Free Under the Microscope by Jessica Andersen Page A

up.” He tapped the thin folder. “These files were deleted using Ms. Montgomery’s pass code. There isn’t any access to the system outside of this building, and I bet you’ve got spyware on your machines, so it should be easy enough to figure out when and where the changes were made. I’ll bet—”
    “Wait.” Raine held up a hand. Her palms were clammy, and the sore spot on her head echoed the beat of her pounding heart. “You’re wrong. There is outside access. I had the techs build me a back door I could use from the PC at my house.”
    It had meant connecting the system to outside communication lines, but at the time, the company had been so small it had seemed like a minimal security risk.
    Now that risk loomed large and foolish. Maybe even suspicious.
    Silence ticked in the room for a long moment. Max let go of her shoulder, leaving a cool patch on her skin where his body heat had warmed her. He moved around the desk and leaned back against the far side, so he faced the three men while Raine stared at his back.
    But there was no mistaking the dark musing in his voice when he said, “Which would explain the attack on Raine, and why the earlier scans didn’t find the data ghosts. The guy in her house was using the computer to input them.”
    Her head spun as the scenario made an awful sort of sense. “But that means—”
    Max shot her a look over his shoulder, one that clearly warned her to shut up. Then he returned his attention to the men and said, “That means that Agent Bryce and Detective Marcus have some work to do.”
    Bryce stood, a scowl etched on his face. He fixed Max with a glare. “I’ll be watching you two.” He transferred his attention to Raine. “And don’t leave town.”
    “Right. Stay put. Got it.” Raine pressed her palms against the desk, holding herself steady. “I’ll be here when you figure out who is trying to ruin my life, and why.”
    Her voice broke on the last word, evidence of the rage, the humiliation and the damned dumb confusion rocketing through her.
    Who was doing this?
    Why?
    Bryce stalked out of the office, followed by Detective Marcus, who nodded briefly at Max as though acknowledging an adversary, or maybe a kindred spirit.
    Jeff stayed behind. “Raine, are you going to be okay?”
    Knowing he was asking about more than her health, or even her safety, she nodded. “Max is on our side.” She hoped. “I’ll be fine. If the FDA goons will let you into the system, have the techs work on those faked toxicity reports. I want to know when they were entered and when they were deleted. And from where.”
    The techs who’d built her the back door should be able to identify its use, but would that be enough? It would prove that the entries had been made from her house, but it wouldn’t prove that she hadn’t been the one to delete them.
    She pinched the bridge of her nose and wished for an aspirin. A vacation. A friend.
    At the thought, she glanced at Max, who had retreated to his spot by the bookcase. “Thanks for backing me up just now.”
    His expression flattened. “Don’t make me regret it.” He pushed away from the wall and stalked across the office.
    He was at the door before she found her voice to say “Wait! I thought you believed I wasn’t responsible? Or was that just an act for Bryce and Detective Marcus?”
    He turned back. “I haven’t decided what I believe yet. I just hope to hell you don’t make a fool of me again.”
    And then he was gone, the glass door swinging shut in his wake.
    Leaving her alone.
     
    MAX DIDN’T GO FAR. Down in the office lobby—where he could watch both the front and rear exits, just in case—he paused by the front desk, where a pretty dark-haired woman manned the phones. He overheard the tail end of her conversation.
    “Of course you’re concerned, Barbara, but there’s no evidence of a longer-lasting concern. You used your sample packet and you feel fine, right?” The receptionist’s expression softened