Chapter 7
ALEX
Alex slid his platinum card into the billfold on the table with a nervous smile at Vanessa.
His mind raced as he wondered whether or not he’d made a huge mistake in accepting her offer to go to VoltTech this afternoon.
But they needed information. Information he hoped to get from her during his visit–one way or another.
His heart pounded against his ribs as he eyed her finishing the wine in her glass before she set it down and toyed with the stem, her eyes set on him.
The way she looked at him reminded him of a wolf eying its next meal.
Ava had told him not to go, but he’d argued. Now, he wasn’t so sure.
And he hadn’t heard a peep from his beloved wife since their meal had arrived. Worry shot through him as he wondered if she’d had another episode.
He couldn’t ask, he couldn’t do anything. He was trapped here with Vanessa. Should he try to sneak a call in to her, or maybe Kyle?
The waiter returned with his card, and he scrawled his name across the bottom of the bill after adding a generous tip.
His heart thudded as Vanessa arched her eyebrows at him. “I took a cab here, but…I’m not sure that’s your style.”
“I drove,” he said before he cleared his throat, trying to force the weakness from his voice. “We can take my car.”
“Well, that sounds like a plan.” She grabbed her purse, securing it under her arm as they rose to stand.
Before Alex took a step from the table, Kyle appeared, flicking his gaze between the two of them. “Alex, whew, glad I caught you. I have just been swamped today.”
“Hey, uhh, Doc,” Alex said, his forehead creasing a little.
Why was Kyle here? Was something wrong with Ava? Had she called him?
Kyle shoved his hand toward Vanessa who stared at him like he was a bug–or an intrusion.
“I’m Kyle Carter. I’m Alex’s headhunter. So glad that you decided to take this meeting. I hope I’m not too late to find out if you’re everything we hoped for.”
“We were just leaving,” Vanessa said.
“To go to Vanessa’s office and see exactly what she has to offer,” Alex said as a follow-up.
“Perfect. Then, I haven’t missed the most important part. Mind if I ride along with one of you?”
“Actually, I’m driving us both, so we can all hitch a ride together.
” Alex offered Kyle a nervous grin, trying to read his features for any sign of trouble.
While he was certain he may have gotten further with Vanessa alone, he needed to take the man with him.
He may have information he needed. And he also provided a buffer to help Alex manage the situation.
Without Ava in his ear, he wasn’t certain he could manage it alone.
He hoped she’d reappear soon.
With a glance at his phone, he led them to the valet stand outside of the restaurant, handing off his ticket to the man. As they waited for the car, he let his fingers fly across the virtual keyboard, sending Ava a text. Where you at, babe? Need backup.
He stared at his screen, biting his lower lip as he waited for a response, but he received none.
With his stomach twisted into a knot, he sent a second one. Look, I know you’re upset that I did this, but come on, Sparky, I need you.
He still received no response. His SUV pulled up, and the valet popped out of the driver seat, holding the door open for him.
Reluctantly, he shoved his phone back into his pocket and skirted around the car as the others climbed into their seats.
His eyes slid to view Kyle in the rearview mirror before he shifted into gear and rolled away from the restaurant. For a brief second, his grip on the wheel tightened, and he forced himself to take a slow breath. Calm down, Alex. You’ve got Kyle with you. It’s going to be fine.
But where was Ava? The silence in his earpiece gnawed at him, but he couldn’t afford to lose focus—not yet. The next few hours were crucial.
“You’ll just want to take a left at the next stop sign,” Vanessa said.
“Right,” Alex answered before promptly shaking his head. “I mean correct. Yes, left. I know how to get there, actually.”
“Oh, great,” she answered.
Silence stretched between them as Alex gripped the wheel with white knuckles.
His phone stayed silent. No buzz, no response.
Panic crept up his spine. Where was Ava?
Was she okay? He clenched the steering wheel tighter, his knuckles turning white.
His mind raced with possibilities—had she blacked out?
Was she in danger? Every moment without an answer gnawed at him, feeding the growing sense of dread.
The whole thing was spiraling out of control.
He needed to hear from her—needed to know she was safe.
Was something wrong? Was she sick? Was she mad? Suddenly, the whole thing seemed like a horrible idea.
He considered whipping the car around and heading back to his house to check on her, of inventing some emergency, but his mind refused to cooperate. What would he say?
And Kyle wasn’t helping.
Finally, Kyle broke the quiet. “So, Vanessa, I’m interested to hear more about what you thought of a potential position at StoneCorp.”
“Well, I haven’t been offered anything yet, so it would really depend on the details,” she answered, her eyes sliding sideways to Alex. “You know, what perks may come along with it.”
He swallowed hard, focusing on the road ahead of him.
“Well, we offer a very comprehensive benefits package, I can tell you that,” Kyle answered.
“So does VoltTech. It would really have to be something better.”
“I see,” Kyle said, nodding slowly. “Such as?”
Vanessa let her eyes linger on Alex for a moment before she flicked her gaze forward. “Let’s concentrate on whether or not I’m a good fit and go from there.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Kyle answered, giving Alex a raised eyebrow glance before he turned to eye the scenery.
The drive took a few more minutes, Alex growing more nervous with each passing mile until they arrived at VoltTech’s facility.
Alex slowed the car to a stop at the guard booth. An armed guard stepped out with a clipboard. Vanessa leaned across Alex, practically climbing into his lap as she handed her ID badge through the window. “Hi, Bert. They’re with me.”
“Hi, Vanessa,” he answered. “Names?”
