Sometimes It Is Rocket Science

by Thorpe, Kara

“Your sister loves you.”

  The corner of Tab’s mouth curled up in a sad smile. “I know. That’s part of what makes it so hard to be around her. I let her down. Sometimes I can’t look at her because I’m afraid I’ll see just how disappointed she is or how much she resents me.”

  “The accident wasn’t your fault, Tab. Georgiana knows that and she’s never resented you.” Even a blind fool could see how devoted Georgiana was to her brother. Robert didn’t think there was much Tab could do to irreparably damage their relationship. He envied their closeness.

  “So, I’m glad you’re here. I don’t care how sudden the engagement is; I just care that my sister isn’t sad anymore.” Tab raised watery, but hopeful, eyes. “I’d like to think that maybe it’s a step forward for both of us.”

  Robert swallowed the lump forming in his throat. He was no stranger to responsibility, but he’d never had anyone pin such a look of trust and anticipation on him. The cold, logical part of his brain pointed out that Georgiana wasn’t around so there wasn’t any reason to play the supportive big brother. The rest of him observed that she hadn’t been around for the five hours he’d played video games, either. Tab was counting on him, and he couldn’t let the kid down.

  If you ever need anything, if you feel you can’t talk to Georgiana about something, or if you just want a Zorkamoid ass-kicking find me.” Robert squeezed Tab’s shoulder when the younger man glanced away. “I mean it. Find me.”

  “I will.”

  “Good.” Robert dropped his arm and glanced up at the clock. “We had better get dressed or your sister will beat us, and we’ll never hear the end of it.”

  Tab’s favorite diner was packed. Georgiana wound up stuffed between Robert and Tab in a tiny booth. She was certain the position was great for the image Robert was undoubtedly trying to project to the media, but it was bad for her digestion. What appetite she didn’t lose watching Tab shovel waffles into his mouth like a starving man she lost every time Robert brushed her hand or knee and sent the butterflies in her stomach into a tizzy.

  “Eat your hash browns, doll,” Robert murmured, scooping up a forkful and slipping it into her mouth. The faint snick of a camera lens was almost drowned out by the chatter filling the room. She obediently chewed and swallowed. Before Robert could try it a second time, she dug her fingernails into the underside of his wrist.

  “I promised Yvonne I wouldn’t do anything to ruin her evening,” she said, voice lowered so no one could overhear. “Keep that up and I’ll storm out of here crying like you broke my heart. She’ll blame you, and they won’t ever find your body. She has connections.”

  Robert didn’t dare call her bluff. Her assistant was downright frightening. His fork fell to the plate with a clatter that brought every set of eyes to their table. He darted forward for a quick, chaste kiss followed by another. “Maple syrup. It’d make a good lip balm flavor, though I do love the orange sherbet.”

  “I’m going to throw away every tube I own.”

  “Don’t you dare.” He ran the pad of his thumb across her syrup-sticky lip, glanced over her shoulder at Tab. “Think we’ve sufficiently traumatized your brother?”

  “It’s nothing I’m sure another stack of waffles won’t cure.” She shifted away from Robert, ignored his penetrating eyes. He wasn’t wearing his usual aftershave so there were no pheromones to blame it on. What was it about him that made common sense fly out the window?

  “Had enough or are you ready for another round, Théophile?” she asked.

  “I’m stuffed.” Tab patted his stomach, belched. “At least until lunch.”

  The photographers didn’t follow them to the animal shelter. At Georgiana’s urging, they started in the cattery. Tab played with the kittens, but wasn’t overenthusiastic about any of them. Georgiana’s attention kept slipping back to a tiny Siamese-mix eyeing them from the top of a carpeted perch. When Georgiana reached for the kitten, it let out a high-pitched meow and leapt from its perch to a scratching post several feet away. The second time she reached for the kitten, she managed to pluck it out of midair before it could reach its next destination. Its ears were warm and velvety smooth; its rumbling purr reminded Georgiana of a well-tuned sports car at idle.

  In the dog kennel, Tab gravitated towards a long, sleek Irish setter. It only took twenty minutes of tossing a ball and scratching its ears to make up his mind. Not even the volunteer’s warnings about how much energy Setters had could dissuade him. Georgiana was helpless against the two sets of pleading eyes, Tab’s and the dog’s, aimed at her with such longing.

