Page 39 of Choosing Hope
I’m not proud of the way I’ve used her position to my advantage, but she’s not a stupid woman. I suspect the sudden increase in our lunch dates wouldn’t have escaped her notice.
During our conversations, Maggie gave me the distinct impression that she was as worried about Spencer’s state of mind as I am.
All of Spencer’s calendars are electronic. He records everything in his diary—he’s a busy man and has never had a memory for dates.
My first challenge was securing access to the office network. With Maggie’s help, that was simple. I told her I wanted to print invitations for Lily’s birthday party on their fancy printer. Ridiculous really, I could easily do what I’d done in previous years and go to the print shop, but she seemed pleased with my frugality.
Once Maggie gave me the login codes to the network so that I could access the printer remotely, I assumed I’d cracked the puzzle. I was buzzing as I traveled home on the train that day.
It only made the crushing disappointment even harder to bear that evening when I discovered that although I had access to Spencer’s calendar, there were other folders that were protected by a higher level of security.
Finding someone to hack into the system was going too far. Besides which, even if I did somehow crack Spencer’s password, he might get a notification that someone other than him had logged into his account, and that would be a disaster.
If he gets wind of the fact that I’m digging around in his life, it’ll infuriate him. Trust is a big thing to Spencer, which is how I know what he’s doing is killing him.
I racked my brain for a solution to accessing these codes. The only one I could come up with was accessing Maggie’s computer during the day, when she was in the office. But the logistics of such a plan seemed implausible. Plus, there was no guarantee she had access anyway.
The whole concept seemed so cloak and dagger, that I assumed I’d failed before I’d begun.
For the last few days, I’ve been driving myself insane. I’m so close to solving this puzzle, and yet the answer is still out of my reach.
Yesterday, I spent hours reading through the files Icouldaccess on the server. Which only infuriated me further, not to have the last link in the chain.
Last night, Spencer came home soon after dinner. I’d barely finished clearing up the kitchen from Lily and my meal.
It was a welcome surprise to see him so early until he announced the reason—a business trip to Dubai. His flight leaves tomorrow afternoon.
Before his flight, he agreed with Maggie that he’d work from home.
So, after dropping Lily at school, instead of going to the gym as I usually would, I rushed home, hoping to spend some time with Spencer.
Upon entering the kitchen, I notice Spencer’s laptop on the counter.
Knowing the answers I sought were so tantalizingly close was creating mental anguish. But I couldn’t fathom a way to convince him to give me access.
A brief investigation told me Spencer was working out in our home gym in the basement. I sat down at the kitchen table with my laptop and processed an order for some toy dolls for our daughter’s birthday gift.
My eyes kept flitting to Spencer’s laptop, as if by staring at it, somehow a solution would come.
When our cat, Peanut, jumped up on the table. I immediately told him off, batting him down, but Peanut’s bad manners gave me an idea.
Without too much thought, I recklessly tapped the top of my water glass over, knocking the contents onto my keyboard, and totally ruining my almost brand-new device.
Trashing it felt wrong, but I reassured myself that sometimes extreme measures are needed.
I left the water to sit for a few moments, ensuring that it was destroyed, while balancing my time constraints against Spencer’s schedule.
After a couple of minutes, I couldn’t wait any longer. I dashed downstairs to find Spencer in the gym.
Acting has never been one of my talents, but summoning my inner drama queen, I burst in, almost in tears.
“Whoa! What’s wrong?” he asks, catching my biceps as I run toward him.
He’s wearing slim-fitting shorts and no top. Having just climbed off the treadmill, his smooth tanned skin glistens with sweat.
Unable to resist, my eyes descend over his gorgeous fit body. Even sweaty from his workout, he’s more handsome than any other man I’ve seen.
“Peanut just jumped up on the table and knocked my glass of water over onto my laptop,” I wail, trying to sound equal parts furious and upset.
