She finished her shopping, which she’d discovered one night while roaming around the Island website, and which Dar had no idea existed.

”Not surprising,” Kerry snorted softly ”Coming from Ms. I can live on Frosted Flakes.” She reached over and took a sip of her ginger peach tea, breathing in the fragrant steam with a sense of quiet pleasure. The drugs had kicked in again, and she only felt a gentle ache, which was better than the spasms of the morning. Still, she was glad she was curled up here in her robe with a heating pad nearby if she needed it.

She set about balancing her checkbook, and putting things in order.

”Hmm...we’ve got a little extra here this month, Chino. Let’s see if we can find a treat or two.” She clicked over to an online computer store.

”Ooo...digital camera. What do you say, hmm? Does that sound good?

Is that a treat?”

The puppy heard the word ”treat” and immediately got up and trotted over, standing up on her hind legs and putting her small paws up on Kerry’s thigh. ”Rgrro?”

”Oh, you want a treat?” Kerry laughed, and fished a puppy biscuit from her pocket, giving it to the animal. ”Here you go.” She watched Chino chew for a minute, then she returned her attention to her browser. ”Yeah, that would be cool...gimme.” She glanced down as her mail icon flashed. ”Hmm?” She clicked it, and smiled as she saw the sender.

Roberts, Dar

Sent 11:22 A.M .

All right - consider me chastised. I switched it so I could

take

care

of

the

boat

charges,

and

forgot

to

switch

it

back.

We

could

just

get

a

joint

card

or

something.

Dar

PS.

how

are

you

feeling?

I

didn’t

want

to

call

in

case I woke you up.

Kerry studied the note, feeling a little prickle of recklessness. She hit reply, typed in a few words, and hit send. ”Let’s see what your answer is to that, Paladar.” She grinned, and then resumed her surfing.


312

Melissa Good

DAR PAUSED OUTSIDE the conference room, running her fingers through her hair before she put a hand on the latch and pushed it down.

She entered the long room and let the door close behind her, aware of the several pairs of eyes that fastened themselves on her. ”Good afternoon,” she remarked, as she moved around to the head of the table and sat down. The rest of the room contained representatives from two companies they’d just signed alliances with, along with representatives from sales and marketing and one of Duks’s people.

”All right. We’re here to discuss the potential acquiring of the statewide benefits contract in Idaho.” Dar pulled out a folder, and flipped it open. ”Suppose you people fill me in on what progress you’ve made with the state government so far?” She flicked a cool glance at the company representatives from that state. ”You want to start?”

They glanced at each other, then the older man cleared his throat.

”Well, all right.”

It was a long meeting, and Dar was slightly frustrated by the time it ended, sensing a communication problem but unable to pinpoint exactly what it was. She kept trying to get information from the newcomers, but she could tell the older man, at least, was being evasive, and they all seemed to want to keep their strategies under their hats, and keep her company around just to pump cash into things.

That wasn’t going to happen. Dar fiddled with a pen as they filed out, and scowled a little. ”Elle, hang on.” The marketing representative paused, then walked back across the now empty conference room and stood, visibly uneasy. ”Relax. Sit down a minute.”

The woman did, folding her hands on the table and waiting.

”What did you think about them?” Dar inquired.

”Me?” Elle’s brows lifted. ”Um...I don’t know. They were okay, I guess, a little on the quiet side.” She sniffed, and pushed her thin, wire framed glasses up on her nose. ”I took them on a tour before the meeting. They were kind of prickly, if you know what I mean.”

Dar nodded, pursing her lips. ”Yeah...I got that feeling myself.

Well, okay. Thanks.”

Elle blinked at her. ”Um...you’re welcome.” She stood, and ducked her head a little awkwardly, then she turned and left.

Dar sighed, then stood and gathered her things, walking back to her office in time to see Maria returning with a large, white bag. ”Hello, Maria.”

”Is your meeting over, Dar?” The secretary held the door for her, and followed her inside. ”I brought you back some arroz con pollo...from my trip outside.”

Dar smiled at her. ”Thanks. Yeah, it just ended. I’ve got another one after lunch, then a conference call after that.”

Maria bustled over to her desk, and put her bag down. ”And how is Kerrisita doing?” She asked, pulling out a Styrofoam container and handing it to Dar. ”I stopped at the farmaceria, and you take this home Hurricane Watch

313

to her, yes?” She handed Dar a bag. ”Is to make tea...is good for her.”

