My Forever Hero Read online

  Marlee felt sick to her stomach and couldn’t watch anymore. She longed to hold Abigail and tell her things would be okay. Her texts to Abigail were still being unanswered and it hurt. When she heard a light tap at her door, her heart skipped a beat as she raced toward it, picturing Abigail.

  “Hey, mate.” Tyler held out his empty mug as she flung the door open. “Thanks for the coffee and looking out for me. I’m feeling heaps better.”

  “That’s good to hear.” Marlee sighed as she took the mug and leaned against the doorframe. “Do you think you’ll stick around while you’re off work?”

  “Sure, why not?” His hands were in his pockets and he shuffled his feet. “I don’t really have anywhere else to go.”

  “What about family?” Marlee was trying to decide whether or not to invite him in. She wanted company, but kept hoping Abigail would answer one of her texts.

  “They’re all in Melbourne, caught up in their own lives. Hey, I’m having a barby for dinner. Want to join me?”

  “Thanks for the offer, but shouldn’t I be the one cooking for you? Especially since you’re the one with the broken ribs.”

  He smiled. “You can help. Besides, I have some chicken in my fridge that needs cooking up or it’ll go bad.”

  “Sure, why not?” Especially since it didn’t look like she’d be hearing from Abigail any time soon. “I’ll whip up a salad and pop by later.”

  Marlee used spiral rice pasta, olive oil, feta cheese, red onions, garlic, and cherry tomatoes for her salad. It was one of her favorite go-to salads back in Canada, especially on hot summer nights. She mixed everything together and adjusted the taste with a hint of salt and pepper, like she’d done many times before.

  She’d been restless all afternoon with thoughts of Abigail’s kiss and wondering about Tyler’s hacking, but kept to herself. She strolled to the grocery store to get some food and tried to relax, but images of Abigail were pictured on newspapers near the checkout line, beckoning attention. Marlee’s anxiety wouldn’t let up and by the time she knocked on Tyler’s door, she’d decided to get drunk.

  “Now that’s a big bottle of wine.” Tyler put the domestic merlot on the kitchen counter. “I wish I could have some too, but I’m sure it’ll keep until I’m off my painkillers.”

  “Don’t count on it.” Marlee poured herself a large glass. “Cheers.”

  Dinner was just the distraction Marlee needed. They exchanged coming out stories, talked about their work, and bashed their exes. By dessert, Tyler caved and had a glass of wine while Marlee poured her third.

  “Your salad was very good,” he said. “Kind of like Greek except without the black olives and cucumbers.”

  “You can call it my geek salad because I didn’t use a recipe.” Marlee giggled then took another gulp of wine. “I really like this merlot.”

  “No kidding.” Tyler sniffed his wine then took a small sip and swished it around his mouth before swallowing. “It’s not bad, but nothing spectacular. Are you trying to get pissed?”

  “It’s not like I have to drive anywhere so why not?” Marlee held up her glass then heard the ping of an incoming text. She stood up. “I need to use your facilities.”

  Thankful that Tyler hadn’t seemed to notice she’d received a message, Marlee almost tripped over her feet as she rushed toward the privacy of the bathroom. She closed the door then gaped at her phone. Abigail was in the parking lot, hoping to see her.

  Chapter Twelve

  Marlee texted Abigail to let her know she was at Tyler’s and needed a few minutes.

  “I had too much wine,” Marlee said as she emerged from Tyler’s bathroom. “I’m going to head home now.”

  “I thought you were just getting started,” Tyler said. “You didn’t drink that much.”

  “Well, I can’t drink anymore.” Marlee faked gagging as she poured her full glass of wine down the kitchen sink. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

  “Then you’d better hurry home.”

  Marlee could hardly think as she rushed next door. She wanted to jump for joy, her stomach twirling at the thought of seeing Abigail again. Marlee beamed as she greeted her visitor and let her inside.

  “Please, no hugging or touching.” Abigail’s arms were crossed.

  Marlee’s heart sank. “For sure.”

