How to Hack a Heart

Chapter Eighteen

 “What did you do after you ran out of the bathroom, screaming last night, Yolanda?” Nico asks with a giant smile, as he takes a bite of his pancakes.

I chuck a piece of toast at him. “I really hate you for that.”

As his smile broadens, he holds up the piece of toast I just threw at him. “I can see by this actual display of emotion. Huh. You might just be human after all.”

“Sorry, involuntary body movement. I’m still an android at heart.” I grit my teeth.

We fall into an uncomfortable quiet, and for once in my life, after a few minutes, I break it. “I started looking up the suspects again on the list. We have that one dude with a ridiculous amount of unnecessary names crossed off, but we really need to narrow it down. Even though Jack Bennett is the logical top contender because of his job and connection with mob peeps, I don’t think he’s behind this.”

“Why?” His eyebrows furrow together. “Doesn’t he work with mob type people or whatever?”

“Call it a gut feeling, but I just don’t think he’s capable of it. So last night, I combed over everything there is about him. I checked his financial records, emails, texts, everything. I even sent him this email of dancing elephants that had a virus attached with it, so I could hack into his desktop. There was absolutely nothing on there. I couldn’t find a shred of evidence that connects him to anything.” I tap my fingers on my plate.

Nico frowns. “That doesn’t sound good.”

I shake my head. “I mean, he could be an evil mastermind petting a white Persian cat weirdly when I’m not looking, but I just can’t see it. I don’t think he’s smart enough. The man actually wrote a short story about his love for elephants. I just can’t see him being the kind to create such a complex plan to off your father.”

“So, basically, you’re saying we can cross him off the list?” Hope ignites in his stormy eyes.

Taking a minute to stop noshing on my yummy food, I look up at him on his perch on the bed. We decided it would be a good idea to avoid any more disastrous meals together with the psycho people. This led me to grab my toast and fruit and scamper away as if I was a caveman. Donnie had a good laugh at it. What’s strange is that I feel so relieved in here with Nico. I actually volunteered information for once in my life without having teeth pulled. I…I don’t like this. I don’t like not being in control anymore.

After a minute, Nico raises an eyebrow at me. “Um, did you die on me there, Yolanda? Lose the little brain function you still have? Or better yet, do you like what you see?”

After a proper rolling of the eyes, I chuck my last piece of toast at him. “Sorry, I was distracted by your eyebrows. You need to wax those beasts. Anyway, I’m saying that we need to cross him off the list. A man that obsessed with elephants can’t possibly be an evil mastermind. A person that obsessed with llamas on the other hand…” I trail off and throw in a really corny wink like a used car salesman—wait, it might have even be cheesier. I call that skill.

Instantly, his hand goes to his eyebrows. After a few minutes, he chucks the last piece of toast I threw at him back at me. “My eyebrows are beautiful, so shush, child. What did I ever do to deserve you in my life?”

“Obviously, you did a saint-like thing to deserve an angel like me.” I form a halo over my hand with my hands.

He rolls his eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure that’s it.”

I twist my hair up into a loose bun. “Have you bonded with anyone yet?”

“Yes, Yolanda, I became instant besties with Clarice. She’s a wonderful gal in between stating the major obvious, interrupting me when the time so does not call for it, and staring at me so intense I feel violated. We’re like this.” He twists his fingers together.

I shrug. “For all I know, you could have gained another stalker when I wasn’t looking. You never know. Your eyebrows are so desirable.”

His eyes narrow. “I can always inform Ben that your real name is Yolanda, and he needs to share it with the world of hacking people. I’m sure you’ll never share your real name with them to prove my point wrong. Doesn’t everything on the Internet stay there forever?”

“You wouldn’t.” My eyes widen.