You never know, they might release the hounds or something. I thought maybe everyone had come out back, but…Hannah, someone’s after you.”
“I know.” She couldn’t keep the fear from her voice.
“Oh, crap. You think it’s me.” Scott shook his head and held his hands up, showing her he’d come unarmed.
“Well, you’re here, not in Dallas where you’re supposed to be. The whole reason Slade, Dex, and Gavin brought me up here was to escape this stalker.”
“That makes sense. I was on my way to your office to pick you up for an early lunch so I could warn you when I saw your…exit. But he saw it, too. An hour later, a virus had crashed the River Run facility. So I volunteered for this assignment, hoping I’d get a chance to see you and—”
“Who saw my exit? Who are you trying to warn me about?”
“Lyle.”
The truth washed over her. Lyle Franklin. She’d met him her first day on the job. He’d brought her laptop and helped her set it up. He was the head of the help desk, but he’d found time to help a new girl out. He’d been patient with her. She’d heard rumors that he was difficult to work with, but brilliant when it came to systems upkeep and repair. She’d never found him difficult. Anytime she’d had trouble and called the help desk, he’d come personally.
At the time, she’d thought he’d taken care of her because she was the boss’s admin. There wasn’t an employee at Black Oak who didn’t want Gavin James to owe him or her a favor. She’d had lunch with Lyle on a couple of occasions in large groups, but turned him down for dinner because it had seemed too much like a date, and she hadn’t wanted to lead him on. She’d never felt anything beyond vague friendship for the lanky, self-conscious man.
How much had he hidden from her?
“I think I should go and find Gavin.” Hannah knew she needed to be cautious. She wasn’t about to fully trust anyone except her men. She would go and get Gavin, and they could talk to Scott together.
Unless Scott was lying to gain her trust. Then he wouldn’t let her move an inch off this patio.
She backed toward the French doors, easing closer to them. She would lock them behind her and find Gavin. They could get the sheriff, who could sort out everything in a nice, safe interrogation room where all the employees had guns and the right to shoot people.
That sounded like a plan.
“That’s a good idea, Hannah.” Scott’s voice had taken on a soothing quality. He sat down at the patio table, carefully placing his hands on top. “Please tell Mr. James not to shoot me on sight. I get that you have to be cautious. I do. I’ll wait here.” Hannah still didn’t turn her back on him.
“And Hannah, if your computer’s on, turn it off.”
“Why?” She’d turned it on earlier in the day hoping to check her e-mail. It was still sitting open on the desk in her suite. She almost always left it up and ready to use.
“You have a webcam on that computer, Hannah. He’s been watching you through it for months. It’s how I figured out his scheme. Preston made us share a conference room back in Dallas for one of those installation task forces on Monday. Lyle left to go do something, and I was looking for a missing file. Instead, I saw videos of you.”
“Me?”
Scott flushed a bit. “Yes. He has a ton of videos of you. He’s been watching you day and night. Some are just long videos of you lying around in your undies reading a book or talking on the phone. It looks like you’re in the bedroom.”
That bastard. He’d set up her computer. Lyle knew how computer illiterate she was. He’d told her she didn’t need to know more, that he knew enough about computers for both of them.
They had laughed about it at the time.
All along he’d been watching her, stalking her.
He’d been the one sending her threatening notes. He’d tried to kill her cat.
His expression earnest, Scott went on. “When that virus hit the site’s computer, I knew someone with access and knowhow had uploaded it. Lyle fits the bill.” Everything Scott said made perfect sense.
“I’m going to go get Gavin. Don’t go anywhere. I believe you, Scott. Thank you.” She was just about to turn when a bang cracked the air around her. Scott grunted, and his face became strangely blank. Red bloomed across his shirt.
Blood. He’d been shot.
“You’re not going anywhere, Hannah.” Lyle stepped from behind the house and pointed the gun at her.
Scott slumped forward, his head hitting the table with a nasty thud. Bile crawled up her throat.
Lyle Franklin stood roughly five feet seven inches tall. His hair was cut far too short for his round features. His eyes were too close together, giving him a slightly seedy look. His body was awkwardly thin, as though he’d never outgrown his teenage years and would never have the body of a man. But Hannah didn’t doubt for a second that he could overpower her. His arms looked scrawny compared to her men’s, but Lyle had already proven he had plenty of nerve and few qualms.