Matt calls late enough in the day that Jude knows it isn't casual.
Jude is still at his desk, the office quieter now in that end-of-day way that feels more like an exhale than silence. He lets the phone ring once before answering.
"Hey," Jude says.
"Yeah. Hey," Matt replies, a little breathless, like he's been holding onto the update all afternoon. "I wanted to loop back with you."
Jude swivels slightly in his chair, eyes on the window. "Okay."
"So, I did finally get hold of admin," Matt says.
There's relief there. Not because it went well, but because it's done. "Not the, uh, the main one. Another one. High up. ED of Human Resources."
Jude nods, even though Matt can't see it. "And?"
Matt exhales, half a laugh. "Yeah. He wasn't thrilled. Short answers. Very…upstairs about it. But at least I spoke to him."
Jude makes a quiet sound of acknowledgment.
"Honestly," Matt continues, "that conversation didn't move much. Which I kind of expected."
He shifts gears. "I did see the other one, though," he adds. "Didn't really talk to her. Not at all, actually."
Jude waits.
"But, wow," Matt says, chuckling. "She's…impressive."
"Okay," Jude says evenly.
"The real traction," Matt continues, warming to his point, "is internal. The two secretaries. Deborah does the talking, but Cindy's the one people are watching."
Jude's eyes shift, just slightly.
"I had lunch with them today," Matt adds. "That's where the energy actually was."
Jude lets the statement stretch for a moment.
"Alright," he says finally. "Thanks for following up, Matt."
"Yeah," Matt says, clearly expecting more. "I figured you'd want to know."
"I did," Jude replies.
They end the call without ceremony. Jude sets the phone down.
Admin was contacted. Finally. Some secretaries are involved. Debbie and Cindy. Another admin that Matt noticed, but no conversation with her.
He glances at the clock, then reaches for his jacket.
His phone lights up.
Selah.
Selah is still at her desk when she calls. She leans back in her chair and stares at the ceiling for a moment before dialing.
Jude answers on the second ring. "Hey," he says.
"Hey," Selah replies. Her voice softens almost immediately.
"You sound tired," Jude says. "Have you been out fighting werewolves again?"
Selah laughs, then breathes a long, slow exhale. "Something like that. Today just… lingered."
"Those are the worst," Jude says.
She swivels slightly in her chair, one foot hooked around the base, eyes drifting to the window.
"I didn't really have a reason to call," she admits. "I just needed something steady for a minute."
"I can be steady," Jude says easily.
They sit in the quiet for a moment. The kind that doesn't ask to be filled.
A soft chime sounds on Selah's computer. Jude hears it.
"Oh sorry," Selah says. "Andrew's IMing me."
"Andrew?" Jude repeats, the name curious, half amused.
She smiles. "Yeah. The other boss. Remember. I'm not the boss boss."
"Right," Jude says. "My mistake."
Selah glances at the screen, then shrugs lightly. "Andrew's fine. A total numbers guy. Not always great with people, but his heart's in the right place."
Her phone chimes again.
"That's… not great," Selah says.
"Something wrong?" Jude asks, concern rising in his voice.
She reads without meaning to.
"'LIS is under attack.'"
"LIS," Jude repeats quietly.
"He says one of the organizers who's been speaking to our employees reached out to him earlier today," she continues, frowning. "And—"
She stops. "And he thinks Cindy, my secretary, might be involved. His too."
Jude pulls up the report Matt sent earlier. His cursor hovers.
"Please…let me be wrong," he murmurs. Then he clicks.
"Jude?" Selah says softly. "You still there?"
"Yeah," he says, eyes fixed on the screen. "I'm here."
"I don't understand why—" Selah's voice trails off. She exhales. "I think something just shifted."
Jude leans back in his chair, the weight of it settling in. His eyes close, just for a second.
"Yeah," he says quietly. "I think it did."