I consider this new information for a moment and I reconsider this connection. It’s just not reading right. The Society is too clever to allow me to find something this easily and they knew I would. Unless North isn’t dirty, or there was a reason they wanted me to connect him to Greg. It feels like I have a million smokescreens coming at me. “What was the job?” I ask.

“The former Secretary of State was giving a speech. Obviously, it was a high-profile job. And it paid well.”

It’s still an odd connection to me, I think. “Find out if that former Secretary of State has a connection to Ted Pocher,” I say.

“Should we be saying his name on an open line?”

“No, but I don’t really care right now. I’m not calling that bastard ‘our friend’ like Director Murphy. And as for Pocher, I hope he’s listening, and just in case, fuck you, Pocher. Now back to what I was saying. I’m going to send you a list of names. I need you to connect them to Pocher if you can. And pull their phone numbers. You’ll need them.”

“I’m not calling witnesses, Lilah,” he snaps. “I’m a tech guy. I’m not—”

“I hope you aren’t this bitchy with your boyfriend or you won’t last long.”

“Do you always have to go there, Lilah?”

His voice is tight, a tiny crack in the center. “Oh shit. You broke up.”

“We’re,” I can almost see him pursing his lips, “taking a break.”

“What happened?”

“Like you care?” he challenges.

“I’m a bitch, but I have a heart. Of course, I care. What happened?”

“He got upset over my work yesterday. We exploded, almost literally, I swear. And then he left.”

“You know, Tic Tac—”

“If you’re about to tell me to quit my job—”

“I’m not,” I say, thinking of my job and Kane’s family, that will always represent a job he does not want. I punished him for that. I won’t anymore. “You need to do what makes you happy. If that’s the job and he can’t understand that, he’s the wrong guy. If it’s not the job, then yeah, quit. I’ll still call you, but sure. Do that.”

He laughs. “You would, too.”

“Yes. I would. And I need more stuff.”

“And right now, I need to work, so command me, fair maiden.”

“Fair maiden?”

“Okay speak, bitch.”

“That’s better.” I hesitate just long enough to think of Kane’s warning about Lucas being too close to this case before I duplicate their work. “I need you to get onto a game called Banking the Billionaire.”

“You do know that no one has actually told me what this case is about, right?”

“Obviously Murphy talked to you.”