Page 9 of Hacked For Love
“I’ll call you as soon as we have something more,” Laura is promising, but I barely hearher.
“Of course,” I manage, and the call disconnects as I read the anonymous e-mailagain.
Dr. Yoshida did not steal from you. Do not confronthim.
Don Rocco Marcone thinks that you stole from him. Becareful.
You were targeted bymistake.
Is this a leak from one of my thief’s associates, or an attack of conscience by the thief himself?I start working out again, my mind racing as I mull over how—and if—I should answer the strangemessage.
Chapter5
Robin
Only once the warning is out to Drake Steele can I finally sleep. I don’t feel relief as I drift off, only a sort of deep resignation. I may very well have just signed my death warrant—literally dying by my principles. At least I’ll die with a cleanconscience.
The rain taps against the thin wood barely two inches from the top of my head. The refrigerator crate I found in the alley has leaks; I’ve lined it with cardboard, but that’s starting to get soakedthrough.
I hide inside, balled up and shivering, praying that none of the drunks will find me before I can steal a few hours of sleep. They had good fun chasing me down the alley a couple of nights ago. I don’t think I can handle another scare like that any timesoon.
I’m twelve, but I feel half my age. I’m terrified, curled into a ball, choking down sobs so no one will hear me over the rain.Don’t let them find me, I pray. I already have finger-bruises under my jeans from where one of them grabbed myhip.
I want my Mom. I want my Dad. I want my old home back, and my books, and mybed.
I don’t want this icy winter, this city turned ugly and dark, its men turned intomonsters.
A drop of rain works its way through the cardboard and strikes me in the head like a small, icy rock. I bury my face in my hands and wonder again why there’s no one tohelp.
The ping of an e-mail alert drags me out of the cardboard box and back into my warm apartment. I lift my head groggily, brain full of fuzz, tears still drying on mycheeks.
I promised myself that I would never let anyone else go through what I had, not so long as I could do something aboutit.
It’s full morning. Rain’s tapping on the window, and I nod grimly, knowing now what evoked that old memory. I’m not angry; rain means it’s above freezingagain.
For once, I’m reluctant to crawl out of bed and scrape myself together to get back to work at my desk. I haven’t slept enough. I’ve been through hell, and I don’t know when I’ll be able to get myself back to sleep again if I get upnow.
I squint my eyes against the thin sunlight, pulling deeper under the covers. Whatever the message is, it canwait.
I’m still lying there with my eyes open several minutes later, and I finally sigh and get up. “Damn it.” The loneliness from the dream, the fear and despair, are still nibbling on the bottom of my heart as I head for the bathroom.Maybe I should get a pet orsomething.
After showering and dressing in black jeans and a gray wool sweater, I force myself to eat something before my trip back into cyberspace. I’ll need a walk eventually, some kind of real exercise. On top of everything else going on, I’m starting to feel coopedup.
For now, a couple of hardboiled eggs, a bowl of quick oatmeal with apple slices, and a banana will have to do. I swallow my usual fistful of vitamins and supplements before cleaning up my tiny kitchen and heading over to see what’s going ononline.
Iopenthe window that pinged me—andfreeze.
Oh no. No, no, no. What is he doing? I should have just closed the damned e-mail account an hour after I sent themessage!
Drake Steele just wrote me back unexpectedly, and for a solid minute I just stare at the message indicator without opening it. Then I close my eyes and click onit.
I have to force them open, and I force them to look at myscreen.
Thank you for the warning. I can only guess that you had an attack ofconscience.
I would like my money back, and I would like anexplanation.
I can’t catch my breath. My ears are ringing suddenly with my earlier warning to myself.Do notinteract.
