“Doxxing is when you hack into someone’s computer, download files from their folders, and then post all the information on the Internet.”

“You mean like what happened to Sony when its internal emails were posted on the Internet by Dark Seoul?”

“Yes.”

Kate gave a mental shudder. “Why would you do that?”

“Because I found out that Harry Owen and his department were hiding a massive data breach. The identities of every single traveller entering Canada had been stolen from border security systems.”

Kate studied her client. There was a ring of truth in her words. Her gaze was earnest. Anxious. “Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“And why did you decide to doxx Harry over that?”

“The government was hiding it. I couldn’t let them get away with it. There are millions of people affected. And they decided not to tell anyone.”

“Why not?”

“They said it was because they didn’t want the ‘wrong people’ to know the information was floating around in cyber space.”

Kate studied her client. “That seems like a good reason.”

“Anyone who knows anything about the Dark Web would know that potential buyers would have been contacted by brokers if the information was for sale. It might have even been stolen with a particular buyer in mind.”

“I don’t understand how a cyber hack resulted in break-and-enter with intent. Can’t you just hack through a computer network from the safety of your home?”

Leah threw a glance at the door where the sheriff’s broad form could be seen in a chair. “I didn’t want the hack connected to me. And it would have been if I had attempted to hack into Harry Owen’s computer through work or home. I was on the team that worked in Harry’s office. So someone on the Forum—”

“The Forum?”

“It’s a group of white hat hackers. People who hack for good reasons.”

Kate raised a brow. “People hack for good reasons?”

“They find breaches or vulnerabilities in code and notify authorities. Or they use hacking for social justice causes.”

“You mean like hacktivists?”

“Yes. I joined the Forum a few months ago.”

“Why?” Kate studied this woman who had achieved so much in her short career. Why risk it all?

Leah hesitated. “I knew someone. And I thought I could make a difference. You know, expose things that were being ignored for political reasons. Or help find information that was hidden on the Web.”

“Leah, who was the person who broke into the Owen’s house with you?”

“His name is Aiden Boyne.”

“Were you lovers?”

“Yes.” Pain mingled with shame in her client’s eyes.

Nothing worse than discovering your lover has exploited you. Kate gave her a sympathetic look. “So what went wrong last night?”

“Everything.”