Page 97 of Wild Frost

“I expect you to keep this conversation between us. Come alone. Just you and your partner. Bring the kids and the data. No need to ruin anyone else’s life. Meet in the clearing at midnight, Deputy,” he said before ending the call.

53

The sheriff arrived on the scene. First responders swarmed. Dietrich snapped photos of the deceased. Forensic investigators chronicled the scene. Shell casings littered the dock by the fallen thug.

I pulled the sheriff aside, and we boarded the Barnacle Palace. I brought him below deck, getting out of sight, then caught the sheriff up to speed. I didn't hold anything back. "Just FYI, they’re probably watching us right now. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re monitoring comms and the department radio.”

A grimace tugged his face. "How do you want to play this?"

"I don't think there's a way to evacuate the Children's Hospital between now and midnight. And even if we could move all the critical patients, it would be obvious and might instigate a strike."

The sheriff's jaw tensed.

"If you can quietly do a sweep with the BDU, do it,” I said. ”But I don't want marked patrol cars and bomb squad vehicles outside of the hospital.”

"You’re not considering complying with their demands, are you?"

"I need to buy us as much time as I can.”

Ethan stood atop the companionway, listening. He’d heard everything. The metal steps clanked as he descended below deck.

We both gave him a look.

His eyes were red and puffy, and the sadness had turned to rage. “I've got a way we can screw them. We can bring down the whole operation. This is actually an opportunity.”

We gave him a curious look.

"What's your plan?" I asked.

"Something I've been working on for a while. Ever since we hacked the system and downloaded the data.”

He told me his idea.

"Can you get back into their system?" I asked.

Ethan shook his head. "No, they patched the security flaws. I tried. There's no way back in. The only way to get back in is through a direct terminal or a remote login from a company-issued laptop with the proper encryption keys.”

“How exactly do you plan on getting access?” the sheriff asked.

“If we play this right, they’ll give me access.”

The sheriff’s face wrinkled. “And just how do you think that’s going to happen?”

Ethan told us.

I shared a look with the sheriff, then asked Ethan, "Are you sure this is going to work?"

"Hell yes, it'll work. We can use their paranoia against them." Then he added, “Don’t even think about trying to do this without me.”

Casey joined the party. "That goes for me, too. I'm going with you. You need both of us. If you show up at Spice Key without either one, there won't be a deal.”

"I can't sanction this," the sheriff said.

"A lot of innocent people are going to die if we don't take this opportunity to bring them down,” Ethan said. “They can’t be allowed to move forward with their plans. It would be catastrophic. They will go after anyone and everyone who stands in their way.”

The kid had a point.

I said to the sheriff, "You remember what happened the last time the FBI got involved in something like this? We keep this in-house. Need-to-know only."