Leon tossed the pads over the rope, and Trent watched as they fell to the concrete floor.She’d been sparring with Leon at Frankie’s request, but he’d yet to see her in action.The roundhouse kick she executed knocked Leon off balance, not an easy thing to do to the six-foot fighter.
“Your girl’s a natural,” Frankie said as he joined Trent on the weight bench.Trent watched as the perfectly timed knee kicks did what they were meant to do.The guys in the gym cheered as Harper rained an elbow strike down on Leon’s head guard.
Trent opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came.Sure, Leon could easily have laid her out, but she was definitely giving him a workout.Frankie laughed.
“Yeah, we were all a bit like that when she started picking it up quickly.She could fight, if she wanted.I’d train her if she did.”
The bout over, she walked toward him in her little shorts and tank top, all golden, glistening skin, unraveling the hand wrap on one hand until she hit her thumb loop.
“Ready to head out, Andrews?”she asked, throwing the wrap at him.
“Have I told you how much I like you wet?”Trent handed her a bottle of water before stroking a thumb across the sheen of sweat on her collarbone.
“Funny.”She smiled, her cheeks pink.
“Serious,” he said, leaning forward to kiss her chastely.
“Eew.Gross.Shower.Now.”
Trent raised his eyebrow, the idea of a shower with Harper beyond tempting.
“Separately!”
He laughed as she read his mind.
Half an hour later, they were heading into the police station to show Detective Lopes the latest messages.
“I don’t get how they found her number so quickly.”Trent shifted in the uncomfortable plastic chairs across from Lopes’s desk.
“I was talking to our tech guys.They think someone is using malware.”
“Malware?”Harper asked, leaning forward to put her elbows on the desk.
“Malicious software.You know like worms, viruses, and spyware.Tough to find, tougher to treat, and almost impossible to stop.It can be installed on your computer, phone—any mobile device.All it takes is you opening an innocuous-looking link and boom.They have full access to all your data.”
Harper had paled.She took a deep breath.“You okay, darlin’?”he asked.
“Yeah.”She looked up at him.“Nathan was a whiz at that kind of computer stuff.”
“We can get someone here to run a check on any computer you might have and on your phone.It might help.”The detective paused to take another drink of his black coffee.
“I see you had some trouble at your place of business, Mr.Andrews.Vandalism?”
“You did?”Harper asked, her eyebrows drawn together.
Shit.He should have told her sooner.“Yeah, darlin’.We did.It wasn’t a big deal.It happened while I was in LA.By the time I was back, Cujo had it all cleaned up.”
“But why did you call the police?”Great.Now she was all worried about him.He reached over and took her hand, her fingers immediately tightening around his.
“Just in case we need to claim on the insurance, but I don’t see how it could be connected.Probably some kids just being idiots.Did the same myself many years ago.I think the statute of limitations has passed on that, though, before you get any ideas.”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.Humor me.”Lopes smiled.“What was the vandalism?”
“Kind of clever really,” Trent said.“They sprayed a Dante quote on the logo, actually from the second circle, canto five…” Lopes’s eyes were starting to glaze over.“Anyway,” he said, cutting to the chase, “it saidAmor condusse noi ad una morteorLove brought us to one death.”
Harper’s fingernails pressed into his skin, her hands clammy.
“Write it down for me,” Lopes said, passing a pad and pen across the table to Trent.They wrapped up the conversation with the logistics of getting her devices checked.
