Had he spoken aloud? Must have. “I know Destiny Sheppard. She isn’t a suspect.”
Ben turned to face him. His face stern, unreadable. Mike hated that look. It made him feel like a school boy again sent to the principal’s office. “And how would you know this?”
“She’s my girlfriend.” They weren’t official and only had the one date but close enough. Several of the guys stared in open-mouth shock at him while others murmured to each other. He thought he saw Liam pass money over to a smug Carter. Had they been betting? It didn’t matter.
“This is the woman you asked for advice on yesterday?” Ben asked, his face still unreadable.
“Yes, but before you question it, we’d known each other for months before hand. She deciphers intelligence that comes in.”
“So she has knowledge of computers,” Aaron stated—it wasn’t a question—giving him a droll look.
“Yes,” Mike gritted through his teeth.
“And works in the intel section,” Heath chimed in as if he were being helpful. He wasn’t. Mike knew how it looked, but he knew Destiny. She was sweet and caring.
“Lots of people work in that building,” Mike argued, feeling defensive of Destiny. The guys may not know her, but he did. Destiny would never hack into the computer system. “That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Everyone calm down.” Ben kept his tone even while still staring at him. “Everyone gets checked. Everyone.” He stepped away as if that were the end of the conversation. It wasn’t. Mike wasn’t willing to let this go.
Crossing the room, he came up to Liam. “Why did Cora think Destiny might be a suspect?” He asked Liam in a hushed tone.
Liam glanced over at Ben who was busy talking to the others before answering. “I don’t know. She just gave me a list of potential suspects when she was there. Nothing more,” he said with a shrug.
“Mike,” Ben called out, but Mike didn’t want to listen.
“I’m going to the building.” He started to leave, but Ben blocked the exit.
“Carter can do that. Why don’t you help Liam check the front gate.” It wasn’t so much a suggestion as an order. Ben gave him a hard stare, telling him to back down. “You’re too involved,” Ben whispered.
He knew that, but it was Destiny’s name that was in jeopardy. The woman he loved. The guys had to see she wasn’t part of this.
“Come on,” Liam clapped a hand on his shoulder and pulled him toward the door. Mike could’ve shrug him off, but what would have been the point? The sooner they found the real criminal, the sooner he could clear Destiny’s name.
“She didn’t do it,” he repeated, needing someone to believe him.
“Then you have nothing to worry about.” Liam gave him an easy grin, trying to lighten the mood. It only made Mike angrier.
Chapter 18
“Ms. Sheppard.” Destiny jumped when she heard her name being called again. The office had been chaos all day. Officials in and out of the building, all the employees being questioned. No one had yet been able to figure out what was stolen. Destiny knew her computer was safe, but she couldn’t say the same for the others.
Everyone had their own projects they were working on. She couldn’t say what Todd or Amber, who sat on either side of her, worked on. No one conversed much during breaks. She didn’t even talk to her coworkers outside of work. Everyone worked on classified information so they all kept to themselves. Even their desks were spaced a few feet apart so no one could glance over at what anyone else was working on. Security was their utmost concern.
“Yes?” She looked over her shoulder at who spoke to her. It was a man in uniform who looked to be in his early twenties. No one she recognized, but that was becoming a norm today.
“I need you to come with me.”
Destiny felt her heart accelerate. She was sure it was beating out of her chest as blood rushed into her ears. Those were words no one ever wanted to hear.
“May I ask why?”
“Sorry ma’am. Colonel’s orders.” His face was unreadable and she couldn’t help the feeling of dread.
Destiny’s gaze drifted to the Colonel’s office, but she couldn’t see anything through the shut door and drawn blinds. He’d pretty much holed himself in his office since Cora finished her eval.
Since she left, a select few personnel had been escorted away and none had come back – a fact that hadn’t worried her. Until now, when she was one of the select few to be chosen. It wasn’t an honor. “Alright.” Destiny locked her computer and stood up collecting her things.
Todd, who sat on her left gave her a sympathetic side glance before staring back at his screen. No one else glanced in her direction as she was escorted away.
