Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
ELVIS COULD ONLY WATCH her leave as Hawk crossed the room to join him.
“That didn’t look like it went the way you wanted,” the other man said just as Julia—Delaney—stepped out of the room, her partner right behind her. “Is that who you called Blaze about?”
Elvis gave a curt nod, still feeling dumbfounded. “She denies it’s her, though. I don’t get it. Why the hell would she lie to me?”
“Are you sure it’s not just a doppelg?nger type thing going on here? I mean, what makes you think this girl is your high school sweetie?”
Elvis ran a hand through his hair. “Because you don’t forget the love of your life, the woman you were ready to spend eternity with.” He dropped his arm to his side. “There was no way I would ever forget Julia Moretti. Her disappearing changed the course of my life.”
Levi walked into the room, waving at them as he headed toward Colin, who sat in front of a bank of monitors.
“Showtime,” Hawk slapped Elvis on the back. “Your mystery gal’s going to have to wait.”
Elvis sighed as he followed Hawk over to join the others. He tried to shove Julia out of his mind, but it had taken him years and the SEALs to get her out the first time.
“All right, everyone,” Levi said as he slipped his hands to his hips.
“Remember, we’re just backup. Taylor and Barret, you two stay close on the north side of the room.
Bobby and Gideon, you two take the south side.
I’m going to hang in the back and, of course, Colin will remain here monitoring the whole shebang.
Just keep your heads on a swivel, and we’ll be at the bar shooting tequila before you know it. ”
Elvis simply nodded as he turned and headed to the main conference room, which was already filling up.
Casino security was all over the place, checking name badges at the door, lining the walls, standing on each side of the dais.
They stood with their backs ramrod straight and their hands clasped in front of them.
Elvis followed Hawk to the south wall, the noise level in the room picking up as people filed in. “You know this makes no sense,” he said as he nodded to one of the casino guards. “Look how much security they have here. Why do they need us?”
“You were fine with it when Levi called for help,” Hawk said as he turned, standing beside Elvis.
“You’re only grumbling now because you got turned down.
Now, I admit that never happens to you like it does to the rest of us, but hey, shake it off.
Focus. I’m sure you’ll have another girl before the first shot of tequila. ”
Elvis folded his arms over his chest, shaking his head. “Those were all distractions. Something to make me forget Julia.”
“The woman who refuses to be forgotten.” Hawk nodded. “But she seems to want just that, so what are you going to do?”
He wished he had an answer for that.
“Everyone take your seats, please,” a man said from the podium at the front of the crowd, hands in the air as he ushered them all to sit down. “We’ve got a fantastic opening night arranged for you.”
“I really hate this type of thing,” Elvis groused as he ran his gaze over the crowd. “Wouldn’t a hacker be at a computer console? He wouldn’t be sitting here waiting to hear a keynote.”
Hawk shrugged. “Who knows? Blaze is always whipping his laptop out and doing some computer wizardry with it, no matter where he is. It wouldn’t surprise me if someone could cause all kinds of hell just using their phone.”
Elvis glanced around the room, but he wasn’t looking for hackers or drunks who couldn’t keep their mouths shut. He was looking for her, but she was nowhere to be seen.
“You might as well stop looking,” Hawk said. “I heard Colin say something about her and her team using the time to go through more of the casino’s security files. It’s just us and Ray’s team for now.”
“Who we talking about?” Colin asked into the earpiece. “Maybe I can find her for you?”
“What?” Barret cut in with a chuckle. “And let it be known that the great Bobby Jenkins needed help to find a girl. Imagine what Sage would do with that bit of info? I mean, Gideon, has it ever happened before?”
“All right, people,” Levi said in their ears. “Let’s focus. We can all help Bobby get a girl at the bar tonight when this is over.”
Elvis growled as he shook his head, his chest puffing out slightly. “Why did I agree to this?”
“Because you had nothing better to do this weekend,” Levi reminded him. “At least, that’s what you said.”
“I need to get a real life,” Elvis grumbled.
The night went by without a hitch. There was a welcome reception that went along with the registration, where everyone got their badges, itineraries, and elaborate swag bags filled with the Summit’s logo plastered on everything from USB blockers, RFID wallets, and secure-password notebooks.
Of course, they also had digital welcome packets because, well, it was a cyber summit after all.
Next came the keynote address given by some tech mogul that Blaze couldn’t stop going on about once he found out Elvis would be helping Levi’s team.
A dramatic “live hack demo” followed, which was carefully scripted, and a call-to-action on global cyber threats.
The evening would end with a cocktail mixer on the rooftop, which promised to be lavish enough that people would talk about it until the following year.
There would be dancing, gaming tables, and cyber-themed decor. Elvis only hoped it didn’t rain.
Tomorrow would be panels and Q&A sessions, followed by a fireside chat from the Summit’s Founder. Then Saturday, there would be an interactive tech showcase where vendors and sponsors demoed their latest cybersecurity tools in booths with hands-on displays.
Sunday, everyone would return home, with memories to last for quite a while, as well as empty wallets.
Elvis wasn’t sure he’d make it until Sunday.
He needed to tell Levi he had to bail because his mind simply couldn’t focus on what he needed to be focusing on.
All he saw was his high school years, twirling around the dance floor at his senior prom, Julia’s dress fanning out as he spun her.
He had slipped his hand behind her neck in the middle of the dance floor, pulling her in for a kiss that got them both scolded by a chaperone.
