She called Diarmuid’s number then, and he answered soon enough.
“Did you get the gang who hurt Erin?” she asked immediately.
“You saw the news?”
“Yeah. Did you really get them? That was fast…”
So fast that she found it unbelievable.
“That’s because it’s fake,” Diarmuid explained patiently. “We’re not going to get them when they’re in hiding, which is why we’re putting up the fake news that we got them. Once they see it, they’d think—”
“Got it.” Abigail was quick enough to catch on. “They’d think that we got the wrong perps and be less wary since there are people to take the fall for them. They would come out of their holes, and we can get them when they do.”
“Exactly,” Diarmuid said, then asked, “Did you call me just for that?”
Abigail wanted to ask him to help with Professor Lowe’s honey-trap issue, but she did not want him to get distracted now that he was busy with apprehending that gang.
“Yeah. I saw the news, so I thought I should ask you what’s going on. I won’t bother you now since it’s just your trap,” she said, and hung up.
She remained still before the window, phone in hand.
It seems that she could only depend on herself from here on out.
Finn made his way toward her then. “Director? Did Professor Lowe say no?”
Abigail turned to look at him. “No.”
“Well, why the sour face?” Finn asked.
“Just get back to work,” Abigail said, since she did not have the time to explain, heading straight into the conference room.
“Do you have a solution?” Professor Lowe asked right then.
“Yeah,” Abigail said as she sat down, taking out pen and notebook. “Right now, you must tell me everything you know about those people, and the details about the woman they used as bait.”
Professor Lowe shook his head. “I don’t even know her. I only had a cup of coffee, not even a drop of alcohol, but I somehow passed out. When I woke up after that, I was naked with a woman in bed beside me in a hotel room.”
“Then tell me anything you know,” Abigail said.
Professor Lowe was naturally very cooperative, since his future was in the balance.
After getting the general idea, Abigail asked, “Have you agreed on a date for the agreement?”
“They wanted it done as soon as possible, but I managed to buy three days,” Professor Lowe said. “After that, I’ll be signing the agreement at their offices.”
Abigail nodded. “Understood.”
“So…”
“I’ll come up with something,” Abigail told him. “Head home and wait for my news.”
“Okay.” Professor Lowe stood up then, watching Abigail as he said, “Please don’t upset them even if you can’t do anything. They have leverage against me—if those photos ever get out, I won’t be able to show my face anywhere.”
“I know,” Abigail said.
Once Professor Lowe left, Abigail called Mark Wickers, whose company was involved in pharmaceuticals.
That company was a pharmaceutical company as well, but probably because of the huge returns from the artificial heart business.
Mark would definitely know who they were, and what Abigail must do was find out if they had been doing anything irregular.
At the same time, she should also try to steal the leverage against Professor Lowe.
Mark soon answered, and Abigail immediately said, “I need a favor. New Sun Pharma—find out everything you can about that company, especially if they violate regulations.”
Mark agreed to it without asking why, probably because Abigail’s tone sounded very urgent.
Hanging up, Abigail got to her feet—it was time to head home.
Returning to her car, she asked Eagle on the way back, “Aside from combat training, do you have other specialties, Eagle?”
Eagle paused for a moment. “I’d say counter-espionage and marksmanship…”
“That’s enough.” Abigail cut him short. “I get the picture.”
“Are you dissatisfied with my performance, ma’am?” Eagle asked calmly.
“No, I was just asking,” Abigail quickly explained.
“Oh.” Eagle clearly sighed in relief.
Abigail mused to herself for a moment and eventually asked, “Do you know any hackers? Or do you have colleagues who are proficient in hacking?”
“Do you require their services?” Eagle asked.
“Yes,” Abigail replied.
“Then I would be able to help. My division does have some experts,” Eagle replied.
Abigail was delighted, “Really? Thanks!”
“That’s not necessary, ma’am. Just ask me anytime you need help,” Eagle said respectfully.
Abigail, however, did not enjoy ordering people around from a lofty position, or speaking as if she was above the rest.
Everyone was equal in her eyes.
Abigail told Eagle about the situation with New Sun Pharman then. “I don’t need details about their business. I want to acquire certain private data—photos, to be specific. I’m sure they won’t encrypt the photos since those aren’t a corporate secret, so finding them would be easy enough.”
“Understood,” Eagle replied. “Give me a day, and I’ll have my people get it for you.”
“Good,” Abigail replied.
They had returned to the hilltop mansion as they spoke, and Abigail alighted.
As soon as she stepped through the front door, Tommy came running to her and wrapped himself around her legs.
Looking up to her, he blinked his twinkling eyes as he greeted her. “Mama.”
His adorable voice left Abigail’s heart turning into mush, and she arched her back to scoop him up in her arms and gave him a peck on his cheeks. “Did you miss me?”
“Yeah,” Tommy said a little sadly.
Abigail carried him to the room of her second son, asking as she went, “Did you help Grandma take care of your baby brother?”
“Yeah,” Tommy pouted in complaint. “But he’s always crying. He’s a crybaby.”
Sheryl Harris heard him. “You were always crying when you’re a baby too.”
Tommy denied it. “No, I’m not. He is.”
Sheryl smiled helplessly. “Alright, he is.”
Abigail patted Tommy’s head. “My son is a grown man now.”
Tommy reared his chin proudly from the flattery.
Abigail put him down once they were inside the nursery, and she saw that the baby was sleeping soundly.
Tommy poked the baby’s cheek with one finger and said, “If only he’s a baby sister.”
Abigail looked at him, puzzled. “What’s wrong with a baby brother?”
“I want a sister,” Tommy said, tilting his head.
Abigail, however, found her second son special because he was a gift from the heavens to make up for the lost twin.
With him, Abigail felt like she had Tommy’s twin back.
“A baby brother is just as cute. You must protect him,” Abigail told Tommy mildly.
“I protect baby?” Tommy asked, feeling important just then.
“Of course,” Abigail replied assuringly. “Your younger brother is a baby, and he can’t speak or walk. You’re his big brother, so you have to protect him.”
Tommy smiled, baring his tiny white teeth.
…
The gang led by the lanky man with a scarred face became restless after seeing the news.
“They already caught someone. Doesn’t that mean we’re safe?”
“They’re so dumb! They caught the wrong people!”
“What’s wrong with them being dumb? It’s the reason we’re safe.”
“Does that mean we can go out?”
As the gang started to argue endlessly, the lanky man said, “The masked man who hired us told us to wait for his message. What if something happens to us if we left without his approval?”
“When did you become so cautious, boss? We’re safe, they got someone—and we’ve been here so long we’re losing our minds!”
“Yeah!” Someone agreed that they were safe and did not have to hide.
The lanky man thought about it. “We should be careful. Let’s just go out for a while and return soon.”
“Yeah!”
The whole gang was thrilled to hear that they could go out. “Let’s get to the nearest bar and let loose!”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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