Jonah laughed, clapping his hands together as the guests applauded.

Her bewildered eyes met Jonah's and his obvious amus.e.m.e.nt quelled her embarra.s.sment at being the focus of attention. With uncharacteristic spontaneity, she thrust the bouquet above her head like a trophy and the guests cheered.

Anna brought the flowers to her nose and inhaled their sweet fragrance. "Jonah?"

"Yes?"

"I still didn't get my cake."

Jonah laughed and hugged her close, crushing the blooms between them.

Chapter 7.

Anna swept her loose hair up into a b.u.t.terfly clip as she entered the inner lab. She unlocked the specimen cabinet and immediately noticed something was amiss. Disorganized containers crowded the shelves. She quickly counted. Several were missing.

She rushed back out into the outer lab. "Carrie, did you do any work with the specimens?" She knew the answer before she asked. Carrie would never have left the cabinet in such disarray.

Carrie shook her head. "No. I haven't touched them recently."

Jonah looked up from his desk. "Is there a problem?"

Anna nodded in disbelief. "Yes. Someone's been in the specimen cabinet and several are missing."

Jonah rose. "Are we talking about the dexathane?"

Anna grabbed the edge of the desk to steady herself. "Yes. I don't understand how this is possible. The cabinet was locked. The lab was locked. Everything was locked."

Jonah picked up the phone and punched a few numbers. "This is Jonah Granger. Tell Damon we require his presence here in my lab now." He put down the receiver and crossed to Anna, taking her hand. "It's okay. We'll figure out what happened."

Anna's mind was in a daze. Someone had violated her lab. Someone had taken her work. Fear and anger mingled together as she clenched her hands.

"Let's go back inside and see if anything else is missing. Carrie, will you check around out here, please?"

Carrie jumped to her feet. "Of course."

Jonah guided Anna back into the inner lab. "Okay, let's walk through it. You're sure you secured everything?"

"Don't be patronizing, Jonah," Anna snapped. "Of course I did. I'm careful with my research." She immediately regretted her outburst. It wasn't Jonah's fault.

Jonah held up his hands. "Hey now, I'm trying to help."

Anna's hands fluttered. "I know. I'm sorry. I'm angry. Angry that someone breached our lab again. Oh, Jonah ..." Anna launched herself at him.

Jonah closed his arms around her, rocking her gently. "It's okay. We'll figure this out."

"I don't understand. Didn't they increase security?" Thick with distress, Anna's voice cracked.

"Yes, but there have been several incidents," Jonah revealed.

Anna removed the clip from her hair with a jerky movement and dropped it into her pocket. "What? After the theft of your notebook?"

With reluctance, Jonah continued. "Yes, a draft of a yearly report went missing from accounting. Several files regarding a new advertising campaign disappeared as well."

Anna began to pace as her agitation grew. "Jonah, what's going on?"

"I don't know, but we are sure as h.e.l.l going to find out. Let's go through everything. See what's missing or has been tampered with." Jonah unlocked several cabinets and examined the contents.

With a resigned sigh, Anna followed his lead. She checked drawers and flipped through her notebooks.

Carrie poked her head in the door. "Damon is here."

Jonah finished inspecting the last drawer and locked it. "Okay. Thanks. Ask him to wait a minute."

"Sure." The door closed behind Carrie.

"Anna, you're going to have to pull it together so we can talk to Damon."

Anna sniffled. "Yes, of course. I'm sorry. I just ..."

He stroked her head. "Don't even worry about it. Are you ready?"

Anna rubbed her eye. "Yes."

Jonah opened the door, and they both pa.s.sed through into the outer lab area. Damon stopped his conversation with Carrie mid-sentence.

"I was just telling Damon someone was in the lab again," Carrie offered.

Damon swung his surprised gaze to Anna. "Is it true?"

Anna closed her eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply in an attempt to calm herself. "Yes, specimens are missing. I've made a list."

Damon rubbed his forehead. "I don't understand this. I personally went over every aspect of our security."

Jonah's expression hardened. "I hate to say it, but maybe we need to bring in outside security experts."

Damon shook his head. "I don't think that's necessary. I'll review everything and see where there's a hole."

Jonah's demeanor didn't soften. "I'm going to make that suggestion to Marcus. The security breaches are getting increasingly serious."

Damon's lips turned up into a placating smile. "Jonah, we will get to the bottom of this. I'll implement additional security measures."

