Her coy look flustered him, and he was embarrassed for feeling embarrassed. “I’m a sound sleeper,” he managed to say.

“Not that anybody’s getting much sleep. You know Detective Mancini was here before seven. What was that about?”

“Another Secret Service agent was shot. I didn’t talk to Mancini, but Ethel said the victim was the agent who headed up the investigation into the New York counterfeit ring.”

“Trevor Norwood?”

“You know him?”

“No. Just the name in regard to the money Jonathan had. Has a motive been determined?”

Jesse shook his head. “Suicide seems to be the prevailing theory, although Ethel thinks his own partners might have silenced him.”

“Contain the problem,” Lisa said. “I’d like to know the real reason behind Jonathan’s murder. I can’t help but think it ties in to my Parker case. Someone might think Jonathan held back information about the circumstances surrounding Parker’s alleged suicide.”

“Do you?”

She looked out the window for a second, and then gave Jesse a hard stare. “I don’t know what to think. Please don’t tell Ethel, but I’ve worked myself into a position where Rudy Hauser’s pushing me to discover if and how this all ties together. Me, reporting only to the director of the FBI. It’s like he wants to keep everything a secret until I can hand him those funds Parker embezzled.” She lowered her voice. “I hate to say this, but I’m not sure what he intends to do with them. I mean, I’d be tempted, wouldn’t you?”

“I’d have a better chance of winning the lottery.”

She shifted her gaze to Jesse’s closed laptop. “But you’re a computer guy, right? Someone who creates the codes is the best person to hack the codes.”

“Except cryptocurrency encryption is written by the best in the world. No, I think your only chance is to discover Parker’s private key.”

She laughed. “Right after you win the lottery.” She bounced up and down squeaking the bedsprings. “Well, I’d better let you study before Ethel thinks I’m corrupting her double-first-cousin-twice-removed.” She glanced again at his closed laptop. “For a computer scholar, why are you studying using your iPhone?”

Jesse looked at the laptop like it had just appeared out of nowhere. “Umm, it’s in the middle of a download. Software upgrade. I wanted to complete it before I head to class.”

She stood. “Well, thanks for listening. It’s nice to talk with someone who is not and never has been in law enforcement. Talking shop isn’t a way to make friends.” She opened the door, then turned back. “Although if you learn anything that involves my case, I’d appreciate a heads-up.” She left, closing the door behind her.