One Week (HaleStorm) (14 page)

Silence. From chattering to speechless. Progress?

“An hour of your time, Barry. If I can’t convince you, we go our separate ways.”

“All right. I’ll set up a meeting.”

“Great. Thank you.” Michael punched the speaker button again, and looked at Tom. “Well, one down, half a billion dollars to go.”

“Christ,” Tom muttered.

“Okay.
You
are going to take a look at the rest of these contracts. Find a way to stall. I’m going talk to the project managers and see if I can’t work out what else is going on. While Elise is submitting the validation paperwork on Monday, I’m going to get all our guys in a room and find out who might have had unhappy clients, who was over budget, the whole shebang.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Michael nodded absently while he looked out the window, watching the snowfall. “I suppose it does.”

“You think it’s not enough.”

“I think Anya Evans is a driven woman working in a male-dominated field, and she’s probably willing to do whatever she thinks is necessary get ahead. I can respect that, but I won’t stand for it happening on my front lawn. It’s possible that my going in there two days ago to tell her we’d caught her stealing a client made her decide to pull out the big guns.”

Michael tried to kick away the jealousy that burned deep down over her past with Elise. He stopped and sat in his chair, a new possibility forming in his mind. “Or maybe it’s personal.” Then he shook his head. “Nah. Strike that.” Could it be?

“Hmm.” Tom leaned his head to the side. “Elise’s been getting calls from Anya.” Tom dropped into the chair opposite Michael’s desk. “You think somehow she got wind of whatever is going on between the two of you, and this is jealousy?”

“There’s nothing going on though,” Michael grumbled. “Not that she could have found out.”

Tom raised his eyebrows.

“Okay, maybe. Still, we’ve hardly been out in public so I’m not sure how Anya would be aware.” The uncertainty of what was or was not between them twisted in his stomach. “I’ll go talk to Elise and apologize for being a dick.”

“If she forgives you, see if she can give us anything helpful on Anya before we start hemorrhaging clients,” Tom said.

Michael stood. “We’re already hemorrhaging. The question is whether we can stop it before we bleed to death.”

***

E
lise stepped through the Cincinnati airport gates, relieved to find her mother waiting.

“You didn’t have to come.” Myra Jackson made eye contact there in the terminal, and although it had taken a costly last-minute ticket, Elise now had something resembling peace of mind. Her mother didn’t look quite as shaky as she’d sounded over the phone.

If Elise could spend even a single night at her mom’s place, maybe the vice-like tension gripping her chest would let go. At least, she could convince herself the pain was all about worry over her mother. She hoisted her laptop bag onto her shoulder. “Mom. If you had been listening to yourself on the phone last night you’d understand why I jumped on a plane.

Her mother’s face showed embarrassment, or possibly apology. “I’m trying.”

Elise grabbed her small roller bag and headed for the exit door. She did her best to give her mom a smile. “I know.” Without further comment or eye contact she headed out to the parking lot, taking steady strides so her mother could keep pace.

Her mother didn’t offer to help carry anything. Elise didn’t ask. Her mother’s bevy of health problems made it difficult for her to do much. These days, her arthritic knees made physical activity a challenge. The tendonitis gave her trouble typing, which of course made employment a problem. Not having much to do with her day gave Elise’s mother plenty of time to spiral downward further into a depressed mental state Elise didn’t know how to help her come back from.

She glanced back to make sure her mother was close behind. “So what are your plans for Christmas?”

Myra shrugged. “No word from Victor. I guess I’ll spend it alone.”

So not good. “Why don’t you come stay with me and Jeff? Visit DC? The city is gorgeous with all the lights done up.”

Her mother shrugged. “I need to see about finding other work. The law offices I’ve been doing virtual assistant work for couldn’t see fit to give me a raise this year and I’m worried they’re going to cut back my hours. It’d be good to consider getting something else lined up.”

“During the holidays?”

“You never know,” Myra said.

They got to the lot and stopped at a rust and tan pickup, Elise’s soon-to-be-ex-stepfather’s vehicle. “What the hell, mom? You’re driving Victor’s piece of shit truck. Lemme guess, he’s got your new Toyota?”

“Don’t.” Her mother held up her hands. “I’m not doing this with you. The truck didn’t pass inspection while he was down here visiting last, and he had to get back up to visit his daughter.”

