I should. Also, the people who work for Townsend Industries are good people.
I’ve gotten to know many of them in the few weeks I’ve consulted for this company.
What will happen to them if it’s proven Townsend Industries is behind some illegal dealings?
“Did you hear me?” Eve asks, calling me back to the conversation.
“Yes, you scored another one hundred on your math exam,” I tell her. “I can’t believe you’re taking trigonometry. When I was your age, I couldn’t even spell it.”
She giggles. “It’s notthathard.”
“For you it isn’t,” I reply. “Ladybug, I was on my way out of the office. Can I call you back when I get home?”
“Um, wait. I want to ask you something first.”
“What’s up?”
“When can I come to visit?”
The softness in her voice tugs at my heartstrings. I flew east a month ago to have a long weekend with Eve. We spent it in New York City.
“You can come anytime you want. Or I can come to you. Is everything all right?” I hadn’t received any calls from Eve’s teachers, dorm coordinator, or the headmistress alerting me of any problems.
Every weekly report I get says that she’s doing great in all of her classes, and aside from being a little messy, her behavior is good.
“I miss you. That’s all.”
“I miss you every day, Ladybug.” I pause and try to rework my schedule in my head. “I should be free to take a week off in a few weeks. How about I fly up there to stay with you?”
“Or, I can come to Williamsport,” she offers, sounding more excited.
“That too, but I’d prefer to come to meet you to fly back with you. I don’t want you on a plane by yourself.”
“I’ll be twelve soon,” she reminds me. “That’s the young adult status on most airlines.”
I grumble. “You are not an adult. Please stop trying to give me grey hair before my time. I’m not even out of my mid-twenties yet.”
