Essie drew a deep, fortifying breath. This was where things could get tricky because the idea just came to her moments ago and she hadn’t had time to hammer out the details. “That movie premiere—specifically, the after-party—presents a prime opportunity to take command of the situation. You have total control of the event: who comes in, where they go, what kinds of security measures will be in place, etc. If we make it known that Nina will be there, I doubt they’ll pass on the opportunity.”
“We are not using my wife as—”
“I’m not suggesting we let them make an attempt on Nina’s life. She’d be protected at all times. What I’m proposing is that we put on a show and let them get just close enough to see her die.” Essie used air quotes for the last word.
“How would I die?” Nina’s face had gone a bit pale, an understandable reaction to discussing her own death.
“I haven’t worked out those details yet, but it shouldn’t be too difficult to stage some sort of medical emergency.”
“Wouldn’t the person who took out the contract want proof that she’s really dead?” Nate asked.
Essie nodded. “For that kind of money, they’ll insist on verification. A death certificate would be ideal. But considering they want the murder to be public, a press article would likely suffice.”
That would be the tricky part, because the press would also require confirmation before they reported on a death. Of course, there were ways to get around that, but it required the expertise of a hacker.
Her gaze slid to Larissa. “How good are you?”
One of the guys snorted. “Is she frigging serious?”
Larissa shrugged as though she’d heard that question a million times before. Sadly, she probably had. Frat culture was prevalent in the tech industry, as was its toxic attitude toward women. “I know my way around a computer.”
“Talk about understatement of the year.” Nina gestured to her friend and coworker. “You’re looking at one of the best hackers on the planet.”
The compliment carried no weight with Essie. She’d met a lot of computer “experts” over the years, and every one of them fancied themselves a ninja with a keyboard. And while many of them were truly gifted, there was also a significant number who only knew a few tricks of the trade and thought that elevated them to the same league as Neo fromThe Matrix.
Essie gave Larissa a quick once-over, noting the lines of fatigue on her face and the hint of a rose tattoo peeking out from under one of her shirtsleeves. Her auburn hair was swept up in a messy bun, and a pen was tucked behind her ear. Not that any of it meant a damn thing; hackers came in all shapes and sizes. “What’s the biggest thing you’ve ever hacked?”
“You don’t honestly expect me to answer that, do you?”
“Fair enough.” Some hackers liked to brag about their exploits, but in Essie’s experience, the really skilled ones knew to keep their big mouths shut about things that might earn them an extended stay at the Graybar Hotel.
“She has a DEF CON Black Badge,” Nina said, and Larissa shot her a look.
The reference wasn’t lost on Essie, and it definitely carried weight. In hacking circles, the Black Badge was a big deal, one of the highest honors awarded at the DEF CON Hacking Conference. Typically, it was bestowed upon a person or team in recognition of their skills or contributions to the digital security community. A limited number of badges were awarded each year, and the fact Larissa had earned one meant she most likely had the necessary skills for what Essie had in mind.
“To keep Nina safe, we might need to bend some laws. Maybe break a few,” Essie said. “How comfortable are you with that?”
“That depends.” Larissa shifted in her seat. To her credit, she had one heck of a poker face. “Is what you have in mind the only way to keep Nina safe?”
“It’s not the only way, but I believe it’s the best way. If we play our cards right, we can also uncover the identity of whoever initiated the contract and act accordingly.”
Larissa’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, act accordingly?”
“That depends on who the bad guy is.” That was a lie. Whoever took out that contract needed to take a dirt nap or go to jail before they realized Nina wasn’t dead. And they would. It was only a matter of time. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. But to accomplish all of that, I’m going to need the best damn hacker there is. Nina’s life depends on it. Can I count on your help?”
Larissa stared at her for a few long moments, her face giving nothing away. At last, she nodded. “All right, I’m in. Just tell me what you need and I’ll make it happen.”
“Hold on a damn minute,” Austin snapped. “Nobody said we were moving forward with this plan.”
All conversations at the table stopped. Anxious energy blanketed the room.
Essie had expected Austin to object to her proposal. How could he not? The possibility of losing someone you loved was beyond terrifying. Most people would move mountains to avoid it.
She darted a glance at Jackson, cleared her throat, and met Austin’s gaze. “If you have an alternative, I’d love to hear it. Because Nina can’t hide forever.”
“I’m well aware of that,” he said through gritted teeth. “But I don’t think parading her around at a party with a giant target on her back is a good plan for her long-term longevity. Hell, we don’t even know if Vicky would be open to us hijacking her big celebration for this shit.”
“I can ask her tonight when I get home,” Ryan said, and Austin shot him a glare.
