Thread of Suspicion

by Susan Sleeman

  “Enough.” He laughed good-naturedly. “I got it. I’ll call Stan.”

  She rattled off the network login information Stan would need. “This is urgent. As in, I need the information now.”

  “Don’t worry. I got it. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.” He disconnected.

  She went back to the software and started her written report for the general. In less than ten minutes, her phone chimed a text. She grabbed it from the desk and smiled when she saw Derrick had come through with the address she needed. She plugged it into a database they often used to locate people, and a name flashed on the screen in front of her.

  “Really?” she whispered in surprise as she spotted the name of a SatCom associate, then sat back with a satisfied sigh.

  God was smiling on her today. She’d located her first ever traitor, possessed the evidence to prove it and was only moments away from exposing him at the demonstration.

  * * *

  Inside SatCom’s modern two-story building, Luke rounded the corner to the conference room. The three-member military procurement committee and two of his staff members sat around a long table. Tim, wearing his usual jeans and a long-sleeve T-shirt, paced at the head of the table. A tall, slender woman with softly waving blond hair stood at the side. Her back was to Luke, but he could still see her hands in motion as she spoke.

  The infamous consultant Dani Justice, he assumed. And if she was attending the demonstration, their software was most likely corrupt as the anonymous caller had claimed.

  Could this be the end of his company? Of his reputation? Of everything he’d worked for?

  He dragged in a breath but came up thirsting for more, his heart racing.

  Breathe, he told himself. Just slow down and breathe. Your team needs you. Fight the problem, but do it the right way.

  Calm. Respectful. Befitting a former SEAL.

  He slowed to compose himself. No point in barging in the room with a crazed glare as if he’d crawled out of a combat zone.

  “Your software has been altered, Mr. Revello.” Ms. Justice’s voice, filled with passion, carried out the door. “I found a backdoor, fully compromising it.”

  Luke’s feet completely faltered for a moment as shock from her confirmation washed over him. A surprised murmur traveled through the committee and several mouths dropped open. Luke had no clue what a backdoor was, but he clearly understood someone had compromised Crypton as the anonymous caller had claimed.

  “Is this possible, Mr. Revello?” General Wilder asked, though his expression said he’d already decided it was true.

  He thinks we sabotaged the software on purpose. Luke’s heart sank.

  “No one here would do such a thing,” Tim answered emphatically.

  Ms. Justice pulled her shoulders back, looking even taller than the five-ten or so he pegged her at. “The software wasn’t modified internally. It was done by remotely logging on to your network.”

  “No,” Tim said again, but this time his voice had fallen to a whisper. “Our network security is top-notch.”

  Tim was melting down. Luke needed to get in there. He rushed toward the door.

  “Do you have proof of this breach, Dani, and can you find the person responsible?” Wilder asked.

  She took a few steps closer to the table. “The best I can do until I have time to dig deeper is to give you the physical address where the transmission originated.”

  Luke stepped into the room and met Wilder’s quizzical gaze. He came to his feet, his chair shooting back and hitting the wall as whispers filled the room. “Baldwin,” he said. “You look terrible. Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine.” Luke smiled, but he had to force his lips to turn up. “I apologize for being late. I ran off the road last night and was trapped in my car until an hour ago.”

  Wilder let wizened eyes rove over Luke. “And you’re sure you’re fit to be here?”

  “Fine.”

  “Then you should know there’s a problem.” Wilder took his seat. “We were just about to start the demonstration when Dani told us the software has been sabotaged.”

  “I heard her outrageous claim from the hallway.” Luke met Ms. Justice’s damning gaze, firing back with as much strength as he could muster.

  She crossed her arms. “It’s not outrageous, Mr. Baldwin. I have verifiable proof that your network was remotely accessed and the software modified.” The zeal in her large brown eyes told Luke she spoke the truth.

  “I will, of course, need to see the proof, but at least we now know about the issue and can fix it.” Luke faced Wilder again. “Since the sabotage came from outside the company, I hope you’ll give us a chance to correct the problem and still consider Crypton for this contract.”

  “I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear, Mr. Baldwin,” Ms. Justice jumped in, her full focus pinned on Luke. “The transmission may have come from outside the company, but it originated from a SatCom employee’s home address.”

  “What?” Wilder slammed a hand on the table making everyone jump. “Give us the address, Dani, so we can expose this traitor.”

  She rattled off a local address, her eyes never leaving Luke’s face.

  Impossible.

  Shock iced over Luke’s heart and his legs felt as if they would no longer hold him upright. He hissed out a breath and searched for a response that not only wouldn’t end his career, his company, his dream, but also wouldn’t land him in jail for espionage.

  Ms. Justice took a deep breath then added, “I’ll let Mr. Baldwin tell you who resides at that address.”

  Luke couldn’t speak.

  “You obviously know who lives there,” Wilder said after a few moments, his focus locked on Luke. “I suggest you share it with us, or the committee and I will walk.”

  Luke planted his hands on the table for support, pulled back his aching shoulders and met Wilder’s penetrating gaze head on. “I live there, General. It’s my home address.”