  “Fine,” she sighed, mentally saying goodbye to the Siamese. If Tab had his heart set on the dog, she wasn’t going to take it away from him. There was no way they would have room for both the cat and the dog when they moved back to the townhouse.

  Robert hadn’t forgotten how hard it had been to pull Georgiana away from the small, blue-eyed cat. Already aware of how much she’d sacrifice for her brother, he knew she wouldn’t try to change Tab’s mind in favor of the kitten. He flashed a charming smile at the blushing teenage volunteer and wrapped an arm around Georgiana’s waist. “What my fiancée means is we’ll be taking the Setter and the Siamese.”

  Chapter Eighteen:

  Georgiana’s shoulders grazed the wall as a blur of russet fur and swooshing tail raced past her up the stairs to the main level of the house. She didn’t remember when Quinn, Tab’s Irish setter, had appeared in the workshop with her, but he’d been her companion for hours. She’d left Faraday, her Siamese, happily nestled in a pile of pilfered shop rags on a shelf along one wall of her workroom.

  After a long, laughter-filled dinner with Tab and Robert, she’d wandered down to her shop. There was a plastic-and-metal piece that didn’t match any parts in the schematics for the SUV or the truck. She’d snapped a picture to show Dan when they took him leftover red beans and rice for lunch.

  She needed a drink of something cool and possibly alcoholic. Her eyes ached from staring at the unidentified part. After she peeked in on Tab, she had a date with her shower and then it was back to work. With a little luck, she could start rebuilding the car after their hospital visit.

  The big-screen television in the living room was on, but the couch and recliners were empty. “Television off, NORA,” she instructed, rolling her eyes. Before the accident, she was constantly turning off the television in rooms Tab had vacated. Between Tab and Robert, she was going to have to program NORA to shut down any appliances left abandoned.

  Georgiana eased open Tab’s bedroom door and paused to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. Her brother was sprawled out across the bed with his head buried under a pillow. Quinn slipped between her knee and the door and hopped onto the bed. Tab groaned, rolled to his side and flung an arm across Quinn’s back. The dog crossed his paws in front of him and rested his chin on the edge of Tab’s pillow.

  “Those sheets are going to be covered with dog hair,” she murmured, slowly backing out of the room. Part of her longed to shove Quinn aside and take up position at Tab’s side, but she had to give him space. If she coddled him he’d never move beyond the accident. She blew a kiss just before pulling the door until it was nearly, but not quite, shut. Her fingers lingered on the cool doorknob. “Good night, little brother.”

  “Is Tab sleeping?”

  Georgiana whirled around with a hand pressed to the fluttering pulse in her neck. She hadn’t heard Robert’s approach. “Jesus,” she panted, “I’m going to put a bell on you.”

  “I’ll leave the collaring to the four-legged residents, if it’s all the same to you.” Robert stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jeans and leaned against the doorjamb across from Georgiana.

  “I was thinking more along the line of elf shoes.” Her lips twitched. Her eyes fell to his bare feet. “You know, the pointed, floppy ones with the big bells on the curled ends?”

  “Perhaps you should get some sleep, Georgiana.”

  “Can’t. Things to do.” Georgiana scr
ubbed at her gritty eyes and rolled her tense shoulders. “Monday and Tuesday I’m booked up with meetings. I need to have a follow up with the board regarding Hayes . I haven’t looked over Tab’s physics project like I promised. Dan’s coming home soon, and I want to make sure everything’s perfect for him.”

  “You need to take a break before you burn out.” Robert crossed the width of the hallway with one step. He cradled her jaw with a warm hand and brushed his thumb across the dark shadows under her eyes. “You won’t do Tab or Dad any good if you make yourself sick. Besides, a fresh mind will allow you to see things with a new perspective.”

  Her eyelids drifted closed. She instinctively leaned towards his warmth. The spicy tang of his possibly-pheromone laden aftershave wrapped around her like a thick, downy comforter.

