Page 16 of The Fixer

Jake was impressed by her efforts, and they ate companionably. After dinner as Jake did the dishes, Lyndsey leaned against the kitchen counter, her arms crossed, frustration written all over her face. She wasn’t upset or frustrated with Jake, but with the situation and the way the answers weren’t presenting themselves. Jake stood in front of the sink, rinsing the dishes and putting them in the dish rack, his eyes lockedonto hers as though he could uncover the answers through sheer force of will.

“We’re going in circles,” Lyndsey said, exhaling sharply. “Doesn’t anyone at Cerberus have any leads.”

“Not yet,” Jake countered. “But we’ve narrowed the scope. Let’s revisit the basics: Is there a lot of money to be made with your nanotech?”

She hesitated, biting her lip. “There will be, once it’s perfected. But we’re not close to that point. It’s still in the research phase, and then comes the testing phase—there’s no commercial application yet.”

Jake tilted his head, studying her. “What about your team? Would they all share in that payday?”

Lyndsey stiffened, glancing away. “Not everyone. It’s complicated.”

“Uncomplicate it for me,” Jake pressed, his voice calm but insistent. “If someone stands to gain more than others, that’s motive.”

She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. “The lead researchers—myself included—would see the biggest returns if the technology is licensed or sold. The junior team members would get recognition, maybe a bonus, but nothing substantial. That’s standard in this field.”

Jake’s jaw tightened, his gaze sharp. “So, you’ve got a team of people working their asses off for scraps while the leads get the glory. That’s enough to make someone resentful.”

“I don’t think anyone on my team would...” Lyndsey started, but Jake cut her off.

“Don’t,” he said, his voice low. “Don’t assume loyalty just because you want to believe it. I’ve seen people betray their closest allies for a hell of a lot less.”

Before Lyndsey could respond, the satellite phone buzzed on the table. Jake snatched it up, answering with his usual curt efficiency. “Sands.”

Lyndsey watched as his expression shifted, his lips pressing into a thin line. He turned away, pacing as he listened. “Keep digging. Cross-reference everything. I want a name.” He ended the call and set the phone down, turning back to her.

“Well?” she asked, her stomach tightening.

“Cerberus has been doing a deep dive on your colleagues,” Jake said. “So far, no glaring financial issues. But they’ve picked up chatter on the dark web—bits and pieces of your tech being sold.”

Lyndsey’s breath caught. “That’s impossible. The files are encrypted. There’s no way...”

“There’s a way,” Jake interrupted, his tone grim. “There’s always a way. Someone inside your team is leaking information.”

The words hit her like a punch to the gut. She sank onto one of the kitchen chairs, her mind racing. “A mole,” she whispered. “Someone on my team is betraying me.”

Jake crouched in front of her, his intense gaze steadying. “We’re going to figure out who it is. But we need access to more information—records, communications. Anything that can give us a lead.”

Lyndsey’s head shot up. “Then we need to go to my main lab.”

“No,” Jake said immediately, standing and shaking his head. “It’s too dangerous.”

“I can’t do this without the data stored there,” she argued, rising to her feet. “If someone’s been selling pieces of the technology, the lab records might show unusual access or downloads. It’s the only way to narrow it down.”

“We can send in a Cerberus team to retrieve what you need,” Jake said. “You’re not stepping foot in that lab.”

Lyndsey bristled, planting her hands on her hips. “And let strangers rummage through my research? Absolutely not. They wouldn’t know what to look for, and it would take them weeks to understand the system. I can do it in hours.”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Jake snapped, his voice rising. “You’re the target. They don’t care about the lab or the data. They wantyou. Walking into that lab is like painting a bullseye on your back.”

“And sitting here waiting for answers is doing nothing,” Lyndsey shot back, stepping closer. “I need to do this, Jake. You can protect me or not, your choice, but I’m going.”

Jake’s jaw clenched, his frustration evident as he stared down at her—the undercurrent of attraction only adding fuel to the fire.

“You’re impossible,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. “Stubborn as hell.”

“And you’re overbearing and domineering,” Lyndsey countered, her eyes flashing.

“What do you expect from an experienced and practicing Dom?”

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