When The Rules Are Broken ✔️

Chapter Fifteen

"Are you telling me that Bane is haunting me?" James demanded, shell-shocked. They were all congregated at his place. 

"Communication with the supernatural isn't exactly my talent," Archie responded wryly.

James expelled a frustrated sigh at the man who looked least like his namesake, given his blue hair and the beefy build. He had come highly recommended by his equally capable predecessor.

"It does sound ridiculous," Nate said. "Bane died like ten years ago." 

Not pacified by the news, James shouted, "Then how do you explain Derek Bane's involvement in this if he is dead? It doesn't make sense. I need solid answers, Hoyle. I'm not paying you for some fucked-up explanation, but bona fide evidence." His eyes flashed like cold chips of ice.

"Derek's laptop was used to hack into WEC's system and then access your computer to authorize the securities' sales. This is a fact. I tracked down the IP address to the original owner, and that's WEC." Archie summarized his findings, extending a file towards his agitated boss. "Bane used this laptop throughout his employment. You will find a complete report here."

"Okay, someone broke into my company's system, which has the best security and the firewalls, using an old scrap of metal." James shoved the report aside. "God knows what else this person retrieved and I can bet you he is detective Connor's little bitch."

"I also believe this isn't the first time. I just haven't been able to get the digital trace of other activities." Archie avoided his eyes at the reminder of his failure as the head of IT security.

"Regardless, this dude is damn good despite the slip-up," Nate spoke, scratching his unshaven chin. "Sadly, this implies the insider trading was done by you or on your orders, and the hacking is an attempt to throw the cops off your trail."

The hair behind James' neck rose at the dire words. They felt like a death sentence, suffocating the oxygen out of his lungs until his vision swam. He took a deep breath to centre himself.

"Cops are involved?" Archie did a double-take, realizing he was on a need-to-know basis.

"The only silver lining is that the laptop was reported stolen to the police when my grandfather fired Derek fifteen years ago for his unethical behaviour." James had thought hard about the disgraced former employee in the last few days. He only had a vague memory of him.

"Yes, it's the grounds for maintaining your innocence. You were a teenager then and unattached to the company," Nate agreed.

"Did the police talk to Bane about the laptop?"

"Yes, according to the records, he maintained it was lost when he moved to Boston," Nate replied.

"And it was never recovered," James muttered.

"Never. So, let's focus on the plus point. No one knows about this, and it buys us more time. I'm convinced the police source is the hacker, or somehow in league with the latter."

"I figured that much," he snapped, closing his eyes as the pounding in the back of his head intensified. "But what's the motive?"

Archie glanced at the lawyer, looking excited at the prospect of finding himself in something this explosive.

"I don't know the motive," Nate said. "But did you notify your family? They need to be aware and ready. Whoever this person is, he or she is using Connor against you."

"My sister will be here any minute and Liam too. And I have left a message with Amelia," James told him. He felt like the biggest asshole for involving her in this mess. He should have kept his hands off her until this debacle had been resolved. But, alas, lust had blinded him.