Page 68 of Close to the Edge

That intervention arrived in the form of neon green bits of code raining down the screen, then a masked face framed by a black hoodie. I pushed Lily behind me as if it would protect her from the loud, distorted voice that filled the room.

“Hello, Lily Gracen. First of all, congratulations. You’re very close to achieving perfection with your code. Don’t be frightened. I represent interested parties wishing to form a partnership. Apologies if I’ve made you a little...uncomfortable lately. But I urge you not to give the code to SDM or I’ll have no choice but to stay in your life a while longer. Think about it. I’ll be in touch. Oh, and tell that fixer to go home to LA. He won’t be of much use to you.”

The strangled sound Lily made cut to the heart of me. I took a step toward the TV just as it went blank.

A loud pop shot through the house, then an eerie silence echoed in its wake.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Caleb

“WHATAREYOUDOING?”

“We’re getting the hell out of here.” I spotted an overnight bag and handed it to her. “Pack what you need but do it fast.”

She reached for my hand. “Caleb—”

I turned away, fist clenched, the need to punch something running wild through me. “Lily, the asshole hacked your Wi-Fi, sent the transmission, then hit the house with an electromagnetic wave that killed the electricity on the whole street. You’re not staying here. Not until I have my hands around his fucking throat.”

To her credit, she didn’t dawdle. She stuffed clothes into the bag, added essentials, then grabbed her satchel and purse.

Ten minutes later we were driving away from the house.

“Your guys searched the area. Did they find anything?”

My security team’s presence had provided some reassurance, but not enough to close the horrified black chasm in my stomach at the thought that from the moment we returned to the house, we were sitting ducks. It snatched my breath. Reminded me of the consequences of dropping my guard.

“Caleb?”

I gathered my scattered thoughts. “They found motorcycle tracks behind the house.”

She flinched at my cold tone, but said nothing for a couple of miles. “Where are we going?”

“To the airport.”

“And then?”

“We’re swinging by my place in Malibu. Then I’m taking you to the safe house in Lake Tahoe.” I should’ve done that in the first place. Regardless of the fact that bringing her home had produced the desired effect of drawing the stalker out, the flip side was much worse. The EMP blast could’ve been knockout gas. Or—

“So you still don’t know who it is?”

My fingers tightened on the wheel. “No.”

She didn’t speak much after that. Neither did I. I was too busy playing worst-case-scenario.

Anything could’ve happened to Lily.

My jet was ready when we arrived at the airport. We took off immediately. Leaving Lily in the club chair upfront, I retreated to the back of the plane and dialed Maggie.

She answered on the first ring. “Boss, how can I help?”

“I’ve left three guys in Palo Alto to track down this bastard. I need another team at the Reno safe house.”

“I’ll get right on it.”

I hung up, then went through my contacts. Every favor owed to me, I shamelessly called on. By the time we landed in LA I was in a better frame of mind.

My house in Malibu was set on a bluff that overlooked a private beach. The helipad that came with the property had been used only a handful of times. Today it came in handy as a way of avoiding LA’s horrendous traffic.

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