Page 47 of Her Only Hero

“Who will know if we do or don’t?” he said and inserted the stick.

And just like that, he solved my moral dilemma of whether I should look to see what was on the drive. I leaned closer when he clicked open a file.

A list of names appeared, each with accompanying twelve-digit numbers.

“What do you think that is?” I asked.

“I don’t know. My guess would be this is a business listing of some sort. Clients, maybe with invoice numbers. Or maybe passwords.”

“How many are there?”

He scrolled down, page after page. “A hundred, maybe two,” he said. “I can’t find a business name, address, or logo anywhere.” He scrolled to the end of the list. “That’s all we got. A list of names and numbers.” He removed the drive and handed it to me.

“Thanks,” I said in an underwhelmed voice.

“Not what you were expecting to find?”

“I didn’t know what to expect. At least it didn’t contain any sleazy videos.”

“Well, that could easily be added. We’ll just pop that back into the computer port and hit record.” He swooped in and kissed my lips and neck. “But to do that, these clothes have to go.”

I giggled as he pulled my top over my head.

Chapter Twenty-Three

I startled awake and checked my cell phone on the night table. The alarm wasn’t set to go off for another half an hour.I turned to see if Patrick was still sleeping. He wasn’t. He was on his back with an arm above his head.

“You’re awake, too?” I said.

“Yeah. Bad dream, babe?”

“I think so. Can’t remember. It looks like you’re contemplating something.”

“I am.”

“What?”

“I’m thinking about the pending DNA results. And The Espresso Bar and Eatery.”

“Oh, yum. Is that where you bought those breakfast sandwiches before?”

“Yes.”

“Well, the run comes off the analyzer in about an hour. Think we can make it to the Eatery before work?”

A smile curled on his lips, and a devilish glint flashed in his eyes.

As if a track official had shot a gun to start a race, Patrick and I kicked off the sheets and scrambled out of bed. We moved around each other, getting showered and dressed, adding a kiss here, or a loving touch there.

Along the way, we drove to the takeout window for his coffee and sausage breakfast sandwich, and my tea and a morning glory muffin.

“Yum,” I said as I took a bite of the warm muffin top, wishing I had ordered two of them.

Patrick slipped his hand to my knee.

In what seemed like no time, we were at the police complex and parked near the lab entrance. We carried our beverages, and I scanned my new ID badge to get into the building.

The first to arrive in the lab, I flicked on the lights and headed straight to the genetic analyzer. Patrick trotted close behind. I tapped the instrument’s screen to initialize the warmup. We took sips from our cups while waiting in anticipation.

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