Part 17 (1/2)

Hawk nudged him toward the room. ”It's my watch. Go back and lie down. You need sleep too. And...” He cast a long narrow gaze at Tesla in the bed. ”She's not sleeping well without you.”

Mason twisted enough to look at the bed. True enough, Tesla was whimpering in her sleep.

”d.a.m.n. It took forever for her to sleep. She's plagued by nightmares.”

”I don't blame her. She's been kidnapped twice.” Hawk sighed. ”We all get nightmares. We have a good reason. Now so does she.”

Mason winced. ”True enough.”

”Go.”

After a quick glance toward Hawk and rea.s.sured that his friend had his back, Mason went and lay down. Instantly Tesla curled up against him. He wrapped an arm around her and tugged her closer.

And fell asleep.

For bare moments. His phone went off. He read the orders and frowned. He glanced down at Tesla. He hated to leave her. But there was a problem that needed attention. Someone had been seen entering the Hall. Had to be checked out. He sent a quick message back asking if someone else could do the check as he was on duty.

The response was immediate. She was asleep and had guards inside and out. He needed to do this and fast.

d.a.m.n it. He stared suspiciously at the orders. There was nothing untoward about them. Just he hated to leave her alone. And this was pulling him away.

Still, it was something that had to be checked.

Nothing could go wrong this day. He couldn't argue that. With a last glance at Tesla, he slipped downstairs. He found Hawk in the living room and filled him in on the orders.

Hawk shrugged at his buddy's frown. ”It is what it is.”

With a last look upstairs, he said, ”Take good care of her.”

And he walked out into the night.

Chapter 22.

SHE WOKE TO the birds singing and the sun s.h.i.+ning. It was a glorious day. Then she remembered what today was. And what last night had been. She bolted upright. The other side of the bed was empty. The room was empty. She was nude. And her body hummed in joy. Satiated from the best loving in her life, she threw back her covers and bounded off the mattress. A check of her cell phone said it was early yet.

Good. A shower was first, followed by putting on her jeans and sweater until it was time to get ready. It was early and she didn't want to spend more time in her suit and pumps than she had to. Afterwards, she twirled in front of the mirror, happy with her life. She twisted her hair back and up, looking to keep it from flying around her head.

Nothing could be allowed to distract her today.

She needed all her wits about her for this demonstration.

Mason would be with her all day, but she had no idea in what role. And after today, she was likely to never see him again.

Her heart jerked at the thought but knew it was inevitable. She'd known they weren't to be since the beginning. She held her head up and shoved that thought to the back of her mind. Her priorities were clear.

She straightened her clothing once again. Lord she was nervous. After several deep bracing breaths she walked to the kitchen.

Coffee was set up. She clicked the power b.u.t.ton to set it dripping. Where was Mason? Swede? Hawk? Surely she wasn't alone? Then she realized maybe it was all good now. Relieved but still wary, she pulled out a mug and thieved a cup of coffee. Then walked to her office. Standing at the entrance she studied the small room. It appeared to be as she'd left it. Good.

Her nerves were rubbing her wrong. There was so much hanging on this deal.

It wasn't even the money. It was all about saving lives.

For Harry.

She turned to look around. As far as she could tell, she was alone. She frowned. She shouldn't be, should she? She walked out to the back yard and wandered the small green patch aimlessly. There was no gardener today, and no one else that she could see within reach. How did that work? She wandered back inside, feeling her nerves tighten in worry.

Pulling out her cell phone, she checked the time. She still had hours to go. Determined to stay busy, she sat down at her computer and logged on. Her emails were first.

She ran though the ones she'd been expecting.

And came to one she hadn't.

The subject said, ”Robert's life.”

Frowning, she clicked on it. And froze. She s.n.a.t.c.hed up her phone and called Robert. No answer. She redialed and again, no answer. She left a voice message and logged onto the company account. He wasn't online. She checked with another employee. She was online. She sent her an instant message asking if she'd had any contact with Robert.

The answer came back immediately. No. Not since noon yesterday.

Tesla brought out phone again. And called Mason.

”Tesla, what's up?”

He sounded like he was driving from the noises of a radio coming through him.

”Where are you?” she asked, her voice tremulous.

”I'm almost at the house. Why?”

”There's something you need to see.”

”Be there in a few minutes. Have you shown Hawk?”

She took a raspy gasp. ”He's not here. I'm alone.”

There was a moment of shocked silence. ”Get up and move very quietly to the bathroom where I want you to lock yourself in.”

She stood up and looked around. She locked the back door and then the front. And ran up the stairs. ”I'm going upstairs,” she whispered, her heart pounding against her chest. ”Where's Hawk?”

”I don't know,” he said. ”I was called away over a security problem at the main hall where you're to do your demonstration.”

The bathroom was in sight. She raced inside and slammed the door shut. And locked it. Taking a deep breath, her hand trembling, she turned, intent on checking that the shower was empty.