Shawn ended the call with a promise to get back to them as soon as he’d arranged a meeting with Chamberly. Alexis and TJ made the rest of the drive to meet Noel Muscarelli in silence. The weight of being the only one who believed, no, who knew, that Mark was innocent, pressed down on her until she thought she’d break.
TJ found a parking spot in the small, paved lot next to the café. He held the door open and Alexis stepped into the coffee shop where Noel Muscarelli had agreed to meet them. At a little after noon, there were only a handful of tables occupied. The space was small, but she could tell right away that they prepared their own baked goods. The air smelled of sugar and cinnamon. An instrumental pop song she vaguely recognized played too loudly from the overhead speakers.
Noel Muscarelli wasn’t hard to spot. He sat alone, a steaming cup in front of him, his eyes trained on the door of the shop.
Alexis moved toward him, with TJ following closely behind. “Noel?” The man nodded. “Hi. I’m Alexis Douglas. Mark’s sister. Thank you for agreeing to speak with us.”
“No problem.” Noel shook her hand, then turned to TJ. “You must be Mr. Roman.”
“TJ, please.” TJ shook Noel’s hand.
“Can I get either of you something to drink?” Noel asked once Alexis and TJ were seated across the table from him.
“We should be extending that offer to you, but no, I’m fine, thank you,” Alexis replied.
“I’m okay.”
“Oh, okay.” Noel tapped his nails against the side of his cup. “Sorry if I’m a little nervous. When you called to say you wanted to talk to me about TalCon... Well, I don’t have good memories of that place.”
“I’m sure you heard about Mark. His being accused of stealing from TalCon and...” She let the rest of the sentence fall away. She still couldn’t bring herself to say that Mark had committed suicide.
“Yes. It was such a shock. I’m truly sorry for your loss.” Noel looked at her with sadness in his eyes.
“Thank you. TJ was also close to Mark, and neither one of us believes that Mark would have done what TalCon is saying he did. We’re hoping you can help us.”
Noel fidgeted in his chair. “I’m not sure how. I haven’t worked at TalCon for more than six months now.”
“If it’s not too forward, you could start by telling us why you left TalCon. I understand that you worked in the same division as Mark,” TJ said.
Noel leaned back in his chair, seemingly considering how to reply. Or maybe whether to reply at all. He was silent for so long, Alexis started to think he wasn’t going to answer.
“I guess, if you think it would help prove Mark isn’t a thief, which, for the record, I don’t buy.”
Alexis felt her shoulders relax and realized she’d been worried about speaking to Noel. So far, it seemed as if everyone who knew Mark had bought TalCon’s story that he’d stolen from them. She didn’t realize just how much stress having her brother’s name dragged through the mud had put on her.
“I appreciate that.” She smiled across the table at Noel.
“I worked at TalCon in the cybersecurity and engineering division with Mark. We were both senior engineers, and we were both assigned to work on a special program that the company was pouring tons of money into.”
“Nimbus,” Alexis said.
Noel startled in surprise. “Yes. I don’t know how you know that...”
“We spoke with Nelson Bacon and Arnold Forrick yesterday, but they were pretty tight-lipped when it came to Nimbus,” TJ said. “Can you give us a bit more detail about what exactly it is we’re talking about?”
“I don’t know,” Noel said nervously. “TalCon let me go, but my nondisclosure agreement is still in effect. They were very clear about that as they frog-marched me from the building.”
“Noel,” Alexis said, leaning forward and pinning Noel in her gaze. “I promise we won’t tell anyone where we got the information. We have somewhat of an idea about what the program is anyway from Mark’s lawyer.”
Noel hesitated for a moment more before speaking. “It’s software that would allow the user to take over another computer system. Countries aren’t winning wars anymore based on who has the better guns or the bigger bombs. Everything now is run by computers.” Noel leaned forward excitedly. “Think about it. Your electrical grid. The water supply. Every financial institution. All government entities. Everything is online or in the cloud. Everything is on some sort of computer system.”
“So you’re saying this program would allow the owner to take over the electrical grid?” TJ’s voice was laced with the skepticism that Alexis felt. The whole thing felt more like a bad B movie than anything that could happen in real life.
Noel let out a frustrated sigh. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. An electrical grid, really any system that’s run by a computer, which these days is every system. Look, I know it might sound ridiculous to people not steeped in cyber warfare, but this is what I do for a living. Trust me when I say that not only is the US putting billions of dollars into developing programs like this, so are our enemies. Whoever manages to crack it first will be at a very distinct advantage.”
“So how would it work?” Alexis pressed. “I mean, I know that we’re always told not to click on links in emails from people we don’t know. I assume the US government and whoever is in charge of our electrical and water supply has access to better protection for its computers than I have for my laptop.”
“Yes and no,” Noel answered. “The biggest weakness in any system is and always will be humans. No matter how much you warn them not to do something, somebody isn’t going to listen. But the beauty of this program is that it doesn’t matter.”
