Fatal Encryption — Debra Purdy Kong

Dressed as Kermit the Frog on Halloween, unemployed Alex Bellamy wonders where his life went wrong. It could be worse. A few miles away, Zachary Ternoway is stabbed to death at his front door. In need of cash, Alex agrees to help catch a computer hacker at McKinleys' Department Store. But things turn serious when the hacker threatens to permanently encrypt the store's data and torch the building unless ten million dollars is handed over fast. Alex knows there's a connection between the murder and the extortionist, yet time's running out. People are questioning his competency, and a killer's threatening his life.