Читать книгу Texas Lightning - Gerry Bartlett - Страница 11

Chapter Two

“You’re nuts. Why the hell would I need to do that?” He left his own gun where it was and pulled out his phone. “You work for Zenon, right?”

“Yes, I told you that over lunch. But maybe you already knew that. Maybe that was part of your plan. My computer program is worth millions, King. I’m not kidding. I’m calling the police and I hope they find fingerprints that will help them figure out who did this. Will it show a link to you?” Anna knew she was getting worked up but, damn it, if this had all been a setup then she’d been played and it made her furious. Just when she’d thought she might have attracted a good-looking guy, made a connection, and possibly had something to look forward to here in Texas…

He was ignoring her, on his phone. He glanced at her, then she heard her name. Whoever he was talking to must have reacted to it, because his eyebrows rose. He finally handed the phone to her.

“Listen to this.” He was solemn.

“I’m not putting down my gun.” Was this a trick? Would he try to grab her gun when she reached for the phone? She backed up a step.

“I didn’t ask you to, it’s on speaker.” He held out the phone.

Anna watched him closely, waiting for him to make a move. If he did, she’d have to shoot him. She swallowed, focusing on keeping the gun steady. Who had he called? That policeman at the capitol who might have been fake? Oh, she didn’t know what to believe. He just watched her and aimed the phone in her direction.

“Anna Delaney?” The deep voice sounded vaguely familiar.

“Who is this?”

“Ron Zenonsky. King says you’ve been robbed. Are you all right?” He sounded concerned.

“Mr. Zenonsky, is it really you?” Anna glanced at King. He wasn’t smiling but she could see he wanted to. Had he actually called the owner of her company? “Prove it to me. How many plants are in your office? What color is your iPad?”

“Are you kidding? No plants. I kill them. My secretary, Mona, finally forbade me to bring in any sacrifices, as she calls them. I have a pink iPad because my daughter Lea gave it to me for Father’s Day last year. My dog’s name is Zero and I drive a Tesla but keep forgetting to charge it so I usually arrive at the office by Uber. Does that convince you I’m the real deal? I know King. He and I go way back. You can trust him.”

“Yes, sir.” Anna finally let the gun drop and grabbed the phone. She held it tight because her hand was shaking. “I’m sorry about the robbery. But I’ve got everything backed up on my laptop, which I’ve kept with me at all times. And the program is on a thumb drive in my pocket. The other computer is heavily encrypted and password protected. Whoever came in here didn’t get anything worth stealing.”

“Good girl. Now put King back on for me. I’d rather you didn’t shoot him. He’s a friend, and happens to be one of our investors, Anna. You’re lucky you ran into him when you did.”

Anna walked over and set her gun on the kitchen counter. What were the odds? “That’s a coincidence.”

“King has fingers in lots of pies. You’d be hard put to find a successful business in town he doesn’t own a piece of. The guy has a nose for a good investment, and Zenon is about to hit it big with your program. I’ve told you that before.”

“Yes, sir.” Anna studied the man lounging in the ruins of her apartment. She’d known the minute she’d been able to focus that King Sanders was not an ordinary man in a cowboy hat. Now it seemed like he was a high roller in the business world. Mr. Z had been pressuring her to finish her program fast because he knew it would make Zenon a fortune.

“But it was wise of you to be leery. Obviously we’re dealing with corporate espionage here. Don’t call the police. I’ll cover your losses personally. I don’t want news of this theft to get out. We have other investors. This kind of threat to our security could cause some concerns we don’t need.”

“Yes, sir. Here’s King.” Anna handed him his phone then ran to her bathroom. She barely made it before she threw up that delicious lunch. God. What had she fallen into here? Ron Zenonsky was a billionaire, so King Sanders must be one too if they were buddies.

When King’s hand landed on her back, she wanted to scream. She did not want or need company right now. But all he did was hand her a wet washcloth, then step out and close the door. Okay, so maybe he understood. Good thing one of them did. When she finally emerged from the bathroom, King was roaming her apartment, his gun stuck in his belt.

“You need to pack.” King issued it like an order.

“Excuse me?” Anna wasn’t in the mood to take orders. She’d brushed her teeth after running scalding water over the toothbrush she’d found on the floor. Savages! What the hell had they thought they’d find in her bathroom drawers? But they’d dumped them anyway.

“I’m taking you out of here. You don’t want to wait to see if they come back, do you?”

“No, of course not.” Anna wasn’t sure she ever wanted to come back to this impersonal and now defiled apartment. But where would she go?

“I’m taking you home with me. I have excellent security. Ron and I talked about it. He’s going to have a new computer delivered there.” King had the nerve to dump the contents of her laundry basket onto the bed. He carried the empty basket into the kitchen and opened cabinets until he found dog food, then began clearing the shelves.

“Hold it.” Anna had lived with managing males all her life and had decided during the move to Texas that she’d never endure another one. “Your house? In what universe is that a good idea?”

