Drowsy from pain meds,Sasha did her best to answer Detective Silva’s questions, losing her train of thought. “I … uh… get along well with my fellow Team members. Megs is really strict. She has to be. Lives are at stake. She doesn’t tolerate conflict on the Team. If two people weren’t getting along, she’d sideline them.”
The questions kept coming. Was there anyone in Scarlet Springs who’d crossed the line with her or made her uncomfortable? How did she typically respond to hateful comments and criticism online? Had she ever gotten into a back-and-forth argument with someone on social media?
After almost two hours, Detective Silva closed his notebook.
“Here’s what I’d like to do—with your permission, of course.” He told her about technology he wanted to attach to her computer that would enable him to monitor and trace her incoming emails. “This system enables us to collect data that is actionable and admissible as evidence in criminal court.”
When he started to explain how it worked, she cut him off. “I won’t be able to understand any of that. My parents and brother are software engineers, but it’s all technobabble to me.”
“I understand.” He grinned, his features transforming in an instant, going from hard to oh-so-sexy.
Despite her narcotic haze, Sasha’s pulse skipped.
He was still talking about her computer. “Before I start, I need to ask whether there’s anything on your computer that you don’t want me to see?”
“What do you mean?”
“Sex tapes, illegal pornographic downloads, drug deals, illicit gambling—that sort of thing.”
“What?” Now Sasha was awake. “No. Of course, not.”
“I had to ask. It’s happened more than once.”
“Really?” She gaped at him.
For some reason, he seemed to find this funny. “Really.”
“I must be pretty boring.”
He chuckled. “You’renotboring.”
She listened while he finished explaining what he’d need from her. Then she had to face getting out of the recliner—a painful process with broken ribs.
Detective Silva, already on his feet, held out a hand. “Let me help.”
She took his hand and almost let go, her skin tingling from his touch as he drew her to her feet.
You’re imagining things.
“Thanks.” She led him to her office at the back of the house, sat at her desk, and turned on her computer. While it booted up, she glanced over at Detective Silva to find him perusing her world championship trophies.
Don’t you wish you dusted once in a while?
He caught her watching. “Impressive.”
Her computer had booted up, so she wrote down her computer and social media passwords on a Post-It note and stuck them to the screen. “There’s a power strip under the desk with a few outlets for your equipment.”
“Perfect. I’ll get my stuff out of the car and be right back. Don’t log into any websites or download any email just yet.”
“Okay.” Sasha sat in her office recliner to wait for him. She needed to sleep, but she didn’t know if he’d need more from her.
Detective Silva returned quickly, carrying a large black case. He unlocked it and started connecting things to her computer, typing in her root password to install software.
“This system will be able to tell if I have a stalker?”
He glanced over at her, smiling again. “I thought you didn’t like technobabble.”
Her pulse skipped once more.