  “Thank you.” Abigail made her way to the couch and sat down. “Have you had a chance to look at the list of email addresses?”

  “Yes.” Marlee’s heart wouldn’t stop hammering with thoughts of Abigail’s kiss. She also wanted to say something about her suspicions over Hannah, but she couldn’t bring herself to say anything, for fear of upsetting Abigail. So, she just spent the next hour explaining what she’d done to cross-reference the emails and how she’d made a list of anomalies that required further follow-up.

  Abigail reached for Marlee’s computer. “Why don’t we log in to my account? I don’t think we’ll get anywhere unless we have access to the company server.”

  Marlee moved to touch Abigail, but snatched her hand back before contact. “I think it’s best if we stay off the Internet for now.”

  “Why?” Abigail’s blue eyes glistened in the soft light of the table lamp. “Have you been having problems with your service provider?”

  “No.” Marlee hesitated, choosing her words. “Someone hacked into my computer.”

  “You’ve been infiltrated too?” Abigail jumped up, hands clenched into fists and eyes watering over.

  “It’s not what you think.” Marlee looked up. “It was Tyler.”

  “Your neighbour?” Abigail’s mouth puckered. “What does he have to do with this?”

  “Nothing.” Marlee stood, aching to plant a kiss on those inviting lips, but kept her distance. “I think he can help us. He boasted about being able to hack into computers so I dared him to break into mine. It didn’t take him long to intercept a call I was trying to make to Kerry. He knows I’ve been researching your company and told me he hacked into your system.”

  “That’s impossible.” Abigail flinched. “My IT security team has been extra vigilant making sure nobody from the outside gets into our system.”

  “I don’t know how he did it, but he surprised the heck out of me last night. I think his skills could be invaluable. I wish I was better at finding my way around computers, but that’s not my area of expertise. I’ve always relied on others to help with that.”

  “How well do you know Tyler?” Abigail straightened up, crossing her arms.

  “Not a lot, but I like him. I can tell he’s a good person.”

  “Here we go again with the soft, intangible feelings that aren’t based on any facts.” Abigail sighed. “That doesn’t work for me.”

  “The facts are that I’ve gotten to know him over the last while and I trust him. I also did some research on social media and found nothing out of the ordinary. He has a Twitter account he hardly uses and his Facebook page hasn’t been updated in over four months.”

  “Have you told him about me?” Abigail asked.

  “No. I told him you rescued me and he knows I’m sympathetic to your situation…”

  “So he does know about me. Fuck.” Abigail moved toward the door. “And I don’t want your sympathy.” She twisted the knob and tried to yank the door open, but it was locked.

  Marlee rushed over and slapped a hand over the deadbolt. “Can you just wait a minute and hear me out? I thought you were supposed to trust me?”

  Abigail sighed and leaned against the door. “Go ahead. I’m listening.”

  “I’d never risk jeopardizing our investigation by bringing in someone I didn’t believe in.”

  “You haven’t known him long enough to have any kind of confidence.”

  “We haven’t known each other very long either, but I trust you.” Marlee held eye contact.

  Abigail stared back. “That’s different. I risked my life to save yours.”

  “Yes you did, to save my sorry ass while a shark was trying
to bite it off. Wasn’t that sympathetic too?” Marlee’s head throbbed. “Don’t tell me you didn’t have sympathy for me, especially after spending the night because I was all alone.”

  “You’re right.” Abigail eased off the door, shoulders hunched. She extended a hand. “I’m sorry.”

  “I’m sorry too.” Marlee’s hand tingled in the firm, warm shake.

  “Why don’t you tell me more about Tyler?”

  They spent the next two hours discussing the pros and cons of bringing Tyler into their confidence. Abigail was concerned about his trustworthiness, especially since Marlee barely knew him. In the end, she finally agreed to go with Marlee’s gut feeling on the merits of involving him because they didn’t have any other options.

  Tyler could play a vital role in the online investigation of email traffic. Neither Marlee nor Abigail felt competent to spot anomalies or potential entry points for a system-wide breach and agreed it was worth the risk of involving Tyler for his expertise. Marlee was tasked with recruiting him.