“There’s no way anyone should connect you and me. Until today we’d never crossed paths. It’s the perfect solution.” King had cleared out the dog food cabinet, found YoYo’s leash, and clipped it to his collar. It hadn’t been difficult—the dog was following the man like he was covered in beef gravy.

“Would you put down that basket for a minute?” Anna stomped over to King, kicking a throw pillow out of her way. “Drop me off at a hotel. I can call Mr. Zenonsky and have the new computer delivered there. I have no intention of bunking at your place, King.”

“I can see you’re getting worked up about this. But listen, my house has space for you to work and is on Lake Travis with limited access. I can’t imagine you want to use public Wi-Fi like you’d find in a big hotel for the kind of sensitive information you deal with.”

“What do you know about the information I’m dealing with?” Anna tried to wrap her head around this. Yes, she’d need to retrieve pieces of her work from where they were stored in the cloud, so Wi-Fi was essential. But King shouldn’t know that. What she did for Zenon was so secret only her boss and very few other trusted high-level people had any idea what she was working on. Friend of Mr. Z or not, King was making this move too fast.

“Relax. Ron trusts me. He knows I’m not interested in his tech breakthrough but I do have the right to know, since I invested heavily in his company. I’m doing this for you. Look around. You really think I could leave you like this? And it’ll count as a favor to him. A personal favor. Z and I go way back. We keep score. He’ll owe me. I’ll have fun collecting on this.”

Anna bit her lip. When he put it like that… She knew men well after growing up with four older brothers. Payback was a big part of their games with their buddies. She almost believed him until King smiled and looked her over with the kind of slow assessment that made her tighten up in all the wrong places.

“Of course, maybe the whole idea of being alone with me in my house makes you uncomfortable, Anna. You afraid the big bad cowboy will try to jump your bones?”

“Afraid?” She got in his smirking, way-too-handsome face. As if she was so hard up she’d turn a terrifying situation into an opportunity to get laid. Oooh, but she wanted to slap him, stomp his boots, kick his shins, do something violent. She took a breath, and damn if he didn’t watch the rise and fall of that too-snug T-shirt while she inhaled something spicy, male, and way too interesting. That did it!

She crossed her arms over her chest and counted to five. Didn’t help. She went on to ten. Finally she saw the humor in his taunt and backed up. If he was trying to get her mind off the disaster that was her apartment, it had worked. He was either damned clever or an irredeemable horndog.

“I know I’m irresistible, cowboy, but you’ll just have to tie a knot in it.” She was rewarded when he laughed so hard he almost dropped that dog basket. Damn, why did he have to look so good, with his eyes twinkling and his white teeth flashing?

Anna pressed her hand over her heart. “You think that’s funny? I admit it. I came to Texas with all kinds of fantasies. If I’m afraid, it’s not of you. It’s of me, King.” She shoved aside that basket to slide one hand down his chest and the other up to where his hair curled over his ears. He could use a haircut.

“I’ve been so lonely since I moved here. And you came to my rescue. Big, bold Texan, complete with cowboy hat and boots. Why, all that was missing was you riding in on a white horse. Please tell me you have a big white horse somewhere.” She gave a gusty sigh and sagged against him, batting her eyelashes. Too bad she’d sweated off her mascara.

He just grinned. “Would a black one do?”

“In a pinch.” She walked her fingers up his shirtfront. “Honestly, cowboy, I’ve been fighting the urge to throw myself at you ever since I came out of that bathroom at the capitol building.” She pressed closer, her elbow hitting that basket of dog stuff. “Why, if we’re staying together at your place, I don’t know what might happen. You might have to beat me off with a stick.”

He dropped the basket to the floor, barely missing her dog, who scampered out of the way. “Beat you off? Sugar, that’ll never happen.” His arms went around her, pulling her so close not even YoYo could find space to wiggle in between them where their legs tangled. “You feel the urge to try the horizontal Texas Two-Step, say the word.”

“No?” She pushed him back. He was a handful, no denying that. And the chemistry was off the charts. “Let’s get out of here. If your place is the safest for me and my program, then that’s where I’ll go. Temporarily, anyway. And just to work.” Anna surveyed the mess around her, not sure where to start with her packing. She grabbed the framed picture of her family and laid it carefully in the dog basket.

“Why not leave everything else here?” He dropped a hand on her shoulder. “Your backpack is all you need and it’s in the truck. You know you don’t want to wear stuff those assholes have touched. You can order new clothes online and Ron will pick up the tab. I guarantee it.”

Anna nodded. “You’re right. I don’t want anything those assholes have touched. Let’s move.” She grabbed her gun, then headed back into the bedroom to get her extra ammo. She stuck them both into a tote her grandmother had decorated with needlepoint and given her as a going-to-Texas gift. A quick look around and she really couldn’t see anything else that she treasured. She’d left most of her personal things back in Boston in boxes in her parents’ basement. Her mom was convinced this move to Texas was a temporary aberration and had insisted she leave them there. God, her family would freak out when they heard about the break-in. She wasn’t sure she’d tell them about it. Not anytime soon, anyway.

