The kompromat to order

2.

The next day, I got ready and went to a meeting with a new customer.

I never had days off or time for myself. I worked, studied, and tried to visit my grandmother, who lived near the city, whenever I could. She was the only person I cared about. And I was grateful that she raised me on her own and loved me for who I was. Since we lived poorly, it became a mission for me to change the financial side of my life. And studying at the law school was not cheap. If I hadn't been hunting for dirt, I wouldn't have been able to afford all this and support my grandmother. I probably wouldn't even be in Kyiv. But I had a dream - to get my degree and open my own law firm. This is exactly what I wanted. And I was only a year away from getting my degree. So now I was persistently taking on any job I could get my hands on so that in a year I could quit forever and do something that really inspired me.

But today I had another order waiting for me. The client and I agreed to meet at a coffee shop. It was an early Sunday morning and there weren't too many people, so my attention was drawn to a gray-haired man in an expensive suit sitting at a table in the corner.

- Good morning, are you Evan?

- Yes, I am. And you are miss...? - the man asked seriously.

- You can just call me Emma.

- You're too young, - the customer said, looking at me suspiciously.

- Is that a problem? - I sat down across from him, trying to look businesslike.

- I heard about your... experience, but I didn't realize you were so young.

- Well, in my line of work, it's more of a plus than a minus, - I assured him.

Our conversation was interrupted by a waiter who came to the table. We ordered coffee, and then Evan continued:

- As I told you on the phone, I need dirt on my competitor. To do this, I need certain documents from his computer...

- You'd better ask the programmers, - I said, convincing him that this is not what I do.

- Do you think I haven't? - he said irritably, - I've been trying to find something on it for six months and nothing. I've already hired programmers, a detective, and even bribed someone from his company. All in vain, this guy has a hunch about traps! As hopeless as it may sound, I don't know who else to turn to but you.

- Interesting. If the job is not easy, it will cost more, - I tried to get a price.

- I'll pay three times what we agreed.

Shocked by his generosity, I blinked my eyes and mentally tried to find a catch:

- What am I supposed to do?

- I know that his home computer contains data that can't be found in the office. I need them.

- So you want me to steal it?

- Yes, - the fact of the theft did not faze my interlocutor, so I concluded that he was the kind of person who would do anything for his goal, - I'll give you a flash drive with a program that will copy all the data from the computer. But the hardest part is getting to that computer.

- Well, that's my problem. I need your competitor's data and half the amount up front.

The man looked at me suspiciously and then took a folder out of his briefcase. - Putting it on the table, he pulled it closer to me.

At that time, the waiter brought coffee and only when he left us alone did I open the folder. Inside were several pieces of paper and an envelope with money.

- There is more than half of it, you will get the rest when you return the flash drive to me, - he took the flash drive out of his pocket and put it on the table.

Looking through the papers with addresses, contacts, and even the day's schedule, I noticed:

- Your detective did a good job.

- But he didn't get what I needed - the lack of results made this man angry. I could see that he didn't trust me, but he must have really lost hope if he came to me despite his doubts.

- I will do everything in my power, and if it doesn't work, I will refund the money - I always said these words at the first meetings with clients and it calmed them down, but not in this case.

The man gritted his teeth and spoke sternly:

- I don't need money, I need results.

- I understand, - I said confidently, but I was afraid of this man.

- When will it be done?

- I will start today. But it will take time. Be patient if you want the job done well. I'll let you know when it's ready, - I said, hoping to reassure the man, but I sounded a little haughty.

- I'm counting on you... - the man muttered and got up from the table. Leaving the money for the coffee on the table, he said goodbye and left.

I stayed in the coffee shop a little confused after this encounter. The guy was very unpleasant. If he had spoken to me like that on the phone, this meeting would not have happened. But I had already agreed, so I had to get on with it.

As I was finishing my coffee, I was looking through the papers that the client had left me. And then I noticed a photo among them. Clients often leave me photos with information, but this time the photo I was holding in my hands made my pulse race. It was the picture of the man who had tried to meet me at the bar yesterday.

- Oh, shit, - I said and closed the folder.