Thursday. Astor Home, Newport Rhode Island.DALTON ASTOR FLIPPED THROUGH the plans dealing with his pre-Congressional bid. There were things to be done prior to announcing it, and those had to start now. Even if he was a shoe-in. it was arranged. A done deal. He just had to go through the motions and not screw up.Despite being born with the last name Astor, he wasn't related to the more famous family bearing the same name. No, Dalton's family were the kind of people who'd scrounged to make their empire, creating something from nothing. He'd learned early in life that those who reached for what they wanted were the true successes.His office phone began to ring.He glared at the black phone. Hadn't he said he wasn't to be bothered?Dalton ignored the call, pushed to his feet and crossed to the door. He jerked it open and glared at the young man sitting behind the chrome and glass desk."What did I tell you?" Dalton snapped."I know." The young man held up his hands. "B
Friday. Task Force Headquarters, Washington, DC.TABBY STEPPED OUT OF the elevator and took in her surroundings. The fifth and top floor of the building was completely devoid of walls. It was just one open space. The windows were covered with blinds. Overhead wires and cables snaked this way and that.This whole space was secure. Was it just this floor? Or did the entire building operate under a dome of protection?Holy shit.She was willing to bet that this wasn't just a task force, this was also a black site. An off the books joint operation if she had to guess. That would explain why no one had approached her directly.Tabby didn't know if she should hope the problem centered around her drone prototype or not. Tabby had the sudden impression that she wasn't prepared for this meeting. Not in the least.What reason did they have to ask her here? What role did she or her father's company play in what was going on?"We'll be over here." Jamie led her toward the end of t
Friday. Task Force Headquarters, Washington, DC.JAMIE STARED AT THE door. Would Tabby come back? Or was this it? Had she been pushed too far?"What do you think they're saying?" Evan asked in a soft voice.Jamie shook his head.The minutes stretched on.By the time the door opened Jamie wasn't sure who he wanted to see.Zora held the door open while Tabby paused, mid-stride, laughing softly at something that had the other woman smiling.What the hell?The two had left looking like they might throw down and now here they were whispering like best friends?Tabby entered the conference room and gave them all a cheerful smile. "Sorry about that.""Where were we?" Zora glanced at the screen. "Right. Gazi shopping for a buyer.""I might know what's in those boxes," Tabby said.The whole room refocused on her, standing behind the mystery agents, staring at the screen.She planted one hand on her hip and directed her attention at Zora. "When I was alerted to there
Saturday. HiTech Inc. R&D Lab, Washington, DC.JAMIE STARED UP AT the brick facade of the nondescript building that held HiTech's Research and Development labs. Given what was being tested here, he understood why there wasn't a sign advertising HiTech on it.And this was Tabby's domain. The world where she got to create.As part of his research he'd looked up various HiTech projects begun once she came on as a full-time employee. The number of things she'd developed was astounding. She wasn't just a pretty face with keen business sense; she was smart as hell, too. If Jamie hadn't grown up with intelligent, successful women in his family he might be intimidated.He reached into his pickup truck and grabbed the lattes from the center console. Tabby might be willing to forgive him and work with him, but that didn't mean they were good. At this point he'd do what he needed to try to improve his standing with her, including caffeine bribery.Jamie headed toward the front doors.
TABBY GLANCED AT THE clock.He was making up time.The first of the four tests had taken him forty minutes rather than the thirty allotted to him. The second he'd wrapped up in exactly thirty minutes. Now, so long as he didn't fall for the trap on the third he was likely going to make up around seven minutes, leaving thirty-three minutes for the final test.She kept her arms crossed, following his hands via the camera perched above him giving her a bird's-eye view of the whole test.Drinks with him was so totally not what she wanted. Not in the least. Should Jamie succeed, if he really had the skills and ability to learn what he needed to operate her systems, it was good for all of them. If he failed, it would only mean she had that much more teaching to do, so clearly she wanted him to succeed thereby making her job easier.Yeah, that was a big, fat lie.Against her own self-interest, she wanted him to beat the time she'd set for him, both because he was obviously good at
Sunday. Task Force Headquarters, Washington, DC.JAMIE OPENED HIS FRONT door, more to stop the pounding than because he was ready to see people today. Harper and Evan stood on the other side, dressed in slacks and Aegis Group stitched polos for today's meeting."Who did you spend the night with?" Harper grinned and leaned his forearm on the entry."No one." That was part of Jamie's problem."You ready yet? Or do you need to primp a bit more, princess?""Fuck you." Jamie glanced around, searching for his keys."What time did you get home?" Evan asked. "We came by to see if you wanted to grab dinner, but your truck was gone.""Because we were in the lab until midnight. My God damn brain is mush." Jamie understood why Tabby was adamant about going with regardless of how they were going to get the shipment."It took you that long to figure out you should always cut the blue wire?" Harper stepped inside and snagged Jamie's keys off the recliner seat cushion."No." He sn
Sunday. Tabby Grissler's Home, Washington, DC.TABBY CHECKED HER PHONE again. Days like today she really missed her best friend. Yvonne had a whole life and exhausting days being a mother now. Tabby couldn't fault her friend for not answering every text or call immediately.She armed her security system and dropped her purse on the table by the front door.While her best friend might be otherwise occupied, Tabby's mother was not.She stared at the missed call, dread sitting in her stomach like a twenty pound weight.Better to just get it over with.Tabby hit dial on the missed call and headed for the stairs."Teddy bear, darling.""Hi, Mom." Tabby relaxed a tiny bit at the warm greeting."Where were you this morning? We missed you at church."She bit the inside of her mouth. Tabby had gradually managed to back off attending her family's church. These days she was expected to attend once a month and she was running out of Sundays."Yeah, I was going to come, but
Sunday. Liberty Bar, Washington, DC.JAMIE SAT STARING AT his phone in a back booth of the Liberty Bar.He had no idea why she was forcing his hand. Maybe she didn't like owing anything? If that were the case, he'd probably just screwed himself over with the order. Whatever her reason was, he was curious and nervous about seeing her again in a casual setting.His phone chimed with a single word text: Here.Jamie placed his phone face down on the furthest edge of the table and watched the front doors of the trendy bar for her familiar red hair.Sure enough, a moment later the entry lights glinted off that messy bun.Jamie stood, catching her eye from across the bar.Damn, he couldn't decide if he were lucky or cursed.She'd changed from her business clothes into a loose fitting blue dress belted at the waist. It had some kind of little print on it he couldn't make out.Tabby's smile was different. Stiff."What's wrong?" he asked as she got closer.Her brows rose