Oh, Jesus, mom.
Elise would say she couldn’t believe her mother would let herself be taken advantage like this, but she’d be lying. It had happened enough times. “So why didn’t he get it fixed? And when do you get your car back?”

“I said don’t start,” Myra repeated.

Elise grumbled under her breath and put her things on the floor of the front seat. Lucky thing she had packed light. The truck was a tiny piece of shit something or another, not one of those nice trucks with the roomy cab. “How can you even drive this thing? Doesn’t he know a stick shift is hard on your hand?”

“It’s not like I drive much anyway.” Her mom opened the door and got in, as if the subject was closed.

Elise braced her hands on the roof of the truck. She wanted so badly to resume the argument that the words threatened to burst out of her throat. As much as keeping silent killed her, she had to remember that phone call that had made her pack up her laptop and get on the plane to begin with. The one where her mother had sounded so despondent Elise had been afraid
not
to come home to Ohio. Upsetting her mother more wasn’t the answer.

What
was
the answer? Elise constantly clawed and scraped to get her mother to look toward the future. If she could get her to talk about an upcoming visit. Plans. Something. Anything that infused hope into her mother’s voice infused hope into Elise, too.

So did just seeing her mother alive.

They pulled out of the parking area and down the airport access road. Her mother looked over when they stopped at a light. “You brought your computer for only staying the weekend?”

“I’m actually not sure how long I can stay. I have work to finish. I’m right in the middle of a contract. That reminds me....” Elise pulled out her phone and turned it on. “I should call and check in. I kind of left without giving anybody any notice.”

She hated to think how Michael was going to respond.

“Can’t it wait? You just got here.”

“We’re on a deadline. They’ll wonder.” Certainly a plausible enough excuse.

At least it was until Michael answered the phone with a sharp, “There you are.”

“Hi, I’m just calling to check in.” But her chest pounded. She was out of town with a presentation hanging over her, and as a consultant that looked extremely unprofessional. As someone who’d just had a fight with her lover, knowing he was still angry made her eyes sting with tears she couldn’t shed in front of her mom. She didn’t believe she’d done anything wrong, but the hurt lodged its jagged edge in her throat all the same.

“Well I’m glad to hear that because I’ve been looking all the fuck over for you. I was about to give up and call the authorities.”

Elise glanced at her mother. How much could she hear? She tried to discreetly turn the volume down on the phone. “Why on earth would you do that?”

“You didn’t show up at work today. You haven’t answered your phone for hours,” he growled. “About five minutes ago I showed up at your apartment in DC. Your roommate said he didn’t know where to find you either.”

Elise closed her eyes, nerves flapping around in her stomach. “I’m sorry.”

“That’s just great,” Michael growled. “What in God’s name is going on?”

E
lise’s DC apartment held way too many boxes and mismatched furniture items for two people to possibly live comfortably, let alone for Michael to pace out his frustrations the way he wanted to once he’d hung up the phone.

He wouldn’t go ruining her security deposit by punching a wall, though he was damned tempted to hit now and write a check later. So he perched on the edge of a loveseat covered in spangled banana hammocks and police uniforms while his feet pounded out his anger on the ancient carpet.

“All she’ll say is that she had to handle something urgent. You don’t have any idea where she would have gone like this without notice?” Michael eyeballed her friend Jeff while hopefully projecting the proper mix of empathy and “Don’t make me beat the information out of you.”

Jeff cracked open a bottle of water and then set about assembling a box on one of their few open areas of carpet. “I didn’t say I don’t have a clue where she could be. I said she didn’t tell me.” He shot a glare at Michael before returning to his work. “If she didn’t tell you either, then it’s probably a personal matter and I shouldn’t be giving out her
personal
information.” He waved a hand toward the loveseat. “Sorry, I was organizing some costumes to put in storage. Gimme a sec and I can move all that out of your way.”

Michael shook his head. “Whatever. Listen, this is critical. First of all, I’m worried about her. Us. Second, I think Anya Evans and Microstrive are using illicit tactics to steal my company’s clients. I need to know if she can give me any helpful information about Anya. There’s also the fact that she left in the middle of finishing a project for me without apprising me of the status.”

