Page 6 of Conspiracies and Chemistry

“Wh-why would you need me? I’m no biomedical engineer.”

“We have biomedical engineers,” Dr. Perrell said. “What we need is a person who knows business. Someone who can translate our scientists’ discoveries into a language the market understands. A person who understands industry pressures and can encourage our team to deliver according to those demands.”

“You mean you need someone to give your scientists a push,” I said. I knew exactly what she was talking about. It was how I’d grown Red Rover from a group of college kids to a business valued at a billion dollars. My heart thumped. I could do this. And maybe save some other little girl the emotional pain I went through.

My mind spun with possibilities. Biomarkers could indicate a variety of conditions and determine the best course of treatment for them. With the right technology, I could save someone from physical pain too.

“Come to the office on Monday.” Dr. Perrell extended a business card. “I’ll give you a tour of the labs, and we’ll talk.”

I took it from her. “Okay.” A tour and a talk wouldn’t hurt. Plus, it would get me out of the house on another dull Monday.

“Thank you,” the CEO said. “I’ve got twin daughters having destination weddings this year—separately. A little juice to the company’s valuation could help me avoid a second mortgage.” She chuckled nervously.

Bridget squeezed my arm. “This is going to be fabulous. I love a win-win.”

Win-winsounded too much like what Harry had sold me. Except no one won but him. However, I’d give Dr. Maya Perrell a chance if she had the inside track on detecting the disease that took my mom from us.

3

Biocompatibility

Biocompatibility:The ability of a material to interact with a living system without causing harm.

OLIVER

Iset the box of donuts on the counter in the breakroom and checked my watch. I always avoided I-280—too many people on their phones or speeding, or both—and although my alternate route took me past the best donut shop in Silicon Valley, today, I’d hit a snarl of traffic, and it was after nine. Which made it doubly weird that no one was waiting for a donut. Was I the first one here? If so, I was going to have to give the team a lecture on punctuality.

In my office, I set down my satchel and hung up my jacket. Then I strode past the breakroom, where the donuts still sat undisturbed. I scanned my ID badge and pushed through the lab door. My hand froze, mid-reach for my white coat, when I saw something completely out of place in the center of the room.

Tessa Wright.

She stood at the center of a circle of my white-coated lab employees seated on metal stools. Her long hair hung over one shoulder of her black silk blouse, halfway to the high waistband of her black slacks. She made a sweeping gesture with one freckled arm. The bluish LED overhead light made her skin look even paler than usual. Why the fuck was she in my lab?

It had been ten days since I’d seen her at game night. Not that I was counting. And she hadn’t said a fucking thing to prepare me to meet her at my goddamn place of work.

I shrugged into my lab coat and stalked toward her. When she caught sight of me, she faltered, then she continued, “And I’m so looking forward to working with you all.”

Sadie clapped, then the rest of the group joined in.

My employees were clapping for an unauthorized person in the lab.

“What is going on?” I asked. On the surface, the words were perfectly reasonable. But they came out in a roar that bounced off the hard surfaces in the lab.

“Hello, Oliver,” Tessa said in a much quieter tone. “I’m sorry, I didn’t make the connection that Discovery Diagnostics was your company until…”

“Until you saw my name on the door?” I’d managed to lower my voice, but it still came out sharp as a hypodermic needle.

“Exactly.” Her shoulders lowered, and she smiled.

“What are you doing here?” All our trade secrets were inside the lab. Hence the flipping security scanner on the door. Suddenly, I noticed the white badge clipped to her belt loop. It had her name and photo on it.

What. The.Fuckwas she doing with an actual ID badge? Was this a prank? I scanned the room for Andrew, but then I remembered not even my best friend had ever been allowed inside my lab.

She tossed her hair and planted her hands on her hips. “I work here now.”

“Inmylab?”

“At Discovery. I came into the lab because this is where the magic happens.”

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