THE NEXT day, Barry drove Phillip back to his apartment. But this was about more than just making sure Phillip’s place was secure. It was about wiping away the worry in Phillip’s eyes so he could smile again, like he had that evening with his friends. Phillip gave Barry the keys, then stayed off to the side as Barry unlocked the door and checked each of the rooms.
“It’s okay,” Barry whispered when he was done and motioned him inside. “Don’t say anything.” Barry followed Phillip inside and turned on some music. “In case anyone is listening.”
Phillip nodded and sat down on the sofa. He got his laptop and logged in to the office system, probably to check his messages. Phillip likely needed something to do, and this way he could stay out of Barry’s way. Barry shook his head, and Phillip sighed and closed his computer. Phillip’s leg bounced with nervousness and boredom.
“Why don’t you go into the bedroom and lie down if you like. This is going to take me a little while. It isn’t like on television where they find it right away.” Barry kept his distance because the thought of Phillip in bed was definitely tempting. Phillip shrugged.
“Tell me what to do to help. I need something to do.” He bit his lower lip, and Barry wanted to kiss it so he’d stop. He did the cutest things when he didn’t mean to.
Barry nodded and handed him a small flashlight. “Check behind the register covers, particularly the ones for the air-conditioning. The heating ones are probably too close to the floor. That’s a good place to hide a camera. Just be careful and don’t hurt yourself. I’m going to work my way through the rest.” He flashed a smile, and Phillip started in the bedroom. Barry figured the thought of finding a camera in that room had to creep Phillip out, but they needed to know, and Phillip was strong enough to deal with the truth. Phillip checked the bathroom as well.
When he was done, Phillip told Barry that he hadn’t found anything. Barry was just finishing up in the living room. “I haven’t either, but I want to go over everything carefully, just in case.” He handed Phillip an iPad. “I didn’t find any signals either, so I’m hopeful that your loft is clean. I just want to be sure, in case whoever is behind this is really that clever. There are devices that record, and they have to be retrieved, so that requires regular access.” He went through the other rooms, checking on Phillip as he passed by where he sat waiting.
Barry turned off the music, and the loft grew quiet. Then he sat next to Phillip. “Is it okay?” Barry asked. The thought of someone listening in or watching him at home had to be unnerving. But Phillip really seemed to be handling it well, which made Barry rather proud. Phillip could have made a good Marine. He had the nerves for it, even if he himself didn’t realize it. “I found nothing. Which is good,” he said.
Phillip let out a deep breath and hugged Barry. “The idea that… in my own home….” Phillip seemed so relieved. “This is my sanctuary, and….”
“It’s okay. There’s nothing here.” Barry put an arm around him, and Phillip sighed. “At least you don’t have to worry about that. Your office could be another matter, though.”
Barry felt Phillip’s nervousness shoot upward, and Phillip turned to look at him with clear eyes.
“Your home is private, and you are very careful about who you let in.” Barry loved Phillip’s inner strength, and even though it probably wasn’t the right time, he kissed him lightly anyway because he just couldn’t help himself. “The office, even your own private one, is more public than this space.” Phillip settled, and it was pretty quiet for a while. Barry didn’t want to interrupt Phillip’s thoughts, so he remained quiet until his phone chimed. He snatched it up and stared at the screen.
“There’s a visitor back at the house.” Barry turned the screen so he could see it. “Looks like the mailman lost something and is scrambling to pick it up.” He showed Phillip the image of the yard and then put the phone back in his pocket. “Do you want to get some lunch and then check out your office?”
“No. Let’s get the office done, and then we can go back to your house. Is it stupid that the longer I’m here, the more clearly I feel the target being painted on my back?” Phillip grew quiet again.
Barry didn’t think Phillip was being out of line in the least. In fact, his caution was pretty smart. “What are you thinking?”
“That whoever is doing this…. What if they decide to come after me directly? What if they’re getting tired of following me and removing the people in my life? What if they choose to just get rid of me?” Phillip took a deep breath. “I hate even thinking stuff like that.”
