Thread of Suspicion

by Susan Sleeman

He fisted his hands. “Then what do you need to clear my name?”

  Good question. “I’ll have to find the real hacker to fully clear you. But you should know, if it’s not your sister or her friend, finding the hacker will be as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack.”

  His shoulders slumped in defeat. He peered at Dani, and the agony in his eyes made her draw in a breath at his vulnerability. She should probably heed the evidence or lack of evidence, but despite nothing pointing to his innocence, she didn’t think he was guilty.

  Or was she just hoping that the man who sparked something inside her that she thought long dead was innocent of a terrible crime like treason?

  THREE

  Luke stared out his office window, the morning sun already high in the sky over SatCom’s parking lot. A silver SUV like Dani’s wound through the lot and pulled into a visitor’s space. He held a hand over his eyes to block the sun and confirm the vehicle belonged to her. She climbed out, but even with the early-morning chill, she didn’t wear a coat. She wrapped long, slender arms around her waist as she hurried toward the building.

  Good. He’d hoped she’d arrive early so they could get to work on finding the real traitor. He eagerly made his way toward the small reception area to meet her. She’d taken a seat in a leather club chair and was looking at her phone. Her long legs were crossed and her foot swung in rapid arcs as if she were eager to get to work. She wore jeans again today, dark and pressed with a military precision that he could appreciate. Her shoes were more practical than yesterday’s and her top a vivid red that highlighted her fair coloring.

  She was such a study in contrasts. Tough and determined, yet fragile. On the one hand, he found her to be sensible and grounded. On the other, she did things like not wearing a coat when the weather called for it and supporting him when the facts screamed his guilt.

  She looked up and caught him watching. Her eyes, the color of rich cappuccino, locked on his, and he was riveted until she looked away and jumped to her feet. She headed toward him, and he noted a hint of concern in her expression.

  Luke braced himself. He didn’t know if he could handle more bad news. “Is there something I need to know?”

  “We need to talk.” Her voice held a definite edge that he hadn’t heard before. “In private.” She didn’t wait for him to respond but hurried toward the exit.

  He had half a mind not to follow her, to keep from hearing another problem. But he wasn’t one to run from his troubles, so he trailed her outside. She stopped on the sidewalk and a strong gust of wind hit hard. A shiver rippled over her body. He took off his jacket and tried to settle it over her shoulders, but she stepped back.

  “I’m just trying to be a gentleman,” he said, watching her carefully.

  She gave him that same I-can-take-care-of-myself look she’d fired at him several times yesterday, so he shrugged back into his coat.

  Strands of her long, silky hair whipped into her face, and she impatiently swatted it out of the way. “Mitch Elliot, my brother-in-law who’s a cop, came through for us. Kat and Mitch spent a good part of the night personally reviewing every computer in evidence and found the one we’re looking for.”

  “That’s great,” he said, wondering why she’d felt a need to be secretive about this. “How did the police get it?”

  “They picked it up during the bust of a small-time burglar. We don’t think he has anything to do with the network hack, but he might be able tell us where he got the computer. This is a perfect time of day to catch him at home, so I’m heading over to talk to him now. I thought you might want to come with me.”

  “Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss it.”

  “Then let’s go, and I’ll give you the details on the way.” She held out a remote to click open the doors on her large SUV, then flashed a mischievous smile at him. “After your accident yesterday, I’m thinking you don’t have a very good record behind the wheel, so I’ll drive again.”

  Despite her adorable smile, he wanted to argue but didn’t want to admit he had a thing with letting other people drive. He climbed into the passenger seat and slid it back to accommodate his legs.

  She slipped behind the wheel as gracefully as she did everything else. Not at all like he’d expect from a P.I. and definitely not from an FBI agent. He could easily see how criminals like the man they were going to talk to might subdue her.

  Luke would have to keep a watchful eye on her—no hardship, that was for sure. But no matter how intrigued he was by her, that was as far as things would go. He had too many unsettled issues for that to ever be a possibility in his life.

  She turned the key, and the powerful engine roared to life, then purred smoothly. “You seem like you’re in less pain today.”

  “I am,” he said and waited for her to demand additional details as she always seemed to do.

  Surprisingly she concentrated on winding her way out of the lot. While she merged the car seamlessly into heavy morning traffic, Luke called Tim to tell him he’d left the building and to ask him to inform his assistant so she didn’t worry. He’d already shared with Tim that they’d hoped a stolen computer was used to access the network, but despite questions Tim fired off, Luke kept the nature of this trip to himself. He didn’t want Tim to lose hope if the lead didn’t pan out.

  “You really care about Tim, don’t you?” Dani asked when he’d stowed his phone.

  “You can tell that from a simple phone conversation?”

  “You’re reserved and cautious when you talk to people, but when you talk with Tim, your whole demeanor changes.”

  He shook his head. “I need to remember you think like a P.I., assessing everything I say and do.”

  “And I need to remember you’re a former SEAL doing the same thing.”

  “Touché,” he said and laughed.

  “So back to Tim.”

