Shades Of Submission: Fifty By Fifty Part 20

Jonah stood. "Damon, do you want to come to the lab and talk to Carrie and Gordon?"

"I will. I plan to check the camera feeds and make sure they're working properly. I have a meeting with Marcus to update him and I need to brief the rest of security."

"Okay." Jonah took Anna's arm and guided her from the office. As they strode down the hall, he let go.

Anna scanned him. "I can tell something's on your mind."

Jonah waited to respond until the hall cleared. "Yes, I had a thought about the lab cameras. Several, actually."

"Okay." She gestured for him to continue.

"One was, that our ... interlude ... was probably caught on camera."

Anna's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh no. I hadn't even considered that."

Jonah shook his head. "I hadn't, either. The cameras are just there. I never pay attention to them. There's never been a need."

Anna stumbled, feeling lightheaded.

Jonah grasped her arm, offering support. "I had a second thought as well."

Anna steeled herself for more bad news. "What was that?"

A group of people rounded the corner and Jonah released her arm. He pitched his voice low. "This morning with Carrie and Gordon."

"Yes?"

Jonah waited to continue until they were along in the hallway again. "They know about the cameras. They might have feared being caught on tape."

They reached the elevators, and Anna slapped the call b.u.t.ton. "You think that one of them might have turned them off?"

As the elevator door opened, Jonah gestured for Anna to precede him. "It's possible."

Anna pressed the b.u.t.ton for their floor. "I'll talk to Carrie. Do you want to talk to Gordon?"

"Leave the questioning to Damon. I'll tell him about the possibility, though."

"Okay."

Jonah hit the b.u.t.ton for the level containing the executive offices. "I'm going to go talk to Marcus."

Anna patted Jonah's arm, attempting to offer rea.s.surance. "I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of this. Was the missing material crucial?"

Jonah placed his hand over hers. "I have the same information in other locations. It just isn't compiled the same way. My main concern is the notebook being in the wrong hands."

"You mean a compet.i.tor?" Anna hadn't even considered the motivation behind the theft.

Jonah paused, choosing his words carefully. "Yes. You know there have been some takeover maneuvers going on. In addition, a compet.i.tor could use it."

"To duplicate your work?"

"Perhaps." Jonah squeezed her hand. "I want to kiss you, but I'd better not."

Anna smiled, her mind filling with explicit images of the two of the together. "I'll imagine it and put it into action later."

The elevator doors opened and Anna stepped off, turning to glance at Jonah.

Jonah winked. "Sounds like a plan."

When Anna returned to the lab, Carrie immediately started quizzing her. "So? What happened?"

Anna wished she didn't have to be so circ.u.mspect. "Nothing. I just reviewed security footage with Jonah and Damon."

Carrie's worried expression didn't change. "They don't know what happened?"

Anna bit her lip. "Not yet. It's being looked into."

"Well, I guess Damon knows what he's doing."

Anna itched to ask Carrie about the cameras but held back. She didn't contemplate for a minute that Carrie had anything to do with the missing notebook, but she didn't want to interfere in the investigation. She tried to concentrate on her work, but it was difficult. She kept playing back the scene in Damon's office in her mind. The moment she realized she was a target of suspicion had been horrifying. The thought that Jonah might believe she'd betrayed him stunned her. He hadn't let it show, but she wondered if he'd thought it - even fleetingly. He'd rea.s.sured her, but she imagined the moment when he'd first seen the footage, it must have crossed his mind. She wanted to talk to him. She wanted rea.s.surance. Today wasn't the day for an insecurity attack, though. Jonah needed support. He didn't need her dissolving all over him.

After a concerted effort, Anna cleared her mind and worked on a.n.a.lyzing data that Carrie had entered into a statistical program for her.

Hours later, Jonah returned to the lab. He motioned for her to join him in the inner lab.

Anna entered and closed the door behind her. "Well?"

Jonah got right to the point. "Damon questioned both Carrie and Gordon."

Anna waited expectantly.

"It was Gordon. He caught a glimpse of us the other day. He thought he was doing me a favor. He left the cameras off after that because, well, apparently he and Carrie engaged in a few moments as well."

Anna couldn't hold back a smile. "It seems this lab is a hotbed of ..."

Jonah held up his hand. "Don't say it. I don't want to think about it. There was no bad intent on Gordon's part. Maybe bad judgment, but we showed bad judgment as well. Those activities don't belong in the office, and now look what's happened. Lab security was compromised, and we have little to go on."

Anna's brow furrowed. "If the person wasn't in the hallway, they must have entered from another lab."

Jonah nodded. "Yes, that's the working theory. The doors between labs are generally kept locked. The connections were originally done for flexibility in configuration, but now they're clearly a security issue. Damon has a lead. There is footage showing someone entering through Roberts' lab."

"Who?"

"It's hard to tell. It doesn't look like an employee. Damon is working on tracing the movements of the individual."

