Page 77 of Hacking His Code

My mind continues to work in circles, trying to piece together a puzzle with new pieces.

This isn’t your problem anymore. Move on. Your life is in shambles.

“So, what now?” Neon says. “Another one of her movies?”

Let sleeping dogs lie.

“Actually, I was wondering if you could help me with something?”

“What’s that?”

“Do you think you could teach me how to better handle my hair and makeup?”

Neon smiles. “That’s what I like to hear! Moving up and moving on! Though…I’m not entirely sure if you can move up from Hunter—shit! I didn’t mean it like that.”

“It’s fine,” I say with a shrug of my shoulders.

Neon grabs my hair. “We’re going to have to start with this.”

Hunter

“Whoever isbehind this knows how to move around the internet unseen,” Gabriel Icor says. “The emails could have come from Peru, or even inside the building.”

I tap my fingers nervously on my desk, unable to relieve my frustration. As much as I wanted to be done with this mystery, it disallows me from sleeping at night.

“I could run this by Dallanger, but to be honest, I don’t think he’ll be able to pinpoint the origins either.”

“No, there’s no point. There isn’t a person on the planet that can do more than what’s been done. Thank you for your assistance.”

Gabriel doesn’t move, either not getting the hint or not caring.

“If you ever need anything, feel free to give me a call,” I say, hoping that drives the point home.

“May I offer some advice?”

I suck in a breath, trying to remember my decorum. I want nothing more than to show him the door, but I’m the one that asked him for a favor, and it would be grossly inappropriate for me to be rude.

“And what would that be?”

“Talk to your father.”

“Out of the question.”

“You don’t trust him, do you?”

I cast Gabriel a glare that tells him it’s none of his business.

“Look, I’m not saying he’s a bad guy, but we both know parents will go to extreme lengths to protect their children. You need to warn him if he has something to hide.”

“My father is careful out of fear, not guilt. He had nothing to do with my aunt’s death, of that, I promise you.”

“I believe you. I’m actually jealous of your relationship with him. He seems like a good guy who loves his family. Mine was an absolute dog.”

Guilt needles me, and I rethink being so defensive. Gabriel’s father was notorious for his skirt-chasing ways, and it’s said he left his son a mess when he passed.

“Every family has its skeletons, as does mine. It’s just that I’m pretty sure kidnapping and murder isn’t a part of my family’s history.”

As soon as the words leave my mouth, I chuckle dryly.