“Yeah, but it’s that kind of thinking that can help keep you safe. I know it sounds strange, but thinking of all the possible outcomes will keep you sharp.” Barry liked that Phillip seemed to understand, and continued. “Look for unusual behavior in the people you know, keep aware of your surroundings, and above all, if you suspect someone, don’t make a move against them. Walk away and give them an out. If a snake is cornered, it will strike, but if it has a safe place to go, it will usually take it.” These were all things that had been drilled into him, things he told the clients he protected. But this was so much more personal than any other job. Phillip was very quickly taking hold of his heart, and Barry wanted both it and Phillip to come through this ordeal in one piece.
“You think this man is a snake?” Phillip asked.
Barry didn’t answer right away, taking the opportunity to think. “No. I think this guy is a coward. If he really cared for you, he’d have come forward and said something.” Barry touched under Phillip’s chin with the lightest pressure, and Phillip turned his head toward him, his intense eyes meeting Barry’s, clear and filled with surprising fortitude. “I wish I’d had the guts to say something in college, but I have the courage now. I care for you, Phillip, and no matter what, I promise I will not just leave you. If this ends between us, I will not just disappear or not call. If it ends, it will be face-to-face, with you and me saying what needs to be said to each other. And then—and only then—I will hug you, and wish you all the happiness in the world.” Barry blinked. “I promise you that. There’ll be no fights, no big blowup or drama. You deserve better than that.”
“Are you breaking up with me?” Phillip asked, fear in his voice.
“No.” He was doing this all wrong. “I’m saying that you’ll know if I do. But at this moment, I’m asking you to be my boyfriend.” He smiled and tightened his hug, swallowing hard around the grapefruit-sized lump in his throat. “Is that okay with you?”
Phillip smiled. “Yes. Of course.” He acted like no one had ever actually asked him that question before. “Are you just going out of your way to be thoughtful?”
Barry rolled his eyes. “Sometimes you’re a hard nut to crack. No, I’m not. Life is a hell of a lot easier if we just say what we mean and ask the questions that are important to us. Leaving everything unsaid and trying to figure things out is a pain in the ass.”
“Orders and chain of command?” Phillip asked, his lips curling upward, amusement dancing in his eyes.
“Confusing orders can lose a battle. So why wouldn’t that translate to a relationship? If I tell you what I want and ask what you want, then your job is to be truthful. It’s that simple.” He cocked his eyebrows.
“Sometimes you look like a little boy. I like it when that happens.” Phillip kissed him, and Barry savored his sweetness. “Things between people are rarely that simple, but I see your point. Yes, I would very much like to be your boyfriend.” Phillip leaned against Barry’s shoulder, smiling. “I think we’d better finish up the things that had to be done today. Then maybe we can go back to your place and have a nap. Preferably one where we don’t actually get much rest.”
Now that was the best idea Barry had heard in quite a while.
PHILLIP LET them into the office space, and heard a few voices murmuring in the call center. He checked the time and, without thinking, placed a pizza order to be delivered. Then he sent a note to the supervisor on duty to let him know that he’d need to have it brought up once it arrived.
“Do you do that all the time?” Barry asked.
“When I’m here, I do. These people are working whenever everyone else is off, so I try to make it up to them. Besides, most Saturdays I’m here with them. I catch up on the things I didn’t get done during the week.” He motioned back toward his office, and Barry made a pass in the corridor outside of it, using his iPad. Then he returned to the lobby. Barry motioned for Phillip to follow him and then called the elevator. Once the door opened, he stepped inside, and the doors slid closed. But he didn’t press the button for a floor. He seemed to be using it as a safe place to talk.
“What are these signals?” Phillip asked, pointing to the iPad.
“This is a special program that will display all network activity, including anything that’s hidden. Most of these are normal, but there are two that are hidden. And they’re strong. So they’re probably on your floor because the concrete would degrade any signal from above or below.”
“So, what do we do?” Phillip asked. “And what does it mean?”