Jeff’s head swiveled over his shoulder. He lifted one eyebrow. “She took a personal day. That’s what normal people do. She’s not even really your employee, she’s a contractor. And she took her laptop, Captain Tight-ass, so if she promised you she’d get something finished then she’ll get it done. That’s Elise.”

Michael stood, annoyed by the petty name-calling. At the same time he believed what Elise’s roommate said. She’d asserted from day one that she would finish the project on time. She’d shown him her progress throughout the week. That didn’t change the fact that he’d been hit out of left field and he needed her.

I need her.
“I have to see her.”

Jeff turned now, half-bent over the box. His eyes widened slightly. “This have something to do with the fact that you two are fucking?”

Michael’s hand curled into a fist. “No.” Yes.

Elise’s friend chewed his lower lip and narrowed his eyes, assessing. Michael glared right back, even though he bristled at such a scrutinizing stare. This guy had no right to question him.

Really? Is that true? He’s her friend and he’s trying to protect her. You can appreciate that.

Jeff raised his eyebrows, giving Michael an expectant look.

“Fine. She means a lot to me,” Michael growled. Since he knew fuck-all about Elise’s whereabouts, all he had right now was her buddy to pump for information. Clearly, the guy knew more than he was telling. “I cared for her when we met five years ago. I cared for her a hell of a lot more than I should have all fucking summer. I care for her now. I tried to tell her, but I feel like I’m getting stonewalled.”

Another stern look from the roommate. “Listen, you seem like maybe you’re an okay guy with legitimate problems but I hardly know you. But we’ve all got scars, right?

“Elise, she’s a sweet girl who’s been dicked around a lot, and got shit she didn’t deserve. Her mom makes her responsible for problems she shouldn’t and Anya took her for granted.” Jeff licked his lips. “So if she’s digging in her heels and creating some boundaries with you? Well I’d say good for her.”

Michael grunted. “I see.” He slid past the coffee table piled high with cooking magazines and real estate brochures, ready to leave. “Well I’m glad she has you looking out for her then.”

“Thing is,” Jeff continued. “She packed for the airport. Rolling case, toiletries in the little baggie, and everything. I would bet she went to her mom’s.” Jeff hissed out the word. “That woman’s capital ‘T’ toxic. Mega depressed. Not that I don’t feel for her, but she has a way of dragging everyone around her into the muck. Anya’s only focused on her career to the exclusion of everything. But toxic seeps into your pores while you sleep. So something bad had to have happened to make her go see her mom, or to make her willing to leave in the first place.” Jeff nodded toward Michael.

Michael pinched the bridge of his nose. “Anya has called Elise repeatedly. Anya has been stealing my clients. I did the math.”

Jeff yawned. “Yeah, I was always terrible at math too. Had to hang out in my handsome calc TA’s office for lots of extra tutoring.” He waggled his eyebrows, then cleared his throat when Michael didn’t laugh at the joke. “Anyway, she hasn’t talked to Anya in months, I can guaran-fucking-tee. Because the two of them fought like cats and cats, and once Elise got out the door, there was no way she was going back. Not even for her favorite Manolo Blahnik pumps, which by the way she
did
leave behind.”

Michael looked around. An open closet door in the foyer revealed at least five pairs of high heeled shoes hanging in an organizer. Women and their shoes. He shrugged. “O-k.”

Jeff pointed a finger. “Trust me, these were special. Thing is, Elise hasn’t been with anybody at all in a good while. Very gun-shy. Anya’s not someone to piss off. When she has you in her crosshairs, it’s for real.”

Michael nodded. “She’s in it for the win. Getting my clients and making extra money for her company are probably just whipped cream on her bullshit sundae.”

Jeff shrugged. ”I’d count on it.”

“Okay. So what do I do to get Elise to come back?”

“Call her and apologize a whole fucking lot.” Jeff looked him up and down. “Something I’m guessing a man of your stature isn’t used to doing.”

Michael’s jaw clamped shut. “I can apologize.”

Jeff laughed. “No, I mean you better
apologize.
” The man did a dramatic muscle flex. “You also need to convince her that marriage of yours is dead in the water, cuz she sounded doubtful and I don’t blame her for being worried.” He gave Michael the Chewbacca of hairy eyeballs. “It
is
over?”