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‘I need you to make a decision. If you were to cut the power to your whole system then that would stop the intrusion right away, but if we allow whoever’s in your system to keep going it would be easier to trace them. What do we do, Alistair?’
There was a moment’s silence. ‘All our patient notes are on the clinic’s network, which is entirely separate, so they’re safe. There are a few things that we’d prefer to keep out of the public domain, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. My primary concern is that what’s happening to Gabriel is dealt with as soon as possible.’
‘We’ll do it, then? Let the intrusion continue in the hope we might trace it. There are no guarantees, Alistair.’
‘Yes. We’ll do it.’
‘Okay, I want you to go back to the reception area right now, without switching on any of the lights or getting into the line of vision from the camera. I’ll call the guard and tell him what’s happening.’
‘Right you are. What then?’
‘I’ll be on my way to Gabriel’s in five minutes, just to make sure everything’s okay there. I’ll pop in to the office on my way.’
‘Okay. I’ll see you when you get here.’ Alistair seemed to be taking all of this in his stride, replying as if she’d offered to drop round for coffee. Clara was already out of bed and pulling jeans and a sweatshirt out of her chest of drawers. So far the team working on who was behind the threats to Gabriel’s family hadn’t got very far. But this could be the break they’d been waiting for.
During the fifteen-minute drive, Clara had called the guards at Gabriel’s house, and the leader of the technology team, getting him out of bed. She parked outside the office, looking for any signs of physical surveillance, before getting out of her car. Alistair was waiting for her in the reception area.
‘Everything okay?’ She addressed the guard, who nodded.
‘The screen of Dr DeMarco’s computer has gone blank now.’
‘Right. The technical team’s working on it, so just sit tight. You know you can always call for backup if you need it.’
‘Yes. Would you like me to get someone to accompany Dr Duvall home?’
Clara nodded but then Alistair stepped in. ‘That’s not necessary. You’re going over to Gabriel’s place now, Clara?’
‘Yes.’
‘Would you like me to come with you? I won’t be sleeping tonight until I know what’s happened, and we may as well all stay awake together.’
Clara would be glad of Alistair’s support. ‘Thanks. Let’s go, then.’
* * *
Gabriel had been woken by the night guards and the situation explained to him. As expected, he was in the kitchen, pacing like a caged lion.
‘What’s happening? Can you call and find out?’
‘Calling the technical team isn’t going to make them go any faster, Gabriel.’ Clara tried to inject a note of calm. ‘We should know one way or the other within the hour.’
‘An hour!’ The idea didn’t seem to placate Gabriel at all.
‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, Gabriel. Stop pacing or you’ll wear a furrow in the floor. I’ll make some coffee. I think we could all do with some.’
Alistair started to fiddle with the coffee machine and Gabriel threw himself into a chair. Even Clara’s nerves were beginning to wear a little thin. This meant so much to Gabriel and the thought that someone had attacked the charity because of him must be tearing him to pieces.
* * *
It was forty-five minutes before her phone rang. Silence fell around the kitchen table and both Alistair and Gabriel looked at her. Clara walked out into the hall, unable to have the conversation while she was trapped in Gabriel’s gaze.
It was short and to the point. And she had some good news to give.
‘We struck lucky. They managed to trace the hack right back to the offices of one of DeMarco Pharmaceuticals’ biggest competitors. It was sloppy of them to do it from there, but they had a password for the system and the intrusion would have gone unnoticed once they’d logged off again.’
‘Whose password?’ Gabriel’s face hardened. ‘Mine?’
‘No. Heidi Walker.’
