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She was in her enemy's territory. Now, what could she find?
CHAPTER TWO
It was dark in Liam Treverton’s house, so gloomy that Cami took a moment to let her eyes adjust to the dim light. She didn't dare to open any curtains or even turn on any lights just in case someone noticed from outside. If anyone saw her, the game was up. And if there were internal cameras, she needed to find and avoid them.
This was the riskiest part of this entire endeavor. She was feeling mad at herself for not having brought gloves along, but she hadn’t known she’d be able to get inside at all. She’d just need to be careful not to touch anything with her fingers. She rolled her sleeves down, bunching her hands inside them.
In a few seconds, her eyes adapted. She could see that she was standing in a narrow hallway, with a living room on the right and an ultra-modern kitchen ahead with bar seating around the kitchen island. There was a guest bathroom and a utility room to the left.
Being inside enemy territory was unsettling, but she needed to get past her fear and follow her strategy of methodically exploring this house. She wasn’t sure what she was looking for. Any records, any old computers, or phones, would be a good start.
She breathed in the hint of coffee from the state-of-the-art machine on the counter, noticing the empty cup in the sink. This was a man who loved his gadgets. Again, her mind strayed back to that malware that had been attached to the file. Had he put it there? Was he the one with the IT expertise?
The adrenaline rush was still flowing through her body.
Cami went into the living room, taking in the details. Oak flooring, a good-sized flatscreen on the wall. Nice. Two sofas, a coffee table with an empty vase on it, and a dining table with four chairs.
She wasn't picking up any signs of another person in this home. It seemed to be occupied only by Liam. There was one place on the sofa where the leather surface was squashed down. One chair out of place in the dining area. One coffee cup in the sink.
But no other trace of his presence down here. Could she find anything upstairs?
Cami trod up the wooden stairs, checking for cameras and making sure to stay quiet. She was feeling that there was something she was missing. Something was starting to worry her, and she couldn't put her finger on it.
It was only when she got up to the bedroom that she realized, with a clench of horror, what it was.
That coffee smell—it had been relatively fresh. Intense enough for her to have smelled it immediately.
And in the bedroom, on the neatly made bed, work clothes were set out. Black pants were slung over the chair. A collared shirt was hanging on the wardrobe handle. Shoes were beside the chair.
Because—the realization hit her in a flood of horror—Liam Treverton didn’t keep normal office hours.
He'd been working overnight and must have been asleep until recently. Now, he’d gone out to the shops, or maybe even gone to the gym. That was why he'd only had a quick cup of coffee. That was why the work clothes were here, waiting. He could be back at any moment.
Cami felt herself choke with tension as she realized the truth of what the scenario meant.
She needed to get out of here, and fast, because if he came back soon, she would be trapped upstairs.
And as she thought that, she heard the scrunch of wheels and saw a new looking, dark blue SUV sweep through the gate and into the driveway.
"No!" Cami breathed. "No!" This was her worst nightmare coming to life. What she'd dreaded, what she’d tried so hard to avoid, was playing out. Now, there was a real risk of her being caught here, and the consequences didn't bear thinking about.
She had to leave! Down the stairs. Now! Out the back door as quickly and quietly as she could.
But, as Cami turned and rushed out of the bedroom, she paused, her eyes focusing on something beyond the open door in the adjoining room.
This smaller bedroom had been repurposed as a small study with a desk, office chair, bookshelf, and filing cabinet. And there, on the desk, she saw a laptop.
It was closed. It wasn't open and active. But without a doubt, it was his home machine, the one he currently used. It might have important information on it, information that could help her find out more about what had happened to Jenna. Or else, details as to who this guy really was and why he'd left under a cloud.
She only had a moment to decide. Inevitably, under pressure, she made the reckless choice.
"I'm not stealing it. I'm borrowing it," Cami muttered. "I'll return it when I'm done with it."
She darted into the office, pulled the machine from its power cord, and stuffed it into her laptop bag.
Then she hustled down the stairs, her blood pressure spiking, and headed for the back door.
But then, her heart sped up even more. The back door was locked. There was a keyhole, not a latch. A keyhole and no key. He clearly kept the key somewhere else, and now she was trapped.
