Page 87 of Once a Killer

Less than two minutes later, his attorney picked up the phone. “Jameson. What can I do for you? Abby said it was urgent.”

“It is, Val,” he said. “Do you have any idea when the patent for my program might come through? Someone’s trying to steal it, and although I have a plan to stop them, I’d really like to get that patent in my hand as soon as possible.”

His attorney sucked in a breath. “Are you certain this is a credible threat?” she asked.

“Yes. I think it’s one of the engineers in my lab. But even if I’m able to stop this guy, there were some military types sniffing around last week who didn’t like hearing that I wasn’t interested in selling it to them. Then a couple of spooks made some vague threats at a conference last weekend. Too many sharks circling in the water. I need the protection of that patent ASAP. Is there any way you can light a fire beneath the patent office?”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Valerie said, blowing out a breath. “Most patent applications are routine. Technical. Obscure. Not the kind of thing that’s worth billions of dollars. Not a target for thieves. I think I can prod them to speed things up when I explain how complicated and valuable your program is. How there have been threats against you and attempts to get hold of it. I’ll give it my best shot.” Jameson could hear the smile in her voice. “And my best shot is pretty damn good.”

“I know it is, Val. That’s why I hired you. I hate asking for a favor, because I know you only have a limited amount of capital to use when you ask the patent office for favors. And I wouldn’t ask at all if I wasn’t worried that someone’s going to get hold of my program before I get the patent. It’s already copyrighted, but the patent is much stronger protection. I’ve dedicated more than ten years of my life to this program, and I don’t want to lose it when I’m so close to the finish line.”

“Let me whisper in some ears at the patent office and see what I can do,” his attorney said. “Explain that the sharks are circling and you need to lock this program down fast. I know exactly who to speak to at the patent office. I’ll get back to you in a few days.”

“Thanks, Val. If you can pull this off, I’ll be forever in your debt.”

“Paying my bill is all the thanks I’ll need,” she said with a laugh. “I’ll talk to you soon, Jameson.”

She hung up, and he slid his phone into his pocket. “You hear most of that?” he asked Bree.

“A little,” she replied. “I was focusing on the traffic. Looking for threats, so I wasn’t really paying attention.”

“My attorney is going to pull some strings. See if she can get my request moved to the head of the line.” He clenched his teeth for a moment, hating the need to ask for a huge favor. “I don’t like being that guy -- the one who thinks he’s more important than everyone else. But I also don’t want to take any chances with this program. Don’t want to worry that someone’s going to do something malicious with it. Something dangerous.”

Bree glanced at him for a brief moment, and he saw understanding in her gaze. Sympathy. “I know you’re not the kind of person who pushes to the front of the line. But I bet that not a lot of other patent applications have people salivating to get their hands on the applicant’s intellectual property.”

“I hope not.”

“Let your lawyer do her job. I’m sure she’s dealt with this issue before. She’ll know how to handle it.”

“Pretty much what she said,” he admitted.

“Then focus your attention on that fake appointment today. Practice your expression when we come back with the Dom Perignon. You have to be excited. Ecstatic. Biggest-moment-of-your-life thrilled.

“I’ll watch everyone when you walk in with the Champagne,” Bree said. “See if anyone shows jealousy. Resentment. Anger. I’ve been watching them since the first day I was here, so I’ll know if they do anything different.”

“After our celebration, I’ll make a point of putting a hard drive in my safe,” Jameson said. “Locking it down. Like I’m still high on the news and the bubbly and not thinking straight. Made a mistake.”

“Then we come back later and wait,” Bree said, her eyes glittering with the adrenaline of the chase

“Exactly,” Jameson said, his hands curling into fists. “With a little luck, in fifteen hours or so, we’ll know who’s trying to steal my program.”

“And more important, he or she will be locked up,” Bree said. “And if your attorney can speed up your patent application, your program will be locked down and safe.”

As she turned into the parking lot at his lab, Bree reached for his hand. Wrapped her fingers around his and squeezed. She drew her hand away immediately and put it back on the steering wheel, but Jameson’s skin tingled from her touch.

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, wondering what had caused her odd behavior last night. He had no idea, but she was acting perfectly normal today, so he wasn’t going to worry about it. After tonight, when whoever was trying to steal his program was locked up and the threat was gone, they would talk. He’d be sure she knew how he felt about her, and that he wanted her to stay with him. Together they’d figure out how she could stay in Chicago and still do her job.

He drew a deep breath and Bree pulled the car into a parking spot and killed the engine. She glanced over at him, her eyes dark in her pale face. She was worried. About him. The realization made him want to smile, even in the midst of his fear and anxiety.

“You ready for the big show?” she asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” he said. He desperately wanted to lean across the console and kiss her, but anyone could be watching. “How about you?”

“Oh, I’m ready,” she said with a tiny smile. “I’m ready to kick ass and take names. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait for tonight for that part of the fun.”

“Right now, I’m thinking only of today. Of pretending to go to my patent attorney and coming back with a few bottles of Dom Perignon.” His foot jittered in the footwell. “One step at a time.” He rubbed his palms along his thighs. “When we get back from the ‘attorney’, we have to go into the office and sell the bit.”

“First we have to sell the premise,” Bree said immediately. “That you’re going into your attorney’s office to get the good news. Can you handle that?”

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