False Witness (23 page)

“We’d appreciate it if you would,” Sister Agatha said.

Sister Agatha explained the connection between Leeann and Macho to Merilee. “From what Liz said, Macho has a thing for her, so let’s see what she can tell us about him.”

A few minutes later, a worried Leeann came into the room, then, seeing Sister Agatha, gave her a shaky smile. “Am I in trouble again?”

“Not with us. Just relax, Leeann,” Sister Agatha said.

“What’s going on?” she asked, looking at Merilee. “You’re not a cop … policewoman, are you?”

Merilee laughed, shaking her head.

“We’ve been having some problems with a hacker,” Sister Agatha said, giving Leeann a quick summary of what they’d learned from the media specialist. “Do you think Macho would do that to us?”

“Macho?” Leeann burst out laughing. “Oh, Sister, he still types with two fingers! He won’t even play computer games. Macho’s into cars. Whenever a student’s ride won’t start, Macho’s your go-to guy. He can get anyone back on the road. He’s great with a screwdriver, but he’s totally hopeless with a mouse.”

“I’m looking for someone who could hack into a corporate server,” Sister Agatha said. “Does anyone come to mind?”

Leeann grew quiet, considering the possibilities. “There are only a few kids who could pull off something like that.”

“Is there one in particular who has the ability
and
a grudge against Macho?”

“Macho makes a lot of enemies, Sister,” Leeann answered
slowly. “He likes to push people around—but the schoolboys get the worst of it.”

“You mean the nerds?” Sister Agatha asked.

“Yeah, ‘schoolboys.’ That’s what the tough guys around here call them. Macho has it in for them … maybe because they make him look stupid in class.”

Merilee pulled out a computer printout from her bag. “This is a list of local people who’ve e-mailed NexCen in the recent past. Do any of the names match the ‘schoolboys’ you mentioned?”

Leeann looked the list over. “Two names fit—Joey Weaver and Eva Stanley. Macho’s not too bad with Eva. She’s, well, unfortunate looking, and he doesn’t pay too much attention to her.”

“What about Joey Weaver?”

“Macho shoves Joey every chance he gets, or knocks books out of his arms, just stuff like that. He doesn’t hurt him, not really.”

“Are either of those kids capable of some serious hacking?” Merilee asked.

“Oh, yeah. They’re
really
into computers.”

“Thanks, Leeann,” Sister Agatha said.

As Leeann headed back to detention, Sister Agatha glanced at Merilee. “We’ve now got it narrowed down to two kids, so we’re making progress. But which one should we focus on first, Joey or Eva?”

“Research shows that more boys play computer games, but that’s hardly conclusive. Why don’t we make sure we’re around the media center tomorrow at noon and check things out?” Merilee suggested.

“As long as we’re here, let’s go talk to the kids’ teachers
first.” Sister Agatha approached Maria again. “I hate to bother you, but how about one more favor?”

“Shoot.”

“Are there any advanced computer classes offered in the curriculum here?”

She nodded. “Computer Graphics. They learn how to use advanced software and design Web sites.”

“Who teaches that class, and are Joey Weaver and Eva Stanley enrolled?”

“I’ll check,” she said, calling up the right screen. A moment later, she nodded. “They’re both in Mr. Lopez’s fourth-period class. Most of the teaching staff is probably gone by now, but I’d be willing to bet he’s still here. He’s always at the keyboard. You’ll find him in the last room down this hall to your left.”

“Thanks!”

“Those kids aren’t in any serious trouble, are they?” Maria asked.

“I’m not sure yet,” Sister Agatha answered honestly.

They walked to the classroom Maria had indicated, then knocked on the open door. A man in his early thirties looked up from his computer terminal and smiled. “Can I help you?”

Sister Agatha made the introductions. “We’re looking into the work of a hacker. Does the name ‘Wilder’ mean anything to you?”

“Wilder?
Sure. It’s a very popular role-playing game. What about it?”

“Do any of your students have a particular interest in the game? Maybe even an obsession?” Sister Agatha pressed.

“Only one name comes to mind,” he said without hesitation. “Liz Leland. She’s competing for the scholarship NexCen’s offering in conjunction with Los Angeles Animation
Studios, and the software company that produces the game. She’s altered the Wilder character and turned him from a pig into a woman superhero. Her version is really creative. She’s already got a script for her game and has been working on the animation.”

