Chapter 12

Her earpiece beeped twice, meaning an outside call not routed through reception. "Damn, I'm popular today." She tapped the headset. "Peyton Smoke."

"Hi, Miss Smoke. It's Carson from downstairs. I've got something on that email you queried about. Should I come up to you?"

She snapped her fingers to get Xavier's attention and stop him from leaving. "No, Mr. Gaines and I will meet you in your office. We'll be down in a few minutes." Disconnecting, she looked at him. "That was IT. They have info about the email." She chewed her lip. "He called me direct instead of through the front desk. The staff never do that."

Mouth firm, he pulled his cell from his breast pocket and summoned Joseph to meet them downstairs. "Let's go."

Her stomach was a tangled jumble of nerves in the elevator. She'd thought the email was just another line in nonsense, but her gut said something else now. Awareness crept up her neck, making her hair stand on end.

Xavier set a reassuring hand low on her back to guide her to the floor. "It'll be all right."

She nodded and strode toward Carson's office deep in the tech department. Beeps and mouse clicks echoed in the room, and the faint scent of burnt coffee clung to the air as they passed many cubicles. Joseph and Carson waited for them just inside the entryway to his office.

Xavier shut the door behind them as they crammed into the small space littered with folders and computer gear. "What have you got?"

"So..." Carson ran his fingers through his longish brown hair, the motion stretching his polo shirt across his round belly. "We know the email came from our server. It had the distinct @ corporation address. The email pinged Miss Smoke's box at seven p.m. The account was created at six-thirty, then promptly deleted at seven-o-five."

He sat and faced the desk, his fingers flying over the keyboard. A black screen with white code popped onto the monitor. "It took me awhile of digging, but IP showed which desktop the email originated."

Xavier's hard gaze zipped over the screen as if he were reading a novel. "That can't be right."

"It is." Carson sighed. "This code hasn't been tampered with. The email came from Miss Smoke's office."

"What?" She stepped back and her knees wobbled. "I don't understand." The room spun, and she couldn't draw breath. Someone had been in her office? With all her files and personal things? Violated, she ran a hand over her stomach.

Xavier cupped her shoulder and squeezed in a silent show of support. "Our offices are locked at the end of the day. In fact, our whole floor is shut down. You need an elevator key to access it."

What about the obvious? "I didn't send that email."

Carson nodded. "I know. Which is why I went to security and looked at the digital feed." His fingers flew over the keys again. A grainy black and white video popped on the screen. "This is from the camera above the elevator." He pointed. "Note that it covers most of the reception lobby and the hallway to your offices. Watch. This is time stamped at six twenty-five."

The semi-dark room showed a figure at the bottom of the screen walk off the elevator and down the hall. They used a key to enter Peyton's office. Recognition dawned, and Peyton shook her head. No. It couldn't be.

"It's dark and hard to make out the person." Carson forwarded the video. "Now, this is at seven ten."

The same person walked out of her office, relocked the door, and headed toward the elevator. This time, clearly in view.

Carson paused the feed. "There's your culprit."

The air punched from her lungs. "Oh God." She looked at Xavier, whose gaze had hardened at the screen. "Fern? She wouldn't do something like that. She's worked for you as long as Joseph."

Xavier's gaze cut to Carson. "Get me copies of this."

"Already done, sir." Carson handed him a folder. "That has the codes, a copy of the email, the time stamps, and a disc of the security feed."

"Thank you. You did great work. Keep this quiet, please."

Carson nodded.

Xavier passed Joseph the evidence folder and guided Peyton out of the office, his movements stiff. Joseph followed them onto the elevator. On numb legs, she watched him insert a key into the lock and stall the car with them inside.

He glared at his bodyguard. "What the actual fuck?"

Joseph shook his head. "I don't know." Gaze dialed to holy-shit, he looked at Peyton. "Has Fern said or done anything to give you a reason for this?"

"No!" Tears brimmed her eyes, and she choked. "I went to her daughter's Christmas concert last year. She's always been nothing but sweet to me. I mean, she's a little weird, but I never felt threatened by her." She wiped her cheeks with a shaking hand. "Just this morning, she bought me a latte."

Even if this had been some sick prank, the betrayal sliced deep.

Xavier pressed his palms to his eyes. "This is going to be a nightmare." He slapped his hands to his thighs. "Never mind the inner office gossip, but if the press catches wind my personal secretary was escorted out of the building by police"

"Police?" She eyed the two of them. "You're going to have her arrested?"

"Damn right. She threatened you." Xavier's enraged glare pinned her in place.

Knowing she'd never talk him out of it, she chewed her lip. "I'll deal with the media. I'll send out a statement. Human resources, too, for within the company."

"I don't want you giving the press a statement." His gaze slid to hers. "The email was sent to you. If there's a leak about the details, a Gaines Industries explanation will have more weight from me."

She blew out a shaky breath. "Okay. I'll prepare something"

"I'll deal with it."

Buthe never wrote his own statements.

Nodding, she glanced at the floor, her head swimming. Xavier was set to blow and a co-worker she considered a friend had sent her a heinously violent note. She couldn't form a tangible thought to save her life.

Rubbing his bald head, Joseph sighed. "In the mean time, Fern needs to be handled."