  “If you don’t mind, I’d like to lie down a bit before heading out.” Abigail rinsed her empty wineglass. “I shouldn’t have had so much wine.”

  “Of course,” Marlee said. “The last thing we’d need to happen is for you to drive under the influence. Go ahead and lay on my bed so you can get some sleep.”

  Marlee puttered around in the kitchen, unsure of what to do when she heard Abigail get onto the bed. She was tired too, and longed to lie down, especially next to Abigail, but didn’t think she could keep her hands to herself if that happened. In the end, she pulled out a blanket and lay on the couch.

  Marlee was still awake when Abigail got up to leave. The couch had been uncomfortable and she couldn’t stop aching for a kiss. It wasn’t like her to pine after a woman who refused to admit any mutual attraction, but something about Abigail made her crave like never before.

  “I didn’t mean to take your bed from you.” Abigail grabbed her purse. “I guess I should have said something to let you know it was okay for you to lie down too. I’m sorry.”

  Marlee decided it was best to be honest. “It’s not okay for us to sleep together anymore. I’m the one who’s sorry. It can’t happen again because I’m so attracted to you I wouldn’t be able to control myself.” She waited for a response, but none came. “There, now you have it and I hope you don’t hold it against me for telling the truth.”

  Abigail stood facing the door, her hand on the knob. “Thanks for being honest with me. We can work from my place from now on.”

  She left without looking back.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Marlee slept until noon the next day. The sweet smell of Abigail’s coconut shampoo on the pillow caused a release of endorphins that made Marlee forget about everything except how much she wanted the woman. She postponed getting up, stretching and moaning as her body craved more replays of their tongue-touching kiss.

  A knock at the door brought her back to reality. Lunging out of bed, she pulled on a pair of shorts and rushed to open it.

  “Hey.” Tyler stood at her door, his T-shirt wrinkled and his cheeks pale. He wore aviators, as though trying to conceal bloodshot eyes. “How are you going after getting pissed last night?”

  “I can’t believe I slept so late.” Marlee needed to hit the bathroom in a fierce way, the coffee and wine she’d consumed wanting out.

  “I’m bored.” Tyler leaned against her unit. “Want to take in a movie or something this afternoon?”

  Marlee leaned on her hip. “I need to pick up a few groceries. Why don’t you walk with me to the store?”

  “What do you need?” He scratched his arm.

  “A few things.” Marlee needed to talk to him, but could hardly think anymore because her bladder was about to burst. “I’ll pop by your unit when I’m ready.” She didn’t give him a chance to respond, closing her door instead and rushing to the toilet.

  She finished in the bathroom by tidying up around the sink and wiping the shower door. There wasn’t much space and little room for storage in the tiny outdated bathroom that couldn’t compete with the luxurious one on Abigail’s boat, but she wanted it to at least look clean.

  On their short trek to the store, they spoke mostly of trivial items like the weather, the latest movies, and distracted drivers whizzing by. It didn’t take Marlee long to get the milk, bread, and fruit she needed.

  “How’s your Vegemite supply?” Tyler asked.

  “Yuck. I have a full bottle you can have if you want. I don’t know how you can eat that stuff.”

  “Are you kidding? Vegemite sandwiches are the best. I grew up on them.”

  “I thrived on peanut butter sandwiches and there’s no comparison.”

  “You’re right,” Tyler said. “I’d take Vegemite any day over peanut butter.”

  Conversation remained superficial during their walk home. Neither Abigail nor Tyler’s cyber skills entered the discussion, as though the topics were to be avoided. Marlee was having difficulty deciding how to approach him about it, and finally decided that the best way was the direct way.

  “Have you hacked into any more computers lately?” They approached their units.

  “Yours, this morning,” Tyler said.

  “I thought I told you to stay out of my computer.” Marlee jammed the key into her lock then kicked the door open.

  “Sorry, but I wanted to know what you were up to when you didn’t answer any of my messages.” He followed her inside.

