as if Nik knew
what this was.
“I take it you
found the problem then?” If Julian couldn’t find why their computers were being
hacked, no one could.
“Yes but first,
what happened to you? You look like you’re going to hurl. If you are, you
better not do it in here. I’m not cleaning up after you.” He was typing as he
talked.
“Yeah, well I’m
not so sure I’m not gonna throw up. Jules, it was the weirdest thing. I
got off the elevator at the library and immediately felt sick. I leaned over
the desk to catch my breath, and this woman put her hand on mine. I thought for
certain I was going to pass out right there.”
“Nik, you’re
five hundred and twenty years old for fuck sake. You can’t handle being around
a woman?” Julian’s blondish brows were dipping between his green eyes.
“Hold up. First
off, I’m five hundred and twenty three. Second, you were interested when Rafe
was affected by a female. Don’t be giving me shit about it. If the King can’t
help it, why should I be able to?” At this point, Nik really wanted to leave
all the security research to Julian, but he had already failed one assignment
today. He wouldn’t fuck up another.
“Sorry bro, I’m
just pissed. Come look at this.” Julian was pointing to the computer screen. It
took a few seconds, but he saw the discrepancies Jules was pointing to. “What
the hell?”
“My sentiments
exactly. Nik, this had to have been done from the inside.”
“Fuck. Did you
tell Rafe?”
“No, I just
found it. Hang on, let’s look at the email server.” A few clicks of the keys
and they both saw it at the same time. “Son of a fucking bitch.” Julian ran his
hands through his hair and then his fingers began flying again. Nik watched in
silent awe as his brother rewrote the security program. Once he felt it was
secure he stood and stretched.
“I’m hungry. Did
you have lunch?”
Nik shook his
head, “No, I was afraid it would come back up, but I could eat now. Do you want
to start the search on Rafe’s mysterious e-mailer or do you want to go get
lunch?”
Julian twisted
his torso to both sides. “I need to get out of here for a few minutes. I’ll go.
Giovani’s?”
“Yep, the
usual.” Nik sat down at his desk and began searching for information on
Bartholomew Cromwell.
Chapter
12
Sitting at the
corner table with his back to the wall, Dane glanced at the door every time it
opened. His waitress, Marley, refilled his coffee more than was necessary, but
since she was a pretty distraction, he didn’t mind. One cute little red-headed
reporter had told him she had a lead on Gordon Flanagan. Whether or not she was
baiting him was yet to be seen, but he was supposed to be meeting her for a
quick cup of coffee before heading to the doctor’s office.
Thirty minutes
later than scheduled, the petite spitfire came through the door, waltzing
across the room in those damned stiletto heels. How any woman could walk in
those needles, much less glide in them, was a mystery.
He rose from his
seat, waited until she sat across from him, then sat back down. “Miss Fox,
thank you for meeting with me. Can I get you something to drink?”
“No, thank you.
I don’t have much time. I really don’t have a lot to go on. What I do have is
an address where someone who matched the description of Gordon Flanagan was
seen.” She slid a folded sheet of paper across to Dane.
“Why are you
giving this to me? Why not check this out yourself? If you could find Flanagan
that would be a huge boost to such a young career, would it not?”
Katherine
scowled at him. “Don’t patronize me, Mr. Abbott. I’m not stupid enough to go
after someone as irrational as Flanagan. That’s your job. You chase the
crazies. If you happen to find him, I will consider that boost enough.” She
stood but leaned over and whispered. “I don’t want to be associated with
anything that has the Flanagan name on it. Are we clear?”
“As freshly
cleaned glass.”
what this was.
“I take it you
found the problem then?” If Julian couldn’t find why their computers were being
hacked, no one could.
“Yes but first,
what happened to you? You look like you’re going to hurl. If you are, you
better not do it in here. I’m not cleaning up after you.” He was typing as he
talked.
“Yeah, well I’m
not so sure I’m not gonna throw up. Jules, it was the weirdest thing. I
got off the elevator at the library and immediately felt sick. I leaned over
the desk to catch my breath, and this woman put her hand on mine. I thought for
certain I was going to pass out right there.”
“Nik, you’re
five hundred and twenty years old for fuck sake. You can’t handle being around
a woman?” Julian’s blondish brows were dipping between his green eyes.
“Hold up. First
off, I’m five hundred and twenty three. Second, you were interested when Rafe
was affected by a female. Don’t be giving me shit about it. If the King can’t
help it, why should I be able to?” At this point, Nik really wanted to leave
all the security research to Julian, but he had already failed one assignment
today. He wouldn’t fuck up another.
“Sorry bro, I’m
just pissed. Come look at this.” Julian was pointing to the computer screen. It
took a few seconds, but he saw the discrepancies Jules was pointing to. “What
the hell?”
“My sentiments
exactly. Nik, this had to have been done from the inside.”
“Fuck. Did you
tell Rafe?”
“No, I just
found it. Hang on, let’s look at the email server.” A few clicks of the keys
and they both saw it at the same time. “Son of a fucking bitch.” Julian ran his
hands through his hair and then his fingers began flying again. Nik watched in
silent awe as his brother rewrote the security program. Once he felt it was
secure he stood and stretched.
“I’m hungry. Did
you have lunch?”
Nik shook his
head, “No, I was afraid it would come back up, but I could eat now. Do you want
to start the search on Rafe’s mysterious e-mailer or do you want to go get
lunch?”
Julian twisted
his torso to both sides. “I need to get out of here for a few minutes. I’ll go.
Giovani’s?”
“Yep, the
usual.” Nik sat down at his desk and began searching for information on
Bartholomew Cromwell.
Chapter
12
Sitting at the
corner table with his back to the wall, Dane glanced at the door every time it
opened. His waitress, Marley, refilled his coffee more than was necessary, but
since she was a pretty distraction, he didn’t mind. One cute little red-headed
reporter had told him she had a lead on Gordon Flanagan. Whether or not she was
baiting him was yet to be seen, but he was supposed to be meeting her for a
quick cup of coffee before heading to the doctor’s office.
Thirty minutes
later than scheduled, the petite spitfire came through the door, waltzing
across the room in those damned stiletto heels. How any woman could walk in
those needles, much less glide in them, was a mystery.
He rose from his
seat, waited until she sat across from him, then sat back down. “Miss Fox,
thank you for meeting with me. Can I get you something to drink?”
“No, thank you.
I don’t have much time. I really don’t have a lot to go on. What I do have is
an address where someone who matched the description of Gordon Flanagan was
seen.” She slid a folded sheet of paper across to Dane.
“Why are you
giving this to me? Why not check this out yourself? If you could find Flanagan
that would be a huge boost to such a young career, would it not?”
Katherine
scowled at him. “Don’t patronize me, Mr. Abbott. I’m not stupid enough to go
after someone as irrational as Flanagan. That’s your job. You chase the
crazies. If you happen to find him, I will consider that boost enough.” She
stood but leaned over and whispered. “I don’t want to be associated with
anything that has the Flanagan name on it. Are we clear?”
“As freshly
cleaned glass.”
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