“I’m ready.” Anna picked up YoYo, leash and all, then gestured toward the dog’s bed, a big fluffy pillow he loved. “Add that to the basket. I’ll get his favorite toy.” She found it under the dining room table, then headed for the door. King was right behind her.

Anna could almost feel his eyes on her butt. He was definitely a man who liked butts and breasts. Well, she had plenty of both. She ran down the stairs toward King’s truck and stood next to the passenger door, waiting for him to unlock it. She was glad she didn’t have to stay in a hotel alone. Whoever had come after her computer and the program she’d written might actually break her encryption. But they’d soon figure out it wasn’t going to be quite that easy to steal what had taken her years to create. Would they come back and try again? Want her the next time? The idea that she could be a target sent chills through her. Security wouldn’t be tight in a hotel and he was right about using their Wi-Fi. It could be easily hacked and she’d never use it to work remotely.

“I hope agreeing to go to your place isn’t a mistake. I do need to work. Mr. Z is really anxious for this program to be finished fast. He has a big investment in it.” She heard the locks click and opened the truck door, setting YoYo inside. A hand on her shoulder kept her from following right away.

“Anna, I’m a gentleman. I know you’ve had a bad scare, and my only intention is to set you up in a safe place. Like I said, as a favor to my friend Ron.” King turned her to face him. “I get that you were kidding with all that nonsense about jumping my bones. But, to be honest, I am attracted to you.” He smiled at her. “Taking advantage of your shot nerves right now wouldn’t be cool. I can be a good friend.” He ran a finger over her cheek. “Or an enthusiastic lover. Just let me know which you need.”

Anna decided that didn’t deserve an answer. She just turned and began the awkward climb into the truck. He seemed to know all the right things to say. That was the most disturbing thing about this man. Smooth, way too smooth. The tongue-tied geeks she was used to had been so much easier to manage. King was going to be impossible. Best to leave him in the friend zone. Too bad she’d felt the touch of that rough fingertip all the way down to her own zone—the one that friends didn’t make melt, much less throb with dangerous urges.

She settled into her seat and realized he still stood there, watching her, waiting. She faced him. “Thanks, King. For offering me safety. You’re right. My nerves are shot. The only decision I’m up for now is that I want to get out of here.” She glanced around the parking lot. It seemed empty, harmless, but you never knew. “This place is giving me the creeps. Can we go now?”

“Absolutely.” He slammed the door, then paused to look around. He finally shook his head and walked around to climb into the driver’s seat after tucking the basket of dog essentials into the back seat. YoYo scampered between the seats and attacked the basket, knocking it over and dragging out his bed so he could settle on top of it. He sighed and curled up, obviously ready for a nap.

“Poor little guy. I can’t imagine what he went through, trying to protect our home from invasion then being left out in the heat. I’m surprised no one saw what happened, heard him barking, or called the police. But then I haven’t met any of my neighbors and the apartment below me is vacant.” Anna realized King hadn’t started the truck yet. “What?”

“Give me your gun.” He opened the glove compartment and slid his own inside. “We keep them locked up when I’m driving. That’s my personal rule.”

“Oh, sure.” Anna pulled hers out of the tote at her feet. “There’s probably a law about that.”

“I have a permit to carry concealed in Texas. Do you?” He locked the compartment, then started the engine.

“No, I don’t. I’ve been too busy working.” Anna realized King was driving slowly, watching their surroundings as he exited the apartment complex. “Do you think we’re being followed?”

“Not that I can tell, but I’m going to detour until I’m sure there’s no chance of it.” He pulled out onto the street across from her office building and hit the gas.

Anna checked behind them. A silver compact car came out of the security gates not long after they did. Coincidence? It was a huge complex. When the car turned and followed them, she tried to see who was inside. Man? Woman? No, it was a couple.

“I see them. I’m getting on the freeway. We’ll see what happens.” King reached over and patted her hand. “Relax, Anna. Don’t you think having your computer will be enough for them?”

“No, I’m afraid not. You heard me talking to Mr. Z. It’s password protected and I use a special encryption program.” She looked down at his hand covering hers but didn’t snatch it away. It felt good to have him here, knowing Austin freeways and ready to do something for her. Okay, so maybe managing men had their uses. “Yes, they’ll break through the password easily enough if they’re pros. I could. But the encryption… That’ll take a while.”

“So why would they follow us?” He took his hand away when they got into some traffic that required careful maneuvering.

“Because the program I’m working on is complex. Someone else might be able to finish it, but I doubt it. It’s my brainchild. And it still needs tweaking. The only way it will be worth anything is if I get it done and done right.” She lowered her makeup mirror and tried to see the traffic behind her. Was that silver car still there? It was hard to tell with the dozens of other vehicles on the road. Half of them seemed to be silver compacts.

