Page 56 of Protecting You

She rounded the desk. “Don’t do that, Caleb. Just let them look at your computer. It’s not like you’ve got state secrets on there.”

He glared at her, and the look was so authentic that she froze a few feet away.

“Companysecrets. Maybe that means nothing to this guy, but our client database is on there. I could lose my job.”

“Charles doesn’t care what you do for work. I promise. He’s not going to steal anything.”

“If it makes you that uncomfortable,” Charles said, “feel free to leave the laptop with Benson and find a book to read. As you can see, there are plenty.” He gestured to the wall of shelves.

“I need to work.”

“It’s a simple choice. You will let Benson have a look at your system to confirm it is what you say it is, that there’s nothing questionable on there, or you will not use it on my property.”

Callan’s mouth set in a firm line. He looked from Charles to Benson and back.

Tension buzzed like a swarm of angry bees.

Then Callan sat, turned the laptop so none of them could see the screen, and typed. “There. It’s open. But you’re not taking it. I’m watching everything you do.”

Satisfaction in Benson’s expression, he sat opposite Callan’s chair and turned the laptop toward himself.

Callan leaned against the wall beside him and watched over his shoulder, arms crossed.

She guessed Benson took his time poking around, just to annoy him.

Charles resumed his seat and nodded for her to do the same, but she pretended not to notice. She wanted to be ready in case Benson discovered something that gave away who Callan really was.

If that happened, what would Benson do? Would he say something? Or take out a gun and shoot him?

More likely, he’d take Callan away, maybe try to get information out of him.

What would Alyssa do? Make a run for it? Try to help?

Her heart pounded with fear.

Nobody spoke, the only sounds coming from the man’s thick fingers on the keyboard. The tension in the room mixed with the heat from the gas fireplace. What had felt drafty before was now stuffy.

Stifling.

She shouldn’t be worried. Callan’s security was tight enough that this guy shouldn’t be able to get past it.

After minutes that felt like hours, he set the laptop on one of the footrests. “It’s what he says. A client database, a portal to a computer company.”

“Thank you, Benson.” Charles smiled at Callan. “Sorry we had to do that.”

“You didn’thaveto do it.” He snatched his laptop.

Dismissed, Benson stepped out.

Callan, still acting angry, gave her an unhappy stare.

“Please, get back to work,” Charles said to her.

She sat and focused on her screens. She’d found the gateway to the private server. Now, to find a way in.

And a way to fix this company’s system so that, no matter what Charles did, he wouldn’t be able to follow the breadcrumbs she’d dropped.

CHAPTERFOURTEEN

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