Page 93 of Code Name: Atticus

“Show me,” I said simply.

We both sat on the sofa.

“Trevor tried to board a flight to Costa Rica this morning. TSA detained him based on a watch list the FBI initiated last night.” He pulled up a video on the tablet. “He didn’t last long before confessing everything.”

The screen showed Trevor Collins in what looked like an airport security room with harsh fluorescent lights overhead. His face was haggard. He’d clearly been up all night too, probably trying to figure out how to run.

“I’ve been selling Morrison information for months,” Trevor’s recorded voice said, the words coming out in a rush.

My fingernails dug into my palms hard enough to leave marks.

“Morrison paid me through shell companies. I needed the money to cover hundreds of thousands in gambling debts tosome very dangerous people. Not Vegas casinos. Private games, underground lenders. The kind who don’t accept bankruptcy as an answer.” Trevor’s voice cracked. “I told myself it wasn’t really harmful. Just information about public contracts that would be announced eventually anyway.”

“He’s minimizing,” I murmured.

“Friday night, everything changed,” Trevor continued on the recording. “Morrison confronted me at the summit. His ex-CIA contacts ran facial recognition on the attendees. They identified undercover federal investigators. When they did deeper background checks, they discovered the lead prosecutor’s real name—Brenna Austen. Morrison’s people immediately made the connection to my business partner at Redpoint, who shared the same last name. Morrison panicked at first, but then he called it ‘perfect leverage.’ Framing him would not only redirect the investigation but also force Brenna to recuse herself. Two birds with one stone.”

Trevor paused, swallowing hard. “He said I had two choices. Help him redirect the investigation by framing Luke, or he’d turn over evidence of everything I’d been doing for months. Either way, I was going to prison, but at least if I cooperated, my wife wouldn’t have to know what I’d done. The gambling, the debts, selling information—she’d never forgive me.”

“So he chose to turn on Luke,” I said quietly.

“Morrison had it all planned out,” Trevor said on the recording. “He knew I had Luke’s passwords and his security protocols.”

His words made bile rise in my throat.

“Morrison told me exactly what to say to get Luke to that meeting with Liu. Which specific words would trigger suspicions if they were overheard.”

“The whole conversation was choreographed,” I muttered under my breath.

“I planted the evidence he told me to.”

The recording stopped. Atticus set down the tablet.

“There’s more—technical details about how he did it, which systems he accessed. But the main point is clear. Luke is innocent.”

“Oh my God.” I covered my face with my hands as relief flooded through me. “I knew Luke was innocent, but now, we can prove it.”

“Yes,” Atticus responded simply.

Too simply. There weren’t words to state the magnitude of what he’d done—in only a few hours.

My phone rang. Soledad again.

“There’s been a development,” she said, her tone different now—urgent but relieved. “K19 Sentinel Cyber has provided evidence that completely exonerates your brother. We’re dropping all charges.”

“I just heard. Do you know when he’ll be released?”

“Soon is all I know.”

“What do you want to do?” Atticus asked when the call ended.

“I need to go to him.”

“I’d like to go with you.” His voice sounded so tentative it broke my heart. I’d done this to him.

I turned to him with tears in my eyes. “I’m sorry. So very sorry.”

“I’m the one who’s sorry. I didn’t?—”