always intimidated me, even Kai. I feel so inadequate next to them.
Lucian Sand was straight from central casting, movie star perfect right down to the ponytail, French accent and awesome abs. His manners could stand improvement, of course. He was probably used to coeds who bowed and scraped to his every whim. That wouldn’t happen with me. Unlike most women, I was bulletproof, armor-plated, too numbed by loss to react to mere flesh and blood.
“Did you listen to it?” he asked.
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
“Listen to what?” Candy asked, sweeping into the room with tea and fancy snacks.
That did it. If I ignored her, Candy wouldn’t rest until she’d wormed the information out of me. Better to fess up and seize control of the situation.
I fished the disk from my tote. “ Here. Dr. Sand shared this with me. See what you think.”
Candy is no Einstein, but her survival instincts are first rate She flipped open her laptop, inserting Lucian Sand’s prize package. I tried not to listen. It was painful hearing Tommy’s solemn voice speaking with his murderer. Candy handled it remarkably well. She switched off the machine and sat quietly, hands folded like a chastened schoolgirl.
Finally, she glanced up and cleared her throat. “OK. What does all this mean?”
“We wondered what got Tommy killed,” I said. “There it is. Part of it anyway.” I turned toward Lucian. “Unless there’s more. I doubt that fudging figures would lead to murder. It would have to be one hell of a scam. You know Tommy. No way could he keep from spilling the beans to us.”
Candy bit her lip. That’s never good news, especially since she constantly slathers lip gloss on her mouth to keep it moist.
“He tried to, Betts. Tommy, I mean. Remember that last week when he tried to contact you? I spoke with him instead.”
“You? What did he want?”
“That’s just it. He wouldn’t tell me, just said to make you call him. I’m sorry.”
I kept my face statue still. Betraying Tommy was bad enough, but I’d be damned if I’d let an arrogant stranger see me cry.
“Now you understand,” Lucian said. “The situation is dangerous. I repeat my offer. Sell your shares to me, and stay safe.”
Candy cocked her head. “What offer? Don’t tell me you want our shares, too?”
“Do the police have this?” I watched him closely.
He gave that stupid shrug again. “Nope. They won’t get it either. Not right now. They’ll march through CYBER-MED and destroy everything. High tech is precarious. One whisper of scandal, and investors get very squeamish. That company could be worth a fortune some day, and I will not risk it.”
My head swam with facts, figures and fears. Sleep was no luxury; it was a necessity.
I patted Candy’s back. “I’m going home. Tomorrow, after I’ve had some sleep, we’ll discuss this.”
“Stay here, Betts. Your place might not be safe.” Candy’s lip quivered as if tears weren’t far away.
“I can’t leave Della alone. Don’t worry. I promise to take a cab.” I hugged my friend and started for the door. Lucian Sand was right behind me.
“Don’t be absurd. My car is right here.” He kissed Candy’s hand and gave her a half bow. “I will take Mrs. Buckley to her door, I promise.”
Exhaustion claimed me, making me pliable for a change. I meekly followed him to his Porsche and climbed in. My eyes closed for just a second. When they opened we were parked outside my home on Commonwealth Avenue.
“How do you know where I live?”
He opened the car door and helped me out. “I know more about you than you’d ever believe.” He squeezed my hand as if he had a right to and guided me up the stairs to Della.
“I’ll take that disc now,” he said.
The man infuriated me. How dare he intrude on my life? Intrude? That’s way too mild. He had stomped into my life, demanding things I could never give. He had no right to do that, not when Kai’s memory was alive. I didn’t want or
Lucian Sand was straight from central casting, movie star perfect right down to the ponytail, French accent and awesome abs. His manners could stand improvement, of course. He was probably used to coeds who bowed and scraped to his every whim. That wouldn’t happen with me. Unlike most women, I was bulletproof, armor-plated, too numbed by loss to react to mere flesh and blood.
“Did you listen to it?” he asked.
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
“Listen to what?” Candy asked, sweeping into the room with tea and fancy snacks.
That did it. If I ignored her, Candy wouldn’t rest until she’d wormed the information out of me. Better to fess up and seize control of the situation.
I fished the disk from my tote. “ Here. Dr. Sand shared this with me. See what you think.”
Candy is no Einstein, but her survival instincts are first rate She flipped open her laptop, inserting Lucian Sand’s prize package. I tried not to listen. It was painful hearing Tommy’s solemn voice speaking with his murderer. Candy handled it remarkably well. She switched off the machine and sat quietly, hands folded like a chastened schoolgirl.
Finally, she glanced up and cleared her throat. “OK. What does all this mean?”
“We wondered what got Tommy killed,” I said. “There it is. Part of it anyway.” I turned toward Lucian. “Unless there’s more. I doubt that fudging figures would lead to murder. It would have to be one hell of a scam. You know Tommy. No way could he keep from spilling the beans to us.”
Candy bit her lip. That’s never good news, especially since she constantly slathers lip gloss on her mouth to keep it moist.
“He tried to, Betts. Tommy, I mean. Remember that last week when he tried to contact you? I spoke with him instead.”
“You? What did he want?”
“That’s just it. He wouldn’t tell me, just said to make you call him. I’m sorry.”
I kept my face statue still. Betraying Tommy was bad enough, but I’d be damned if I’d let an arrogant stranger see me cry.
“Now you understand,” Lucian said. “The situation is dangerous. I repeat my offer. Sell your shares to me, and stay safe.”
Candy cocked her head. “What offer? Don’t tell me you want our shares, too?”
“Do the police have this?” I watched him closely.
He gave that stupid shrug again. “Nope. They won’t get it either. Not right now. They’ll march through CYBER-MED and destroy everything. High tech is precarious. One whisper of scandal, and investors get very squeamish. That company could be worth a fortune some day, and I will not risk it.”
My head swam with facts, figures and fears. Sleep was no luxury; it was a necessity.
I patted Candy’s back. “I’m going home. Tomorrow, after I’ve had some sleep, we’ll discuss this.”
“Stay here, Betts. Your place might not be safe.” Candy’s lip quivered as if tears weren’t far away.
“I can’t leave Della alone. Don’t worry. I promise to take a cab.” I hugged my friend and started for the door. Lucian Sand was right behind me.
“Don’t be absurd. My car is right here.” He kissed Candy’s hand and gave her a half bow. “I will take Mrs. Buckley to her door, I promise.”
Exhaustion claimed me, making me pliable for a change. I meekly followed him to his Porsche and climbed in. My eyes closed for just a second. When they opened we were parked outside my home on Commonwealth Avenue.
“How do you know where I live?”
He opened the car door and helped me out. “I know more about you than you’d ever believe.” He squeezed my hand as if he had a right to and guided me up the stairs to Della.
“I’ll take that disc now,” he said.
The man infuriated me. How dare he intrude on my life? Intrude? That’s way too mild. He had stomped into my life, demanding things I could never give. He had no right to do that, not when Kai’s memory was alive. I didn’t want or
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