Three Weeks Last Spring (21 page)

"John, meet Walker.
Mr.
Walker has this crazy idea that I’m trying to discredit his company.
He thinks I'm involved in the
illegal dumping of chemicals."

John looked at Skye and then at Walker and roared with laughter.
"I've never heard anything so preposterous in my life.
Are you serious?"

Skye said nothing.
He could see that she was.

Skye fixed her icy blue eyes on Walker.
"Walker, meet Dr
.
John Ridge, one of the United Kingdom’s foremost designers of computer source code and co-owner of Dunbar and Ridge Computer Associates."

Walker was stunned.
John Ridge, well, well
. He
certainly had been expecting him to turn up on the doorstep.
And just how did h
e
fit into the game?
H
is expression gave nothing away. H
e turned to Ridge.

"I presume you've got some
identification to prove that?"

John said nothing.
He reached inside his jacket and removed his passpor
t.
He handed it to Walker.
"I
s that good enough for you, or do you want to call passport control at Seattle
and have it verified?"

"I'm certainly going to get it verified.
I don't trust one word that comes from Skye's sweet mouth."
He
dial
l
ed
McCabe's number and quickly reeled off the details
from
John's passport.
McCabe promised to g
et back to him within the hour.

"Suppose you're telling the truth and you are her business partner, why would she be hacking into my computer?"

John felt Skye stiffen at Walker's accusation and placed a restraining hand on her arm.
"Skye has never hacked into a computer in her life.
She's more than capable of doing
so
, but her ta
lents lie in other directions."

Skye groaned inwardly at John's admission, but listened carefully as qualified his statement.

"Skye has a brilliant mind and when it comes to innovative design, she's one of the best.
Many of the software products on the market contain code written by Skye and myself.
You may have seen source code on her laptop, but it was code she and I developed.
I’d asked her to examine it because we were experiencing problems."

Walker eyed the two of them
sc
eptically
.

"If you've got any doubts, ask your buddy to check with the British Embassy while he's about it.
I am sure someone there will be happy to verify who we are."

Walker's grin was derisive.
"That sure of yourselves, huh?"

John's expression was one of pained tolerance.
"Yes, I am.
In fact I'd even go as far as saying that
your
government
will
take a dim view of your actions.
Now, before this situation gets
anymore
out of hand than it already is, I suggest one of you explains exactly what
i
s going on here?"

Skye interrupted Walker before he had chance to do more than take a breath.
She spent the next
five minutes explaining how they had met
and the events of the previous week.
She left out the intimate details of their relationship.
By the time she
ha
d finished J
ohn was stern faced, and angry.

"Sweet Pea, why didn't you tell me you were in trouble?
Just how long has this idiot been holding you against your will?"

"This is the third day.
Walker came back from his business trip and saw me using my laptop.
Before I could explain he decided I was both a hacker and an environmental terrorist.
I pleaded with him to let me call you or the police, but he was convinced I was involved
—
"

John gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and cast a murderous glance in Walker’s direction
.
"Take your time, Sweet Pea."

"Walker was convinced I was involved in these illegal activities
and
insisted on staying here to see who showed up."

"Is this correct?"

Walker shrugged his shoulders.
"Yeah, give or take one or two minor details
.
"
Like the fact we're lovers
,
he added silently.

The phone rang and Walker snatched it up.
He listened intently.
He replaced the handset, and gave Ridge an embarrassed, conciliatory smile.

"Seems your identification checked out."

"What a surprise.
And?"

"And you've done work for both the
British and American Government
s
,
"
h
e admitted.
"Skye I owe you an apology—"

John bristled.
"I think you owe her more than an apology.
But you can tell it to the cops.
Skye, go and pack, we're leaving."

"Wait," Walker interrupted.
"Let me explain."

Skye kept her gaze firmly fixed on John.

John frowned.
"
Y
ou've got five minutes and then we're out of t
he door.
This better be good."