  “Maybe it was none of your business.” Marlee began to put her groceries away, tossing food and slamming doors.

  Tyler sat on the couch. “You weren’t even online. What’s the big deal anyway? I can’t imagine you’d be into cybersex or anything like that and even if you were, it wouldn’t interest me in the least to watch.”

  “You’re violating my personal privacy and it’s wrong.” She was almost yelling.

  “Okay, it won’t happen again. I promise.”

  “Good, because I want to talk to you about the hacking.” Marlee swung around to face him.

  Tyler put up his hands. “Please don’t hit me. I’m injured, remember?”

  “I won’t hit you, but I should wag a finger.” Marlee smiled and sat down on the couch beside him. “The only problem is, I want you to do it again.”

  “What?” Tyler’s eyes widened. “You want me to hack into your account again?”

  “Not my account.” Marlee straightened up and leaned toward him. “I want you to hack into AbTay Biosystems again.”

  “You’re obsessed.” Tyler shook his head. “I don’t get it. Sure she’s hot and everything, but you’ll never break Abigail Taylor.”

  “I’m not trying to break her. I’m trying to help her.”

  “How? You think hacking into her company’s system will help her? That she’d even give you the time of day if you found something? We’re peons to people like her. She may have given you a ride on her boat, but that doesn’t make you buddies.”

  “Are you finished?”

  “No, I’m not. You just scolded me for hacking into your computer and now you want me to hack into someone else’s system?” Tyler stood up. “I need to put my groceries away.”

  “You only bought a loaf of bread and it can wait.” Marlee patted the couch. “Can you please sit back down and hear me out?”

  “This is starting to stress me when I should be healing,” Tyler said, but sat down again.

  “I’m sure someone inside AbTay Biosystems is manipulating their system to frame Abigail.”

  “And she told you that?” Tyler scoffed.

  “Evidence is mounting to support it.” Marlee stared into his green eyes. “She’s been back here and we’ve been working together on this.”

  “No shit?” Tyler’s eyes bulged. “When?”

  “She comes at night so no one will see her. We debated about whether or not to tell you because she’s afraid to trust anyone, but I convinced her that you’d be okay. I
sure hope I was right. Don’t let me down.”

  “Wow.” Tyler shook his head. “Abigail Taylor is seeing you. I can’t believe it.”

  “It’s not like that.” Marlee looked away. “She’s not a lesbian.”

  “And if she was?” Tyler tapped her knee. “Wouldn’t you be interested?”

  “I can’t stop thinking about her.” Marlee’s head dropped. “She’s so fucking hot that I don’t know what to do with myself. You’ll be a good diversion.”

  “So you’re using me for more than my hacking skills,” Tyler said. “I’m touched you trust me enough to risk compromising whatever it is you have with Abigail.”

  “If you do anything to betray us, I’ll break the rest of your ribs.” Marlee grinned as she held a fist toward him.

  Tyler leaned away. “I don’t doubt it. What am I looking for?”

  “I don’t know yet. Anything unusual.”

  “What kind of bioweapons are they developing?” Tyler squinted. “It all sounds so foreign and futuristic to me. Like some kind of science fiction story.”

  “It scares the shit out of me,” Marlee said. “I don’t understand it. Abigail’s devastated her research is being stolen and twisted into something evil. We have to help her.”

  “We could be putting our lives in danger.” Tyler jiggled his knees. “Especially if terrorists are involved.”

  “A lot more lives than ours are in danger if we don’t stop this.” Marlee sighed. “Abigail says cancers could be propagated in targeted populations through something as simple as an allergic reaction to pollen. We can’t let it happen.”

  “Why do scientists have to play around with our DNA anyway?”

  “To find cures for awful diseases.” Marlee stood up and put her hands on her hips. “These aren’t scientists we’re dealing with. They’re criminals, plain and simple, and we have to keep that in mind. Whether or not we understand the science behind what they’re doing is irrelevant. My skills in policing and yours in hacking make us capable of bringing them down. And we also have Abigail, who understands the science. I think we make a good team.”