“Impressive. I know Ron paid a fortune for the rights to your company in Boston, mainly to get that program you’re working on. He said you’re the brains behind it.” King frowned. “I’m suspicious of that silver Toyota back there. Hold on, I’m doing a quick exit and it’s not going to be easy. But it’s the only way to lose them if they’re trying to follow us.” He jerked the steering wheel and she heard the squeal of brakes before they suddenly hit an off ramp at high speed.

“Oh! This is why I have no desire to learn to drive. These highways. Did you see the cars swerve to keep from hitting us?” Anna gripped the armrest as she looked back. No one had been hit, but at least one driver was giving them a one-finger salute. No sign of the silver car at least.

“You don’t even know how to drive?” King wheeled into the parking lot of a large shopping mall. He cruised up and down aisles and finally pulled into an empty slot but left the engine running.

“No.” Anna looked longingly at the department store just a few feet away. She needed new underwear, a couple of shirts, and new jeans. Ordering online was fine but she couldn’t wait for delivery. She was desperate for a shower and would need something to change into after that besides the tight tee. “What now?”

“I figured we could get you a couple of things to tide you over.” He glanced around. “It looks like we’re in the clear. No sign of a tail.”

“What about YoYo? We can’t leave him in a hot car.” Anna also hated to go in alone. She was still spooked.

“He’s coming with us. Anyone gives us a hard time, we’ll say he’s your emotional support dog.” King reached between the seats. “Hey, pup, wake up. Your mama needs you.”

“I do. I’m still jumpy.” She was happy but hesitant when King placed YoYo in her lap. Claiming something like that was cheating. Real working dogs were highly trained, even though running her hands through YoYo’s soft fur soothed her and made her realize why little fluffy dogs made such good candidates for emotional support. She was having second thoughts about even going into the store when King jumped out of the truck and came around to open her door.

“Come on. I doubt you’ll have to lie. I’ll keep him in my arms and we’ll be spending money. You really think anyone is going to try to stop us?” He held out his hand. “Give me the dog and grab your backpack. I know you don’t want to leave it here.”

“You’ve got that right.” Anna handed over YoYo, who seemed to have adopted King, then climbed awkwardly out of the truck. Shrugging into her pack, she followed King into a store where she rarely shopped. She would have been happy with a discount big box store. But this guy was obviously used to the best. He was also right that no one seemed to care about the dog as long as YoYo stayed tucked in King’s arms.

She made quick work of grabbing extra underwear and a sleepshirt. She pushed King toward the purses where he could still keep an eye on her. She was glad he didn’t want to let her out of his sight, but he didn’t need to see her bra size.

“You sure I can’t help you pick out some nightgowns or something?” His wicked grin told her he had some experience in that department. He lifted a lacy confection that was pure sin. “Red. It’s a good color for you.”

“You’re right. Do they have it in flannel?” She ignored his wink and set her pack on the floor to pull out her debit card. A woman bumped into her from behind, her hands full of panties.

“Oh, sorry. Great sale.” She reached past her. “Do you mind? I need to set these down so I can go back and grab a few more.” She dumped the pile on the counter.

Anna smiled but was busy scanning her receipt. No wonder she didn’t usually shop here. Two bras and six pairs of panties plus a nightshirt had cost more than she’d expected. She shook her head, then let it go. The quality was good and they were pretty.

“Anna, are you done yet?” King walked up behind her. “This pup is getting antsy. I think we need to find a tree or some grass pretty quick.”

“Yes.” She took the bag and reached down for her pack. Gone. She looked around. That woman… And she hadn’t even really looked at her. “My backpack. Did you see the woman who came up next to me?”

“Older woman? Dark hair?” King looked around the department. “No sign of her. What the hell? She grabbed your pack?”

“Obviously. I thought you were watching me.” Anna knew she was wrong to blame King but he had insisted…

“I was. Then a fella came over, asking about YoYo. Not that the dog liked him. Growled something fierce. Which should have been a sign, now that I think about it. Son of a bitch!” King stalked around the underwear department and toward the exits. “They were probably working together. That silver car. There was a couple inside.”

“Well, hell.” Anna held on to her debit card. It was the only thing she had left. That and the bag of underwear. Now whoever was after her program had her laptop too. It wouldn’t really help them but her notes were in there. Hopefully no one would be able to figure out her peculiar shorthand and crappy handwriting. Damn it! Tears filled her eyes and she blinked them back. Crying wasn’t going to help. The clerk had come out from behind the counter.

“Do you want me to call security to report this?” She was young, probably working part-time on weekends while she went to college. “I’m so sorry.”

