HACKING THE BILLIONAIRE

by Jenny Devall

  She had to prepare for that. She had to prepare for this larger-than-life man to exit her life. So work it was.

  She sent an e-mail to Zeke to arrange another meeting. This time, she picked a more public place. In Manhattan. And she turned off location services so no one could find her.

  He sent an e-mail back.

  “I can meet this evening at six. Not a fan of the place because I don’t want to be seen.”

  She wrote, “I’m not willing to meet in any other type of place. I don’t know you. I don’t trust you.”

  “Fair enough. That place at six. I’m bring my evidence.”

  She’d picked a Starbucks that would be open. It was a big one and far enough away from work and her apartment. What could possibly happen? This was Manhattan. There were people everywhere. All the time.

  Just in case, she sent a text to Joan.

  “I’m meeting someone at this Starbucks at six. I’ll text you when I’m done.”

  She gave Joan the address.

  Joan sent back a text. “Are you afraid? You want company?”

  “No, it’ll be fine. Just making sure someone knows where I am.”

  “Not Dirk?”

  “No, I don’t want him to interfere. This meeting was supposed to happen and he showed up. I’m sure the person got scared,” Riley said.

  She didn’t want anything scaring Zeke off this time. If he was the leak or if he knew about the leak then she wanted to get that information. Then the job would be done. She could put this whole affair behind her and move on to a less crazy job. One where she didn’t need to be some billionaire’s girlfriend.

  Jeez.

  Why had she agreed? That was nuts. The company should not have asked that of her. She had accepted, and now she had to live with her reckless behavior. Her heart would be safely back behind its wall when this was done.

  She certainly didn’t want to feel this way again. The day moved slowly, but finally the time to leave arrived. She had her phone charged and a notepad to take notes. Assuming the guy would let her.

  Having no idea what she was in for, Riley left her apartment. Her heart hammered in her chest, and she wasn’t even at the rendezvous point. She caught a bus to take her to the right spot. Before entering the coffee shop, she walked around the block. Nothing looked suspicious and there were lots of people around.

  She wondered for a minute that maybe Zeke didn’t send the message. Maybe it was someone else.

  She hadn’t thought of that possibility, which was stupid on her part. Once inside, she ordered a coffee then sat down at a table facing the door. She fully expected to see Zeke come through the door.

  She sipped and eyed every man that entered the establishment. Her heart ratcheted up a notch with each person coming toward her. No one made eye contact. No one approached her.

  Was this another wild goose chase?

  Her phone buzzed, but she turned it off. Everyone could wait. This was important. She had to get this job over with. She had to get away from Dirk. He made her feel tings she wasn’t willing to feel.

  Finally a young man walked to her table. “Hi.”

  “Hi.”

  “Are you expecting someone?” he said.

  “I am. Are you it?”

  “I might be,” he said.

  Well, was he or wasn’t he? “Did you send me an e-mail?”

  The confusion on his face told her that he wasn’t it. Damn. What if Zeke or whoever sent her that e-mail came in while she was talking to this person and left when she saw she wasn’t alone? Double damn.

  “You’re not Clarissa?” he asked.

  “No, sorry.”

  He put his hands up then backed away. “Sorry to bother you.”

  “No problem, dude. Honest mistake,” she said.

  She continued her vigil, but after an hour she was convinced the person had stood her up again. Frustrated, she left the coffee shop. Instead she went for a drink to calm her nerves. After downing a beer, she left that bar.

  There were fewer people on the street, but Riley didn’t think this was a bad neighborhood. Darkness had fallen, but she felt safe. Until someone yanked on her arm.

  She’d been passing an alley, and someone inside it had latched onto her arm. That person had taken her by surprise. Then she reacted. She swung her other hand around in a fist, but she couldn’t get to the person. They kept out of her line of vision.

  She was about to scream when a hand came over her mouth. She bit the fingers near her mouth. Before she could scream, someone hit her and her world went black.

  ***

  Dirk’s phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number, but something told him to answer it.

  “Hello?”

  “Is this Dirk? Dirk Trent?”

  Probably somebody wanting money. He’d put his cell number on the Do Not Call List, but it never helped. “I’m not giving out any money today.”