“A game designer in the making,” Merilee said thoughtfully.

Shocked, Sister Agatha said nothing. Had Liz been playing her all along?

“Do you happen to know Liz, Sister? She used to go to St. Charles,” Mr. Lopez said.

“Yes, I do. What about Eva Stanley? Is she interested in that game, too?”

“I don’t think so. She has plans to go into computer engineering. Says that games are for kids and those just interested in programming will be working for
her
someday.” He chuckled.

Sister Agatha filled Mr. Lopez in on what she knew. “Have you seen anything that might indicate Liz was doing something illegal?”

“Sister, that kid’s really turned her life around. No way I’ll believe she hacked into the monastery’s computers. She wouldn’t jeopardize any shot she might have at that scholarship, and I don’t think she has the hacking skills. Her creativity goes in a whole different direction.”

“What about Joey Weaver? Is he a Wilder fan, too?” Sister Agatha asked.

“More of a Liz Leland fan, from what I’ve seen around school. Joey would do anything for Liz and has helped her quite a bit on her project. They hang together after school, too, I gather. Joey’s skilled with computers, but a little strange—in a good way. Unfortunately, he’s not really motivated, not like Liz. But there’s no way I’m going to believe Liz is doing anything to bite the hand of the companies she hopes will pay her
way into college. She’s much too smart for that. That would blow her career before it got started,” Lopez said flatly.

After thanking him, Merilee and Sister Agatha left for the parking area. “At least we know we’re on the right track,” Merilee said.

“But there’s more to this than we’re seeing. I can feel it in my bones,” Sister Agatha said slowly. “Let’s go talk to Liz.”

A
FTER A QUICK DRIVE ACROSS TOWN, THEY ARRIVED
at the Leland home. Sister Agatha knocked on the door and Mrs. Leland answered.

“Now what, Sister Agatha?” Margot asked wearily. “Just when things were starting to look up a bit, here you are again.”

After introducing Merilee, Sister Agatha added, “We’d hoped to catch Liz at home. Is she here? We’d like to talk to her for a few minutes.”

“She’s in her room with a friend. Is this about the scholarship she’s been working on?” Her voice finally sounded upbeat, and she looked at Merilee with a hesitant smile.

“I’m not on that particular NexCen committee, Mrs. Leland,” Merilee replied. “But this
is
computer related.”

Margot looked worried as she called out to her daughter. “Liz, someone wants to talk to you. Get out here. Now!” she added sharply.

Hearing her tone, Sister Agatha cringed. She’d hoped to ease into the matter quietly and privately with Liz.

Almost immediately, a door opened and Liz came down a short hall into the living room. “Mo-o-o-om, I’m trying to work. What?”

“Sister Agatha is back, and she has someone with her,” Margot said in a tense voice. “You haven’t done anything illegal with that computer of yours, have you?”

Sister Agatha’s heart went out to her. “Mrs. Leland, really, there may not be a problem at all. I’m not accusing anyone. I just need to have a few words with your daughter.”

Sister Agatha caught a glimpse of a boy peering out from a doorway farther down the hall.
Could that be Joey?
He looked vaguely familiar, but before she could get a good look at him, he ducked back in.

“Then let’s sort this out,” Mrs. Leland said, and glancing at Pax, added, “Bring your dog in, too, if you want, Sister.”

Following Margot’s lead, they stepped into the living room.

“Do you know why we’re here, Liz?” Sister Agatha asked gently, taking a seat on the sofa beside Merilee. “Mrs. Brown is from NexCen.”

Liz beamed them a hopeful smile. “Is NexCen interested in my version of Wilder? That would be so terrific! But I’m surprised that you’d actually come over to talk to me about it. When I had some problems with NexCen a few weeks ago, nobody would even answer my e-mails!”

Sister Agatha stared at her for a moment. What she was seeing in Liz’s eyes was hope, not fear. Maybe she’d made a mistake. “Let’s take this one step at a time. What problem did you have with NexCen?”

“I bought a graphics card from them with money I made
from my after-school job. I really needed it to power the version of Wilder I was using as a reference to generate my own spin on the game. But the card started crashing on me. I tried
everything
to make it work right. Then I found out that I’d need an upgrade in order to continue running the game. I wrote a letter to NexCen and asked them to make good on their offer to give customers an upgraded version or their money back. At first I didn’t hear anything, then I got an e-mail saying I was ineligible because I didn’t have my receipt. The thing is I
really
needed that new card. It was the only way I could stay in the scholarship competition. But there was no way I could earn enough money to buy another in time to finish my program.”