“Not your fault.” Anna dredged up a smile for her. “I’m having a bad day, and this just capped it off. Don’t worry about it. You didn’t do anything wrong. We’ll notify the authorities.” She looked around. “Do you have security cameras? We could use the footage if you have it.”

“Everywhere else in the store, but not in underwear. Store policy.” She smiled apologetically. “But the security office on the second floor might be able to help you. Maybe you could spot them leaving the store.”

“Do we want to take the time to do that now, King?” she asked him when he came back from checking the closest exit. “Go to security?”

“We can get Ron’s people to follow up on that. They can get the footage and we can look at it later.” He took the bag from her and handed her the dog. “You look done in. Let’s get out of here.”

Anna had to admit she was tired. Between the heat outside, which was ridiculous in January, the stress of being a target, and relying on a stranger, she wanted nothing more than a hot shower and a nap. Maybe that seemed cowardly, but it was all she had the energy for at the moment.

“There are other things I’ll need. Female things.” God, she hated to say that.

“My twin stays at the house when she’s in town. I bet you can find whatever you need in her bedroom and bath.” King ushered her toward the truck, stopping first at a patch of grass for YoYo to do his business. “Karen’s taller than you are, and bigger in spots.” He glanced at Anna’s chest. “That just means the clothes she left will be loose, comfortable. She always leaves behind plenty of makeup and hair stuff. She’ll never miss it.”

“Says a man who has no idea how a woman feels about a stranger digging through her things.” Anna sighed. “But it beats trying to stop again. I just hate to take advantage…”

“Hey, if it’ll make you feel better, keep track of what you use and we’ll make Ron reimburse Karen for whatever it is. She’ll get a chance to go shopping for replacements. Trust me, my sister lives for shopping.” King started the truck, constantly looking around the parking lot as if he thought they might be followed again.

“That does make me feel better.” Anna settled into her seat, curious about this lake house and King, who had a sister he let stay with him and talked about with affection. “Your twin. Do you look alike?”

“We used to. But she’s always messing with her looks. I’m a big hairy guy, she’s a tall beautiful woman. For some reason, she doesn’t believe she’s fine as she is and keeps having this plastic surgeon ‘fix’ her. Makes me crazy.” He drove out of the lot, checking the rearview and side mirrors frequently. “You see anyone following us? I’d love to run into the sons of bitches that snatched your pack.”

“You and me both. Now I don’t have ID or even a hairbrush.” Anna pulled down the makeup mirror again. Good thing King liked natural, because that was what he had riding with him right now. Her makeup was gone and her hair was an uncontrollable frizz.

She used the mirror to scan the street behind them. No sign of the silver car. Not surprising. The couple probably took off thinking they had all they needed to hack into her computers. Well, they’d be disappointed. She never wrote down her passwords. Not like her dad, who kept all his passwords in a notebook next to his computer at home. And they weren’t very imaginative. Her name and birthdate. Her brothers and the same. Then there was the dog’s name. At least she’d talked him into moving on from one-two-three-four.

She glanced at King. What would he use for a password? The name of his horse? His favorite cow? She caught him glancing at her.

“What are you smiling about? I figured you’d be in tears by now.” He reached over and patted her thigh. “It would be nice if you’d rigged that laptop in your pack to blow up when those assholes turned it on.”

“Wish I’d thought of that.” Anna leaned back in her seat, suddenly too exhausted to fight the depression that had been threatening to take over since the pack vanished from right next to her feet. “How far is this house of yours?”

“It’s a ways yet. About twenty minutes if the traffic doesn’t hold us up.” He picked YoYo off his lap with one hand and set him in hers. “I don’t see any signs that we’re being followed this time, so why don’t you close your eyes and rest until we get there?”

“Thanks, King. I will.” She rubbed the dog’s head and endured YoYo’s pacing over her stomach until he found a spot to settle in her lap. “And don’t think I don’t appreciate your taking me home with you.” She touched King’s hand where it rested on the gearshift between them. “I don’t know what I’d do if you hadn’t come along when you did. If I’d gotten off the bus and walked into that apartment and that mess alone…” Oh, shit. She was not going to cry. Not now, when she was safe and on her way to a bazillionaire’s lakeside home away from home.

“I’m glad I was there for you, Anna. Fate brought us together. Fate and a hell of a heat wave for January.” King held on to her hand. “Now, don’t you turn on the waterworks. If you do, I’ll have to pull over. Nothing like tears to make me go all to pieces.”

Anna looked at where their hands were joined. His hand was tanned, strong, and made two of hers. She gave his a squeeze, pretty sure nothing made this big Texan go to pieces. She sniffed, then eased her fingers out of his grip.

“I’m okay. Just tired. I’m calling Mr. Zenonsky. I can’t believe those assholes got my laptop. At least you made me put my gun in your glove compartment or they’d have that too.” Anna sighed. But her phone was in that damned pack. She let her head flop back on the leather head rest. It was the last straw. Yes, her numbers were saved in the cloud, but until she got a new phone…

“Here, use mine.” He pulled it from his shirt pocket. “Last number I dialed. Remember?” He dropped it into her hand. “Unlock it.” He told her his code, just like that. Trusting her.

