The 6:20 Man

Chapter 35

“Dude?”

Devine walked into the house and saw Valentine on the couch.

“Yeah?”

“Cowl is not doing high-frequency trading from your building.”

Devine sat down next to him. “How do you know that already? I thought you were still thinking about whether to look into it or not.”

“So I change mind, kill me. Anyway, I track flow over pipe, and confirm on both ends. Is very unique stream of data. Like a river that is green.” He laughed. “Green. You get my little joke?”

“Yeah, very little.”

“There aren’t many that do trading like that. Easy to check.”

“Okay, you say Cowl isn’t doing high-frequency trading, but I know that they do have a division that does that. And you said you confirmed that data flow, so I’m a little confused.”

“That is what I am talking about, dude. You are right. They have high-frequency trading platform, only it operates out of building in Queens. That is pipe I trace.”

“You’re sure?”

He looked at Devine with his head cocked and his features full of incredulity. “Dude? Digital signature is unique, okay? I’m no amateur.”

“Okay, so what is Area 51 in my building, then? Did you manage to hack in there?”

Valentine looked down at his screen. “It is... well protected. Take a lot of time to get in. And maybe not even then.”

Devine had a thought. “Could they be doing crypto-mining in my building?”

“Is possible. Takes lots of energy and computational power. Lots of people doing it. But in the end, I think it is bad thing.”

“Why?”

“Is perfect for ransomware. You can trace money wire. But very difficult to do with something like Monero, a decentralized crypto, very private. You can negotiate terms, and the really professional hackers always keep their word and unlock the encrypted files. Only way they stay in business. But is still bad because you can’t find where money went.”

“Then I have to find another way to see what they’re doing on that floor.”

“Why?”

“It might have something to do with Sara Ewes’s death.”

“You mean, she might have found out what is going on there?”

“Prime motive for murder, don’t you think, depending on what’s there?”

“Maybe. But, dude, crypto-mining is not illegal.”

“But it might not be crypto-mining. And Sara might have heard or seen something she shouldn’t have. And maybe that’s where the untraceable email came from.”

This got Valentine’s interest. “How will you get in there?”

“I can’t access the floor with my card.” Something occurred to Devine. “But maybe I can find another way.”

Devine climbed the stairs and knocked on Tapshaw’s door.

She opened it, dressed in pale blue capri pants and a white blouse. He smiled and she returned it. “Got some news on Mayflower. I know it’s not the weekend, but how about having that tequila now, before the bar closes? I can fill you in.”

She slipped on flip-flops and put her arm through his. “Let’s go.”

The bar was within walking distance, a few blocks off the main street. The Mount Kisco area was an interesting mix of working-class and mega wealth. The bar they were going to would have no such mix. It was all folks living paycheck to paycheck.

They sat outside, a shot of tequila and a bowl of nuts in front of each of them.

“Well?” she said curiously. “Mayflower?”

He told her about his meeting with Chilton. “So when they come in with an offer, triple the valuation. They’ll still bite. So long as you have the numbers to back it up, and I know you do.”

“Can I kiss you?”

He grinned like a schoolboy. “I have no problem with that.”

She leaned over and pecked him lightly on the cheek, then sat back. “I really appreciate this, Travis. It was so nice of you.”

He lifted his shot glass. “Hey, I’m a shareholder too, right?”

They tapped glasses and drank their tequila. “So, after you take over the world, what’s next?” asked Devine.

“You think way too highly of me,” she said.

“Not from where I’m sitting.”

“It’s ironic that I founded a dating service, because I haven’t been too lucky in that regard.”

“Sometimes luck has nothing to do with it. Sometimes it just happens when you least expect it to.”

“I’m still waiting for that to happen to me. Maybe I work too hard.”

“There’s no maybe about it. You do work too hard. But you clearly love it, so maybe you don’t really work a day in your life. Isn’t that how the old saying goes?”

She smiled and then her expression turned serious. “You haven’t seemed yourself lately, Travis. Is everything okay?”

“A woman was killed at my office.”

“What!”

“They thought it was a suicide, but turns out someone murdered her.”

“Oh my God. Why would someone do that?”

“I don’t know. Yet.”

“Helen told me the police were questioning you but she didn’t say what about.”

“I think they believe I had something to do with it.”

“Did you know the woman?”

“I did.”

“What was her name?”

“Sara Ewes.”

Tapshaw slowly put down her shot glass, looking like she might be ill. “Sara Ewes? That’s her name?”

“Yeah. Wait a minute, did you know her?”

“No, but I know the name.”

“How?”

“A woman named Sara Ewes was one of my very first subscribers on Hummingbird.”