  “I’m not looking for money. I’m looking for Riley.”

  His heart stopped for a moment. “She isn’t here. Is she supposed to be?’

  “No. This is her friend Joan.”

  “Hello, Joan. Why are you calling here for Riley? Why not her cell?”

  “I can’t get ahold of her.”

  “Okay. Is she home? Maybe asleep.”

  He shifted on his chair. This call didn’t seem right. Something was wrong.

  “She was meeting someone and was supposed to text me afterward and that was three hours ago.”

  Damn. She’d done it again. And she’d probably gotten herself into a mess. Damned woman. Why did he have to care so much? “Where was she meeting the person?”

  “At a Starbucks.”

  She gave him the address. He knew the one. “Let me see where her phone is.”

  He booted up his laptop and did what he’d done the last time. “Damn.”

  “What?”

  “She turned off location services. I can’t find her,” he said.

  “Then we need to go to the coffee shop.”

  “I’ll meet you there.”

  “Sounds good.”

  She hung up, but her desperation still lingered around him. He called his driver to meet him downstairs. He didn’t want to chance not being able to park. This was Manhattan.

  In a few minutes he was on his way. He tapped his phone, thinking maybe he should try to call Riley. She might not answer him. She was still mad at him. He dialed anyway, and it went right to voicemail.

  “Damn you, Riley.”

  The car stopped.

  “What’s the problem?”

  “There’s an accident,” his driver said.

  “Can you go around it?”

  “I’ll try to find a better route.”

  When the driver finally pulled up in front of the coffee shop, a young woman was looking around frantically. That must be Joan. Dirk disembarked and headed right for her.

  “Are you Joan?”

  “You must be Dirk.”

  “Have you looked around?”

  “No, I was waiting for you.”

  Dirk nodded. At least someone realized he could be helpful. “Do you have a picture of her?”

  Joan searched her phone. “Here.”

  He looked at it. Riley was smiling, of course. “Let’s go see if anyone remembers her.”

  He held the door open for Joan, who proceeded him into the shop. She hung back while he strode to the counter. He had her phone in his hand. “We’re looking for this person. Did you see her?”

  The barista eyed the photo. “I just came on. Let me see if Josh was here.”

  She called to someone in the back, and a tattooed young man came forward.

  “Have you seen this person?” Dirk said.

  Josh scratched his neck. “She was here earlier. Stayed about an hour or so. Left me a nice tip on one cup of coffee.”

  Of course she would. Riley was that way. “Did she leave with anyone?”

  “Not that I saw.”

  Dirk f
rowned. He was getting nowhere, and he was getting worried that something might have happened to Riley. His heart ached with the thought. “Thanks.”

  He wasn’t sure what to do next, but he had to do something. He was a man of action.

  “It’s too soon to call the cops,” Joan said.

  “I’m not ready to call them anyway.”

  He exited the store with Joan on his heels. “Let’s look around.”

  “Here? You think she’s just leaning against a wall somewhere?”

  He heard the desperation in her voice. He had no patience for it right now. He spun to look at her. “You have a better idea?”

  Joan stopped in her tracks, her bottom lip stuck out in a pout. “No.”

  “Then let’s look around. Maybe she decided to go shopping.”

  Joan snorted. “You clearly don’t know Riley if you think that.”

  That may be true, but right now he remained unsure what to do next. Searching was at least action. Action he knew about. Waiting he didn’t understand.

  They walked down the sidewalk together. His heartbeat staccato in his chest. He had to find Riley. What could have happened to her? Why hadn’t she called him?

  Because she didn’t trust him. He hadn’t believed her, and now she chose not to involve him.

  “Is she often reckless?”

  Joan shook her head as they looked in every store they passed. Once Joan went inside one because they couldn’t see into it from the street.

  Desperate to find her, Dirk strode into a dark alley. Not the type of place he often frequented. No, he preferred bright lights to dim places.

  Halfway down the alley, he heard a moan. He moved quicker, using his phone as a flashlight. He saw a hand. A feminine hand. He threw some garbage out of the way.

  “Call an ambulance,” he commanded Joan.

  His heart stopped as he knelt down to get a better look. She was breathing. At least Riley was breathing.

  ~~~