Carly’s pretty features crinkled in confusion. “Who? What person are you talking about?”
“Brace yourself,” I warned her. As somewhat of a goody-two-shoes, I knew Carly wouldn’t believe me. But at least I had the video to prove it.
Carly slapped me against the arm. “Well? Spit it out!”
Damn, she was so sexy when she was agitated.
I waited for dramatic effect until she was practically squirming with impatience for me to spill the beans. “It’s Mayor Bradley.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Carly exclaimed, immediately shaking her head, her strawberry hair whipping about. “I don’t believe it.”
I knew she was going to say that.
Carly scowled angrily. “Is this another one of your stupid little pranks?”
“I swear it’s not,” I said seriously. “I know I joke around a lot, but I’m dead serious about this. Do you honestly think I’d show up after all this time and make this up?”
“I wouldn’t put it passed you.” Carly was obviously unconvinced. “I know you call yourself a hacker, but do you honestly expect me to believe that you hacked into the SFPD servers and downloaded a video of Mayor Bradley committing a murder?”
I grinned. Carly had no idea. “They don’t call me Razor for nothin’. You can’t even begin to imagine the things that I can do with my hands.”
Carly’s face went red at my double entendre and my grin grew wider.
“Oh come on, Carly. Get your head out of the gutter why don’t you? I meant on a keyboard, of course,” I amended. “And I have the evidence in my pocket.”
Carly froze. “Really?”
I nodded over at the small desk in the corner where her laptop lay. “I can load it for you.”
“Show me,” Carly commanded breathlessly.
My cell buzzed in my pocket. Someone had sent a text.
“Hold on a second,” I told Carly, digging out my phone.
I quickly scanned the text.
Razor wru?
I wasn’t sure exactly who it was, but it didn’t matter. I knew it had to be someone from Anonymous. I quickly tapped out a response.
Nowhere.
What do u mean nowhere? You know we want that video.
I know. Give me a little time, damn. You’ll get it.
We have given you over 48 hours . . .
I need a little more time. The police are on my ass you know.
That’s bullshit and you know it. You’re not an amateur. Don’t make us do something we both might regret.
I stuffed the phone back into my pocket.
Carly stared at me suspiciously. “Who was that?”
I ignored her and nodded at her laptop. “Do you want to see this video or not?”
A moment later I was sitting at the desk and inserting my flash drive into her laptop. I brought up the drive and clicked the video file.
“Oh my God,” Carly whispered in horror as the video popped up on the screen and began playing.
In the video, a darkened alley could be seen. After a moment, a man and woman came into view. They appeared to be arguing bitterly, with the woman gesturing wildly in the man’s face.
Suddenly, the man seemed to have enough of her bitching and began violently choking her. The woman fought valiantly, even appearing to grab something and slamming the man in the face with it. It allowed her to break free from him briefly and she stumbled off. He quickly recovered, though, and caught up with her. While struggling to contain his victim, he managed to produce something from his pocket and slid it across her neck. She clutched at her neck in horror as blood poured from her wound.
The man brutally shoved the woman to the ground and delivered a solid kick to her ribs. After a moment, she grew still and he bent down, placing a hand on her neck. Satisfied, he got up and began walking off, but not before the camera caught a good glimpse of his face.
Carly had her hand over her mouth, her expression horrified. “That is Mayor Bradley,” she whispered. “I can’t believe it.”
“I can. He’s a slimeball and is as corrupt as they come.” I took the flash drive out and stuffed it back in my pocket, turning to face Carly. “And that, my dear sis, is why I have tracked you down. I need you to help me expose him for the dirt bag he truly is.”
Carly was silent for nearly a minute, appearing lost in thought. “We need to take this to the police,” she decided finally. “Tell them that you made a mistake hacking into their servers and stumbled upon the video by accident.”
“Haven’t you been listening?” I demanded. “They’re the ones covering for him. If I do that, I’m liable to be locked up and never to be heard from again. Meanwhile, the video will just disappear.” I shook my head. “No, what we need to do is get the evidence out to independent sources, that way there’s no way they’ll be able to stop it once the video starts circulating all over the internet.”
“I can’t believe this is happening,” Carly muttered.
“Believe it,” I said firmly. “This is no time for hysterics, Carly. The sooner you get over your shock, the better.” I pointed at her laptop. “How much traffic do you get to that news blog of yours?”