Jonah remained unconvinced. "You do that. However, I have to follow what I believe is the right course of action."

Damon clenched his jaw. "You do what you need to do. I'm going to review the security logs downstairs and view the camera feeds. I'll touch base with you later for the list of missing items." Damon headed out the door, his posture stiff with indignation.

Anna turned to Jonah. "Was that necessary?"

Jonah nodded. "I think it was. I like Damon. I do. But we can't have these kinds of breaches. It can't be tolerated. If he can't stop it, we have to take appropriate steps."

"You're right," Anna acknowledged. "I know you are, but I don't know if blaming Damon helps."

"Security isn't my area of expertise," Jonah responded, "but the problem hasn't been solved."

"That's the most important thing," Anna added. Her stomach churned with the knowledge that her research might have been damaged.

"Yes, and with that in mind, I'm going to see Marcus now."

Anna swallowed. "Okay. Carrie and I will go over everything and finalize the list of what's missing."

Jonah lightly touched Anna's shoulder as he turned toward the door. "Good. I'll see you later."

With Jonah gone, Carrie's reticence to speak disappeared. "Anna, what on earth is going on?"

Anna turned away. "I don't know. I really don't."

"I think we need to be more careful," Carrie declared.

"You're right. Let's back up everything."

Carrie jumped out of her seat. "I'll start now."

"Okay, good. I'll finish in the lab." Anna's shoulders slumped and she opened the inner lab door. When she spied the open cabinet, her specimens in disarray, anxiety swarmed her again. I can't let this happen again. I won't.

As he sat down in front of his computer, the phone vibrated in his pocket. He fished it out and checked the number. d.a.m.n. He couldn't avoid this call. He flipped open the phone and reluctantly said, "h.e.l.lo?"

"You didn't get the right samples. Go back. Bring everything." The anger sizzled right through the phone line.

The thief pitched his voice low, even though he was alone. "I don't think that's possible. Security guards have been posted on the floor."

"I don't care what you think. Just do it. Get it all. All the samples. All the notebooks. In fact, get the data on the network as well. If you can erase it after copying it, that's even better."

"Hey, that wasn't our agreement."

"Our agreement has been modified."

"You don't understand."

"I don't need to understand. Do it. Period. That's it. You won't like the alternative. Call when you have everything. I'll arrange for a meet."

The thief sighed. "All right. I'll be in touch."

Jonah glanced around the lab and seeing they were alone, embraced Anna from behind. "I have something special planned."

Anna leaned her head back on his shoulder. "You do? What?"

He nibbled her ear. "I made reservations for dinner, but that isn't the surprise."

Anna allowed the warmth of his embrace to wash over her. "What's the surprise?"

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise."

Pressing her rear into his groin, Anna wiggled against him. "But you did tell me."

His hand gripped her hip. "Yes, but only to get your imagination going."

Anna laughed. "You're evil." Jonah's demeanor was often so serious it made her appreciate the moments of levity all the more.

His mouth traveled from her ear to her neck. "Yes, and you love it, don't you?"

Anna smiled. "Yes. Actually, I do."

Jonah chuckled. "I thought so. Are you almost ready to go?"

Anna's smile evaporated as she thought of leaving her work in the lab. Locks didn't seem to be enough protection. "I'm ready. Everything is put away." She paused, wondering how to convey her concern. "Jonah?"

"Yes?"

Anna squeezed her hands until her knuckles turned white. "Locks don't seem to be enough."

"Damon has extra people on security. They're on heightened alert."

Anna tucked her hair behind her ear. "Still ..."

Jonah placed his hand on her arm rea.s.suringly. "I know how you feel, but it will be fine."

Anna turned in his arms and rested her head on his shoulder. "Okay."

Later in the restaurant, Anna was still trying to take Jonah's advice. She battled to put work out of her mind and focus on Jonah, but the break-ins cast a shadow on the evening. Her research was important to her. It had been the most important thing in her life for a long time. A threat to her work was intolerable.

Jonah reached across the table and took her hand. "Hey."

Anna broke out of her thoughts. "I'm sorry. I just can't put work out of my mind."

"I know. It's on my mind, too. But as there is nothing we can do about it at the moment, I'm going to enjoy this evening with you." He released her hand and found her leg under the table. His fingers tantalized her skin until thoughts of anything but him were banished from her mind.

Love for Jonah welled up within her. "Jonah, I ..." Anna stopped herself. Was she ready to tell Jonah how she felt? Was he ready to hear it?