The Witness

considerable amount in the first year or two after I went into hiding. Some from the boy I told you about, some on my own. I wanted to learn everything I could about Cosgrove and Keegan, about Lynda Peski, too. She’d called in sick that day. Was that true? Was she another Volkov mole? Her medical records showed she’d been treated for food poisoning, so—”
    “You accessed her medical records?”
    “I’ve broken many laws. You said sometimes it’s necessary to break the law.”
    He rubbed his forehead. “Yeah, I did. Let’s put that on the shelf. You were, what, about nineteen or twenty, and capable of hacking into the files of government agencies?”
    “I would have been a very good cyber investigator.”
    “Law enforcement’s loss.”
    “I believed, and still believe, Lynda Peski wasn’t part of it. I can’t be sure, even now, but there’s nothing to indicate she was anything but a marshal in good standing—retired now, married with two children. I suspect Cosgrove put something in her food to make her ill that day. But I can’t prove it, and I didn’t feel safe contacting her. I believed, and still believe, Detectives Griffith and Riley are good, honest police officers. But I hesitated, as they’re Chicago police, not federal, and federal often takes over from the local police. Added to that, I worried I’d put their lives in danger. It seemed more productive, safer, to research and study. At the same time, I needed money. I had fifteen thousand when I ran, but there are expenses in flight, in generating documents, in transportation and clothing and so on. As my primary skill was in computers, I worked on programming. I developed some software, sold it. It was lucrative.”
    “Is that so?”
    “Yes, and I developed a computer game, actually three connecting games. It was more lucrative.”
    “What game?”
    “It’s called Street Wars. My research indicated most game players are male and enjoy battle- or war-type games. I—”
    “I’ve played that game.” Eyes narrowed, he pointed at her. “Russ and I used to have marathon tournaments whenever I came home from Little Rock. It’s bloody and brutal. And really cool.”
    “My target demographic enjoys brutal and bloody in their gaming. Having three was also key. If the first gains popularity, the target audience will want, and pay, for a follow-up. I was able to sell the three-part package outright for a considerable amount. It seemed less complicated, under my circumstances, than a royalty-based contract.”
    “You rich?”
    “Yes. I have a great deal of money, which I add to with my current security business.”
    He smiled at her. “I like having a rich girlfriend.”
    “I’ve never been anyone’s girlfriend.”
    “Well, I’m sewing you into that. Because you’re rich.”
    He made her smile. “You said you loved me before you knew I was rich. It’s less complicated and stressful to relocate, to arrange private transportation, if necessary, to equip and secure a new location, if there’s money. I didn’t want to steal it.”
    “And you could have?”
    “Oh, yes, of course. I accessed Cosgrove’s and Keegan’s bank accounts, found what I believe are payments from the Volkovs. I could have siphoned funds from them. Even from the Volkovs themselves.”
    “Wait.” Now he held up a hand, circled around. “You’ve hacked into the Volkovs’ network?”
    “Yes. I’ll explain. I secured the money I made in several different accounts, under various identifications. I felt safer, less afraid with money, and with the information I’d gathered. I wanted more time. I’d started to study a particular FBI agent. I wanted to follow her, review her files, reports, her evaluations for at least a year before contact. I’d moved to New York. I felt safe there. So many people, all so busy. Too busy to pay attention to me. And by that time I could work almost entirely out of my brownstone.”
    She thought back on it, a bit wistfully. “I had a very nice house in SoHo. It was there I considered getting a dog. For security, and companionship. I’d started my security business, and at that time dealt face-to-face with clients. I would go to them, evaluate their system, their needs.”
    “When was this?”
    “I located in New York six years ago. I was twenty-three, but my identification claimed I was twenty-six. Older is better in these cases. Istarted fairly small, designing and installing security systems for homes and small