LITMIR.BIZ

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“That’s Brenda’s area of expertise.” He tossed his hands up in the air in a gesture of exasperation.

      “Is your computer linked to the video screen?” Mia asked.

      “Of course. I’ll get you set up.” Brenda went to one of the computers and turned it on. She lowered the lights then depressed a button on the wall panel and the screen descended. “You can load your CD.”

      Ashley went to the computer and inserted the CD.

      Mia’s heart was pounding. If there was one glitch in the program that she’d embedded on the CD, they were toast. After Ashley had completed the PowerPoint proposal, Mia had volunteered to put it on the CD. Later that evening, Mia wrote a code—with the help of Jasmine at Cartel headquarters—that would track the activities of the computer and was activated when the PowerPoint was shown.

      What it gave Mia the opportunity to do was look inside the computer files in addition to mirroring every keystroke.

      The screen filled with MT Management’s logo and its tagline, “Your dream event is our reality.”

      For about ten seconds the screen froze then flickered. Mia held her breath. Jasmine had warned her about this and advised her not to panic. She’d been meticulous about entering the code. She’d gone over it three times to be sure she’d typed in the correct HTML string.

      The first screen finally opened and Mia exhaled as Ashley’s voice gave the text and images verbal support.

      While everyone was engrossed in the presentation, Mia felt around inside her tote bag, which she held on her lap beneath the table, and unzipped her “go bag”—her little carryall that held some of her tools of the trade. It looked like a makeup pouch. She felt around for the recording disk that looked like an eye-shadow pot. She had to unscrew the cap and lift the disk out. It was no bigger than a dime and nearly slipped from her fingers. One side was sticky and would adhere to any surface, virtually inconspicuous. She pressed the sticky side underneath the table, felt it to be sure it was secure then dropped the circular pot back into her go bag.

      Ashley had about three more minutes. Mia began to breathe a little easier.

      “I’m impressed,” Michael said when the screen went blank.

      Brenda turned on the lights.

      “How soon can you get started?”

      “Michael—” Brenda cut in.

      He held up his hand.

      Mia and Ashley glanced at each other.

      “As soon as you’re ready,” Mia answered.

      “That’s what I like to hear.” He stood. “Let’s seal the deal over lunch.”

      Mia tossed a triumphant grin in Brenda’s direction. Triumphant in more ways than one.

      As they walked out, Mia hesitated. “I need to use the restroom.”

      “I’ll take you,” Brenda offered.

      “That’s fine. Just tell me where it is. I’m sure I can find it myself.”

      “I’d love to see the rest of your space,” Ashley chimed in, hearing her cue.

      “Sure,” Michael agreed. “Mia, we’ll meet you up front.”

      “Down the hall, make two lefts,” Brenda reluctantly instructed Mia.

      “Thanks. I won’t be a minute.” She walked in the general direction of the restroom. She decided it would be pointless to try to get in the control room, but Michael’s office was a different story.

      She hurried down the hall, passing a few employees along the way, who didn’t pay much attention to her. She glanced at the nameplates on the doors. The offices were set up like a maze: short hallways that led to different departments, quick turns and dead ends. She felt as if she should have left bread crumbs so she could find her way back.

      Finally, she found Michael’s office after following a sign for administration. She hoped that it wasn’t locked. She tried the knob and the door opened. Taking a quick look left then right, she stepped inside and shut the door behind her.

      Mia was pretty certain that if Michael were involved in anything, the last place he would have microphones and cameras would be in his office.

      The rectangular office screamed masculine. Brown leather furnishings, vertical floor-to-ceiling blinds in a bronze color that gave the room a warm glow. An antique oval rug covered the center of the wood floor. His desk was pure Michael—rich and dark. His mantra screen saver crawled across the monitor: “I’m dreaming of great things and doing them.”

      She went directly to his desk. The first thing she did was insert a recording device into his phone, then she took a CD out of her bag and put it in the computer. After it loaded, she hit the Enter key and the disk whirred then exited.

      Mia checked her watch. She’d been gone a little more than five minutes. Hopefully, Ashley was running her mouth and asking a zillion questions. She took one last look around, went to the door and cracked it open. The hallway was empty. She stepped out and shut the door behind her.

      Briskly she walked down the hallway, turned right and ran smack into Brenda.

      “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Mia sputtered. She pressed her hand to her chest.

      Brenda stared at her. “This isn’t the way to the ladies’ room.”

      Mia smiled and shook her head. “I got totally turned around. I should have taken you up on your offer.”

      “It’s this way,” she said with quiet deliberation. She extended her hand in the opposite direction.

      Mia clutched her purse tighter in her hand and secured her tote on her shoulder. “Thanks.” She followed Brenda to the door with the image of a woman emblazoned on the front. Mia pushed the door open.

      “I’ll wait for you so you don’t get lost again.”

      “’Preciate that.” Mia stepped inside and nearly collapsed against the door. Another minute and Brenda would have seen her coming out of Michael’s office.

      She walked to the sink, turned on the cold water and looked at her reflection. “This is only the beginning,” she said to the reflection, “so get it together.”

      Mia ran her wrists under the cold tap water to slow down her racing heart and lower the heat in her body that was making her light-headed. She dried her hands then took her lipstick from her purse and touched up her mouth.

      * * *

      Brenda was leaning against the wall when Mia stepped out.

      “All done!” she said with a cheery smile.

      Brenda stepped up to her, so close that Mia noticed she was wearing individual false eyelashes and a couple of them had come out.

      “I don’t know what your deal is,” Brenda said with chilly calm. “But stay away from Michael.” With that she spun away on her two-inch heels before Mia could digest the veiled threat and deliver a comeback.

      Stirred but not shaken, Mia followed the scent of Brenda’s perfume and joined the trio at the receptionist’s desk.

      Brenda Forde was going to be a problem.

      Chapter 9

      “You’ve been pretty quiet today,” Blake Fields said to Steven as they reviewed the blueprints for a co-op they were helping to develop. “Everything cool?”

      In Steven’s circle of friends, Blake was at the center. They’d been tight since college. Steven was Blake’s best man when he married Savannah and was godfather to their daughter Mikayla. They’d shared a great deal through the years, the good and the bad, and they never lied to each other, no matter how much the truth might sting. That was the cornerstone of their friendship.

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