CONGRATULATIONS phyl7375! (part 2)
?-?
Tara shook her head to focus. "So," she started. "Stanley asked me to research the IP of one of the chat room users that seems to be the boss of the operation."
"And?" Bobby asked, on the edge of his seat in anticipation.
"And many of the times the IP was a coffee shop, a bookstore, the library, or some such place. Places where we would have no idea how to trace them."
"I'm hoping you have a positive edge to your story." Jack said, unsure of her point.
"Yes." She smiled. "Once, and only once, was he sloppy, and posted at a residence. I have an address."
"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
?-?
Jack, Bobby, Josh and Mya pulled up at the residence of Tom and Clara Goodman. Mya looked around. "Doesn't look like a bombers house, does it?"
Josh shook his head. "No, but you never know."
They got out of the car, walked up to the front door, and rang the doorbell.
"Yes?" A man asked, coming to the door a minute later.
"Tom Goodman?" Jack asked. The man nodded. "FBI. We have a warrant to search your computer." He replied, holding up his badge.
"My computer?" Tom asked, confused.
"We have reason to believe that someone in this household accessed something that they shouldn't've." Josh elusively stated. Tom looked at him like he was speaking Japanese.
"Who is it, honey?" a woman, presumably Clara came to the door.
"These people want to look at our computers." Tom replied.
"Please, read the warrant." Bobby said, holding out the sheet of paper.
"What is this about?" Clara asked after reading the sheet.
"We're sorry, but we can't tell you right now. Do you mind letting us in?" Jack asked.
"Of course," she replied as she and her husband moved away from the door to let the 4 agents inside.
"How many laptops do you have? Do you have any desktops?" Mya asked.
"Well, I have one, my husband has one, and our daughter, Jackie, has one. We got rid of our family desktop a few years ago." Clara replied.
"Are they all here?" Josh asked.
"Ours are, but Jackie is at school right now. She only has a morning class on Tuesdays, so she should be home soon." Clara answered.
"May I start on yours, then?" Mya asked.
Clara nodded. "Sure. It's in the kitchen." She led her to the kitchen. Mya walked over to it, and pressed some buttons on it, then brought out her laptop from her bag.
"So? Is it a match?" Jack asked after a few minutes.
Mya shook her head. "Nope, the stamp is different."
"Here, try mine." Tom said, handing her his computer. She tried his.
"No match."
"It has to be their daughter, Jackie, then." Bobby reasoned.
"How could she be involved with the FBI? She's such a good girl." Clara asked, worried.
"We will soon find out." Jack replied.
?-?
Myles tried again. Still no answer. "Come on Cathi." He muttered to his phone.
"Stop beating yourself up for whatever you did." Sue said, walking up to him after she saw him frustratedly staring at his phone.
"For your information, I didn't do anything." He replied.
"Then why are you trying to make up?"
He opened his mouth, but first thought about what she said. "You're right. She can deal with it on her own. I don't need her."
"Don't take that attitude!" Sue exclaimed, not wanting him to give up altogether. She liked who he was when he and Cathi were together. Well, most of the time. When he wasn't with her, he reverted to his old ways.
"Then what do you suppose I should do?" he asked.
She looked up to think. "How long have you not spoken?"
He sighed. "The day she left for her Dad's."
"And what was the reason?"
"Because she said she needed some alone time."
"And did you comply with her wish?"
"No. I didn't think that she should deal with it alone."
"And you call her every day."
"Every day, multiple times a day."
"You need to show her that you believe that her opinions are right. If she needs time to think about whatever happened, let her. Don't call her for a few days. She might surprise you."
Myles looked sadly up at her. "But what if I lose her?"
Sue shrugged. "If it was meant to be, it will be. God has everything planned. Let Him decide that."
Myles looked away. "You and God's plan." He muttered.
"Excuse me?" she asked, not quite seeing what he said.
He looked at her. "Nothing. Thanks anyway."
Sue smiled, walking back to her desk. She quickly sent a prayer that everything would be alright between the two.
?-?
The team waited for almost an hour when Jackie finally pulled in the driveway. "Great, she brought her friends." Carla muttered, looking through the window.
About a minute later, a laughing group of 3 college-age girls walked through the front door. Mya looked at the group. "Maddy?"