“It could be that one of the guys has brought in their own portable network and is using that. I’m going to wander through the call center. If that’s the case, the signal will strengthen when I get close. But I don’t think that’s it. These names are numeric and, therefore, not meant to be easily remembered. If one of your guys is using a personal network and keeping it hidden, then they have to remember the name as well as the passcode. That’s a lot. Anyway, I’m going to make a sweep of the area. I want to clear everything before I check your office.”
“Okay.” Phillip hated the idea of finding spy equipment in his office. “Check for any listening devices too. This could be corporate espionage.” The possibilities raced through his head. “What do you want me to do?”
“Come with me and talk to the guys in the call center. Stay there after I leave and just talk to your people while I take care of things.” Barry pushed the Door Open button, and they got out of the elevator and went back into the office area. Phillip led Barry to the call center and talked to the various operators while Barry did his thing.
“Who’s that?” Linda, one of his employees, asked, pulling her headset off.
“A friend of mine. I had some things to take care of, and he asked to come with me,” Phillip explained, suppressing a smile as Linda leaned back, looking at Barry for much longer than was necessary. Her lips formed a silent “damn,” and then she took a call and her attention was instantly back on her work.
Barry left the area pretty quickly, but Phillip stayed behind, speaking with each of the other operators before checking in with their supervisor, Manny Larson. “Is there anything I can help you with?” Manny asked after Phillip knocked on his office door. “We all appreciate the pizza.”
“It’s the least I can do. How are the calls going?” He sat across from Manny’s desk.
“Lots of questions on when the new platform will be available. There’s plenty of rumors that we’re developing something new, and game programmers all want to be among the first to be able to build content before the field gets too crowded and they can’t get visibility. But each operator knows our official line and that’s all they’ll say.” Manny sipped from his coffee.
“Excellent. That’s why I’m here—to work on the new platform.” God, he’d actually be able to do that, if he weren’t being stalked and slipping down stairs. He should ask Barry about potential espionage by competitors when they were alone. “Is there anything you need me to do for you?”
“Not really. The platform is working well, and most of the questions are routine now. But please start training for my teams as soon as you can once the new platform is close to completion. It helps us gear up for the calls that will flood in.”
“You can count on it,” Phillip said and excused himself, wishing him a good rest of the day. “We’ll talk requirements in plenty of time.” He liked that the people he worked with weren’t intimidated by him. It meant that he got reliably accurate information from his people. “I hope you all enjoy the snack.” Phillip got up carefully and left the office, heading through the call center with a smile and then out into the rest of the office area.
Barry strode over as he emerged from the call center. “I found two cameras, one pointed right at your office and the other in the area around your assistant’s desk. It seems whoever placed the cameras is interested in both of you. I was able to come up on the cameras from below. The one looking directly at your office has shorted out—a little water worked perfectly. The other is still functioning, but I unfocused the picture to make anyone watching think it’s failing, and in a few minutes, I’ll short it out too. Damned defective equipment.” Barry smiled. “Now we need to check out your office.”
“If there’s something in there, only a very select group of people could be responsible. My office is locked when I’m not there, and there are just two keys—mine, and my assistant’s. He only comes into the office if I’ve forgotten something when I’m traveling. There’s sensitive information in there, and I don’t want it to become common knowledge throughout the office.”
“Well, if we find something, we’ll have your answer.” Then he went back to the last security camera domes, which seemed to have been co-opted. He came from behind, flipping the cover down and working with the camera. Then it sizzled, and he put the dome back. “It’s good and fried now. We’ll leave them where they are—hopefully it will look like they just stopped working. Now let’s check out your office.”
“Are there any other signals?” Phillip asked.
“No. I only saw the two that were unidentified. But I still want to make sure your office is clear.”
“Do you think we should have left them alone and tried to follow the signal?”
“They used wireless, so the receiver could be anywhere, or the signal could be just for when the user was in range.” He pointed out where the cameras were. “I’m going to place a camera of my own, and we’ll see if anyone decides to investigate the broken equipment.”