Anna shook her head. Not even her parents knew the code to unlock her phone. She made the call. Her boss answered on the first ring and listened while she told him about the latest disaster. He quickly agreed to send her a new laptop, cell phone, and credit card to cover any expenses for personal items. If Anna needed any reassurance that the project she was working on was important to the company, she got it in that call. By the time she hung up, King was steering them off the freeway and taking a winding route into the hills surrounding one of Austin’s many lakes. This was high-dollar real estate, which didn’t surprise her.

“Everything all right?” King stopped in front of an iron gate and hit a button on a remote clipped to the visor above his head. The gate swung open slowly.

“It’s fine. He told me to call him Ron.” Anna still couldn’t believe that.

“He’s a good guy. The computer delivery people can call us from the gate when they get here.” King steered them through then stopped the truck, waiting until the gates were securely closed before heading down the gravel drive.

There were trees on either side and no sign of the lake, though Anna knew it had to be nearby. She leaned forward, eager to see the house. The road became steeper. Clearly he had built on top of one of the hills this area was famous for. Gravel changed to brick pavers when the road turned again, and there was a large garage big enough to hold four cars. Behind it was a sprawling house that hugged the hilltop. It was made of the local stone and natural wood, with windows everywhere. The landscaping consisted of trees and drought-tolerant plants. Anna had learned that was important in a part of Texas that was always one dry season away from a problem with water conservation.

“Oh, it’s beautiful.” She tugged at the truck door handle, eager to get out and explore.

“Wait till you see the view.” King helped her climb down from the truck. “Leave your stuff and YoYo’s. Conchita or Doug will get it.”

“You have staff.” Anna let YoYo down, holding him close with his leash. She could imagine him chasing a squirrel in this wilderness and she’d never see him again.

“Caretakers. I’m rarely here, and they keep the place ready for me when I need to use it. They have a little place through the trees there.” He pointed to a narrow path.

If Anna concentrated she could just make out the shape of a building through the trees. “Looks like a nice-size home.”

“They don’t complain. Though Conchita says it’s pretty far to the nearest grocery store.” King walked up to the front door but it opened before he got there.

“King, I saw you on the security camera. I didn’t expect you until late this evening.” A smiling woman looked past him. “Hello.”

“Conchita, this is Anna Delaney. She’ll be staying with us for a while. She’s going to need to borrow from Karen because she was robbed. We bought her a few things at Nordstrom, but she’ll need a change of clothes after her shower and might want to have a look in Karen’s bathroom”—King grinned at Anna—“for some feminine stuff.”

“Aw, you poor thing. Come on in here. And who is this?” Conchita bent down and spoke rapid Spanish to YoYo. “What is his name?”

“YoYo. We brought his food and bed.” Anna was glad to see her dog was behaving, tail wagging happily.

“He’s a pretty boy.” Conchita picked him up. “Wait till my husband sees him. He will spoil him, you can be sure of that.” She got a lick on her rosy cheek. “Now follow me. You look tired, and no wonder. Robbed. Once, I was robbed. It’s like a violation. A man snatched my purse at the Fiesta store. I chased him and threw a cantaloupe at him, right there in the produce department.”

King watched Conchita lead Anna away. As usual, his housekeeper had plenty to say and knew just what to do to make a guest feel welcome. He’d heard the cantaloupe story. Conchita had hit the thief square in the back and security had rescued her purse and arrested the man. You didn’t mess with that lady. He pulled out his phone and called Ron.

“This program Anna is working on must be worth a hell of a lot. Whoever is after it sent pros.”

“King, thanks for taking care of our girl. It’s crazy how you ran into her like that.” Ron wasn’t telling him what he wanted to know.

“Cut the bullshit. What am I guarding here? If these people don’t get what they want from her computers, Anna claims they’ll need her to finish the project. Is that right?” King walked over to stare out the window that looked over Lake Travis. The view of the massive lake was why he’d bought this piece of property and why he’d built this house. Right now, though, it didn’t soothe him like it usually did. The silence on the other end of the line was ramping up his tension. “Ron? You owe me an answer. I have her in my home. That means I’m at risk and so are my people here if someone comes after her.”

“All right. Here’s what I know. There are several possible groups that want that software. Has Anna told you what it can do?” There was the tinkle of ice dropping into a glass.

“Are you fixing yourself a drink? Glad one of us can relax.” King wanted to reach through the phone and throttle his old pal. Shit. Of course Ron could chill, he’d passed off his problem. But then again, King had volunteered. Maybe he should be rethinking this.

“I’m not relaxing. Far from it. This is serious.”