  “I think I mentioned he’s Hawk’s little brother.” Mindful of Dani’s observations, Luke worked hard to keep the emotion over the loss of his friend from his voice. “I figure the least I can do for Hawk is to fill in for him with Tim when I can.”

  She cast an appraising look his way, but he hadn’t a clue what she was trying to ascertain. After a quick shake of her head she said, “I should tell you that I reviewed the computer from your sister’s friend last night and I started vetting your sister.”

  “And?” He crossed his arms.

  “The friend didn’t use his computer to access your home network and I haven’t found anything to suggest your sister is involved.”

  “Makes me sad that they’re now involved in this mess, but I get that you have to work every angle.”

  “I’ll still need to dig a little deeper on your sister before I can fully rule her out.”

  “Will you let me know as soon as you finish vetting her?”

  Dani nodded. “I also need to tell you that General Wilder called me last night.”

  Right. Here comes the thing that had her so uptight in the office.

  “And?” He braced himself for the answer.

  “He said they’d traced the anonymous phone call they received and it led to a disposable cell.”

  “So it’s a dead end, then,” Luke said, fighting back his disappointment.

  “Yes.” She braked as they approached a stoplight. “But while I had him on the phone, I got him to agree to relook at your software. Provided they haven’t signed another contract by the time it’s fixed, that is.”

  Luke swiveled to face her. “He agreed? Yesterday he led me to believe that the sabotage had pretty much ended our chances with the other committee members.”

  “It had, but I promised him I’d personally vouch for the software. I’ll have to review it thoroughly after your team makes the corrections, but we should be able to get it in front of the committee again.
”

  “I’m so relieved I could kiss you,” Luke blurted out before his brain caught up with his emotions.

  She came to a complete stop at the light then looked at him, straight and long, those luminous eyes burning into his like an infrared scope. He wouldn’t have been able to pull away even if he wanted to, which he didn’t. She was one of those women you couldn’t seem to take your eyes off. Not because of her physical beauty, but because of a strength and determination that glowed from inside.

  He wanted to ignore his common sense and give in to the sparks of interest. To forget everything else. To finally forget all about the hurtful things Wendy had flung at him before she’d left and think about dating again.

  Wendy. Right.

  Be a real man, she’d shouted at him. Let go of SatCom and get a job that can support a wife and family.

  Words that sounded very much like his father’s when Luke had tried out for the SEALs. He’d thought his dad would be proud. Instead, he’d cut Luke to the quick when he’d said becoming a SEAL wasn’t honorable. It was selfish and self-serving. Only men who sought accolades as the hero followed that path. Real, hardworking men settled down with a wife and family.

  Luke had worked even harder to make it as a SEAL after that, but he’d carried his father’s words as he carried his backpack, unloading a bit of the old man’s garbage with each trip. He thought he’d succeeded in ridding himself of all of it until Wendy had spit similar words at him.

  Now he got it. He still let his father’s criticisms linger and he wasn’t fit for a relationship. Not fit for duty. End of story.

  He jerked his gaze away. The light changed and Dani eased the car forward. An awkward silence descended on them, the air thick with tension. He’d probably offended her with his kissing comment.

  He looked at her and waited for her to glance his way. “I’m sorry, Dani. My comment about kissing you was inappropriate.”

  “It was nothing,” she said, but quickly darted her focus back to the front. “I could never have worked in law enforcement for as long as I did if something like that bothered me.”

  Glad he hadn’t stepped on her toes, he turned to watch the scenery on the Sunset Highway fly past. Traffic was heavy this time of morning, but they soon swooped down the Sylvan Hill and into the tunnel before exiting into downtown Portland.

  “So the guy we’re going to see is Freddy Eggleston.” Dani glanced over her shoulder and changed lanes. “Ring any bells?”

  “None.”

  “He has a long rap sheet. Served time for breaking and entering and once for assault. Nothing that would make me think he has the brains to sabotage your software.”

  “I’m hoping he’ll at least be able to tell us where he got this computer.”

  “Me, too, but don’t hold your breath. Criminals like Eggleston rarely offer to cooperate unless there’s something in it for them.”

  A vision of Dani as an FBI agent sitting across the interrogation table from known felons flashed into Luke’s head, and he didn’t like the picture. Not one bit. “Maybe we should have the police talk to him instead of doing it ourselves.”

  She cast him an as-if look. “So did you have a chance last night to think about who’d want to sabotage your software?”

  Wishing she hadn’t so deftly changed the subject, he nodded. “Only thing I can come up with is our competitor, Security-Watchdog, wanting us to tank so they can get the contract.”

  She clicked on her blinker, then turned the corner into a residential area. “Since we’re talking about a multimillion-dollar contract, I think that’s a good possibility. But it could also be someone holding a grudge against you.”

  He hadn’t considered that this might be a personal attack. Was there someone who’d want to set him up to take the fall for treason?

  He ran though his life and couldn’t come up with a single suspect. “I’m not a Boy Scout by any means, but I doubt anyone hates me enough to risk going to jail for treason.”

  “Still,” she said. “You should spend some time thinking about it.”