Phillip liked that idea and he unlocked his office. Nothing seemed disturbed inside. He went to his desk and checked his computer, unlocking it with his thumbprint. Then he sat at his desk and checked over the system. Barry finished in the office and then stood behind him.
“When was the last time you ran a complete system application inventory?” Barry asked, and Phillip turned to him, scrunching up his eyebrows. “Security is a lot more than just cameras and intimidating people.” Barry chuckled. “Besides, you don’t have to plant a camera in someone’s office when there’s already one here.”
“I know that. We have intense antivirus and malware software here—some of the best in the business. Our network administrators must approve any software that is installed on any of our systems, and that includes the desktops. Security is one of our top priorities. But if you think there’s even the slightest chance that someone could have taken over my system in any way, I need to know.” Phillip was already reaching for his phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling the head of security. I knew Pavel back in college. We reconnected after I started the business, and once he had his master’s degree, he came to work here.” The path wasn’t quite that simple, with Pavel working in a few awful places that had taken advantage of him and his skills, but there was no need to tell Barry Pavel’s business. “The man is brilliant when it comes to keeping people out and making sure that our team members have access to what they need and little else. It’s a real gift.”
Barry shook his head. “Let me look at it.” The way he said it sent a chill up Phillip’s spine. There was no need to actually say the words, but his meaning was clear—what if Pavel was the one stalking him?
“Okay. But Pavel is my age and about two hundred pounds. I don’t think he’s the kind of guy to hang around in the bushes. He has much better things to do with his wife and four kids, with another on the way.” Phillip couldn’t help smirking just a little. “I somehow doubt Pavel would be stalking me.”
“Probably….” Barry bumped his shoulder. “But who knows what wiles your cuteness has woven over the years.”
Phillip’s cheeks heated as he got up and gave Barry access to his computer without really thinking too much about it. It was strange, because he was a stickler about his privacy—no one got access to his systems, not even Leonard. And yet here he was, willing to let Barry sit at his desk and use his computer without much thought at all. Granted, Phillip was watching. “What are you installing?”
“Nothing. I’m going to run a program from this external drive.” He plugged it in and executed a program. “This is a military-level file-intrusion-detection program. One of my buddies designed it and provided me with a copy. I’m going to run the program, and it will highlight any programs that are suspect. Then we can go through what it finds. Hopefully, it isn’t going to be anything, but we can see.” He started the program, and Phillip watched, fascinated, as it worked. He rested his hands on Barry’s shoulders as he waited, part of him hoping that they’d find something and another part hoping they didn’t. He hated the very idea that someone had been watching him.
After half an hour, it displayed a report with two programs on it. “I know what those are,” Phillip said. “And they aren’t malicious.” He wasn’t going to say anything more. Those were part of the new platform he had been working on—Phillip had developed some programs to test out his ideas. “It looks like my system is clean.” He breathed a sigh of relief. “But we’ve been watched, Leonard and I?”
“Yes. The two of you have been watched, but not anymore.” Barry ended the program and removed the external drive. “We should go.”
“Yes. I think it’s time.” He was feeling tired, and his ribs ached. They had made progress in finding the cameras, but that had also led to even more questions. More and more, Phillip was convinced that the threat was out there, watching and waiting. Even in his own office, he felt exposed.
“What the hell are we going to do?” he asked, half under his breath.
“I’m not sure. But we do know some things for sure—those last three deaths were no accidents, and someone has gone to a great deal of trouble to watch you. I also think that your injury in the stairwell was a message. You were forced to take them because someone messed with the elevators.” Barry seemed even more earnest.
“But why?” Phillip asked.
Barry thought a minute and then got up from Phillip’s chair. “Because I think they wanted to be the one to help you. The stalker was at the hospital. I imagine that he was waiting for you to be released, and then he was going to show up like a guardian angel to help get you home and settled. This person needs you to need them—at least that’s what I think. So we have to take a close look at the people around you. I can guarantee this is someone you know.”
“But who is it? I don’t know anyone who’s obsessed with me. I’m not the kind of guy that people—”
Barry took his hand. “Come on. There are things I need to say to you, and I’m not going to do it here.”