“I get that. FYI, Anna hasn’t told me a damned thing about her project. She’s guarding your secret like it’s more important than her life.” King looked longingly at his own bar, built into the wall next to the window. “Which it is not. I can’t think of anything that I would put before a woman’s life, Ronald. Now be straight with me. Who is after this so-called big-deal project?”

“Could be the Russians. Or the Chinese. There are even some local bad actors who probably think to make some large cash by acting as middle men to either of those buyers.” Ron obviously took a deep swallow. “You know I’m into healthcare now, besides the usual computer hardware and software. Right?”

“Yeah. It’s a solid area for the future. Aging population. Blah, blah, blah. You talked me into being one of your investors and I haven’t regretted it. Until now.” King gave in and walked over to pull down a bottle of his favorite scotch. He twisted off the cap and poured an inch into a tumbler, tossing it back. The smooth heat was welcome but didn’t dissolve the knot in his gut.

“This one program is set to make us millions, maybe more.”

“Go on.” King eyed the empty glass then walked away. One was enough.

“So we know in my business that drug interactions are a big problem. People die from them all the time. At the very least, they can cause confusion, inaccurate diagnoses, and unnecessary hospital stays.” Ron was chewing ice now. When had his friend gotten so damned irritating?

“So?”

“So Anna created a program that can and will be used with a scanner. Each patient’s records are put into it, every drug they’re on. Then, when the patient is prescribed a new drug, the data is entered and checked automatically for interactions. If there’s any danger of complications, a red flag goes up. No way can the new drug be administered if there is any possibility of a problem. The beauty of this is the program can be loaded into something as small as a hospital bracelet, King.”

“That sounds interesting.” King tried to wrap his mind around such a service. All that information crammed into a little piece of plastic. But then why not? His little phone could do the job of a giant computer now. And he’d seen for himself how Ron had innovated other tech and made a fortune. That’s why he’d put money into Zenon.

“Imagine. People with health issues will be begging to own these for themselves, but the real bucks will come from pharmacies, hospitals, of course, and, get this, those emergency room clinics that are springing up everywhere. Totally helps with their liability claims.” Ron sounded excited. “I’m thinking even insurance companies may start requiring this program for doctors before they’ll write a malpractice policy. All you’ll need is one of those scan guns and a computer and you’re in business.” Ron laughed, he was so high on this thing. “It’ll save lives, King, and make us a butt load of money. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.”

“What’s the catch? Seems like there always is one.” King sat in his leather recliner.

“Yeah. Security has to be tight. People are right to want their medical records confidential. Plus, if anyone can break into the program, substitute the wrong meds? Well, it can be a killer.” Ron crunched ice, nervously, King thought. “Trust is everything. That’s why I sent Anna to some special training. To the National Institutes of Health for one, so she’d understand the pharmaceutical side. Then to classes in cybersecurity. So she could be sure this program is safe as houses. We can’t take a chance anyone can subvert it.”

“I see that.” King couldn’t sit still and got up again. More and more it seemed that Ron had put this all on Anna’s shoulders. “So Anna came up with the idea. Did she insist on doing this all on her own?”

“I wouldn’t say that. But she’s motivated. Has been working on it for years. The fewer people who know exactly how the program works, the better. The idea’s been around awhile but she figured out how to make it come together. She’s just weeks away now from the first test run, then we’ll take it to market. I put out feelers and the orders are going to be off the charts. Everybody wants it, especially if we can get the price right. We’ve already got the copyright in the pipeline.” Ron sighed. “What can kill us is if someone steals our software and gets it out there first. That’s why it’s so important to keep this under wraps. To keep Anna safe until she can finish her program and we can get it into production.”

“Well, you were doing a piss-poor job of it before I ran into her.” King was back to staring at the lake. “She was wandering around Austin alone, riding on a public bus, for God’s sake. Her apartment had such feeble locks my grandmother could break into it.”

“Your grandmother is one clever lady. I wouldn’t put anything past her.” Ron cleared his throat. “But you’re right. I just didn’t foresee that anyone would be this bold. Would actually take such a step.”

“Well, they did. The woman who took Anna’s backpack was close enough to touch her, Ron.” King opened one of the French doors to breathe in some fresh air. “Right then she and her partner could have made a move and we would have been hard-pressed to stop them.”

“You want me to send a security team over there? When I send the computers and phone?” Ron was finally sounding serious.

“Yes. To sit at my gate. Once the bad actors figure out they can’t get into her encrypted files, I would expect them to come after Anna herself.” King turned when he heard a gasp behind him. “Now get the lead out.” He hung up and saw Anna standing in the doorway. She’d obviously taken a quick shower and wore what he recognized as his sister’s workout clothes.

Anna’s hair was wet and slicked back from her face. The tank top clung to her breasts and she wore yoga pants that flopped around her bare feet. What Karen called comfortable Anna made look sexy. King realized he’d just terrified her with what he’d said to Ron.

“Hey, I’m sorry you heard that.” He walked over to stand in front of her.

