Diamond Legacy by Monica McCabe

Estelle’s whole disposition had greatly improved.
    Miranda noted the success of the procedure into the system. Another growl of her empty stomach had her glancing at her watch, and she sighed. She’d have to hurry. She needed lunch, but Jason and Letta expected her at the animal nutrition center by one o’clock.
    She signed off and left the clinic, going instantly on alert. Truth be told, spying was a highly frustrating business. Despite keeping Matthew Bennett under near constant surveillance, she’d failed to discover any clandestine activity. No secret phone calls, no snooping in forbidden zones, no hint of improper behavior.
    That maddening lack of evidence didn’t change her opinion of his motives, however. Clearly, he was up to something.
    The sound of Roz’s monkey chatter caught her ear. For about a split second she debated against checking it out, but curiosity trumped hunger.
    Scurrying forward into the noisy rotunda, she spotted Roz on the heels of the janitor and followed them into the Kalahari wing. A bank of elevators nestled in an alcove and they’d stopped to wait on a lift. Miranda flattened against the wall, then peered around the corner to see Matthew and Roz enter one of the elevators.
    As soon as the door dinged shut she rushed over to watch the lighted numbers above the elevator. Two…three…stop. Personnel level.
    She hit the stairs and raced up the zigzag staircase before pausing a few seconds at the third floor landing to catch her breath. Her heart pounded as she cracked open the door and peered into an empty hallway.
    Silently she slipped out and made her way to the next bend where she spotted her target standing in front of Victor Keyes’s office. Matthew leaned in close to the door, his hands fiddling at the doorknob.
    He was picking the lock.
    She pulled back and smiled in wicked delight. That was called breaking and entering. Finally, something to nail him on.
    A soft click sounded and she peeked again. He disappeared inside, Roz right behind him. She counted to ten, slowly, then headed for the opaque glass door. She leaned near, straining to hear any tell-tale sound.
    Nothing stirred. Okay. Now what? Brazenly walk in behind them? Wait out here in the hall and surprise him on exit?
    She opted for brazen. Spying was overrated anyhow.
    Still reluctant to tip her hand too soon, she gently pushed open the door and tip-toed into an empty chamber, doing her best to make no sound as she closed the door behind her.
    She faced the room. A polished mahogany secretary’s desk took up one corner, equally tasteful and elegant furniture filled the rest. Nice, but it was the open door in the back that caught her eye. Presumably Victor Keyes domain, and by the sound of Roz’s quiet snorts of delight, Miranda bet the chimp had her paws on soon-to-be-stolen loot.
    A heady sense of anticipation tingled up Miranda’s spine. The novice was about to trump the spy. She could hardly wait to take Mr. I’m-Not-A-Cop by surprise.
    Crossing the carpeted floor, she paused outside Keyes door, just long enough to take a deep breath of brazen. Satisfied, she shoved open the door and waltzed inside.
    And two blinks later frowned in confusion. Where’d they go?
    She stepped over to peer behind an executive desk big enough to classify as a dance floor. Nothing. She eliminated an entire wall of bookshelves, then settled her gaze on a set of closet-style doors.
    Until a creak sounded behind her and she whirled around, coming face to face with her quarry. From behind the office door, two pair of eyes stared at her, one with suspicion and one with pure animal delight.
    “My, my,” Matthew said. “We meet again.”
    Trapped in a net of her own making, Miranda swallowed against rising nerves.
    “Now that the riddle of my shadow is solved,” he continued, “mind telling me your name and exactly why you’re here?”
     
     

Chapter 7
     
    Matt didn’t believe in coincidence. Life could throw you surprises,