Alexis felt her mouth turn down in a frown. She was getting a headache trying to keep up with Noel.
He must have noticed. “Okay, so here’s an example. You remember how the federal and state governments went on hyper-alert a while back and started banning certain social media platforms on government computers that were owned by foreign companies because they worried that the foreign governments might use them to spy on Americans?”
She wasn’t a regular user of social media, although she’d been telling herself for ages now that she needed to integrate it into her business model, but she vaguely remembered reading an article online on the subject. “Yeah, I think so.”
She glanced at TJ, who nodded. He seemed to be having a far easier time following Noel. Maybe because of his military background, more of what Noel was saying made sense to him.
“Well, social media platforms were downloaded on millions, maybe even billions, of machines all over the world. Now imagine if simply by downloading a popular social media platform or a word processing program or any computer software, it could be infected and give a bad actor, a terrorist state, for instance, complete and total control over your computer or device. No need to wait for some clueless sap to click on a link. Nimbus attaches itself to otherwise useful code that a company pushes out to all its networked computers and bam!”
Noel clapped his hands once loudly, making Alexis jump.
“It goes to work,” Noel continued excitedly. “They could see your banking information, emails, what programs you’d opened recently and all the passwords for those programs and you wouldn’t even realize it. With enough computers under their control, they could harness the information and gain access to restricted servers.”
“Like servers that house national security secrets, run the electrical grid...” TJ said.
Noel made a finger gun. “Exactly. Obviously, the US government would be very interested in getting its hands on a program such as this, as would many other governments.”
Alexis finally felt as if she had a handle on what Noel was explaining. “And TalCon would make billions.”
Noel made another finger gun and directed it at her this time.
“So that explains why someone might steal it. They could also make a lot of money selling it on the black market.”
“Yes, but there is one thing,” Noel said, chewing his bottom lip. “Nimbus? It doesn’t work.”
“It doesn’t...” Alexis stuttered.
“It doesn’t work. That’s why I got fired. I told Bacon that we needed more time. Hell, I wasn’t even one hundred percent sure we could ever make it work.”
She glanced at TJ next to her, but he appeared to be just as stunned as she was.
“What did Bacon do?” TJ asked.
Noel sighed. “He went off the rails. He and Forrick had been talking up the program to the board. And I heard they’d been buzzing about it to big wigs at the Pentagon and some of the senators and representatives on various congressional committees that would have had to approve the purchase. Bacon wanted the program operational, like, yesterday, but Mark and I just couldn’t make it work.”
“So Mark knew the program was faulty?” TJ pressed.
Noel nodded. “He knew. He was more optimistic than I was that we could get it up and running. Eventually.”
TJ frowned. “So why did you get fired but Mark didn’t?”
“I confronted Bacon about hyping Nimbus to the board when he knew it wasn’t going to be ready on schedule. I told him that he had an obligation to accurately report to the board, we both did, and that by not doing so we could find ourselves in a lot of hot water, not just with the board but with the SEC and other governing bodies if they felt like we were hiding the program’s failures to keep the company stock from taking a hit.”
“And Bacon responded by firing you,” TJ summarized.
“Pretty much. There were lots of threats to go along with the firing. And blackballing. I can’t get a job. People I’ve known and worked with in the industry for the past ten years won’t return my calls. I’m starting to think I should have just kept my mouth shut like Mar—” Noel’s cheeks reddened.
“Mark wouldn’t have let TalCon lie to the government or the public. I’m sure he thought he had a shot at fixing the program in time.”
Noel held up his hands in a surrender pose. “I’m not judging him at all. We all do what we have to do to keep food on the table. But there was no way that program was going to be ready by the end of the year like Bacon wanted.”
She started to defend Mark, but TJ spoke before she could get a word out.
“So TalCon knows the program doesn’t work but can’t say that when they find the posting on the dark web offering it for sale so they accuse Mark of the theft, making him the fall guy?” TJ’s tone said he didn’t quite buy it.
“That’s one possibility.” Noel shot a weary glance at Alexis.
“What is it?” TJ asked while sliding his hand over hers and giving it a squeeze. She took it as a sign he knew she wasn’t going to like whatever Noel was holding back.
“Look, I liked Mark. Like I said, no judgment at all. But the last couple of months we worked together, he’d been struggling.”
“Struggling how?” TJ pressed.
“Drinking a lot. He never came into work out-and-out drunk,” Noel added quickly. “But there were times I could smell the booze from the night before still on his breath, you know? And he’d started gambling. Ever since the MGM opened up on the National Harbor. A few of us used to go on weekends. Have a few drinks. Lose a little money. No big deal. But I think Mark got a real taste for it. He started going a lot more often than the rest of us.”
Alexis’s hands began to tremble.
TJ squeezed the hand he was holding just a little tighter.
“I’m sorry. I have to go.” Noel pushed away from the table. “I was lucky enough to get a little freelance work and I can’t afford to miss my deadlines.” He stood.
TJ let go of her hand and stood as well. “Thanks for meeting with us.”