  TWO

  Unbelievable. Dani stared at Luke Baldwin as she sat at the end of the table.

  He hadn’t reacted as expected. No denial of the charges. No explanation. He’d simply come to his full height and snapped his shoulders into a hard line as if he were standing at attention before his commanding officer. Now he stood ramrod-stiff, looking all soldier. All Mr. Tough Guy. Still, she’d seen his face pale and those broad shoulders slump for a moment after her announcement.

  His employees huddled in the corner, frantically whispering. If Luke noticed, his expression didn’t give it away. Not surprising. As a former SEAL, he’d developed the ability to hide his emotions.

  He suddenly swiveled, his gaze searching the room like a heat-seeking missile looking for a target. His cobalt eyes locked on hers, and she drew in a sharp breath at the intensity. He advanced toward her with the stealth of a large cat, radiating power and demanding attention—hers and everyone else’s in the room.

  She was powerless to look anywhere but at him. She took in the three-inch gash, swollen and raw, running over a high cheekbone, and a purple goose egg stretching the tanned skin on his forehead. Underneath his injuries, he was ruggedly handsome, and she caught herself staring as her heart rate sped up. At the other end of the table, Wilder paused, his finger in midair as if making a point to the stunned committee members gathered near him. His eyes tracked Luke, and the committee members followed suit.

  But Luke passed them by and didn’t stop until he reached her, his nearness even more unsettling. He peered down on her from his over-six-foot height, his expression earnest. “No matter what you discovered in Crypton, I didn’t sabotage it. I’m not a programmer. Far from it. My computer skills end at knowing how to email and surf the internet.”

  “Please, Mr. Baldwin. You expect me to believe you have no computer skills and yet you st
arted a software company.”

  “Call me Luke.” He squatted down, his presence filling the space in front of her. “My expertise is the military way of life and how our product is used in the field. Tim handles all of the programming.”

  She fired a skeptical look at him, and he quickly held up his hands. “I get that it sounds crazy, but I lost a good friend in Afghanistan due to compromise of our satellite phones. Before Hawk died, I promised I’d find a way to solve the problem and make sure no one else lost their life from the same issue. So I sought out his brother, Tim, and we formed the company.”

  Sounded reasonable. Honorable, even. Exactly what she’d expect from a former SEAL. But could she believe him? He hadn’t faked his brief response to her announcement, of that she was sure. But he’d recovered quickly. Too quickly, settling a mask of indifference over his face. Did he not know about the sabotage, or was he upset that he’d been caught? She hadn’t a clue which to believe.

  “Look,” he said, his voice low as if he didn’t want the others to overhear. “I don’t even know what a backdoor is.” Looking fatigued, he dropped a knee to the floor, bringing him even closer and giving her a good look at the exhaustion etched in his eyes. “In fact it’d be helpful if you’d explain it to me. In layman’s terms, please.”

  Was this claim of a lack of computer skills his attempt to cover up his involvement in the sabotage? She appraised him. His eyes were clear and guileless. She’d give him the benefit of the doubt. For now.

  “A backdoor is exactly what it sounds like,” she said. “Think of it like a door to a house or building. Sometimes we enter from a back door so we don’t draw attention to ourselves. A backdoor in software is the same. It lets the person who modified the software slip in undetected to modify the program.”

  Luke sucked in a short breath. “It’s true, then. Our sworn enemies could hear satphone conversations and know the military’s every move.”

  Dani could tell he was thinking about the loss of his friend, but she couldn’t sugarcoat the potential damage just to make him feel better. “He’d have to hack through military defenses once the software was deployed, but after reviewing the backdoor code, I can tell you the saboteur is very skilled and it wouldn’t be hard for him to do so.”

  “That rules me out, then.” He clenched his jaw and corded muscles in his neck stood out. “Besides, what motive could I possibly have to sabotage my own software?”

  “If you hadn’t gotten caught, you could’ve sold any secrets you overheard to the highest bidder.”

  He jerked back as if she’d slapped him. “I’d never do that, but I get that you have to suspect me.”

  She didn’t want to doubt him, but what choice did she have?

  “I’d like to hire you to dig deeper into this mess and prove my innocence,” he continued. “But the only way I’ll be able to pay you is if I can somehow convince the general to give us another chance and the contract goes through.” He paused and looked at the general and his committee. “Given their unsympathetic expressions, I’d say it’s highly improbable, but I hope you’ll agree to help anyway.”

  Interesting. “Money aside, what if things don’t go your way and I prove you’re guilty? You know I won’t ignore it. I’ll have to turn you in.”

  “I’m certain that won’t happen.” He offered her a flicker of a smile.

  She had to fight not to return it with one of her own. She was so intrigued by him—by the case—that she wanted to jump up and shout, “Yes, I’ll help you!” But she knew nothing about this man other than he was a SEAL. She’d like to think that meant he was trustworthy, but SEALs were just men with razor-sharp skills. Fallible. Susceptible to greed and criminal actions like any man.

  The big question was, could she help someone suspected of treason? She wanted to. His case would be the perfect chance to use her computer degree and the skills she’d learned working cyber crimes at the FBI. Skills that had been underutilized since she’d joined her family at the Justice Agency.

