The gym door was thrown open with a loud bang, causing her to look back. She gasped and saw Trent in hot pursuit. As she looked toward the fire door just ahead of her, she noticed the fire alarm pull station. Dani slid to a stop before it and pulled the lever. The alarm wailed loud and shrill. Trent suddenly hesitated, looked around with concern, and listened to the sound of thundering feet in the stairwell. Dani darted into the stairwell with several other people from the eighth floor.
Chapter Thirteen
The following morning, Dani was escorted off the elevator and into the office by a young, part-time security guard. He saw her safely to her desk even though he could have easily stopped at the elevator door and watched her through the wall of glass. Dani was grateful for the added security, but she felt funny receiving so much personalized attention.
“Are you sure Allen is okay?” she asked Ralph as he paused before her desk.
“Allen is fine,” Ralph replied cheerfully. “Just a couple of bruises. He’ll be back to his old self in no time.”
“He was very brave,” she informed the guard then considered the comment. “Maybe a little foolish, but very brave.”
“He’ll be back tomorrow,” the guard informed her. “You can tell him that yourself.”
Once Ralph left, Abby and Janice hurried toward the receptionist desk. Both women wore concerned looks on their faces and fussed over Dani.
“It’s all over the building,” Abby gasped while staring at her friend with wide eyes. “Even the coffee guy on the corner heard. Are you okay?”
“That must have been horrible for you,” Janice chimed in while half leaning over the taller portion of her desk.
“I’m still a little shaken,” Dani replied and felt a little uneasy as she sat behind her desk. Visions of the intruder chasing her from the lobby flashed through her head. She knew she’d never get that man’s face from her mind. She drew a deep breath and eyed her friends. “Last I heard the police hadn’t caught the guy.” Dani hadn’t even realized she’d sank into her thoughts. She snapped out of her trance and looked at her friends. “Is Greg coming in?”
“The stubborn fool is already here,” Janice informed her while rolling her eyes. Her look then turned serious. “What was the guy after? Who was he? Do you think you prevented him from killing Greg?”
“He said he was the copy machine repairman,” Dani informed them then shivered slightly. “Honestly, I thought he left an hour earlier. He must have been lurking around waiting for everyone to leave.” She then gave the last question some thought. “I think if he intended to kill Greg, he would have done it right away.”
The two women caught a glimpse of a serious looking man in his early fifties stepping out of Greg’s office. Janice and Abby recognized the man and scattered as he approached Dani’s desk. Larson was one of the company’s higher-ups and rarely made visits to the trenches. Despite his age, he was a fairly attractive man with light brown hair containing gray around the temples. He stood tall and had a solid build and sturdy features. For the wealthy executive type, Larson gave the impression he was quite capable of handling himself. He seemed eager to talk with Dani as he paused before her desk.
“Dani, are you okay?” Larson asked with sincerity then almost turned scolding. “You didn’t have to come in today. I thought personnel was going to call and tell you to take a few days off with pay.”
“They did, Mr. Larson,” she replied almost timidly in front of the company big shot, “but I’m fine. I’d rather keep busy and not think about it.”
Larson shook his head and sighed. “Yeah, that’s what Greg said too,” he replied then straightened proudly. “Well, rest assured, we’ve beefed up security, and we’re checking into time locks on the doors so that no one can sneak in after-hours again.”
She knew her attacker didn’t sneak in after hours, but she didn’t feel like correcting one of the company’s top brass. “Maybe requiring all repairmen to wear ID wouldn’t hurt either.”
He snapped his thick fingers and pointed at her. “Excellent suggestion,” Larson announced boldly then smiled pleasantly. “There’s coffee and doughnuts in the conference room.” His look turned serious. “If you need anything, you just call.”
“Thank you, Mr. Larson.”
She watched with surprise as Larson left through the lobby doors and past the elevators on the other side of the glass wall. Janice and Abby quickly returned to the front desk, surrounding her. Both stared after Larson.