Noel walked away from the table, and seconds later she heard the bell over the door ring, signaling he’d left the coffee shop.
TJ sat. “You okay?” He put an arm around her shoulder.
Alexis shook her head, looking down at the scarred table. “I’m not sure. The man Noel described was not the Mark I knew.” She swallowed hard and forced herself to meet TJ’s gaze. “I’m not sure I knew my brother at all.”
TJ reached out and swiped at a tear that was threatening to fall. A clash of emotions rumbled through her, but desire, a hunger to feel his arms around her, pushed to the forefront.
She could see in his eyes that he was warring with the same emotions and, more than anything, she wanted him to let go. To feel what she was feeling and to act on it.
TJ leaned forward as if he might kiss her, and she moved to meet him.
His phone rang.
He swore quietly and reached for it.
“Roman.” His expression hardened a heartbeat later. He rose from the table and gestured for her to do the same, reaching out a hand.
She took it and they hurried from the café and toward the car.
Once inside, TJ switched the phone to speaker.
“It’s not ideal,” he said. “I’d rather meet him in person.”
“He won’t go for it,” Shawn said on the other end of the phone. “If you want to talk to Chamberly, it’s a phone call, now or never.”
TJ glanced at her, and she nodded. A phone call was better than nothing. And to be honest, she was a little relieved they wouldn’t have to face down the loan shark in person. Proving Mark’s innocence was taking her places she’d never have imagined going. She was willing to do it for her brother, but that didn’t make it any less scary.
“Okay,” TJ acquiesced. “But I don’t want him to know Alexis is on the line.” He looked at her. “It’s for your protection.”
“I’m fine with that as long as I can hear the conversation,” she said.
After a moment of silence, Shawn spoke again. “Chamberly, I’ve got TJ Roman on the line.”
“Good. Fine. What is it that you want from me?” a voice with an Eastern European accent said over the line.
“Actually, I’d like to meet with you in person. I’d only take a few moments of your time.”
“I’m a busy man. I don’t meet with people I don’t know,” Chamberly said, brooking no argument. “I’m only talking to you now as a favor to a friend.”
For a moment Alexis wondered just what kind of friends Shawn shared with the loan shark that made this call possible, but figured it was probably best that she didn’t know the answer to that question.
“What is it you want?” Chamberly asked a second time.
Alexis got the feeling he wouldn’t ask a third time.
TJ must have too. “I’ve been hired to look into a suspicious death of one of your clients. Mark Douglas.”
“Ah, yes, Mark. I heard about his untimely passing. So sad. But he wasn’t my client.”
Alexis watched TJ’s brow furrow. “He was seen speaking to you at the Blue Bull. That’s where you do business, correct?”
There was silence on the other side of the line for a long moment. “I am part owner of the establishment.”
“Listen, I don’t care about your loan-sharking business,” TJ said. “I’m sure that Shawn has already explained that we aren’t looking to jam you up unless you had something to do with Mark Douglas’s death.”
“I’m not a killer. Bad for business. Mr. Douglas used to frequent my business, but our relationship ended three months ago. Amicably.”
Alexis had no idea what that meant. She shot a quizzical look at TJ.
“I’m assuming that meant Mark didn’t have an outstanding debt with you?”
“That’s what amicable means in my business. He paid his bill with interest in March. I haven’t seen him since.”
Truth? Alexis mouthed at TJ.
He shrugged.
“How much did he owe you?”
Chamberly didn’t answer.
“Chamberly, if you’re not involved with Douglas’s death, you’ve got nothing to worry about. You’ve got my word,” Shawn said.
“Thirty-two thousand with interest,” Chamberly finally answered.
Alexis covered her mouth just in time to stifle the gasp that escaped. Thirty-two thousand dollars? Where did Mark get that kind of money?
“Did he say where he got the money from to pay you?” TJ asked, his line of thought mirroring her own.
“No. I don’t ask those kinds of questions. As long as the client has my money, I don’t care where they get it from, you understand?”
“Understood. How about Nimbus? Did Mark ever mention it to you?”
“Nimbus? What is that? I’ve never heard of it.”
“It’s potentially very lucrative software. Mark never offered it to you as payment for his debts? Or maybe as security?”
Chamberly guffawed. “I’m not running a pawn shop here. This is a cash for cash operation. Douglas paid me in cold hard cash.”
“Right. Thanks.”
Chamberly’s end of the line dropped without another word.
“You believe him?” Shawn asked.
TJ let out a heavy sigh. “Yeah. I do.”
As much as Alexis wanted answers now, she had to admit she believed the loan shark, too. It didn’t make sense for Chamberly to have killed Mark, and he’d seemed genuinely baffled when TJ mentioned Nimbus. Of course, it could have all been an act, but her gut was telling her that whatever happened to Mark, Chamberly didn’t have anything to do with it.
“Now what?” Alexis asked. “Where do we go from here?”
Based on Shawn’s silence and the look on TJ’s face, neither of them were any closer to answering that question than she was.