  Right, the family. They’d have to agree. She’d fulfilled her obligation to the general, so that wouldn’t be a problem. But getting her family on board was another story.

  “I’d have to run it by the agency first,” she said, wondering if her siblings would even consider working with a suspected traitor.

  “Agency?” he asked.

  “I haven’t properly introduced myself.” She held out her hand. “Dani Justice of the Justice Agency. It’s a full-service agency owned by my family. We handle all private-investigation needs, including computer crimes.”

  “Ah, you must be the family spokesperson. Or at the very least the one in charge of commercials.” He took her hand in his and smiled. Not the forced number he’d used a moment ago, but an irresistibly devastating grin. He captivated her in a way no man had in a long time, and the heat from his touch traveled up her arm. His smile suddenly fell and he let go of her hand.

  Embarrassed at her reaction, she tucked her hand behind her back. “All joking aside, I can talk to my siblings about adding you to our client list.”

  He narrowed those startling blue eyes. “What are the odds that they’d agree to take me on?”

  “Honestly,” she replied as she sought the answer, “not good. My brother Cole is a former National Guard member and won’t agree at all.” She paused and thought about the emotional turmoil from fighting a war that Cole had only recently healed from. “And after everything he went through during two tours in Iraq, I’m thinking the group will support him and say no to you.”

  A flash of disappointment claimed his eyes before he cleared it away. “I guess I’ll have to find someone else, then.”

  The same disappointment settled inside her heart, and she wished she could do something. She’d waited for the perfect case to prove her abilities since joining her siblings. Even at thirty-two, as the youngest female of five adopted siblings, she was often babied and never allowed to take charge on a case. She was desperate to do so.

  There had to be a way to do it. There just had to.

  He started to rise.

  “Wait.” Impulse had her shooting out a hand to stop him. “I’ll do it.”

  He arched a brow. “Not that I’m not thankful, but are you sure?”

  “Positive. If you’re truly innocent, then someone else either used your computer or hacked your home network. I might be able to prove it by looking at your home computer. That could cast enough doubt on your guilt, and I can bring my family on board.”

  He nodded. Once. Quickly. Decisively. Then he glanced at Wilder and his group. “I’ll need time to talk with the general and my staff, and then we can head to my place.”

  “Great,” she said.

  He slowly came to his feet, agony lighting on his face. His eyes darkened into a shade of steel that burned a path ahead, and he walked away. She imagined him in his uniform in Afghanistan, facing down terrorism. He’d be a formidable foe.

  She watched him march up to Wilder, and uncertainty plagued her heart.

  Had she done the right thing in agreeing to help him? Or would she soon find herself dealing with a cunning traitor who expertly knew how to use his charms to get his way?

  * * *

  Luke pushed from his desk and strode to the conference room. His adrenaline from the car crash and shock over the sabotage had disappeared hours ago, fatigue taking its place. As he approached the long table where Dani awaited him, he swayed and felt as if he might drop to the floor. He grabbed the edge of the tabletop for support, but when he caught Dani watching him, he let go and came to full height.

  Never let anyone see your weakness, his father had warned so many times that, even though Luke had lost respect for his father long before he’d died, he often found himself living by the man’s misguided code.

  Making sure his shoulders were b
ack in military precision, he crossed the room and forced out a smile for Dani. “I’ve had a rental car delivered, and I’m ready to head to my house. I’ll meet you there, since you already know my address.”

  She opened her mouth but didn’t seem to know how to respond.

  “Sorry. The comment about you knowing my address was my attempt at a lame joke to lighten the mood.”

  She smiled, and if he wasn’t so exhausted, he might take the time to enjoy how it lit up her face and chased the confusion from her eyes.

  He held out his hand. “After you.”

  She grabbed her laptop case and he slipped it from her hands. She stopped and looked him in the eye. “I appreciate the gesture, but I carry my own computer.” She took the case from him and shouldered it before striding down the hall.

  Stubborn, much?

  He set off, but a wave of dizziness assailed him and he had to run his hand along the wall to keep up with the clip, clip, clip of her pointy heels. In the elevator she watched him carefully. He expected her to speak at any moment, but she said nothing. They stepped into the cooling afternoon air, and he dug his keys from his pocket.

  With long fingers she snatched them out of his hand. “You’re in no shape to drive.”

  “I’m fine,” he said, though he clearly wasn’t fine if a slight 115-pound female could best him and take his keys. He reached for them, but she slipped her arm behind her back.

  The quick motion sent his head into a spin again, and he wobbled for a moment.

  She considered him with an unwavering gaze. “You should see a doctor before we go to your house.”

  Not sure what to do with his hands when all he wanted to do was reach behind her and grab his keys, he shoved them into his pants pockets. “I’ve been through far worse than this, and I know when to seek medical attention.”

  She lifted her chin. “And I have three brothers who would all be as foolishly stubborn in this situation. So trust me. I have plenty of skills in dealing with it.” She looked him dead in the eye. “I’ll drive and we’ll make a stop at the E.R. on the way. That is, if you still want me to take this case.”