A slender boy with hair styled in tiny spikes that stuck out vertically peered into the living room. Mrs. Leland gave him a bored look. “Joey, Liz is busy. Maybe you can come back tomorrow?”

“Mom!” Liz looked at her mother and then gave Joey a thin smile.

“Tell them the rest, Liz. If she’s from NexCen, maybe she’ll fix it.”

Sister Agatha looked at the boy and suddenly remembered where she’d seen him before. Joey was the boy Macho had been intimidating the day she’d talked to him and Liz at Burger Biggins. A picture was starting to come together in her mind.

“Joey, why don’t you join us? You can tell us the rest of the story yourself.” Sister Agatha said.

“Yeah, well, okay,” he said.

He was like compressed energy, too wound up to stay still for even a second. Joey moved around even when he stood in
place, and Pax watched him carefully. “Strange, but in a good way,” Sister Agatha recalled Mr. Lopez saying when he’d described Joey.

“Look, Liz has talent, but she needed the attention of the right people,” Joey said. “She wanted to enter her game in the contest for that NexCen scholarship, but without the proper hardware, she had no chance—I mean zero.”

He looked at Merilee, then continued. “Liz had done everything right. She worked hard, saved her money, and bought the game and the NexCen video card the Wilder people recommended. But then it turned out the crummy card wasn’t good enough. NexCen refused to replace the card because Liz had lost her receipt. The Wilder people refused to help her, too. They told Liz that the game wasn’t defective, so they could only refund her money if the game hadn’t been taken out of the package. It was a con. I mean, come on. Who finds out a game won’t work right
before
they try to use it?”

“You expect life to be fair, Joey?” Mrs. Leland said with a groan. “Ask me about that sometime.”

“Neither one of us could afford a lawyer, so all we could do was find a way to make noise until we got the right people’s attention,” he answered. “We didn’t start this, but I made up my mind not to quit until I got justice.”

The girl’s eyes widened. “Oh, God! What did you do, Joey?”

Mrs. Leland glowered at him. “Joey, if you got Liz in trouble, I’m going to … I don’t know, but it’s going to involve your parents and the police, that’s for sure.”

Margot looked over at Sister Agatha. “They pulled some stunt with those computers, didn’t they?” Without waiting for an answer, she glared at Liz. “You can kiss your keyboard
good-bye, lady. I’m taking it all out of your room
permanently
. From now on your computer will be in the den where I can keep an eye on you. And I’m keeping that modem locked up. No Internet.”

“No, Mom! You can’t!” Liz cried out. “I’ll lose the chance to get my scholarship. You didn’t already blow it for me, Joey, did you?” She turned to look at him, tears welling in her eyes.

“No, no. They can’t blame
you
for a thing.” Joey looked directly at Merilee. “Her version of Wilder is nothing short of amazing. Liz is a
genius
. She turned the pig into this really cool babe that gets even for people who can’t get justice for themselves.”

“Is that what you did for Liz? Got even with NexCen?” Sister Agatha pressed him.

His eyes narrowed as he turned to look at her. “What does a nun have to do with NexCen? I mean I can guess why
she’s
here,” he said glancing at Merilee, “but you?”

“The computers that were hacked into are at the monastery. We process and fill NexCen’s Internet and mail orders. Nuns are at the keyboards there. We work for a living, too.”

“Oh, crap.” His face grew pale. “NexCen outsourced its order department to the Vatican’s minions?” he asked, his voice going shrill. “I’m going to hell now for sure.”

Sister Agatha struggled to keep a straight face. “You’re the ones who hacked into our system and left those messages signed ‘Wilder,’ right?” Sister Agatha pressed.

Before Joey could reply, Mrs Leland cursed, and then hastily apologized to Sister Agatha and Merilee. Without drawing a breath, she glared at her daughter. “Look at Joey very carefully now, Liz, so you’ll remember who to avoid at
school. You’re not to talk or see Joey ever again. I’ll speak to your teachers and maybe you can get transferred to another class. And don’t think I’m changing my mind about
your
computer use at home.”