Page 37 of Protecting You

“I hope so. The point is, I’m not going to be able to complete this project for you. I’m taking some time off to spend with Caleb. It’s been a pleasure?—”

“Ah, well, thatisa problem. I’ll need you to complete the task you’ve been paid for.”

Alyssa’s gaze flicked to Callan. “I’m sorry, but I really can’t take on anything right now.”

“I’m afraid I need that name. And I need your help with another project. Therefore, you will keep the money I’ve already transferred into your account, and I will pay you more?—”

“Even if I wanted to, Charles, I really can’t. I didn’t want to bring this up because…well, it’s not your problem. It has nothing to do with you at all. But my apartment was broken into last night. When Caleb and I got home from dinner, there were thieves there. They got away with some of my equipment, including the hard drive from my desktop, which stores my programs and private bots. I need those things to find?—”

“What are you saying?” For the first time in the conversation, Ghazi sounded rattled.

The man’s reaction confirmed Callan’s hunch that Ghazi’s men hadn’t been behind the break-in.

“Is the information you’ve gathered for me secure?” he asked. “Or has it been compromised?” Warning hummed in his words like power on a wire.

“I keep all my clients’ information on a cloud server. I did worry that there might be a trail on my desktop that led to the server, so I downloaded all the data—yours and that belonging to other clients—last night and deleted my account. It’s safe.”

There was a long pause.

Alyssa met Callan’s eyes, fear clouding her expression.

He nodded to tell her she was doing great.

“I appreciate how seriously you take security,” Ghazi said. “That tells me you’re the right person for my next job.”

“Thank you, but like I said?—”

“I like you,” Ghazi said. “I like working with you. I trust you. So you’re going to need to do this job for me.”

“Even if I wanted to, without my equipment?—”

“Whatever you need, I’ll provide for you. I have an office that I’ve filled with state-of-the-art equipment. Anything not already here, I’ll have delivered for you immediately. You can stay on site until you’ve completed the assignment. You’ll find this house quite comfortable.”

“I’m going to have to decline. But thank you so much for?—”

“Perhaps you’re not hearing me, Alyssa.” That warning tone was back, more overt than undercurrent this time. “I can’t take no for an answer.”

She pushed to her feet. “You cannot force me?—”

“Alyssa, let’s not throw around words likeforce. You’ve procured much information for me. If anybody were to look too closely into how you got that information, I assume they would discover that you’ve broken a few laws. And they might even discover thatI’vebroken a few laws. By helping me, you would be considered an accomplice in those crimes. Since I’m not a citizen of this country, I would be able to relocate to a more hospitable nation. I suspect that would be harder for you, what with a family and a fiancé. But if you do one more job for me?—”

“One more,” she snapped. “And then one more, and then one more after that. Is that how this works? Are you blackmailing me?” The shock and outrage in her voice sounded legitimate.

“I’m encouraging you to act in your own best interest.”

Callan gripped her arm. When she looked at him, he mouthed, “Hang up. Hang up now.”

But she wrenched away. “And what am I supposed to tell Caleb? We have plans. I’m supposed to just back out, tell him…what? I’m being forced to work against my will?”

“You’ll come up with something. It will only take a few days.”

Callan reached for her phone, but she angled back, shooting a look.

Though she didn’t speak, he got the message.

Trust me.

The problem was, though Alyssa was quick on her feet, she wasn’t an agent. She didn’t know what she was doing.

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