“Alex Stone and Kyle Carter.”
“Oh, love my StonePhone,” the guard said with a grin as he jotted a note on his paperwork, then flicked his wrist to look at the time.
“Glad to hear it,” Alex said, following the statement with a weak chuckle.
“All right, you’re all set. Just check in at the visitor’s desk for your badges when you head in. Vanessa can show you.”
“That I can,” she purred as she took her badge back and slipped it around her neck.
Alex pulled forward as the security gate slid open and found a spot in the parking lot. His stomach churned as he killed the engine, staring at the building in front of him.
Vanessa popped her door open and slid to the ground outside. Alex offered Kyle a nervous glance before he did the same, meeting the woman at the front of the car before they proceeded into the building.
After visiting the guard there to receive the visitor’s badges, they headed for the elevator.
Alex searched his mind to recall the layout of the building. Could he possibly make it to the server room from here? Or get close enough to transmit a signal to copy the files?
They stepped into the elevator and Vanessa hit the button for the top floor. Alex wrinkled his nose. They’d be too far from the server room at that height to do anything with it.
He’d have to hope he could gain access to her computer and pull some of the files from it to give them some proof of what VoltTech planned to do.
With a coy grin, Vanessa led them through the halls to her office.
Alex settled into one of the uncomfortable chairs on the opposite side of her desk. “Can I get either of you a coffee?”
“I’ll take one. One cream, no sugar,” Kyle said with a smile.
“Uh, yeah, I’ll take one, too,” Alex said, hoping for a few minutes alone with both Kyle and Vanessa’s computer. “Uh, One cream, two sugars. Thanks.”
Vanessa lifted her eyebrows for a brief second. “I’ll remember that.”
She sashayed her way from the office, and the minute she was gone, Alex shot from his chair, hurrying around the desk to wiggle her mouse. He had one shot at this. The files on her computer might be the key to uncovering VoltTech’s plans and stopping The Board.
Focus, Alex. This isn’t about you—this is about saving lives. He couldn’t let his nerves get the better of him, not when they were this close. If he could get into her computer, maybe he could pull the files they needed and get out before things went sideways.
“What happened to Ava?” he asked as his fingers flew across the keyboard.
“She’s here,” Kyle answered. “So, I figured I’d better get over there and get here with you in case you needed backup–or Ava did.”
Alex stopped typing, his gaze snapping to Kyle. “What? What do you mean, she’s here?”
His stomach plummeted, the food he’d had for lunch threatening to reappear.
“I mean, she’s here. She called me and said she was coming here. Chris knew someone and got them a meeting or something. I don’t know.”
“Chris?” Alex’s stomach rolled again. How was Ava here with his archenemy? This had to have been some sort of punishment for what was happening with Vanessa.
“Umm, I’d get back on the other side of this desk. It won’t take her much longer to get that coffee.”
Frustrated, Alex abandoned his gambit to hack into her computer and hurried back to his seat.
“This is the worst. How can Ava be here…with him?”
“You’re here with her,” Kyle answered.
“That’s not–”
Vanessa’s reappearance cut off his words. He shifted in his seat as she handed the coffee to him first, then Kyle. “Two sugars, one cream, as requested.”
She circled around her desk and plopped into her chair, shaking her mouse before she typed in her password.
Alex tried to watch her fingers. Even if he could catch a few letters it would help. He’d just need Kyle to get her out of the room, and he could hack into her computer.
“So, you asked to see my…prowess,” she said with a coy grin. “And I have plenty of skills to bring to the table.”
“Yes,” Alex said, trying desperately to focus on the task at hand as his mind wandered through a maze of thoughts about where Ava was right now. “Something…impressive.”
“I have just the thing,” she answered. Her fingers flew across the keyboard again before she grabbed hold of the mouse, clicking away.
Alex’s heart hammered harder against his ribs, sweat beading on his brow as he tried to stop himself from leaning forward in anticipation.
Would he finally see a piece of the program that she’d been creating to “take out the entire Eastern seaboard”?
“I hope it’s as impressive as you’re teasing it will be. I’d hate for my work to be impugned,” Kyle said with a wide grin.
Vanessa narrowed her eyes at him, her eyebrows pinching.
“I’m the one who suggested Alex track you down and take this meeting. If what you show us is…less than impressive, well, then I look like I don’t know what I’m doing.” Kyle cracked Alex on the arm. “Am I right, Alex?”
“Absolutely,” Alex said with a nod. “Better be impressive. And, uh, I invented the StonePhone so…you know, impressive is difficult to come by.”
“Yes, you are very impressive, Alex.”
Alex shifted in his seat, clearing his throat. “I’m not the one we’re discussing here, so…”
“Don’t worry. What I’m about to load will blow your mind.” She grinned at him, her finger making a final click on her mouse.
Alex’s pulse quickened. This was it. They were on the verge of a breakthrough—he could feel it.
She opened her mouth to speak again, but before a word left her lips, a blaring alarm ripped through the office, shrill and unrelenting. The sound echoed off the walls, sending a sharp spike of adrenaline through Alex’s system.
“What’s that?” Alex’s voice was tight, strained, as his heart slammed against his chest. Every instinct screamed at him to get out, but he was locked in place, trapped between waiting for answers and the overwhelming sense of danger.
Vanessa’s smile vanished, her brows knitting together. “An alarm,” she muttered, her features darkening. “Someone’s broken into VoltTech.”
His stomach lurched. Ava? She was here. Did this have something to do with her?