Page 134 of In Cold Blood

A New Brewprint: How to use yeast to make plant-based drugs

The genetically modified yeast that can brew morphine from home

Making narcotics with yeast: Is home-brewed heroin the next big thing?

“You figured it out, Luke,” Noah said, muttering to himself. He continued scrolling and reading through article after article, consuming information about the breakthrough that had been spearheaded by none other than Angela Cuthbert from Stanford University.

She was quoted as saying, “If this technology falls into the wrong hands, it would be a gold mine.”

“Nearly in,” Rishi said.

It had taken roughly an hour and forty minutes.

Once he reset the Apple password, he shut down the computer and logged onto a PC. From there he went to iCloud and logged in. As soon as he was in, he turned the laptop toward Noah. “There you go. Looks like Luke has multiple files.”

“Can I get a moment alone?”

“Yeah. If you need anything, give me a shout.”

Noah scrolled through the long list of files. There were many photos of his family but then he saw document after document, articles he’d saved, and a slew of videos. He clicked on one after another. Most contained dark footage shot from a distance. As if Luke was on a boat, using a high-powered video camera. It would zoom in and out. Some of it used FLIR technology. Music could be heard. Dancing. Several boats bobbed in the water, moored at the edge of the island. Then the shot switched to High Peaks Pub and Brewery. Noah put a pair of headphones on so he could have privacy. He went through several. It wasn’t long before he found evidence that would be hard to deny. It was the smoking gun he’d been after.

His eyes widened.

Of course, he thought.

He took out the thumb drive and downloaded the video footage onto it, along with any file he could find as a duplicate backup just in case.

“Noah?”

The familiar female voice behind him made Noah close the notebook and turn. Callie was standing in the doorway with a puzzled expression. “You been here all night?”

“No. I just arrived this morning.”

“A little early.”

Her eyes shifted from him to the screens.

“Did you find something of interest?”

“That depends, did you?” he said, rising with a glint in his eye.

“On your brother’s computer?”

Noah nodded. “Nothing significant, right?”

“That’s what I was told.”

“Just as I thought. How did things go yesterday?” he asked, quickly shifting the topic. She noticed the change, pausing for a second before replying but with an edge to her voice as if wondering what he was holding back. “There was a good turnout. You were missed.”

Rishi brushed past Callie as he made his way in. “Excuse me. Hot coffee,” he said.

Noah logged out of iCloud, scooped up his phone, and dropped it into his leather satchel before heading out. “Oh Rishi, great job. Only one thing left. Scan Luke’s computer and let me know what files were deleted since the third of June.”

He headed toward the door.

“Hold on. Aren’t you staying?” Rishi asked.

Callie looked on as if caught up in a whirlwind.