“Wow, a visit from Mr. Larson,” Abby announced as her eyes widened. “The big boss himself. He’s never even said hello to me.” She then leaned against the desk. “Maybe it’s just me, but he’s pretty damned sexy.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Janice remarked then looked back at Dani. “We’re taking you to lunch, and we’re not taking no for an answer. We’ll talk at lunch.”
Both women disappeared without waiting for a response on the offer of lunch. Apparently, that was settled. She’d be having lunch with her friends today. Dani sat behind her desk and suddenly felt a strange chill run down her spine. She didn’t think last night’s incident would affect her as much as it did, but she was suddenly regretting her decision to return to work so soon. A deliveryman entered through the glass lobby doors with a large flower arrangement. She hated to admit she was suspicious of him, but one look at his boyish features convinced her he wasn’t there to attack her.
“Delivery for Miss Dani Phillips,” he announced.
“That’s me,” she replied while standing with some uncertainty and stared at the huge flower arrangement.
Dani signed for the flowers, waited for the deliveryman to leave, and then opened the card. It read, “Hope you’re feeling better. Best wishes, President, Virtual Play Programmers”. Dani opened the envelope that arrived with the flowers. She was surprised to see the five hundred dollar spa gift card. Her eyes immediately widened at the gift.
“Well, thank you, Mr. President,” she muttered and withheld her grin. “You can relax, though; I’m not going to sue.”
Dani sat at her desk, took a moment to relax, and then logged onto the computer, attempting to sink back into her usual routine to get her mind off last night. She’d no sooner logged on when the instant message began blinking at her. She was a bit surprised to discover Boyd’s message sent nearly an hour before her scheduled shift.
Boyd IM: “Are you okay? Are you there?”
Dani couldn’t believe he’d heard about the incident so fast. She typed into the computer.
Dani IM: “Bad news travels fast.”
Boyd IM: “Are you okay?”
Dani IM: “I’m fine. Just a little shaken.”
Boyd IM: “Did they catch the guy?”
Dani IM: “No, not yet.”
Chapter Fourteen
Later that morning, Dani continued to work on her computer, gossiping with Boyd when she caught a glimpse of someone entering the lobby. Dani immediately faced forward and gave those entering her undivided attention. A fully-grown Jade Wesson, now in her mid-twenties, entered the lobby with a man following behind by a few lengths. Jade dressed business casual from her white blouse to her black pants and dress boots. The only thing out of place was her worn, black leather jacket. A natural beauty, Jade looked so much like her mother and aunt; she could have passed for their twin sister. As Jade approached the desk, the man alongside her came into view. Despite being a decade older, Detective Miller hadn’t changed. He looked almost the same as he had ten years ago, aging gracefully--and possibly a little more cynical. Unfortunately, his shabby suit hadn’t aged quite as gracefully. The tan trench coat was in dire need of being retired. As Dani studied the duo, she couldn’t think of anyplace the pair would fit in.
“Good morning,” Dani announced pleasantly and attempted not to stare at Detective Miller’s shabby trench coat. “How may I help you?”
Miller and Jade flashed their detective badges, and Dani suddenly understood why they looked so out of p
lace. Miller, being the senior detective, took control of the situation.
“Miss Phillips, I’m Detective Miller, and this is my partner, Detective Wesson,” Miller announced then replaced his badge to his belt. “We’d like to ask you some questions about last night, if you don’t mind.”
“Is here okay?” she asked while indicating her desk. “The phone’s about to start ringing any minute now.”
“We won’t take up much of your time,” Jade informed her while managing a polite smile. “We read your police statement regarding the attack.” Jade placed a picture of Trent’s mugshot on the desk.
Dani’s eyes widened with surprise then horror as her heart pounded and she sprang out of her seat. “That’s him! That’s the guy,” she cried out then looked at the pair of detectives. “Did you catch him?”
“Sort of,” Miller replied with little emotion. “He was found dead in an alley not far from here. He’d been dead at least twelve hours. The coroner suspects he was killed within an hour of your attack last night.”
