Zero Day_ A Novel - Mark Russinovich [124]
Dufour had rapidly typed and sent a message. It became apparent that the woman knew little about what her husband had been doing. He told Labib as much.
“Assure her we are on her side.”
Dufour wrote that they themselves had been in danger. They deeply regretted her loss. Was there anything they could do for her? How did she get his e-mail address? Her reply was electric:
Date:
Tues, 5 September 08:25 —0700
To:
Xhugo49 From: IvanaK434 Subject: help The people who killed my husband are after me. I have the external drive of his work and they want it. I found your email on it along with a lot of other information I don’t understand. I want to warn you. “Read this,” Dufour said without bothering to forward the message to Labib, who came and read it over his shoulder. “What do you think she has?” Labib asked, his voice rising a bit in excitement. “That crazy Russian might have backed up everything on an external drive. It could be all the work he did for us, every rootkit we’re using, even some of the viruses.” Labib didn’t have to stop and think. “Try and get her to come to Paris with the drive. Or at least tell us where she is.” Dufour and Ivana exchange several more e-mails. She refused to say where she was and seemed hesitant about coming to Paris. By that time Fajer had arrived and Labib showed him the messages. He grunted. “Looks as if the Chechen did the job. I wonder if he’s still after her.” “Haven’t you talked to him?” “No. No one’s answering the cell phone he got in Moscow. I don’t know what to make of it. If you can get her here with the drive, though, that threat will be finished. The Chechen won’t matter. We’ll see to her. Dufour?” “I’ve told her she is in great danger, that it is essential we see the information she has, that we can protect her.” He looked up for approval. “I also told her that her husband was a great man and we were honored to work with him. I suggested we meet in a park or somewhere neutral, but she refuses. She says if she comes, she’ll come right here, so I’ve given the name of the company and our address. It was the only way. She’s just a woman. There will be no problem.” Fajer agreed. “Any reply?” The computer pinged. The three men gathered before the monitor and read: Date: Tues, 5 September 09:08 —0700 To: Xhugo49 From: IvanaK434 Subject: help I’m afraid and confused. I am taking the train and will be in Paris sometime tonight. I will come straight to your address. Please help me. Fajer straightened up and smiled. “Excellent. We’ll have a reception waiting for her.” 65 MILAN, ITALY TICINESE-NAVIGLI DISTRICT VIA CHIESA ROSSA TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 6:52 P.M. “She isn’t here? But her mother told us she was staying with you,” Daryl said. “She was here until lunch. But she’s gone now.” “What happened?” Jeff asked. “Did she think she was in danger?” “No, not that.” Annie shook her head. “She used my computer to access the external drive. Apparently Vlad even ran his e-mail from there. She contacted one of his Internet friends and told him her husband was dead.” “Which friend?” Jeff asked, trying to recall all the cyber handles he’d seen. My God, he thought, just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse. He and Daryl exchanged a worried glance. “I’m not even certain she told me the friend’s name,” Annie said. “I know I didn’t think it was my place to ask.” “What did she learn?” Daryl asked, ignoring Annie’s attitude. “She was told that Vlad had been working for a company in Paris, possibly run by Arabs. That it must have been them who had her husband killed.” “Did she give you any names, or an address?” Daryl asked. “No.” Annie’s expression remained unyielding. “What’s Ivana up to?” Jeff asked, raking his hand through his hair, desperate to find a way