Page 84 of Fear of Flames
“Thirty seconds,” said Greta.
Chapter
Forty
Days passed as Michelle and Fletch searched the excessive quantity of files from the hard drive. They spent hours in the complex computer lab only to come home, eat dinner, and resume work in Fletch’s office.
Late one evening, Michelle asked Fletch for his help. “Multiple paths take me to this zip file. It’s encrypted and I’ve been trying for over a day to open it.”
“You think it’s important?” he asked, scooting his desk chair next to Michelle and peering at her screens.
“I hope so. I don’t want to leave any stone unturned.”
“Have you tried the decrypt program?”
She nodded. “I used the decryption program one you showed me. It’s run a million different number combinations.”
“What if the encryption phrase isn’t numbers?”
Michelle sighed, twisting her long hair and restraining it on top of her head in a messy bun. “The rest have been only numbers. Is there a program for combinations of letters, numbers, and symbols?”
“Let me show you.”
Michelle scooted her chair to the side as Fletch took over her keyboard. With her elbow on the long desk supporting her head, she closed her eyes. Olivia said this was exciting when a discovery was found. Michelle would describe the last few days as tedious. She opened her eyes and watched as Fletch’s long fingers flew over the keyboard. With his hair untethered, it hung near his chin. He’d shaved recently, and his chiseled jaw was set with determination. His focus was on the ever-changing screen.
“There,” he said. “There’re billions of combinations. I’d say let the program run and we’ll check it in the morning.”
“All right,” she said with a yawn. “I’m glad Dad was a good guy. All this information he had could make him look like he was part of the network.”
Fletch stared at Michelle. “I’ve known your dad since I started with the agency. He was a good guy, Chell. Don’t doubt that.”
“I’m not.” She shook her head. “I’m just tired. You know when they accused me of setting the fire that killed Mom, there were times I questioned my own innocence. I wasn’t guilty. I knew that. But when you look at something from another point of view…” She shrugged. “Dad was obviously obsessed with these abductions. I compared one of his lists with the data from NCRB. Dad had information on children they didn’t have.”
“Those databases usually lag twelve to eighteen months behind.”
“He had a small notice about a family reported missing from a homeless camp in Detroit. Mother and three children reported missing. No follow-up. Nothing.”
Fletch covered her hand with his. “This isn’t easy work. It can be emotional. I think my empathy was never strong. I see cases. I try not to see people.”
Michelle thought about that. “I don’t want to do that. I think seeing the people will ingrain the importance of what we’re doing. Do you think Dad felt empathy?”
“He was a police officer and an agent in the agency. Denny saw unimaginable things.” Fletch sighed. “Fuck, I keep forgetting to tell you something.”
She sat up in her chair. “What?”
“You mentioned you had a sister.”
Michelle nodded. “Before I was born.”
“Chell, that’s not true. She went missing when you were two years old.”
Michelle’s eyebrows knitted together. “No. I never knew her.” Her mind scrambled. “Mom said Sarah was my imaginary friend.”
“Leo ran a search using the agency’s resources. Sarah Holdcraft was born four years before you were born. She disappeared when she was six years old.”
“Disappeared. I thought she died.”
Fletch pressed his strong lips together. “Did your parents say she died?”
