Showdown in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law, #3)(17)

“Word of mouth on the Internet. Word goes out that a company is looking for me. I contact them on a secure computer with a new e-mail address, so I can remain anonymous. I get the particulars, hack their system, and point out where the weaknesses are.”

Maryse leaned forward. “That is too cool, but how do you get paid if you have to remain anonymous?”

“Wire transfer to an offshore account.”

Maryse stared. “You’re kidding.”

“I never joke about money.”

“Just how much money are we talking about?” Sabine asked. “I mean, if I’m not being entirely too nosy.”

Raissa smiled. “Anywhere from ten to fifty grand a job. Don’t worry—I pay taxes on all of it. God knows, I don’t need any more trouble with the government.”

“So what happens if they don’t pay?” Sabine asked, clearly fascinated with the entire thing.

Raissa laughed.

“Oh,” Sabine said, her face clearing with understanding. “I guess if you just hacked their system, that wouldn’t be a good idea, right? Talk about guaranteed payment.”

“Holy crap.” Maryse sighed. “Nine years, Raissa. In nine years of knowing us, you never once thought you could trust us with all this?”

“Hell, yeah. Jesus, all of this had nothing to do with trust. I didn’t want to get people involved—especially with something that might put them in danger. Why do you think I keep my security testing anonymous? Even corporations can be convinced to provide information if the right person is asking. Surely, the two of you can understand that.” Raissa frowned, knowing she was hitting below the belt a little. Well, a lot.

Maryse and Sabine had both recently gone through their own life-threatening crises and had tried in the beginning to get through it without involving anyone they cared about. In the end, it had taken everyone to make things right, but both still carried the guilt of how badly things could have turned out.

Maryse lowered her eyes to the table, and Sabine’s face flashed with a look of guilt, then sympathy. “When you put it like that…” Sabine said.

“Bitch,” Maryse said, and gave Raissa a small smile.

Sabine swatted at Maryse. “That’s not polite. My God, you are never going to learn manners, are you?”

Maryse put on an innocent look. “Hey, for all I know, that could be her real name.”

Sabine frowned and looked at Raissa. “Did Beau know who you really were?”

Oh shit. Raissa’s mind raced for a way out of this one. Beau, ex–FBI agent and Sabine’s new husband, had finally remembered seeing Raissa talking with an FBI assistant director in Washington, D.C. Despite the plastic surgery she had to change her appearance, he’d still recognized her, but promised to keep her secret. Apparently, he was a man of his word, but that might not score him many points with the woman he’d just married.

“Raissa?” Sabine prompted.

“Uh-oh,” Maryse said, and scooted her chair away from Sabine’s.

“Well,” Raissa began, “he didn’t remember me at all…at first.”

Sabine narrowed her eyes at Raissa. “But then he did?”

“Yeah. That night at the hospital with Mildred, something made him remember, but I made him promise not to tell.”

Maryse laughed at Sabine’s frown. “Kind of a catch-22, huh? Your man has honor and integrity, but since he was FBI, that means he’ll always be keeping things from you. Welcome to my world. Could be worse. At least you knew what Beau was when you met him.”

Sabine’s frown relaxed. “That’s true.” Maryse’s husband, Luc, an agent for the Department of Environmental Quality, had been working undercover when Maryse met him. In fact, he was undercover investigating Maryse. Not the smoothest way to start a relationship, for sure.

“So,” Maryse said and grinned at Raissa, “is that your official FBI undercover investigating sort of outfit? Because I have to say, it’s kinda hot.”

Raissa smiled. “Actually, I was at a confession.”

Maryse hooted. “And what did they confess to?”

“Nothing I was hoping to hear, unfortunately.”

Maryse sobered and nodded. “You’re looking for that little girl, right? Have the police been giving you trouble since you handed them information you shouldn’t have?”

“Just one,” Raissa replied, and felt a blush creep across her chest and up her neck.

“Oh, no,” Maryse said and poked Sabine in the side with her elbow. “I’ve seen that look. What exactly does Just One look like?”

Raissa sighed. “Hot enough to melt rubber.”

“That sucks.”

“You’re doomed.” Maryse and Sabine spoke at the same time, shaking their heads in sympathy. After all, they’d already been there, done that.

“You can’t let him find out who you really are, right?” Maryse asked.

“Well…since Sonny knows who I am, there’s really no use hiding any longer.” Her mind flashed back to the bar—her fingertip pressed against Zach’s face and every square inch of her body screaming for her to make it more.

Maryse snapped her fingers in front of Raissa’s face and brought her back to reality. “Earth to Raissa,” Maryse said. “Where did you fade off to exactly? Oh, no, you like him.”