Chapter 6

Sheriff Conly took Lyric to his office. Waiting for them was Assistant District Attorney Janice Conly. At that point, the young hacker knew she was in real trouble and wanted to curl up in a corner and cry.

“Lyric, I wanted to talk to you before this gets too far. If we charge you, then we have to go through a process that, in my opinion, will land you in jail until you’re at least eighteen,” Ms. Conly said.

“I don’t want that,” Lyric said.

“Did they read you your rights?”

Lyric nodded.

“Do you want an attorney?” Ms. Conly asked.

“I can’t afford one.”

“I can call someone who is very good and will represent you pro bono, which means for free. Would you like me to do that for you?” Ms. Conly asked.

“Do I need one?” Lyric asked.

“I do suggest you get a lawyer. Too much is at stake not to get the best possible representation,” Sheriff Conly said.

“I’d appreciate it, then,” Lyric said.

“I’ll make the arrangements. In the meantime, why don’t you let my dad take you to dinner? I bet you haven’t eaten.”

Ms. Conly left, leaving Lyric with the sheriff. He took her down the block to Juan in a Million, which he claimed had the best burritos in Conclave. She had to admit the one he suggested—The Big Bird—wasn’t half bad.

While they ate, Sheriff Conly never asked her anything about Agri-Tech Fertilizer hacking. He focused on how she’d grown up.

“My life is no great mystery: I’m an orphan. Officially, I’m a ward of the state of Oklahoma, which means that I’m a dependent of an entire state.

“I remember when it happened. One minute, I’m living the double-wide trailer dream with my dad and a few stray cats, and the next, I’m sleeping in a room with four other girls at the Sooner State Home for Children. The older boys called it the Come Stroke Our Panhandle Home for Children,” Lyric said.

“Good lord ... did any of them...?” Sheriff Conly asked.

“Nah. As soon as I got my underwear drawer organized, I figured out which kids at Sooner State would do me the least amount of bodily harm. I soon found myself shipped out,” Lyric said.

She then told him how she’d bounced around the system over the last nine years, living in six different foster homes.

“The last place wasn’t so bad because I had my own room. Jamie was older and lived in the basement. He paid Miss Shelby to turn a blind eye to his drug dealing. The two younger kids were monsters. I swear Drew will end up a serial killer, and Megan will be turning tricks by the time she’s ten,” Lyric said.

“What did you do to get put into a place like that?” Sheriff Conly asked.

“The last home I was at, the parents had a son who was a couple of years younger than me. He suddenly had an interest in girls, if you know what I mean. He thought I should teach him stuff since his parents let me live with them. I taught him that he shouldn’t touch me without my permission.”

“How did you do that?”

“Kicked him where it counts. His screams upset his parents, and I was off to the bad-kid foster home. It’s frowned upon when you assault family members of foster parents,” Lyric explained.

Lyric felt like she was a big surprise package, unwrapping before the sheriff layer by layer. She found herself opening up to this man who patiently exuded kindness and reminded her of her dad. Before she knew what had happened, the sheriff had her wrapped up in his arms. She didn’t even get a chance to inform him of the Lyric O’Connell no-hugging policy.

Before she could stop herself, Lyric clutched his neck as tears burst from her eyes.

“Everything’s going to be okay. Janice will work her magic, and all your worries will disappear,” he promised.

The day dragged on. Lyric knew that school was out. Secretly, she wished she was there. It was the only place she really enjoyed because she learned stuff. Lyric would have preferred to escape back into everyday life, the clang of the bell, the crowds of familiar faces, instead of sitting here, trapped inside a jail cell.

One of the deputies, ‘Call me Mandy,’ came and took her to a room with a sign that said ‘Interview Room’ over the door. Inside was an old guy who looked like he wanted to be there as much as Lyric did.

“It’s your lucky day. ADA Conly has offered you a deal. Admit your guilt in the cyberattack on Agri-Tech Fertilizer. This would include a complete account of how you did it and why, and would require you to name any accomplices. In return, she has offered to go to a judge and ask for a deferred sentence.

“That means that when you enter your guilty plea, instead of accepting it and convicting you, the judge delays his or her judgment. The judge will order probation and allow you to comply with all the terms of the probationary period before rendering judgment.

“At the end of the probationary term, the plea is changed from ‘guilty’ to ‘not guilty,’ and the judge dismisses the case. This is very important because it will be like you were never convicted of a crime,” her lawyer explained.

“I want that,” Lyric blurted.

“Before you agree, let me lay out the terms. You’ll be placed into foster care with Janice Conly. She already has another foster child, Alex Turner, who I think you’ve met. While there, you’ll be required to take periodic drug tests, attend mandatory counseling, and keep away from known criminals. And you can’t get so much as a traffic ticket.

“You’ll also be required to have a summer job working for Grace Carter, who you also met. She’s a former FBI agent and owns Carter Investigation and Security, or CIS. They’re the ones who found you.

“The term will last until your eighteenth birthday, when you’re no longer a ward of the state,” her lawyer said.

“Why are they doing this for me?” Lyric asked.

“I guess you made quite the impression on Sheriff Conly, Janice’s father. He doesn’t think you’re a bad kid. I suggest you prove him right because no one gets deals like this.”

“I don’t like the alternative. Tell them I’ll take the deal.”

Alex was in the basement, working on his computer. The mention of former Sheriff Calhoun being in the area had triggered Alex. He decided he no longer felt safe, so he turned his software back on. Much of the legwork had been done the previous fall, so all he had to do was fire up his collection points, including the restaurants around Conclave.

He was sorting through the devices from which his software had downloaded when Boomer perked up. That meant Janice was home, so Alex shut down his PC and went upstairs to greet her.

He was surprised to find she wasn’t alone. With her was the orange-haired hacker who was supposed to be in jail.

“I think you two have met,” Janice said as she walked past Alex.

His dad had taught him not to react to a situation like this until he had all the facts, so Alex nodded to acknowledge he knew who Lyric was.

Boomer was trying to get to know her, but Lyric acted half afraid of the giant poodle. Alex didn’t offer to help her but instead followed Janice into the kitchen.

“I agreed to be her foster mom,” Janice shared, ignoring the scalding burn from his gaze. Then she told Lyric, “He just wants you to pet him.”

Alex snapped his fingers and pointed. Boomer slunk to his spot in the kitchen and laid down. Boomer was too wise for his own good, and Alex had learned that when Janice was around, he even minded Alex.

Lyric wore the same look Alex had when he moved in. This was a major upgrade from where she’d lived before, and she was worried she would mess it up. He couldn’t wait until she tasted Janice’s cooking. That would blow her mind.

’All that aside, why the heck is she here?’ Alex wondered.

“Today had to be a long day. Let me show you your room,” Janice said.