"But we're pretty sure he got the codes from the inside."

"That's impossible. It has to be terrorists."

"That's definitely a possibility and I want to ask you about that. But even if so, they were using an insider. An officer in our Computer Crimes division had a conversation with your IT people. He said there was no evidence of independent hacking."

Jessen fell silent and examined her desk. She didn't seem happy-because of this news about the insider? Or because somebody in her company was talking to the police without her knowing? She jotted a note and Sachs wondered if it was to remind herself to reprimand the technology security man.

Sachs continued, "The suspect was seen in an Algonquin uniform. Or at least blue coveralls that were very similar to what your employees wear."

"Suspect?"

"A man was spotted in a coffee shop around the time of the attack, across from the substation. He was seen with a laptop."

"Did you get any details about him?"

"White male, forties probably. Nothing else."

"Well, about the uniform, you could buy one or make one."

"Yes. But there's more. The cable he used to rig the arc flash? It was Bennington brand. That's what your company regularly uses."

"Yes, I know. Most power companies do too."

"Last week, seventy-five feet of Bennington cable, the same gauge, was stolen from one of your warehouses in Harlem, along with a dozen split bolts. They're used for splicing-"

"I know what they're used for." The wrinkles in Jessen's face grew severe.

"Whoever broke into the warehouse, he used a key to get in. He also got into the access tunnel under the substation through an Algonquin steam pipe manhole."

Jessen said quickly, "Meaning he didn't use the electronic keypad to get into the substation?"

"No."

"So, there's some evidence that it's not an employee."

"It's a possibility, like I said. But there's something else." Sachs added that they'd found traces of Greek food, suggesting a nearby connection.

Seemingly bewildered at the extent of their knowledge, the CEO repeated with exasperation, "Taramasalata?"

"There are five Greek restaurants within walking distance of your headquarters here. And twenty-eight within a ten-minute cab ride. And since the trace was fairly recent, it makes sense that he's a current employee or at least got the codes from a current employee. Maybe they met at a restaurant nearby."

"Oh, please, there are plenty of Greek restaurants around the city."

"Let's just assume the computer codes came from inside. Who'd have access to them?" Sachs asked. "That's really the threshold issue."

"Very limited and very tightly controlled," she said fast, as if she were on trial for negligence. The line seemed rehearsed.

"Who?"

"I do. A half dozen senior staff. That's all. But, Detective, these're people who've been with the company for years. They wouldn't possibly do this. Inconceivable."

"You keep the codes separate from the computers, I understand."

A blink at this knowledge too. "Yes. They're set randomly by our senior control center supervisor. And kept in a safe file room next door."

"I'd like names, and to find out if there's been any unauthorized access to that room."

Jessen was clearly resistant to the idea that the perp was an employee, but she said, "I'll call our security director. He should have that information."

"And I'll need the names of any workers in the past few months who were assigned to repair steam lines in that manhole across from the substation. It's in an alleyway about thirty feet north of the station."

The CEO picked up the phone and asked her PA to summon two employees to her office. The request was polite. While some people in this position would have barked the order, Jessen remained in control and reasonable. Which, to Sachs, made her seem all the harder. It was the weak and insecure who blustered. Happened in the policing business all the time.

Just a moment after she hung up, one of the men she'd asked to join them arrived. His office might've been next door to hers. He was a stocky, middle-aged businessman in gray slacks and a white shirt.

"Andi. Anything new?"

"A few things. Sit down." Then she turned to Sachs.

"This is Bob Cavanaugh, senior VP of Operations. Detective Sachs."

They shook hands.

He asked Sachs, "Any headway? Any suspects?"

Before the detective could answer, Andi Jessen said stoically, "They think it's somebody inside, Bob."

"Inside?"

"That's what it's looking like," Sachs said, and explained what they'd learned so far. Cavanaugh too seemed dismayed that their company might possibly be harboring a traitor.

Jessen asked, "Could you find out from Steam Maintenance who's been assigned to inspect the pipes down the manhole near MH-Ten?"

"For how long back?"

"Two, three months," Sachs said.

"I don't know if we'll have the assignment sheets, but I'll see." He made the call and requested the information then he turned back to the women.

Sachs said, "Now, let's talk a little more about the terrorist connection."

"I thought you were accusing an employee."

"It's not unusual for a terror cell to recruit an insider."

"Should we look at Muslim employees?" Cavanaugh asked.

"I was thinking of the protesters outside," Sachs said. "What about ecoterrorism?"

Cavanaugh shrugged. "Algonquin's been criticized in the press for not being green enough." He said this delicately, not looking Jessen's way. This was apparently a familiar and tedious issue.

Jessen said to Sachs, "We have a program for renewable energy. We're pursuing it. But we're being realistic about the subject, not wasting our time. It's politically correct to wave the renewables flag. But most people don't know the first thing about it." She waved her hand dismissively.

Thinking of the severity of some ecoterror incidents in the recent past, Sachs asked her to elaborate.

It was as if she'd pushed an ON button.

"Hydrogen fuel cells, biofuels, wind farms, solar farms, geothermal, methane generation, ocean wave generators… You know how much they produce? Less than three percent of all the energy consumed in the country. Half the electrical service supply in the United States comes from coal. Algonquin uses natural gas; that's twenty percent. Nuclear's about nineteen. Hydro's seven percent.

"Sure, the renewables will be growing but very, very slowly. For the next hundred years, they'll be a drop in the bucket of juice, if I can quote myself." The president was growing even angrier. "The start-up costs are obscene, the gadgets to create the juice are ridiculously expensive and unreliable, and since the generators're usually located away from major load centers, transportation is another huge cost. Take solar farms. The wave of the future, right? Do you know they're one of the biggest users of water in the power business? And where are they located? Where there's the most sun and therefore the least water.

"But say that out loud and you get jumped by the media. And by Washington and Albany too. You hear about those senators coming to town for Earth Day?"

"No."

Jessen continued, "They're on the Joint Energy Resources Subcommittee, working with the President on environmental issues. They'll be at that big rally in Central Park Thursday night. And what'll they be doing? Beating us up. Oh, they won't mention Algonquin by name, but I guarantee one of them'll point our way. You can see the smokestacks from the park. I'm convinced that's why the organizers put the stage where it is… All right, those're my views. But is that enough to make Algonquin a target? I just don't see it. Some political or religious fundamentalists going after the American infrastructure, sure. But not eco."

Cavanaugh agreed. "Ecoterror? Never had any problems that I can remember. And I've been here for thirty years-I worked with Andi's father when he ran the place. We burned coal back then. We were always expecting Greenpeace or some liberals to sabotage us. But nothing."