  “Take a break with me, doll.” Robert’s voice dropped in pitch and lost the smooth veneer of refinement. The gravelly tone with its slight twang was the voice she remembered from their childhood. “Relax a little. Unwind. I’ll open a bottle of wine. We’ll watch a movie or one of those science shows you set NORA up to record. Whatever you want.”

  “Mmm.” The tension built up at the back of Georgiana’s neck and across her shoulders melted like butter in a hot frying pan. Her palms itched with the need to pull him closer and bury herself in his arms. It was easy to understand why he never lacked for female companions.

  “What do you say?”

  “I say…” Georgiana reluctantly slipped out of Robert’s light embrace and inhaled sharply to clear her muddled head. “I say I need a small glass of Baileys and a slice of chocolate cheesecake.” When Robert’s face fell, she sighed and linked her fingers with his. “There’s enough for two.”

  “Thanks, doll.”

  In the kitchen, she filled two glasses with ice while Robert retrieved the Irish cream from the wet bar in the formal living room. Rather than divvy up the cheesecake and dirty plates, she left the quarter cheesecake on its plate and handed Robert a fork. The cool, sweet Irish cream was perfect with the firm, decadent chocolate cheesecake.

  “Not usually how you spend a Saturday night, huh?” Georgiana dragged a forkful of cheesecake through a puddle of chocolate sauce. She hooked a foot under the rungs of her barstool and scooted closer to Robert. She spun the tablet computer near his elbow around and pressed the button to rouse it from sleep-mode.

  “It’s no charity gala or champagne-soaked soiree, but it has its perks.” Robert winked, popped a piece of crust in his mouth. His toes slowly brushed across the sole of her left foot. “Especially when it comes to the company.”

  Cheeks flushed, Georgiana fixed her stare on her email inbox. A message from the head of Collier Analytics security caught her attention. A furrow appeared between her brows as she read the results from the tests they’d done on the elevator system.

  “What’s wrong, doll?”

  Georgiana gulped the last of her Irish cream. She dropped her fork and pushed the plate away. “Someone remotely accessed the elevator system to switch it to fire mode. The security team has someone following the trail, but it could be the middle of next week before they can tell me who accessed the system.”

  Robert’s head snapped up. He snatched the tablet off the counter and scanned the email. Before Georgiana could speak, Robert grabbed her hand and yanked her off the stool. He led her up to his office on the second floor. “It would take your guys a few days, but I can have an answer for you in a matter of minutes.”

  “Has anyone told you how very irritating you are when you brag?” Georgiana asked, collapsing on the ergonomic titanium-framed chair beside the desk. Focusing on the glint in his eyes took her mind off the unease swirling in her stomach. Why would someone bother hacking the elevators? They hadn’t trapped anyone inside. All they’d done was cause a minor hiccup in daily life at Collier Analytics.

  “It’s not bragging if you are that good, Gigi.”

  Georgiana flicked through the rest of the messages in her inbox. She’d promised Yvonne that she wouldn’t send any emails, but she hadn’t said anything about reading them. Robert proved to be a distraction from the latest email regarding Hayes. His fingers flew across the keyboard. The way the tip of his tongue peeked out from between his lips made her think of how he’d look if that single-minded focus were transferred elsewhere.

  “Don’t you need my access codes to get in the system?”

  “I am already in.”

  “Show off.”

  Georgiana gave up trying to read her email and shifted so she could see Robert’s screen. There was a message from Prask’s secretary that she wasn’t in the mood to open. She had a meeting with the head of Tomorrow Solutions’ legal department on Monday. The meeting had already been moved twice, and the message was undoubtedly another reschedule request.

  “Maintained by Conveyance Solutions,” Robert read the top of the screen. “I’ll bet half my trust fund Prask took a personal interest in the installation of your elevator software.”

  Georgiana swallowed, fixed her eyes on Robert’s long, strong fingers. She wasn’t looking forward to the upcoming argument. There was no denying Prask was up to something, but disabling her elevator system was ridiculous. A prank. Not on par with trying to kill Dan or Tab.

  “Yes. He said it was a special courtesy. I had a security detail on him the entire time he was in our building. No one reported anything suspicious.”

