Chapter 25 BLUE PRINT THEFT (II)
Chapter 25 BLUE PRINT THEFT (II)
HAYLEY
About eight years ago, when I still worked for DaSilva Automobiles as a programmer, a teenage kid was put under my care during a company-sponsored hackathon. He was an intern from the University of Manhattan. A programming genius at the young age of eighteen.
For months, we worked together on various projects. I observed his coding patterns. And right now, those habits are heavily reflected in this case.
For example; he never failed to embed invisible watermark tags, and he’s the only programmer I know who numbers iterations in Fibonacci sequence.”
I zoom in. “If you look closely, detective, I’m sure you can recognize the Fibonacci patterns in this photo.”
I can feel a shift in the atmosphere as tension infiltrates the air like tear gas.
“Are you saying you’re innocent? This could all just be coincidence.”
I fold my arms, holding eye contact with every single person in the room.
“I’m saying that I’ve been framed. Whoever did this wanted it to look like I was guilty.”
I pause, my way of getting them ready before dropping the bomb;
“And they probably wanted Edward to act quickly before realizing that the server breach did not originate from Victoria’s office.
If you had done your job properly, detective, you’d have realized that those files were transferred from an internal proxy. The computer used for this crime is still inside this building.”
Victoria steps forward, her eyes narrowed in annoyance;
“Not only do you keep lying even after being caught red-handed, you’re trying to pin your crimes on a member of our staff? How low will you continue to stoop, Hayley?”
“Victoria right.” Edward joins in, “you just spilled a bunch of balderdash that we cannot verify at the moment. All the available evidence points to you as the main suspect.”
My chest tightens with the pain of betrayal.
Once again, he’s taking her side over mine.
“I just delivered a mountain of evidence. Won’t you at least look into it?”
Edward’s next words have me simmering in rage and humiliation.
“You have a track record for being untrustworthy, so forgive me if I don’t believe a word that comes out of your mouth, Hayley.
Until the investigations are over, you’re not allowed to leave the house, or go within a hundred meters of any of my sensitive documents.
You’re officially under house arrest.”
The past twenty four hours have been the most humiliating of my entire life.
Somehow, news leaked to the press of my “involvement” in the blueprint scandal. My face is plastered across every single tabloid and newspaper in Manhattan, all branding me a “corporate thief” and “backstabbing wife.”
A few members of the press reached out for my side of the story, but I honestly couldn’t be bothered.
Let them believe whatever they want. The truth will definitely come out in the end.
I have only seen Edward on screen since the previous day, attending numerous press conferences with Victoria dutifully plastered at his side.
Gossip blogs are already insinuating that Victoria and Edward were destined by fate to be together, and I’m the evil witch who came between their wonderful union.
I am sipping a cup of hot chocolate and playing with SQL when my phone vibrates with an incoming call from an encrypted number.
I wonder who it is.
“Hello?”
“Hello, Hayley DaSilva,” a rich male brogue filters through the speakers. “My name is Simon. I’m calling from Echelon Black.”
I sit up immediately, almost burning my skin off with hot chocolate.
“Hello, Simon.”
“The purpose of this call is to inform you that a car will be sent for you tomorrow by 10 AM on the dot. I hope you’re ready to resume your new role as one of Echelon Black’s lead programmers.”
My heart quivers, torn between joy and sadness.
So far, I am still under house arrest. I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it to London tomorrow.
“Uh… I’m sure news of my house arrest has probably reached London by now…”
“Don’t worry about the case, Hayley.” Simon says in a tone that brooks no arguments.
“It is currently being handled by our supreme board. Just make sure you’re ready to leave tomorrow.”
My eyes widen in surprise.
“Handled by the supreme board? What do you mean?”
“You’re part of the Echelon family now. Mr. Black always looks out for his people.”
Then the line goes dead.
Later that evening, I’m walking past the guardroom when Toby’s name filters through the half open doorway.
I pause, straining my ears to listen.
“All the CCTV footage from that night has been retrieved,” says a male voice tinged with a British accent. “According to our investigations, the cameras in Mrs. DaSilva’s apartment stopped working between 8 PM and 8:30 PM.
The officers calculated that Toby must’ve wandered out of the house within that exact time.”
“Are you saying that the cameras went off on purpose?” Another male voice asks.
My heart is in my throat as I wait for the first man’s response.
“It could be. If someone had deliberately turned off the cameras, it was definitely to conceal whoever had opened the door for Toby.
This means that this case is no longer just an accident. It was a carefully planned, pre-mediated murder.”
My hand flies to my mouth to stifle my gasp of shock.
All along, I wallowed in guilt, thinking I must’ve left the door open.
Someone led my child to his death.
Someone killed my child!