Walker leaned forward in his chair.
"I'm a marine biologist.
For a number of months now someone has been dumping chemicals in the waters around the San Juan Islands.
I was asked to
by the State Department to investigate.
So far, only marine life has been involved.
About the same time fish started washing up on the shoreline, my company's computer system suffered a number of major crashes, attributable to someone hacking into the system.
The
n
a few
days ago my headquarters and laboratories in Seattle were ransacked.
Someone, somewhere, is trying to find out just how close I am to locating whoever's responsible fo
r this environmental atrocity."

For only the second time since John's arrival, Skye looked directly at Walker.

"Have you kept your virus software up-to-date or tried hiring
someone to trace the hackers?"

A half smile crossed Walker's face.
"I've done both.
McCabe, my contact in the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, suggested I try and contact a British guy.
Someone named John Ridge
. I assume that's you?"

"Possibly," John replied
.
"It's a common enough name."

"Well
,
if you are
him
, you're damned hard to track down," Walker said.
"I scoured all the journals, the Internet; I even tried your old
university, to no avail.
One of the professors here at the University of Washington remembered attending a seminar you gave.
I found an e-mail address for you in a journal, and wrote to it, but as of three days ago there was still no response."

Skye turned to John.
"Did you receive an e-mail from Walker?"

"I'm not sure.
If you used a web-based e-mail address I probably binned it.
They
a
re the address of choice for would-be hackers and the like.
I don't even bother reading them.
Most people who nee
d to contact me use the phone."

"Yeah, well we try not to ask the British for help very often."

"No, because you think you have all the answers," Skye mumbled under her breath.

For a moment there was silence.
Eventually, Walker turned to Skye, a si
lent pleading in his eyes.

"I'm sorry.
I've behaved reprehensibly.
I know I've got no right to ask this of either of
you, but would you help?
"

Skye remained silent.
John's face was immobile.
They looked at each other, a
n unspoken
question passing between them
.
John was the first to speak.

"What makes you think we can?"

"McCabe heard from someone in the Department of Defense that you're
about
to present some new software to the British Government."

"We develop new software all the time.
What makes you think it has anything to do with tracing hackers?" Skye asked.

Walker shrugged his shoulders.
"Maybe McCabe's information is wrong.
I'm only telling you what I've been told.
"
He ran a hand through his hair.
"
I don't know about you two,
but I could do with a drink."

Walker
went to the kitchen and
poured a measure of scotch into three tumblers.
He wondered what exactly Skye's relationship with Ridge was.
Could they be more than business partners?
Ridge was certainly hostile towards him, but then what did he expect?
When Skye
realize
d
who was at the door, she hadn't hesitated—she'd fallen headlong into Ridge's arms.
He could tell from the look in Ridge's eyes that he loved her, but was it reciprocated?
A primeval emotion coursed through his veins.
For the first t
ime in his life he was jealous.

Skye and John each took a glass of whisky from the tray.
Walker took his own glass and downed the co
ntents in one swallow.

"I understand your reluctance to acknowledge that such software exists, but I would appreciate it if you could see your way to getting involved.
These people are sick individuals.
They don't know what they're messing with and sooner or later someone could die.
I'm sure the two incidents are linked.
If I can find who is accessing my company's computer files, then it may lead me to those responsible for the
illegal
dumping.
Don't answer me now, think about it overnight.
I'll come back in the morning and you can tell me then."

John stroked his chin.
"
You
make a compelling case,
Mr.
Walker
, but
I still think you've got a bloody nerve asking for our help after the way you've treated Skye.
If it were up to me I'd have you arrested on kidnapping charges.
However, this is Skye's call.
She and I will talk it over.
In the meantime, I suggest you leave before I forget I'm a gentleman and tell y
ou what I really think of you."

"Okay.
There are some people I need to speak to anyway.
Just one thing before I go—"

Walker placed his glass on the table, stepped forward and dragged Skye to her feet.
His arms circled her waist and
gathered in his arms
, his lips hungrily covering hers.
For the third time in as many days
her
hand lashed out and hit him a stinging blow across his cheek.
He tightened his hold on her waist, and drew her closer till her
face was only inches away from.

"That's the last time you touch me in anger, Skye.
Next time
it
wi
ll be because you want me."