Masked

CHAPTER 22 | there's an app for that

Portland, Oregon

Parker's office phone rang just as she reached the door. Carefully balancing her coffee cup, she made a mad dash across the room for the phone.

"Parker Johnson."

"This is an automated announcement from your local council. We would like you to participate in a very important survey. Please hold the line while we transfer you to one of our live agents."

Seriously?

She slammed the phone down and collapsed in her chair.

It's going to be a long day, I can feel it.

In fact, the three weeks since she had returned to Portland had been the longest in her life. Daniel's team had hoped that once they successfully installed the tracking software on Matheo's phone, they could trail him at a safe distance until he led them to Elise and the source of Wildfire. But that was easier said than done. The team following him was clocking up frequent flyer points at an alarming rate with no indication Matheo was slowing down.

Her part of the job done, Daniel had arranged for her to be escorted to Nederland where the Alliance would be better served if she found out why Matheo had met with Hollingsworth. She was also keeping an eye on the Wildfire online sales.

The mature, rational adult in her had agreed. She had found and led them to Matheo and given them the best chance to follow him to wherever Elise was hiding out. More importantly, she wasn't as trained or as experienced as the other team members, nor did she have the physical strength and endurance. She would only hamper their progress.

The not so mature person in her was slightly miffed at being so easily ousted after they had come so far. In defiance, she had returned to Portland, rather than Nederland, where she now juggled catching up with her normal business affairs and working with Jay to analyze the data coming from Matheo's phone.

Daniel wasn't happy with her decision, but he had relented with caveats. She wasn't surprised when three Werewolves were sent to trail her 24/7.

Parker had been prepared for the uncomfortable phone conversation with Daniel when he discovered she had returned to Portland rather than Nederland. What she hadn't counted on was the distressed call from Alice, immediately followed by Jessica berating her for leaving without saying goodbye. She had spent an uncomfortable two hours trying to convince both of them she did not do it deliberately to upset them. Jessica had been so angry with her, she'd had to look up every second word on Google to work out what Jessica was saying.

She finished off her coffee and proceeded to look over the data from Matheo's movements the previous day.

Beth breezed into her office an hour later. "Girl, you need to get a life. Did you go home last night?"

Parker threw a sullen expression in her PA's direction and returned to what she was doing.

Beth huffed. "Don't look at me in that tone. You have been nothing but secretive and moody since you got back from that assignment. You're in need of a booty call, if I ever did see a need." Beth rested a hand on her hip as she continued. "Perhaps I'll get hold of that fine specimen of a man you are on the phone with every day, and see if he can get you out of your frump."

Parker growled. "Beth!"

"What?"

Parker sighed and rubbed her temples. "Nothing. Why did you come in here?"

Confusion clouded Beth's eyes as she searched for her original purpose. "Oh, yeah, Marc phoned in sick."

She organized another of her employees to cover for Marc, then sat back and considered Beth's comment. She had to admit, her mood wasn't the best lately. But that's probably due to the excessive hours I've put in juggling my business and the data analysis on Matheo.