Dar held the bag. ”I...I don’t know, I haven’t spoken to her since I left the house. I’m sure she’s fine, and thanks, she likes tea.”

Maria gave her a severe look. ”Poor Kerrisita is home so sick, and you don’t call her?” she scolded her boss.

”Uh.” Dar was caught flat footed by the older woman. ”It’s just some cramps, Maria. She’s not a baby, you know.”

”That is not the point, jefa,” Maria stated. ”Is good she knows you are concerned, no?”

”Uh...” Dar gave up. ”Yep. You’re right. I’ll go call her.” She fled the outer office, and escaped into her own, putting her lunch down and circling her desk. ”Jesus, you’d think she was an infant or something. I bet she’s napping, or she doesn’t want me calling every five minutes.”

With a sigh, she sat down and dialed her home number. It rang several times, and she was about to hang up when it was answered. ”Hey.”

”Hey!” Kerry's voice perked up audibly as she recognized the caller. ”Wow. I was just thinking about you.”

Dar settled her chin on her fist. ”I was just thinking about you too. I just got out of a meeting I wish you’d been at. Maybe you could have given me some insight into a few new associates.” She sighed. ”How’re you feeling?”

”I answered that in the email,” Kerry told her dryly. ”Which I guess you haven’t seen yet.”

”Um.” Dar sat down and rolled her trackball to check her mail.

”Ah...no. I just got back, let’s see. Oh.” She started laughing. ”Oh.” She felt a blush coming on. ”Well, I’m glad you liked the service last night.”

Kerry chuckled as well. ”It’s on and off. I take drugs, it gets better, then they wear off, and I feel like a manure pile. I don’t know what’s with me this time,” she sighed. ”Chino’s keeping me company, though, and I’ve been surfing.”

”Uh oh,” Dar uttered. ”That could be dangerous.”

”Mm... Yes, it certainly could. Did you know Victoria’s Secret has a great website?” Kerry asked, innocently.

Dar’s blue eyes widened. ”Any particular reason you’re letting me in on this little tidbit of news?” she inquired, hesitantly.

”You like blue, right?” Kerry asked, ignoring the question.

”Um...yes...why?” Dar felt her curiosity crawl up her spine and perch on her shoulders, almost making her lean forward towards the phone. ”Kerry?”

”Yes?” the blonde woman purred. ”Something wrong?”

Dar chewed her lip. ”Um...no.” She felt a little thrill of excitement, almost of danger. ”Nothing.”

Her intercom buzzed. ”Hang on.” She pressed a button. ”Yes, Maria?”

”Dar, I have a Mr. Evans, from Interlock, he is wanting to talk to you?”


314

Melissa Good

Ah. Her reluctant associate. ”All right, give me a minute, Maria, then show him in.” Dar pressed her other line. ”If you’re done teasing me, I’ve got a potato farmer that wants in here.”

”Teasing? I’m not teasing you, Dar,” Kerry objected, with a chuckle. ”Can I interest you in a couple of burgers with the works for dinner? The Beach club just updated their menu, and they’ve got some new ones.”

Dar smiled at the phone affectionately. ”Sounds great to me. See you in a bit.”

”Right, have fun.” Kerry hung up, and Dar exhaled, glad she’d taken Maria’s advice. She glanced up as the door opened, and the tall, gray haired man entered. ”Come in, Mr. Evans. Maria, thank you for reminding me of that pending issue.”

The secretary looked blank for a moment, then she smiled, and shook a finger at her boss, but said nothing as she closed the door behind her.

Dar motioned to her visitor chair. ”Sit down, Mr. Evans. I hope you won’t mind if I catch up on my lunch while we talk.” She didn’t give him a chance to answer, as she pulled her Styrofoam container over, and popped it open, releasing the scent of saffron and garlic into the air.

”What can I do for you?” she asked, pulling a fork out of the wrapped set of silverware that came with the lunch.

He seated himself and crossed his legs, resting his hands on his knee and studying her. Dar maintained the eye contact, while she speared a piece of chicken and munched it. One brow lifted in question at him.

”Ms. Roberts, I’m not quite sure how to broach this,” he spoke the words carefully. ”I’ve spoken with my colleagues, and they feel as I do, and I’m afraid we have difficulty with you...ah...your corporate culture.”