LITMIR.BIZ

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Sara into a quick hug, the move taking Sara by surprise.

      Sara hadn’t seen her parents in years, and she had no personal life to speak of, so the genuine display of affection was something she wasn’t used to. It was also a side of Evangeline rarely witnessed.

      “Thank goodness you’re all right.” Evangeline pushed Sara out to arm’s length and smiled. She gestured to the sofa that sat facing the bank of windows overlooking downtown Denver. “Sit down. Can I get you something? Coffee? Water?”

      Sara nodded. “Coffee sounds great.”

      She stared out into the lights of the city as Evangeline pressed the intercom. “Coffee please, Angel. And bring in the other items we discussed, if you would.”

      Sara narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Other items?”

      A smile tugged at one corner of Evangeline’s mouth. “Secret weapon. You’ll see.” She sat down on the sofa and patted Sara’s knee. “Start at the beginning and don’t leave out a single detail.”

      Her expression turned from gentle to intense. “You never know what’s going to be the clue that breaks this investigation wide open.”

      Sara nodded and launched into a blow-by-blow description of the day’s events. She left out nothing, even going so far as to detail the kiss she and Kyle had shared at the top of the mountain.

      “Plates on the SUV?” Evangeline asked as soon as Sara stopped speaking.

      “Wyoming.” Sara shook her head. “I got the first three digits, nothing more.”

      Evangeline nodded and stood, reaching for the notepad on her desk. She handed it to Sara along with a pen. “Let’s get it all down. We’ll see what magic we can work with what you got.”

      A pang of sadness hit Sara as she remembered the man who would have had no trouble making the information sing. Only a few weeks had passed since Lenny had been senselessly murdered, and the sudden shock had begun to give way to acceptance and grief.

      The man who had been PPS’s resident computer genius was sorely missed. A geek among geeks, as he’d referred to himself. A true one-of-a-kind.

      Sara wrenched her thoughts to the present. Surely someone else could make the database sing using just the SUV’s description and the partial plate.

      Sara had no sooner finished making her notations than a knock sounded at Evangeline’s door.

      Angel, one of the company’s receptionists, entered, black hair gleaming and multiple piercings shining.

      “You’re all right?” she asked Sara, a note of genuine concern softening the harsh, Goth facade she maintained.

      Sara nodded. “Thanks.”

      Sara’s eyes, however, never left the object Angel carried. Two steaming mugs of coffee sat balanced on top of a large, flat box.

      The secret weapon?

      What on earth was Evangeline up to now?

      Angel set the box on Evangeline’s worktable, handed Evangeline and Sara each a mug, then looked at Evangeline. When Evangeline nodded, Angel carried the box to Sara and set it in her lap.

      “Your secret weapon.”

      Sara’s pulse quickened inexplicably. “What is it?”

      “The key to my stepson’s heart,” Evangeline answered.

      Sara studied the size and depth of the box. Lingerie perhaps? Her belly tightened at the very thought of modeling lingerie for Kyle Prescott. Their kiss had been hot enough to momentarily undo her focus. She didn’t want to consider what a lingerie-modeling session might do.

      She swallowed.

      “Open it.” Evangeline instructed.

      Sara lowered her coffee mug to an end table then slipped her fingertips beneath the edges of the box, slowing lifting the lid.

      A plate of brownies sat inside, carefully sealed in a clear container.

      She squinted and frowned. “This is the secret weapon?”

      Angel excused herself from the room as Evangeline softly chuckled. But when Sara lifted her gaze to that of her boss, Evangeline’s blue eyes had gone steely.

      “You’ve got to get inside his life.” She patted the container of sweets. “Seems to me this would get you in the door of his home with no problem. Let him think you’re the perfect little woman—intelligent and attractive, with a great cook on staff.”

      She tipped her chin toward the brownies then stood, moving back to her desk.

      “We’ve received some new intel that’s rather disturbing when it comes to my stepson. Seems you’ve edged your way into his life at the perfect time.”

      Sara set the container of brownies aside and straightened. “Like what?”

      Evangeline nodded. “A series of real estate documents bearing his electronic signature. All pivotal to the land deals yet detrimental to TCM.”

      “I don’t understand.” Sara frowned.

      “Even though the documents bear his signature, they point the finger of responsibility—and guilt—squarely at TCM. Quite brilliantly, actually.”

      “But why?” Sara ran the information through her brain. She couldn’t envision the Kyle she’d met doing what Evangeline was saying he’d done.

      Yes, the man was as arrogant as they came, but based on his actions after the accident, his heart was a whole lot bigger—and softer—than he let on.

      Was he capable of plotting to take down his family’s company? He didn’t seem the type.

      Evangeline shrugged. “Kyle never warmed to his stepfather. Maybe he’s setting the man up for a fall.” Her expression softened and the corners of her eyes turned sad. “He was never the same after his father’s death. Who knows what he’s capable of.”

      Sara stood and paced a tight pattern to the windows and back. “Or maybe someone’s setting up Kyle.”

      Evangeline’s pale brows climbed toward her hair-line. “So I see it’s true what they say about Robert’s son.”

      “What’s that?” Sara turned to face her boss.

      “His charm is legendary.”

      Sara tensed defensively. “Trust me, I have no plans to fall for his charm. I’m just trying to see this situation from every possible angle.”

      “Something you do extremely well.” Evangeline hesitated momentarily before she continued. “There’s one more thing.”

      “What?” Sara asked.

      “We found a notation in the last victim’s date book. Seems he had a meeting scheduled with a K.P. before his untimely death. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to keep his appointment.”

      “Kyle Prescott.” A mix of excitement and disappointment fired in Sara’s belly. She’d found just the man she needed to unravel the mystery lurking behind the corporate facade of TCM, yet her gut didn’t believe him responsible.

      Evangeline stood, her usual nonverbal mode of dismissal. “I trust you’ll take care of those bumps and bruises—” she nodded toward the container of brownies as Sara picked it up “—and put those to good use.”

      Sara mulled over Evangeline’s words as she drove back toward her apartment. She couldn’t picture Kyle Prescott sabotaging the family corporation, but she forced herself to take a mental step back.

      She’d known the man for mere hours. Who knew what he was really capable of?

      She shoved the inexplicable flash of disappointment out of her mind for the second time since Evangeline had given her the news.

      What

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