Page 71 of Sizzling Nights

She felt her cheeks heat. "Thanks." She moved a paper. "Also, it doesn't make sense that an attorney with no business and a brokerage firm that I bet can't show you the names of five clients, have large amounts of money deposited on a regular basis into various banks."

Mitch nodded. "All good points. I think I can help in one aspect. The same algorithm I used to track this device, can possibly track money through the accounts associated with these codes."

"Oh, how can we set that up?"

Mitch pulled up his phone and tapped a couple of times. "Gabby, I want to track a few numbers. Theresa is going to send them to you. Please set them up in the algorithm and record the paths."

He hung up and looked at her. "Okay. Send Gabby the numbers, and the amounts associated as well as the names. We can get to the banks through the algorithm and it will trace everything that comes in and goes out. Typically, these accounts deposit and withdraw on the same day. Transactions that are deposited and withdrawn within 24 hours aren't traced. But the algorithm does trace them. All it knows is to follow the trail. Many times, banks can't do that for privacy reasons, and to add these algorithms to their systems is too expensive."

Theresa compiled the lists she had, complete with business names and owner’s names if she had them. She eagerly sent it off to Gabby, excited that she was making progress.

45

Marco pulled his phone from his pocket and tapped Theresa's photo.

She answered, "Hello, sexy chef."

He chuckled. "Hello, sexy writer."

She laughed, which made his heart happy. "I'm on my way home."

"Sounds good. Can't wait to see you."

"Same here, Baby."

Ending the call, he drove to the cabin, soft music playing from his stereo system and his thoughts on the beautiful woman he now shared his life with. Life sure had a way of throwing curve balls at a person.

As he turned off Lake Road onto Middle Inlet, his phone rang. Tapping the button on his steering wheel, he answered, "Karason."

"It's Mitch. I received a text in response to my text, which is really Theresa's text to the Celtics this morning. They want proof she has more information to release."

"To what end? They hunt her relentlessly to get it then kill her?"

"I don't know. I'm trying to get my head around how we prove she has more information and how to keep her safe."

Marco's jaw tightened. Those fuckers were not going to harm her. They didn't care about physical threats. They all believed they'd die for this cause eventually anyway. At least most of them did. What they cared about was the power. And the money.

He cleared his throat. "In your opinion, what is their power?"

"Power as in following through on the threats they've made?"

Marco shook his head. "No, as in power over people, or businesses. What is the power they covet so much?"

Mitch was silent for a moment and Marco turned onto Nowhere Road. Finally, Mitch responded, "They like telling people what to do and them doing it. Total power over people."

Marco nodded slowly. "And the money is second?"

"It depends on the person. For some, having a ton of money is more valuable than anything else."

"I suppose." He thought about this for some time. "Don't respond yet. I'm almost home and I'll talk with Theresa and see what she has to say about it all."

"Roger that."

He turned down Hidden Oasis Rd and saw the sleepy little cabin's silhouette against the moon's rays. A slight fog hovered over the water in the lake. It looked peaceful and eerie at the same time.

Turning the key in the lock he stepped into the living room and nearly ran into Theresa.

"Whoa, where are you going?"

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