The Insider. Ava McCarthy

Чтение книги онлайн.

       4

      ‘Give me your worst-case scenario,’ Harry said.

      The man across the boardroom table looked at her through half-closed eyes. He was in his forties, with bristly grey hair cut like a US Marine’s.

      He shrugged. ‘Someone getting access to our investment accounts.’

      ‘Worse than that.’

      He leaned back and folded his arms, flesh straining against his shirt. ‘What could be worse than some hacker getting hold of our clients’ money?’

      ‘You tell me.’ Harry sneaked a look at the business card he’d given her. Felix Roche, IT Procurement, KWC. She scribbled a note on the back: hostile.

      Her gaze strayed to the window behind Felix. It wasn’t just a window, it was an entire wall of glass that made the quays along the Liffey seem like part of the room. In the distance, she could see the peppermint green dome of the Custom House and the corrugated cap of Liberty Hall tower. Business must be good for KWC.

      Felix leaned forward across the table. ‘Okay, I’ll give you a worst case,’ he said. Harry could smell the onions he’d had for lunch. ‘How about someone getting a look at our confidential M&A deals? That bad enough for you?’

      M&A. Mergers and Acquisitions. The department her father had worked for before he was arrested. Harry swallowed and fiddled with her notepad. Then she flicked a glance at Felix. His pasty face looked unhealthy, like the underbelly of a dead fish. She was used to antagonism from the technical guys, but this was something different. She’d told Dillon she could handle this assignment, that KWC was just another client. Now she wasn’t so sure.

      The door swept open and a man in his thirties strode into the room. He was well-built, with light brown hair and shoulders that belonged on a rugby pitch.

      Felix scowled at the interruption.

      ‘Hi, Felix, I’m sitting in.’ The man frowned at Harry as he pulled up a chair.

      Her cheeks tingled under his gaze. What was up with these guys? She squared her shoulders and stood up.

      ‘Harry Martinez.’ She held out her hand.

      His brow cleared and he grinned. ‘Sorry, I was expecting a man. Probably happens all the time, right?’ He returned her handshake. ‘Jude Tiernan. I’m an investment banker here.’

      His hand was warm and his citrus aftershave perked up the room. What was an investment banker doing at an IT meeting? Then she remembered Felix’s barbed comment about M&A deals.

      ‘Let me guess,’ she said. ‘You work for M&A?’

      ‘Let’s say M&A work for me.’

      Harry sank back down and worked it out. So he was Head of M&A, just like her father had been. One man’s prison sentence was another man’s career break. She felt their eyes on her, invading her. Her father was a legend in this bank. Had they made the connection and come to look her over? She chewed her lip, unable to meet their gaze.

      Jude set his mobile phone on the desk and took a silver pen from his breast pocket. He twirled it between the fingers of one hand and gestured towards Harry with the other. ‘Please continue.’

      ‘I was really expecting someone from IT Security to be here,’ said Harry. ‘Someone who knows the systems.’

      Felix snorted. ‘IT Security. I know these systems better than anyone. I practically built the damn machines myself.’

      ‘I see.’ Harry checked the card again. ‘And now you’re in IT Procurement?’

      He glared at her. ‘The career move came up. Security were more than happy to let me handle this initial meeting, believe me. Saves them the trouble.’

      Harry took a deep breath. She looked at her pad, although she’d written nothing down.

      ‘Okay, well, I don’t know how much Dillon covered with you on this,’ she said. Not much, from the looks of things. ‘We need to scope the penetration test, see which approach suits you best.’

      Know the players at the table, her father had taught her. Adjust your style accordingly. Trouble was, she didn’t know these guys at all, and they weren’t giving her any clues.

      ‘A pen test is a waste of time,’ said Felix. ‘Our systems are secure, I can personally guarantee it.’ He glowered at Harry. ‘Anyone who says otherwise is challenging my professional competence.’

      Jude ignored him. ‘What exactly happens in this pen test, Ms Martinez?’

      Felix sighed. ‘Ah, come on, Jude, I’ve been through this with her already. Besides, we both know she’s only here because her boss is an old friend of yours and he wants the account.’

      Harry looked back down at her pad. No wonder she was being fobbed off СКАЧАТЬ