“I’m not. I need to know the truth.” She nodded toward the bar and his empty glass. “Can I have one of those?”

“Scotch?” He picked up the bottle he’d poured from.

“I’d prefer whiskey.” She moved around him and reached for the bottle of Jameson he kept on hand. “I’m Irish.”

“Well then.” King pulled out a glass and watched her pour a healthy measure before he gave himself a refill. “Have a seat. Ron is sending what you need and some security. I don’t know why it’s taking him so long.”

She sat then sipped her drink. “Oh, that’s good. It’s Saturday. Maybe that’s why. We just added a laptop and phone to the order too.” She took another sip then tucked her legs under her on the leather sofa. “I feel safe here. Maybe that’s stupid but I’m going with it.”

King just swallowed his own drink and watched her. Strong whiskey and she didn’t even flinch. Interesting. And the way that tank slid around on her shoulder, it was obvious she hadn’t bothered with a bra. Hot damn. Was she sending him a signal? Doubtful. He wasn’t taking advantage of her after the trauma she’d gone through today, even though she was tempting as hell. When her dog scampered out from the kitchen, Conchita close behind, he was glad he’d stayed on his side of the living room.

“Snacks. Then I will take this sweet pup outside for a little walk on the grounds.” Conchita set a tray of crackers, cheese, and a few of her special nibbles on the coffee table between them. “Anna told me you’re expecting a delivery, King. I will tell Douglas to wait by the gate for it.”

“Be careful, Conchita. And tell Doug that there will be a security team setting up outside the gate. They’re being sent by Zenon, Anna’s company. No one is to come through, not even the delivery guys. Doug should have them set the computers inside. The people who robbed Anna might think she’s the real prize here.” King got up and took a plate, loading it with cheese, crackers, and a couple of stuffed jalapeños. When YoYo begged for a bite, sitting up on his hind legs, he dropped a piece of cheese into his mouth.

Conchita put her hands on her hips and looked fierce. “I’ll get my gun right now and tell Doug to strap on his. No one gets past us and your security system, King. So you both can relax and enjoy your drinks. We will take care of you here. Never doubt it.” She told the same thing to King in Spanish using stronger language, which made him smile.

King answered in the same language, ignoring Anna’s raised eyebrows. He didn’t want either of his employees, who he’d known for years, taking chances.

“Thanks, Conchita, and thanks for walking my dog.” Anna rubbed YoYo’s ears. “Maybe I should go somewhere else. I don’t want anyone getting hurt on my account.”

“Nonsense. King wants you here and we are happy to have something to do. There are too many days when we are alone here. A little action? Doug will be in his element, fighting off bad guys. You will understand when you meet my man.” The housekeeper picked up YoYo, then disappeared out the way she’d come.

“I hope you told her in Spanish not to take any chances.” Anna sighed and reached for the plate of snacks.

“I did. Now you be careful of those green things. They’re spicy.” King bit into his, enjoying the burst of heat and flavor but not sure someone from Boston would like it.

Anna seemed to take that as a dare and raised one of the peppers to her lips. One bite and she flushed, gulping down the rest of her drink. She fanned her face. “You weren’t kidding. What did I just eat?”

King told her then took her a glass of water. She drank it down then stood and walked over to look out the wide glass doors and the view of the lake.

“Thanks. You have a beautiful home, King. I appreciate this.”

He stood beside her. “We’ll eat outside later, when it’s cooler. Winter will come back, you know. I’m sure Karen has left a jacket or coat in her closet. You’re welcome to whatever you need.”

She turned and looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I’m sorry you’ve been dragged into this. It’s sounding dangerous.”

He brushed the tank top strap that had fallen off her shoulder back into place. Too tempting, too soon.

“I’m glad I came along when I did. You didn’t need to go through this alone.” He turned her back to face the lake, holding her against him. “Now look out there where the sun is starting to set. I always find it soothing just to stare at that beautiful sight for a while. There are steps down the side of the hill to the boat dock. It’s a long way, but I wanted water access. I have a runabout. I use it more in the summer when I’m in town.”

“You’re right. It’s very nice.” She swayed against him. “That drink wasn’t my best idea. I’m fading fast, despite the jalapeño jolt.”

“Why don’t you head to your room and lie down for a while then? I’ll wake you when the computers get here. Or later, when it’s time for dinner.” King kept his arms around her. She fit just right.

“Thanks, I will.” She brushed her hand over his shirtfront. “See you later, cowboy.” She patted him, just like she would her dog, then staggered away, down the hall toward her bedroom.

King watched the sway of her hips until she was out of sight and he heard her bedroom door close. He turned to stare out at his million-dollar view again. For once, it didn’t soothe him at all. Water access. Yeah. Someone could bring in a boat and climb up those stairs. He had alarms on all the doors but disabling those was child’s play for a professional. Shit. Now he had something new to worry about.