Too Many Cooks

Chapter 6

Hoyte examined his computer, monitoring program and frowned at the signs of an outside assault on his files. He went into the firewall database and saw that the hacker was interested in the Trasker file and had actually breached part of it. Not good. He dialed a number and drummed his fingers on the table as he waited for an answer.

"Hughes?"

"Graeme-Hughes."

"Yeah, okay. Listen, I've been checking my system and we've had a hacker who found his way into the Trasker file."

"What could he see?"

"The memo we sent through to management."

"Shit!"

"He might not know that it's fake. They didn't."

"He wouldn't be prowling around in there if they weren't suspicious."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Save onto discs and erase the lot from your system. You can do a clean purge, right?"

"I'll get right on it. Maybe I can back track our nosy parker and do a little hacking of my own."

"Let me know how it goes." Wilfred hung up and sat staring at the phone.

"What's up?" Jeantrine came and sat on the arm of the chair and put her arm around his shoulder. He explained Hoyte's call and expressed a little concern over the possibility of a counter attack by JGD&S.

"I have to get down to work," she said. "Don't worry we've got all the ducks aligned.

"I don't think I'll come down tonight, love. Mind?"

"Not at all. Maybe Terry can sit in instead."

"I'll tell him. He'll be down."

*****

Elora pulled into the hotel parking and let the valet take her car away. Inside she asked if a reservation was necessary for dinner and then asked for the room number for Terrance Aldridge.

"I'm sorry, madam, we don't have a Mr. Aldridge listed as a guest here."

Elora asked about Graeme-Hughes and hit pay dirt. She used the guest phone to call up and Terrance answered.

"Who?"

"Elora George from JGD&S. We were introduced at yesterday's meeting. I'd like tae ask ye tae join me for dinner at yure hotel here."

"Uh- I uh- why...?"

"Well we were gi'n two weeks to do research. I'd like tae start now."

"Uhmm... hang on a sec." Terry called Wilfred and told him what was happening.

"What do you think?"

"They have a right to check on us. Odd that it would be her and not one of the lawyers though. Go ahead, maybe you can learn something, old son. I told Jeantrine you would take in her set tonight anyway. She'll be right there if you think there's any trouble. Just stick to exactly what you talked about at the meeting. Don't volunteer anything else. I have some things to do."

Terry went back to the phone. "Sorry uh- uh, yeah okay. Dinner sounds good. When?"

"I'm downstairs now. We could have a drink, talk a little and then have a nice dinner."

"Now. Uhmm, I'll need about thirty minutes. I'll meet you in the lounge."

Fred answered with his usual cocky demeanor and assured Terry that all his concerns were covered and everything would work exactly as he told him. All he had to do was follow the instructions he given him and Bob would be his uncle.