  “He didn’t have to do anything while he was in the building.” With a few keystrokes, Robert highlighted a block of code in the system’s main executable file. “This here allows him to access your system whenever he wants. It’s not part of the update subroutine. He put his backdoor in plain sight.”

  “Knowing I’d never see it.”

  “He was counting on that, yes.” Robert cut off Prask’s link to the Collier Analytic’s elevator program. He also disabled the automatic update subroutine. If Georgiana wanted the software updated, he would do it for her.

  “Because I was preoccupied with Hayes, Tab, and Dan.” Georgiana slipped Robert’s phone off the desk. Stress made her fidgety. She missed the glow of understanding brightening his face. “I get that he knows about Dan because he’s responsible, and I’m sure he had something to do with Hayes’ big mouth. We’ve only speculated about Tab’s accident, but there’s no proof he tampered with the car.”

  “We’ll find it.” Robert’s jaw tightened. Unlike Georgiana, he didn’t need concrete evidence to reach certain conclusions. He’d seen the devastation left in the wake of Prask’s business dealings. The older man held no regard for the lives he’d financially destroyed or the legacies he’d carved into tiny pieces. He wouldn’t put anything past Walt Prask.

  “It doesn’t make sense. He doesn’t gain anything by killing Dan or even killing Tab. Norwood would go to you, and I would still control CA.” She rapidly blinked back the tears that swelled at the mere thought of her brother’s death. She couldn’t forget how close she’d come to actually losing him. “Disabling the elevator doesn’t accomplish anything either.”

  Robert glanced up at Georgiana with dark, glittering eyes. His lips were compressed into a thin, bloodless line. He couldn’t believe it had taken them so long to figure it out. “It’s you, Gigi. It has to be.” At her uncomprehending blink, he sighed and put it in terms she’d understand. “The impact on you is the common factor in both scenarios.”

  “Prask hasn’t attacked me. You ran the tests after our aborted dinner. There was nothing in my system.”

  “He doesn’t have to attack you directly. All he needs to do is unsettle you. Make you desperate by taking away your support structure. I’d say he’s done a damn fine job of it so far.”

  Robert exited out of the program and initiated the computer’s shut down program. He rolled around the corner of the desk and braced his hands on her knees. She wasn’t like him; she hadn’t been trained the same way. He kept business and personal separate whenever possible, cultivated the persona of the hard-a
ss business mogul. She didn’t wear masks; she didn’t keep people from knowing how utterly vital her family and friends were to her. Manipulating her weaknesses had been laughably easy for an unscrupulous prick like Prask.

  “He poisoned Dan and nearly killed Tab to get to me?” Georgiana’s hands faltered for a moment. “Because he wants my company? He knows I’d never sell to him. I’d have to be completely out of my mind to even entertain the idea.”

  “He knew that. All he needed was for you to be unbalanced. Publicly. It wouldn’t be unreasonable, and you’d have everyone’s sympathy, but he has friends on your board. If he whispered in the right ears, they could pass a vote of no confidence. After that, it would only be a matter of red tape before they’re changing the name on your parking space.”

  Anger flared in the pit of her stomach. Her fingers clenched around the plastic pieces of Robert’s phone. Dan and Tab, two of the best men she’d ever known, had almost died because of Prask’s greed. It wasn’t over, either. As several of his ex-wives couldn’t attest, Prask wasn’t one to give up easily.

  “You’re in his way now. He wasn’t counting on you returning or our ‘engagement.’ He’ll go after you next.”

  Robert’s smile sent a cold chill down Georgiana’s spine. “He can try.” He squeezed Georgiana’s knees reassuringly before leaning back in his chair. “I don’t want you going anywhere without Allan or a member of your security team. I suggest you pick two or three you trust implicitly and bring them up to speed. Someone should watch Tab and Dan at the house, as well.”

  “Agreed. I will talk to Allan in the morning. He’s supposed to give me the preliminary results of his security audit.” She yawned widely, wriggled her itchy nose. “In the meantime, I’ll start a pot of coffee and get back to work on the car. If I can find something that points to Prask, hopefully we can involve the police. I won’t let him get away with this.”

  He nudged her knee with his foot. “We won’t let him get away with this, doll. We’re a team, remember?”