Page 15 of Her Only Hero

Charlie waved, then stepped outside to do his usual security checks of the building’s perimeter.

“You can’t find your badge?” Patrick asked.

“No, I must have left it at home. I’ve been a bit distracted lately.”

“As have I,” he whispered and moved closer.

I lowered my gaze and noticed the shiny silver badge on his chest. I felt the blood drain from my face. Panic fizzed up in my chest like seltzer.

“What just happened? June?”

“Patrick,” I started to say and cleared my constricted throat. “My work badge, it’s actually missing.”

“Missing? But you said you left it at home.”

I put my hand on his chest. “Yes, that’s what I thought. But I realized the last time I had my ID badge was when I was attacked.”

Patrick clenched his jaw.

“What if the guy who shoved me has my badge? He’d know my name, what I look like, where I work, and have access to this building. He could find out where I live.”

“June, I’ll speak to Charlie and have him deactivate your badge.”

“Okay, good,” I said and wrung my hands.

“We’ll take every precaution to keep you safe.”

His comfort was immeasurable. I could see concern on his face, but I didn’t know if he was worried about my state of upset, or about the potential escalated danger of the case. Probably both. From the beginning, he took my involvement in the case seriously, and I wished I hadn’t downplayed it. I shivered.

“Thank you, Patrick.”

He gently kissed the top of my head.

I pulled my shoulders back and focused on my mission.

I had work to do to help solve this mystery.

Chapter Eight

I marched into the lab. With the possible threat of a criminal knowing my identity and workplace, analyzing the blood sample Patrick had swabbed off my arm became top priority.

I had to enlighten my colleagues about my situation.

Vinny looked up from his computer monitor as I rooted myself in the center of the lab. Lara shut the centrifuge lid and glanced over and then nudged Edward with an elbow, who sat beside her.

“Hey, guys,” I said. “I have something to tell all of you, something you should know, for your own safety.”

“Safety?” Vinny stood, wide-eyed. “I knew it. They’re real, aren’t they?”

“What’s real?” I asked, with no idea of what he was talking about.

Lara rolled her eyes. “Aliens. Vinny’s referring to aliens.”

“Like extraterrestrial aliens?” I shook my head. “Gosh, I don’t know if they’re real.”

“You don’t? You mean you weren’t abducted?” Vinny said and scratched his bald head. “But there were so many signs.”

Edward snorted. “Get real, Vinny.”

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