Tess pushed past the growing lump in her throat as she traced the edges of the computer. She felt terrible about keeping it. The rules of the auction house may have said it was hers, but it belonged to this soldier. The letters were so revealing, she couldn’t imagine the owner wishing them to be read.
She bit down on her bottom lip as the worst possibility pushed to the front of her thoughts. If he hadn’t survived, perhaps the laptop had been discarded.
Tess made an instant decision. She would find the owner, or at least his family. They should have his computer.
Tess knew that trying to get any sleep now was pointless. So she brewed some fresh coffee, then took the dogs for their morning walk. After showering and dressing she packed up the laptop and drove to the restaurant. Settled at her desk, she phoned the auction house. According to their records, the lot she’d purchased had come from Harrington Engineering. Harrington. Captain Cole Harrington.
Was he a husband, son…brother?
Tess picked up a phone book. All morning she’d been preoccupied by his fate. Now she felt a personal stake in the outcome.
Harrington Engineering was listed, but she paused as she reached for the phone. This wasn’t the sort of thing you talked about over the telephone.
She scribbled down the address. It was midweek, traffic was light and Tess made the trip quickly. Too quickly.
She’d rehearsed what she would say during the drive, but now, parked in a visitor’s spot at the front of the parking lot, she still wasn’t sure.
CHAPTER TWO
NOW THAT HIS TEAM was searching for the designs, Cole felt marginally better. But they had to show up soon or the bid to Landry Industries would be closed. He’d begun work on the bid when Landry was still debating the new lines, before they’d secured their financing. Now that Landry had gone public, they had deep wells of cash. And Cole wanted some of it to bail out Harrington.
He glanced at the mariner clock. But the hands hung uselessly ever since he’d slammed the desk the day before. He regretted the impulse. His employees had given it to him as a gift to celebrate their first year in business. He wasn’t a particularly sentimental man, but he viewed the clock as a good luck token. He’d get it fixed. No sense pissing off the Fates.
He logged on to the network computer. His e-mail in-box was already full. Hopefully some of it was good news.
Dan stuck his head in Cole’s open door. “Do you know where Mark is?”
“Haven’t seen him this morning.”
The finance officer frowned and, obviously in a hurry, ducked back out and was on his way before Cole could question him.
The bank of phones that connected reception to the line supervisors in the plant were ringing incessantly. Then the outside lines started ringing as well.
“Marcia?” Cole called for the receptionist as he strode down the corridor. Couldn’t anyone be bothered to answer the damn phones?
The reception area was empty except for a woman he didn’t recognize, and the phone lines buzzed out of control. This wasn’t like Marcia. Ignoring the visitor, he walked behind the counter, and took over the switchboard.
“Can I help you?” he asked, once there was a pause in the phone calls.
“Actually, I—”
The phone rang again. “Just a minute.”
She pulled a card from her purse and laid it on the counter.
Finally, the board quieted. “Sorry about that. The receptionist is supposed to have been here by now.”
As he stood, Marcia rushed in, frazzled-looking. “I’m sorry. My car wouldn’t start.” She glanced at Tess. “I hope you haven’t been waiting long.”
“No. Just got here.”
“I called the auto club, but it always takes forever. I’m lucky to have such an understanding boss.” Marcia glanced at Tess. “Did Mr. Harrington take care of you?”
When she heard his name, Tess stood and addressed him. “Actually, I want to talk to you.”
Just what he needed. But the woman had been waiting patiently. He gestured to a chair in the reception area.
“I’d prefer to speak with you in private.”
He didn’t really have time for this, but he shrugged and quickly escorted her down the long hall into his office. He pointed to a pair of comfortable leather chairs.
“I’m afraid you have the advantage,” he began. “I don’t know who you are.”
“Tess Spencer.”
“And you’re with…?”
“I work in my family’s business. But that’s not why I’m here. Well, in a roundabout way it is.” She paused. “I’m just making my explanation more confusing.” She held up a laptop computer, then placed it on the table that separated them. “I’m here because of this computer.”
He barely glanced at it. He didn’t need to hear another sales pitch. “Our office manager takes care of all our purchasing needs.” He reached for the phone. “I can call her, pass along your—”
“You misunderstand. This laptop… It belongs to Cole Harrington.”
He tensed, his amiable smile disappearing. He picked up the computer, recognizing the distinctive gouges. “The one with my schematics,” he muttered beneath his breath. “How did you get it? Who are you with? Alton?”
“No. Last night, I went to an auction. I bid on a lot and this computer was in it.”
“You’re telling me you bought my computer at an auction?”
“I hope this isn’t difficult for you,” she said gently.
“Difficult?”
“I don’t know… I mean…did Cole survive the war?”
He cleared his throat. “Live and in person.”
“So you’re…”
“Cole. What makes you think I didn’t survive? And how did you know I was in the war?”
“I opened your letters.”
“You read my letters?”
“Well, I didn’t mean to—”
“Reading isn’t an involuntary response.”
Tess turned to face him directly. “No, but—”
“Okay. How much do you want for the computer?”
“Money?”
“Yes. Why else would you be here? You know my designs are on the hard drive.”
Shocked, Tess stared at him. “I thought if you hadn’t survived, your family would want these letters in case you hadn’t gotten to a land line to send them. I would’ve wanted my brother’s. But I’m sorry if reading them was an invasion of your privacy. And I’m sorry you thought I’d sell them to the highest bidder.” Not waiting for his reply, she left his office. She marched down the hall and through the reception area.
Back in her Lexus, she ignored the shrill response of her SUV as she put it in gear and sped out of the parking lot.
Jerk! She should have kept the damn computer. And here she thought she’d read the letters of the last sensitive man on the planet.
“MARCIA!” COLE BARKED into the intercom an hour later.
“I’m