  “I will, but I think we should look into corporate espionage right away. Though I don’t know anything about the owners of Security-Watchdog,” he quickly added as he hated to cast suspicion on anyone without reason.

  “Already started. Two of the three named partners are IT professionals who’ve worked in a few big firms here in Portland, and they seem credible.”

  “And the other partner?” Luke asked. “Anything unusual jump out at you?”

  “Before we talk about him, remember IT professionals know how software is sabotaged or they wouldn’t be able to protect their own investments. That doesn’t mean they have the desire to act on it, though. The other guy’s former military like you. That could mean he’s more likely to engage in subversive tactics, so I’ll keep digging into the company.”

  So that’s how she saw him. Military through and through. But he was so much more than that. He was kind of hurt that she didn’t see beyond the SEAL, but most people didn’t after they learned about his military career. Not that he’d let her know it stung. Better to make light of it. “You don’t think I’d do something subversive, do you?”

  She shot him a quick look of horror, and he couldn’t contain his smile.

  She smirked. “Oh, I get it. You’re teasing me.”

  “Kind of slow on the draw this morning, aren’t you, Justice?”

  “If we find Eggleston at home, you better hope not.” She chuckled, and he couldn’t help but be impressed with how she maintained an even-keel temperament most of the time.

  He’d been like that once. Before he’d gotten old enough for his father to bully and belittle while trying to control Luke’s future. Long before his father had lost it when his mother had threatened to leave him and he’d set the house on fire, killing himself along with Luke’s mother and older sister. Not a thought he’d linger on when he’d just managed to lighten his mood. He needed to be more like Dani. Upbeat. Cheerful.

  “It’s showtime.” Enthusiasm bubbled through her voice as she turned into an older neighborhood.

  He caught her mood. “You’re as excited as a rookie on her first case.”

  “Actually this is the first investigation I’ve taken lead on since starting our agency.” She shot out a hand. “And before you get worried because you don’t think I can handle your case, I’ve been lead agent on many cyber crime investigations for the FBI and had no complaints.”

  “I’m not worried in the least,” he said and meant it. But when he spotted the homes in disrepair and unkempt yards surrounding them, concern nagged at him.

  Not Dani. Her eyes alight with anticipation, she eased slowly down the street and pulled up to a home with peeling white paint and a sagging front porch. A lawn covered in knee-high weeds surrounded the small bungalow. Just the kind of place a criminal might live. She turned the engine off, and he reached for his door handle.

  “Wait.” She punched numbers on a safe bolted between the seats, then pulled out a Glock 45 and seated an ammo clip.

  His mouth dropped open when she easily chambered a round like one of his SEAL team members. He didn’t know why seeing her handle a gun like a pro surprised him, but it did. “I didn’t expect you to carry.”

  “You never know what might be waiting for us behind that door.” Her focus turned deadly serious, and for the first time, he saw Dani Justice, former federal agent, and his respect for her doubled.

  “I feel a little naked,” he said, hoping she might have another gun for him.

  “Just stay behind me and I’ll protect you from the big bad man.” She winked at him and her lips curled up in a grin.

  He imagined this slender woman gracefully strolling up the walkway, his big, hulking body following. Seemed like something he’d see in a cartoon and he c
ouldn’t stem a burst of laughter.

  “Care to share the joke?”

  “Just that you’re so...I don’t know, fragile-looking that it’s hard to picture you as my protector.”

  She holstered her gun with a firm snap of her wrist and met his gaze, her eyes filled with disappointment. “I’m tougher than I look, Luke. Don’t make the mistake of underestimating me.” She clipped her holster on her belt. “Stay behind me, and at the door stay away from the peephole while I work my girlish charms on Eggleston to see if we can get him to come out.”

  He still didn’t like letting a woman put herself at risk for him, but he followed her up the stairs and stood to the side of the door as she directed. A quick stab at the doorbell and she stood back. The soft breeze carried her fresh coconut scent his way, making the home seem not quite as dismal.

  “Hello,” she called out in a sweet tone. “Is anyone home?”

  Luke watched the transformation from a gun-toting, tough investigator to this very feminine woman. He suspected she’d taken down a suspect or two using her femininity over the years. He’d gladly fall for it, and he wasn’t an overly trusting guy.

  She smiled at him, and that now familiar zing of interest kept his eyes fixed on her. She really was something else. He couldn’t help but think dating her would never get boring and wished that he was up for the challenge.

  “Hello,” she called again.

  Luke heard footsteps coming toward the door. Whisper-quiet, though, as if the guy didn’t want them to know he was home. When Luke saw the peephole in the door darken, he shot out a hand to pull her away. She deflected it, put her hand on her hip and faced the door again.

  “I’m having car trouble,” she said loudly. “Do you have a phone I can use?”

  Luke waited, listening for any sound, especially the chambering of a bullet.

  Seconds ticked by. Slow, tense, weighty seconds.

  Something was wrong.

  If Eggleston bought Dani’s story, he should be opening the door by now. Luke couldn’t abide her standing in front of the door any longer. Made her too vulnerable to gunfire. He slipped his hand around her elbow and pulled her to him.