“Oh?” Dani remarked while staring at them then fidgeted slightly. “Should I pretend to be upset?”
“We’ll understand if you’re not,” Jade replied with a tiny, knowing smile.
“Do you have any idea what he wanted?” Miller asked while studying her through slightly squinting eyes then cocked his head. “What he may have taken from this office that someone killed him for?”
“I’m sorry. I have no idea what he wanted,” Dani informed them. “He must’ve knocked Greg unconscious and was at his computer when I walked in on him. He was trying to access something, but I don’t think he got whatever it was he was looking for. I’m guessing that’s why he chased me. He must’ve thought I could access Greg’s computer.” She tensed slightly and indicated the cubicles in the area beyond the wall. “Any of our programmers could have something valuable on their computers at any time. Believe it or not, computer game programs are a hot commodity. You’d be surprised how often hackers attempt to infiltrate our systems.”
“He wasn’t a hacker though, was he?” Miller remarked as if he already knew the answer.
“I’ve never heard of a hacker making a personal appearance,” Dani replied with a serious look on her face. “No, I’m guessing he wasn’t a hacker. If you ask me, I don’t think he was looking to steal computer games either.”
“What makes you say that?” Miller asked with a curious look, although it was obvious he already knew the answer but continued with the game.
“He didn’t look like a geek or a genius,” Dani announced then considered her comment and gave Miller a strange look. “He looked more like a hired goon.”
Miller smirked, almost indicating she’d guessed correctly. “Is Greg Martin here?” he asked.
“I just got here a few minutes ago, but I was told he’s here,” she replied then nodded beyond her desk into cubicle square. “His office is the third door on the right.”
Jade extended her card and managed a polite smile. “If you think of anything at all that might help, give us a call.”
Dani accepted the card and watched the detectives head into cubicle square.
§
Jade and Miller sat in the plush, leather chairs before Greg’s expensive, executive desk while glancing at the large toys surrounding the room. All were characters from popular games and almost made it seem as if they were within some bizarre computer game. Miller was too serious to appreciate the cartoonish atmosphere of Greg’s office. Jade stared at the larger than life characters and had to keep from grinning. Greg appeared less jovial this morning while holding his bruised temple. He eyed the photo and slowly nodded with less enthusiasm than Dani displayed.
“Yeah, that’s the guy,” Greg informed them then eyed the detectives. “Who is he?”
“His name was Trent,” Jade announced while keeping her eyes locked on him while awaiting a reaction. “He was an enforcer for the mob.”
“Was?” Greg gasped. “You mean he’s dead?”
Jade cast a glance at Miller, who strummed his fingers on the arm of the chair. They had both come to the same conclusion but didn’t mention it in front of Greg. Ironically, Greg had caught onto the part where the man who attacked him was now dead, but he didn’t seem to have any concerns at the mere mention of mob attachment. Was he secretly admitting he knew why he was attacked and his computer hacked?
“Someone put a bullet in the back of his head execution style,” Miller informed him while raising his brows, driving the Mafia ties home.
Greg finally seemed to catch on and shot up straight in his chair. “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” he practically cried out while fidgeting and erratically waving his hands in the air. “A hitman for the mob came after me for something in my computer and gets whacked by another hitman?” He subconsciously rubbed his temple. “Should I be feeling a little paranoid right now?”
“Maybe his boss was upset that he didn’t bring back what he came for,” Miller suggested in a slightly accusing tone then glared at him without emotion. “So what do you have on your computer that the mob would want?”
Greg immediately tensed. “I write computer games. I’m one pocket protector away from being a nerd,” he remarked almost matter-of-factly, although his body language was telling a less convincing tale. “Unless your mob boss is a big gamer, I assure you, I have nothing someone like that would want.”
“So nothing pertinent was accessed from your computer?” Jade asked in a moderately unfeeling tone while she studied him.
