Laurene dialed Sherlene's number, her fingers moving with practiced ease. She hit the speaker button as the phone rang, and I watched as she sat up straight, tension evident in the way she held herself. On the third ring, Sherlene picked up.
"Laurene, darling," Sherlene's smooth voice came through the speaker. "It has been a while. How are you holding up?"
"I'm managing," Laurene replied, her tone clipped but polite. "I wanted to update you on what we've heard from Budapest."
Sherlene made an encouraging sound on the other end, and Laurene took a deep breath before continuing. "The team there… they have confirmed that the person behind the hack and getting the money is not just skilled—they are dangerous, powerful. This is not someone we can take lightly."
