That made sense.
“Colin said you broke the code.”
“I did.” She hoped.Please let her be right about this.
“Good because we’ve been at it for two days and nothing.” Duke didn’t look happy about it. “Old man Weber kept secrets tighter than a gnat’s asshole.”
Colin cleared his throat. “This is Nick Weber’s daughter, remember?” he said, giving them a pointed look.
Duke cleared his throat. “I’m really sorry about your father.He was a good man.”
Payton licked her lips. She knew she was going to have to get used to people saying that. “Thank you. Shall we?” She stepped around the desk to where they were working. Duke’s one monitor showed security at the front of the building and around the base on another one. Another had the flash drive password section up and a small window with what looked like gibberish to her in white font against a black screen. The last monitor held audio and video clips.
Duke dropped that screen. “Sorry, work stuff.”
“What do you do when you’re not trying to crack codes?”
“I try to take over the world.” Duke chuckled in a cartoon character evil laugh. He reminded Payton of the old cartoon with the mice Pinky and the Brain.
“Sorry about him again. He doesn’t get out much,” Colin whispered, looking apologetic. “Joking aside, he really is good with computers and codes.”
“He’s fine. I like him.” Duke beamed up at her like she’d hung the moon and stars.
“And she’s taken,” Alex grumbled from across the desk. His arms were crossed glaring down at Duke.
Payton didn’t know what to say to that. She and Alex hadn’t discussed their relationship—if that’s what you could call it—so she couldn’t say she was or wasn’t. But boy did she want to be.
That was a discussion best left for another time and another place.
“Let’s focus on unlocking my dad’s password. People are after us for this.”
“Don’t worry, sweet thing. Hit me with the code and—” He stopped mid-sentence and looked at the first monitor that held the security footage.
“Everything okay?” Payton asked looking at the monitor, not sure what they were looking at.
“One of the lights out front of the building just went out. And now another. Strange. I’ve never seen that before. A light burns out, sure, but two at once, never.”
Payton looked up at Alex. It couldn’t be a coincidence.
“Colin and I will check it out,” Alex said. “You two work on the code.”
“I’m coming too,” said Duke abandoning his chair. “We never get any excitement around here.”
Colin shook his head. “You need to stay here and help Payton. I doubt she’s tech savvy like you. No offense, Payton,” Colin finished, looking around Duke at her.
“None taken.” She wasn’t a code breaker by any means, but she could type in a password. Though once she was in, it wasn’t like she knew what she was looking for.
“Fine, but call if you need backup,” Duke said, not looking happy to be left behind. As a prior infantry man, Payton knew he was a man of action. Being told to sit on the sidelines and babysit was grating. She didn’t take it personally.
“I’m sure it won’t come to that. We’ll just do a perimeter check and be right back.” Colin smiled then left.
Alex nodded but was looking at Payton. She could see there was something he wanted to say, just not in front of an audience.
“I’ll be fine,” she assured him and put on a smile she wasn’t feeling.
“I’ll be back shortly.” It was a promise. Alex didn’t linger after that. He nodded at her and left.
“Alone at last,” Duke said with a chuckle.