Anna shook her head to clear her thoughts. "It's so much to take in. Do you think your work was the target?"

"It's hard to know without seeing what the person did. It could be he was looking for something of value or something specific. We don't know if the lab was searched. When the person pa.s.sed through Roberts' lab, it was clear he was wearing gloves, so it might be hard to find physical evidence."

"Jonah, I'm so sorry. And I'm sorry you thought I might have picked up your notebook, even accidentally."

"I never thought you took my notebook. Damon insisted on asking you, though."

Anna was touched by his faith. "Thank you."

Jonah looked up at the camera tucked into the corner near the ceiling. "I trust you, Anna. If I could, I'd show you how much. However, the cameras are all back on."

Anna blushed and followed his gaze. The flas.h.i.+ng light on the camera kept her from acting on her impulses as well. "What happens now?"

"Damon's notified the police. They may question everyone again. Marcus is p.i.s.sed, to put it mildly."

Anna pulled a face. "I can imagine."

"Most of what is in the notebook is duplicated elsewhere - the results and such. I'd already written a detailed report. We're not hurt by the loss internally. The major concern is who has it and what are they going to do with it."

Anna groaned. "They could get a head start on a competing product."

"They could. They would also have information that affects the stock price of Granger Pharma. There was a possible timeline for rollout outlined in the notebook."

Anna pulled on the sleeve of her lab coat and rolled up the cuff. "What are you going to do?"

"We're going double-time on development. Get everything out as soon as possible. That should blunt any negative effect. But not knowing who took it or why, it's hard to know what to plan for."

Anna sighed. "Yes."

Jonah s.h.i.+fted his weight. "On another note, Marcus reminded me of something."

"Yeah? What's that?"

Jonah coughed. "His wedding."

Anna grinned. "You needed to be reminded of that? Aren't you his best man?"

"Not the wedding, rather my date," Jonah grumbled.

Anna stepped back. "Oh. Did you ask someone?" Was Jonah seeing someone else as well?

Jonah shook his head. "No, actually. So, I'm asking you. I know it's short notice, but I want you to come with me."

Elation filled Anna before she entered panic overdrive. "Isn't the wedding this weekend?"

Jonah offered Anna a pained look of regret. "Yes. At my family's home on Long Island. It will be outdoors. They have a huge tent in case of rain. Starts at 11:00 with a luncheon after."

"What would I wear?" Days to prepare to attend a wedding? What was Jonah thinking? Was she ready to go public with colleagues and meet his family? Anna's chest tightened as anxiety clouded her mind.

Jonah remained impa.s.sive. "I have no idea. I'm wearing a suit. What do women wear to these things?"

"Outdoor, daytime wedding." Anna pondered. "I don't have anything suitable to wear."

Jonah shrugged, unconcerned. "Go buy something. I can give you some money."

Anna's posture stiffened. "I can buy my own dress. I make a decent salary, as you well know."

Jonah raised a hand. "Okay, sorry. I was trying to be helpful."

Anna's ire deflated. "I know. However, it's already summer and trying to buy a dress last minute will be crazy. When am I supposed to do that?"

"Take off time this afternoon. You work late all the time. No one will look askance if you take off a couple hours early."

Anna considered his suggestion. "I suppose you're right."

"I am."

"A wedding. Well, they can be fun sometimes. There will be dancing, right?" Anna brightened. She enjoyed dancing. Any opportunity to touch and hold Jonah was welcome.

Jonah frowned. "I don't really care for dancing."

Anna was crestfallen. "I would guess you are a good dancer."

Jonah lifted an eyebrow, puzzled. "What makes you say that?"

Anna blushed. "My knowledge of your ... moves, so to speak. I've heard that being good at one can lead to being good at the other."

Jonah grinned wickedly. "Is that so? Which comes first?"

Anna laughed. "I have no idea."

Jonah grasped her hand and brought it to his lips for a feather light kiss. "So, will you go with me?"

Anna traced the edge of his lip with her fingertip. "I tell you what. I'll go, but you have to promise to dance with me. At least a little."

Jonah released her hand. "Okay. Fine. It will be worth it not to take any c.r.a.p for showing up with no date."

"You could at least sound a little happy."

Jonah ran his hand through his hair with a jerky motion. "You're right. I'm sorry. It's not the wedding. It's the notebook. Other doc.u.ments have gone missing as well. A few weeks ago, some doc.u.ments were taken from our law firm. It was thought that the situation was resolved, but who knows now. We don't know if this is related or not."

Anna kissed Jonah on the cheek. Cameras be d.a.m.ned. "It's okay. I think I will take your suggestion and go shopping this afternoon. It might be tricky to find something appropriate. Stores are already clearing out summer stuff."

"Good. And have fun," he added. "I'm going to speak with Damon. I'll catch up with you later."

Chapter 5.