What Have You Done(48)

Don went through Kerri’s files, which were listed alphabetically, clicking on each one. Most were work-related memos and saved emails. The memos contained information about upcoming analysis that was needed and dates to save for future staff meetings or client presentations. He moved on to the emails, and it was more of the same, mixed with a handful of personal messages from friends and family. Birthday wishes seemed to dominate her inbox. Everything was as it should have been with nothing pointing to Liam or the circumstances surrounding her death.

After about an hour, it was apparent there wasn’t anything in regular files or email that could point him, or anyone else, in the direction toward her killer or a motive. He moved on to the encrypted files.

As the first decade of the twenty-first century had come to an end, a priority within the department had become the emerging use of computers and the technology available to commit cybercrimes. These crimes ranged from online stalking to identity theft to general hacking to financial manipulation, and almost everything in between. Don had been one of three homicide detectives chosen for a pilot program aimed at teaching the good guys some of the tricks the bad guys used in order to infiltrate and trace a criminal in cyberspace. The eight-week class had taught him a few techniques in tracking, tracing, and tagging online. Within those lessons was a brief introduction to encrypted files and the art of decrypting.

Don uploaded the first of Kerri’s encrypted files. He knew he wouldn’t be able to open it with algorithms or encryption methods. The department hadn’t given him that level of training. What he could do was try loading various passwords that might have meant something to Kerri to see if he could hit on the right one and gain access. If that didn’t work, he’d have to pay Rocco a visit.

A white box popped up, asking for a password. The cursor blinked on and off, waiting. Don started firing off key words, one after the other. KERRI, MILLER, KM, KERRIM, KMILLER, 3592, 351992, 1992, 92, KERRIMILLER, DWYER, SEAN, LIAM, LDWYER, LIAMDWYER, SDWYER, SEANDWYER, DWYERBROTHERS, DWYERBROS, SECRET…

A gentle chime came from the inside of his jacket pocket. He reached in and grabbed his phone. It was Sean. “Hello?”

“Hey, man, we’re all set. The report on Cutter is filed, my meeting with IA is over, and I’m cleared.”

“That’s great,” Don replied. He continued typing whatever he could think of into the computer as he spoke. Nothing would take. “So now you can continue investigating me for killing Kerri and get paid for it. Nice.”

“Liam told you we visited your mom?”

“Yes. And just for the record, that’s crap.”

“I’m sorry, man. We had to cross you off the list. It wasn’t my finest moment, but it was necessary. I was sure someone was setting Liam up, but now I don’t know. So much evidence points to him. It’s hard to ignore. Why would he do that?”

“I don’t think he would.”

“Me either. But everything is pointing to him. I’m thinking we let Heckle and Keenan file this away; then we figure things out on our own.”

Don said nothing. He kept typing passwords into the computer.

“I really am sorry about going behind your back.”

“I got news for you. Liam isn’t convinced I’m innocent.”

“He’s scared—that’s all.”

“I get it,” Don replied. “But if I’m going to help you guys, Liam needs to be able to trust me.”

“I’ll talk to him.”

“And if you go behind my back like that again, we’re gonna have a problem.”

“Understood.”

The first file was a bust. Don moved his mouse over to the second and tried that one, repeating the numbers and words he’d tried with the first file: KERRI, MILLER, KM, KERRIM, KMILLER, 3592, 351992…

“Phillips put you back on the board?”

“Tomorrow. We’re back in the rotation come eight a.m.”

“Good.”

“Come out for a few beers with me later. I owe you a drink. I feel bad for what we did. I’ll meet you at the Hard Rock. They’ll have the game on, and we’ll grab a bite.”

1992, 92, KERRIMILLER, DWYER, SEAN…

“Yeah, I’ll come by. But just a couple of beers. If we’re back on the board at eight, I don’t want to be hungover and falling asleep at my desk.”

“Tell Joyce I’ll have you home by ten.”

LIAM, LDWYER, LIAMDWYER, SDWYER, SEANDWYER, DWYERBROTHERS, DWYERBROS, SECRET…

Access denied.

“I have a few things to wrap up here at home, and then I’ll be by. Meet you around seven?”

“Sure, that’s great.”

The second file failed as well. Don shut down the program and pulled the flash drive from his laptop.

“Look,” Don said. “I gotta go, but I’ll see you tonight. Meet me at the bar.”

“I’ll see you there.”

Don hung up and fell back against the couch cushions. It was a long shot he’d be able to come across the right file on his own. He’d have to let an expert take a look at it, and that meant he’d have to stop by Rocco’s on the way to the Hard Rock and drop off the drive. What Rocco uncovered would determine the next step he’d take.