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"And maybe I'll come too," I offered, though I needed to make it through the night first.
"That'd be good. Mena would like that." Denton smiled kindly.
I wrapped my hand in a circling motion and asked, "So is our talk done? Because we're going to get interrupted anytime soon."
Denton smiled dashingly as the garage opened.
Corrigan stood, smirking on the pavement, as a crowd formed behind him.
Denton Steele's name was whispered with revenue and awe and I laughed, "Oh god. I forget half the time that you're a celebrity."
The first rush of fans swarmed him, but Denton threw over his shoulder, "That's another reason why I want to…" He looked to the car's backseat, but Bryce strode to my side and plucked me off the ground. As he carried me inside, Corrigan smiled and shook his head behind us. He followed Bryce back up the stairs. We walked back into my dad's office
I saw that the television screens had now switched back to the doorways. I asked, "What happened to the other stuff?"
"We saved it all on a hard drive, but erased it on the network system," Corrigan answered me.
"What does that mean?
He shrugged and gestured towards the tech, who stood up and walked towards us, "So…what that means is that the feed, everything, originated here and was sent to an
off-base account, this guy's computer. I can't cut the feed that's automatically transmitted without losing the signal all together, but I was able to erase all the data and video recorded here at ground zero. That means that he can have downloaded the same input and still have it at his place. So he can still…"
"Watch us having sex," I murmured.
"Yeah, but he won't get anything new. The signal's still transmitting, but the data is dead."
Bryce cleared his throat and told me, "When you ordered the new alarm system, they didn't install an alarm system. They installed these videos."
The tech asked as he readjusted his coveralls, "Who'd you call for this?"
I didn't want to know why a tech would wear coveralls so I shrugged, "I just opened the phone book and found someone to do it. I wasn't really thinking rational at that moment."
"Do you think it's possible that this guy ordered the break-in so that Sheldon would get freaked and get a new alarm system?"
"It is, but how do you know which system she'd pick?" Bryce mused.
"Sitting right here," I snapped, irritated. "And he'd know. He's obsessed with me enough—I'm sure that he'd know."
"You don't remember what their names were?"
I shrugged, but something pricked at my memory. Something…I murmured, "Williams Alarms? Is there a place like that?"
"When did they install it?"
"It was after the break-in, the next day. I ordered it. They came and installed it. They gave me the instructions and then I went to bed. I wasn't paying attention to them. I went downstairs until they were done. I haven't thought about it since."
"Didn't they bill you?"
"I…I gave them my credit card number. I suppose it'd be on my statement?"
The tech snapped his fingers and said swiftly, "I can do that. Give me the account number."
I did and I noticed that his name badge said Kevin. As he brought up my last statement, I murmured, "Thanks, Kevin."
He smiled a genuine smile and swung around in his chair, "Thank you, Sheldon."
Bryce frowned, glanced between us two, and moved the computer screen towards him.
"Williams, Martels, and Alarms."
"That sounds…not at all familiar," I said. "Sorry."
"How much did they charge her for?" Corrigan asked.
"$35.50"
"Are you serious?" Corrigan pushed his way to the screen. "That's the cheapest alarm company ever. The cost alone would've steered me to another company."
"Thanks, Corrigan."
"It's not your fault. You were all traumatized and stuff."
Bryce pondered, "So maybe this guy didn't work for the company, but showed up and installed all the stuff himself."
"And maybe that's even scarier. He would've needed to take her phone call and forward it to his own phone…"
Kevin pointed out, "He's got the skill to do it. He did all of this."
"Is a window open? I'm cold." I glanced around, but none of the guys looked for an open window.
Bryce caught my gaze and nodded solemnly. The goose bumps hadn't come from the outside temperature. My chills weren't circumstantial. I turned away, and then moved to the farthest couch where I curled my legs underneath me. Bryce and Corrigan sat on either side of me while Kevin took the desk.
"Can I just ask," Kevin started. "Why are you guys doing this? Isn't this police business?"
"Police that aren't doing a whole lot," Corrigan growled.
Bryce murmured, "Someone else died and the guy's obsessed with Sheldon. We're not…"
"I'm not waiting any longer," I said firmly and looked up.
I saw the tech for the first time. He was leanly built with intelligent green eyes and brown curls that gave him a boyish innocent look. That look alone would earn him the nickname of 'Pretty Boy' for the rest of his life. He was young, but when I looked into his eyes—he wasn't young.
"Thanks for helping us," I said again.
Kevin nodded, glanced at Corrigan and Bryce, and murmured, "Mark said to come and help, to do everything possible so that's what I'm doing."
"Mark?" Corrigan asked.
"Sorry." Kevin rolled his eyes. "Hoodum. That's what you guys call him."
"What do you call him?" I asked, throatily.
"Brother." Kevin smiled. "He's my big brother."
"So…you're not…."
"I'm not a part of Mark's stupid gang. I go to MIT, actually. I'm post-secondary by, like, four years." Kevin chuckled and shook his head. "I'm their secret. I help them out. They get me a nice car every now and then, some 'nicer' things like diamonds or…I don't know—I get favors like protection if I ever need it."
"That's gotta be sweet."
"It is, but the cops know about me. One of them, in particular, is on my rear all the time."
"Which one?" Corrigan asked casually with an easy grin. "They're not fans of mine either."
