Page 78 of The 6:20 Man

CHAPTER

35

“DUDE?”

Devine walked into the house and saw Valentine on the couch.

“Yeah?”

“Cowl is not doing high-frequency trading from your building.”

Devine sat down next to him. “How do you know that already? I thought you were still thinking about whether to look into it or not.”

“So I change mind, kill me. Anyway, I track flow over pipe, and confirm on both ends. Is very unique stream of data. Like a river that is green.” He laughed. “Green. You get my little joke?”

“Yeah, very little.”

“There aren’t many that do trading like that. Easy to check.”

“Okay, you say Cowl isn’t doing high-frequency trading, but I know that they do have a division that does that. And you said you confirmed that data flow, so I’m a little confused.”

“That is what I am talking about, dude. You are right. They have high-frequency trading platform, only it operates out of building in Queens. That is pipe I trace.”

“You’re sure?”

He looked at Devine with his head cocked and his features full of incredulity. “Dude? Digital signature is unique, okay? I’m no amateur.”

“Okay, so what is Area 51 in my building, then? Did you manage to hack in there?”

Valentine looked down at his screen. “It is . . . well protected. Take a lot of time to get in. And maybe not even then.”

Devine had a thought. “Could they be doing crypto-mining in my building?”

“Is possible. Takes lots of energy and computational power. Lots of people doing it. But in the end, I think it is bad thing.”

“Why?”

“Is perfect for ransomware. You can trace money wire. But very difficult to do with something like Monero, a decentralized crypto, very private. You can negotiate terms, and the really professional hackers always keep their word and unlock the encrypted files. Only way they stay in business. But is still bad because you can’t find where money went.”

“Then I have to find another way to see what they’re doing on that floor.”

“Why?”

“It might have something to do with Sara Ewes’s death.”

“You mean, she might have found out what is going on there?”

“Prime motive for murder, don’t you think, depending on what’s there?”

“Maybe. But, dude, crypto-mining is not illegal.”

“But it might not be crypto-mining. And Sara might have heard or seen something she shouldn’t have. And maybe that’s where the untraceable email came from.”

This got Valentine’s interest. “How will you get in there?”

“I can’t access the floor with my card.” Something occurred to Devine. “But maybe I can find another way.”

Devine climbed the stairs and knocked on Tapshaw’s door.