He was almost more paranoid by Jade’s lack of emotion than Miller’s hardened attitude. “I think Dani must have interrupted him,” Greg quickly replied. “He never got past my password. He must’ve thought Dani could access it for him.”
“I’m afraid we’re going to have to ask you to come with us to the station for further questioning,” Miller remarked with little emotion, surprising Greg.
“Seriously?” Greg groaned softly and leaned back in his chair while shaking his head. “I should have become a doctor like my mother wanted.”
Chapter Fifteen
Dani returned from lunch with her friends, Janice and Abby, just a little after one o’clock in the afternoon. As the women returned to their desks in cubicle square, Dani headed behind her receptionist desk, collapsed into her chair, and immediately logged onto her computer. Her stolen moments with Boyd were the highlight of her day, and she hated missing their lengthy lunchtime talk. She typed on the keyboard announcing her return.
Dani IM: “Back from lunch.”
Dani sorted mail while waiting for Boyd’s timely response. She wasn’t sure what his work schedule was, but he always seemed to be available when she needed him. Boyd’s whimsical cartoon avatar flashed, alerting her to a new message from her internet boyfriend. She looked at the screen, not surprised by the quick response. She often wondered if he ever left his computer.
Boyd IM: “Executive lunch? Was getting worried.”
She chuckled softly and typed her response.
Dani IM: “Friends helped me cross the street. No need to worry.”
Boyd IM: “I deserved that.”
Dani IM: “I appreciate your concern--really.”
The main lobby door opened to reveal Rafael Quinn. Now ten years older, he wore small, wire-rimmed glasses, a tasteful suit, and carried a leather briefcase. He fiddled with his cell phone, not paying attention to what was happening around him, and nearly collided with one of the office workers. He barely looked up from his phone and apologized. Dani saw him and immediately snapped to attention. Rafael was one of their computer tech guys, which meant he paid closer attention to everyone else’s computer monitors. She quickly typed on the keyboard.
Dani IM: “Computer repair guy’s here. Gotta go.”
Boyd IM: “The nerdy one with the bad rug or the nerdy one who looks like a Muppet?”
She held back her humor and smiled at the question. She typed her response.
Dani IM: “The Muppe
t--”
She looked up as Rafael approached her desk still glued to his cell phone. As he paused before her desk, he replaced his phone to his jacket pocket. She was already turned forward facing the desk and giving him her full attention. He offered a timid smile and handed her a service order form.
“Good afternoon, Dani,” he announced in a moderately cheerful but timid tone. “The corporate bigwigs want updated firewalls on all the computers. Something about an incident yesterday involving a hacker.”
Dani let out a slightly tense laugh while accepting the service form. “Oh, is that what they’re calling it?”
He didn’t seem to know what she was referencing but let it slide. “If it’s okay, I’ll start with yours and work my way back. Figure an hour on each unit,” he informed her. “If you could give the programmers a heads up on when I’ll reach their computers, I’d appreciate it.”
Dani logged off on her computer to avoid being caught talking with Boyd, smiled timidly hiding her embarrassment, and moved away from her chair.
“Certainly, Rafael.”
Rafael moved behind her desk with her in the moderately tight quarters, briefly eyed the flowers on her desk, and then sat in her chair. He immediately fiddled with her computer.
“Lovely flowers,” he remarked without looking up. “Is it your birthday?”
“No, that’s a bribe,” she teased, knowing he wouldn’t get the joke. “I’ll tell the others you’re here.”
Dani squeezed out behind him in her chair, noting his usual pleasant scent. It was a combination of expensive soap, hair products to give his hair that moderately spiky look, and some cologne she had yet to identify. Everyone dreaded Rafael’s visits. For a meek, timid guy, he had little trouble scolding the workers when they abused their computer equipment. Dani was both intimidated and intrigued by the odd man, unlike her co-workers who were mostly intimidated and annoyed by him. Dani headed onto the main floor and approached Abby’s cubicle first, which was closest to the receptionist desk and probably next on Rafael’s route. Janice hurried to join them at Abby’s desk, enjoying good gossip.
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