Long Road to Mercy (Atlee Pine, #1)(82)

“Moms don’t screw around when it comes to information exchange. She knows a lot about my kids, too. We do it very efficiently. And in great detail.”

Pine had been writing notes down as Blum was speaking. “Okay, you’ve given me a lot to use as possible passwords.”

She worked away for several hours after using a program on her computer to put together a graph of possible password combos based on what Blum had told her and also using the names from the file list she’d taken from Priest’s office.

When she had tried the last possible combination, and nothing had worked, she sat back in frustration.

Blum, who had dozed off on her bed, awoke a minute later. Rain was drumming down on the roof of the one-story motel.

“No luck, I take it?” Blum said groggily.

“Apparently, his brother’s family wasn’t important enough to warrant being the basis for his all-important password, nor did his list of files have any clues that worked.”

“Well, I’m starving. I saw a diner down the street when we were coming here.”

They drove over, parked behind the building, and went inside.

They ordered their food and sipped their coffees as the rain continued to pour.

Blum looked out at the gloom. “My God, is it always like this here? I’d get suicidal. I need sun.”

“They get rain and then they get sun. And then they get fall and then they get snow.”

Blum shivered. “No thank you. Is that why you moved to the Southwest? For the weather?”

“I almost moved to Montana or Wyoming.”

“My God, do you know how much snow they get?”

“The weather wasn’t the deciding factor.”

“What was then?”

“I already told you. The people or lack thereof.” She glanced over at Blum, who had her coffee cup halfway to her lips. Pine explained further, “I don’t like crowds.”

“How would you define a crowd?”

“Pretty much anyone other than myself.”

“Well, I’m sorry if I’m crowding you then,” said Blum, sounding a bit hurt.

“Actually, Carol, I sort of consider us one unit, so when I say me, I include you, and vice versa.”

“You know, when I had six kids at home, and several of them still in diapers, I longed to be by myself, for just a few minutes, even. It seemed like every second of my life, someone was calling my name, demanding that I do something for them.”

“And now?” asked Pine curiously.

“Now, I live by myself. I wake up alone. I eat alone. I go to bed alone.” She glanced at Pine over her coffee cup. “I wouldn’t recommend it, I really wouldn’t. Crowd or no crowd. Sometimes it’s as simple as another human being keeping your feet warm in bed, or fetching you some aspirin because your head is splitting. I mean, really.”

Their food arrived and they ate in silence, each lost in her own thoughts.

As they finished up Blum said, “What are you thinking about?”

“The case. My career. Whether either or both are over.”

“You ever think about a career outside the Bureau?”

“No.”

“I’m a Leo. The lion. We’re stubborn control freaks with a streak of kindness. But we adapt. I think you can, too. Are you a Leo? Or are you another sign?”

Pine stared at her without answering.

“I said are you—” began Blum. She froze when Pine jumped up and threw some cash down on the table for their meals.

“Let’s go.”

“What’s up?” said Blum as she and Pine raced back to the motel.

“In answer to your question, I’m a Capricorn.”





Chapter

45



PIECES OF PAPER containing scribbled words were all over Pine’s bed. Blum was actively helping her in her task by feeding her words that Pine then inputted to her computer program.

“When did you download this software?” asked Blum.

“As soon as I failed at getting the password manually,” Pine replied, her fingers flying over the laptop keys. “I’ve been crunching passwords all this time, with no result. But it helps a lot if we can narrow the parameters of what the password might be. And maybe we can finally do that.”

Blum set down the last piece of paper. “Okay, I think that’s everything.”

“Let’s see if we’re going to get lucky.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Why not?”

“Because I haven’t been lucky in like twenty years.”

Pine hit a key on the laptop. “Here goes.”

The program started sorting through possible password combinations.

“What made you think of Capricorn?” asked Blum.

“I was wondering why Priest would have chosen that name for a nonexistent company. I don’t know if he’s a Capricorn too or not, but it was the only lead I could think of. But until you started talking about being a Leo, I never even considered it. So, if it works, you get the credit.” She paused and looked at the screen. “Damn.”

A password had just been typed in and the screen started to change.

“We nailed it,” said Pine.

“What was the password?” asked Blum.