And the woman he met earlier claimed not to be that woman. Bullshit. There was no way he would ever forget Julia Moretti, even if she called herself something else.
What the hell happened to you, Julia?
Once the keynote was over, Ray told them he didn’t need them at the mixer and that he would see them in the morning.
“I told Lexi at the bar that the first round’s on me,” he said as he motioned to two of his men to get moving.
The Director of Security looked like he’d been built for the Gulf Coast heat and trouble.
Elvis knew little more about the man than that he had the build of a linebacker gone corporate, with thick shoulders that strained the seams of his custom-tailored suit jackets.
“Hey, you don’t have to say free drink to me twice,” Colin said through the earpiece. “Shutting down now.”
Ray turned back to Levi as Taylor and Barret joined them. “I appreciate your help, and I’ll see you in the morning.”
“We’ll be there,” Levi said as he motioned to his brothers to head out after taking everyone’s earpieces.
However, Elvis hung back a moment. “Director, a minute, please.”
The older man crossed his arms over his chest as he faced Elvis, impatience on his face. “What’s up?”
“That team from Obsidian,” he said, trying not to stare at the thin scar near the man’s left eyebrow. “What can you tell me about them?”
Ray shrugged. “Not much, I’m afraid. The bigwigs here thought we needed an audit, and they picked a hell of a time to do it.
The lady is Delaney Rhodes. She built the company.
And her partner is Roman Calloway. They’re from Oregon, but that’s about the extent of my knowledge, except they’re supposed to be the best of the best but are only in my way this weekend. ”
Elvis tipped his head to the side for a moment. “If you don’t mind me asking, did something happen that made the casino want the audit on your team?”
Annoyance flashed in the man’s pale green eyes. “Nothing. My team is a smooth-running machine.”
The man sounded a little too defensive for that to be true, but Elvis decided not to press the issue.
“Thanks for your time, Director,” Elvis said with a quick tip of his head, figuring it best not to push the man any further. “We’ll see you in the morning.”
Ray gave a curt nod and then left them standing there.
“Well, that wasn’t much help,” Hawk said as they headed for the door.
Elvis could only sigh.
“I think I’m going to skip the drink,” he told his friend. “I’m exhausted.”
“Elvis is skipping out on drinks? Especially a free one?” Hawk chuckled, shaking his head. “This lady really does have you all messed up. You aren’t thinking of going after her again, are you?”
He shook his head. “No. Outside of my gut, I have nothing to prove she is who I think she is. I just want to go to sleep and get rested up for tomorrow.”
Hawk didn’t argue with him. Just said he’d see him in the morning and not to brood too much.
“No guarantees,” Elvis said as he left his friend and headed for the elevator.
In his room, he stripped down and stepped into a hot shower, allowing the steaming water to beat his flesh as if it could beat away the memories that suddenly threatened to drown him.
He saw the girl of his past, the girl who had stolen his heart and changed the course of his life with her disappearance.
He never thought he would see her again, never even dreamed that it would have been possible.
But she was there. He had spoken to her. He didn’t need proof. His gut was proof enough. So was his heart. His memory.
It didn’t matter what her name badge said. Delaney Rhodes was really Julia Moretti. Her hair was different, and she was older, but that face… there was no way he would ever forget how gorgeous she was. There was no doubt in his mind. It was her.
And she had lied to him.
Why?
Why wouldn’t she tell him what the hell happened back then? Where had she gone? What happened to her family? Why didn’t she tell him after everything they promised each other.
He plopped down in the chair by the window and hit Blaze’s name in his contacts. He knew it was late, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the woman who kept denying who the hell she was.
“What’s up, dude?” Blaze said in way of greeting. “I thought for sure you’d be hitting the poker tables or into your third drink at the bar by now.”
“Yeah, well…” Elvis ran his hand through his hair. “Look, I know it’s late, but I need you to do me another favor. I need you to run the name Delaney Rhodes. She works for Obsidian Analytics, founded the company actually.”
“Sure thing. Does this have anything to do with the lady you wanted me to find earlier?”
“Yeah. They’re the same woman. I just need to know why she’s denying it. Let me know what you find.”
“Always do,” Blaze assured him, and then hung up.
Elvis slipped into some pajama pants and slid under the covers, leaving a light on for Hawk when he finally returned. Elvis only hoped he’d be asleep by then, even though he doubted it.
He tucked his hands under his head as he stared up at the ceiling.
He didn’t know when he fell asleep, but memories and fantasies of Julia Moretti filled his dreams. He saw them in high school, saw them getting married, having kids, growing old together.
It was the way he had always planned his life going.
“Hey, Elvis, wake up.”
He felt someone shaking him, felt his body rolling back and forth on the bed, but he didn’t want to wake, didn’t want to leave Julia again.
“Come on, man. We need to join the others before this nonsense starts up. Levi’s already called twice.”
Sleep still fogged his brain. “What? What time is it?” He glanced at the curtain, noticing that no light peeked through the part between the two halves.
“It’s still dark outside. Why are we starting so damn early?
” He plopped back down on the pillow, pulling the covers up to his neck. “Now go away.”
“Nope,” Hawk said as he shoved Elvis one more time. “Gotta go. Levi wants to go over everything for the day before we head to the meeting rooms.”
Elvis growled as Hawk yanked the covers off him. “What’s there to go over? We stand against a wall and stare at a bunch of geeks.”
Hawk chuckled. “Remember, one of those geeks is someone you’re trying to talk to.”
Elvis shot out of bed.