Quinn (The Waite Family) by Kathi S. Barton Page B

but old habits die hard. She smiled when she thought of her husband and his inventive ways of trying to get her to drink out of a glass again. He was a wonderful, sexy man. Alyssa’s phone ringing had her reaching for it before she remembered her secretary.
    “Howard Corporation, how can I help you?” She winced when she saw Quinn come in the door with her hand on her hip. With a whispered “Sorry,” she listened to the voice at the other end.
    “Who is this?” the caller demanded. “I’m looking for Alyssa, that rich woman. Can you tell me how to contact her?”
    Alyssa put the phone on speaker and waved Quinn over.
    “I’ve been trying for a damned month. I got an appointment with her and I’ve not been able to speak to her about it.”
    Quinn shook her head and pulled out her cell while Alyssa talked. “I’m sorry, sir, did you say you had an appointment? If you would just tell me your name then I could see where to direct your call. I know for a fact that appointments are—”
    “What you should do, girly, is put the president on the line. I’ve got an appointment with her and she won’t be none too pleased to know that I’ve been put off.” He huffed at her. “As I’ve said, she’s expecting me to call her.”
    Drew came in the door and he was on his phone as well. He was talking in hushed tones and handed Alyssa a note as he continued. “Keep him talking,” was all it said. She raised a brow at him. Seriously, this was his advice? She rolled her eyes and spoke to the caller.
    “Okay, tell me your name so that I can put the call through. Alyssa doesn’t just let me put calls through to her unless I give her a name.” Drew gave her a thumbs up. She was going to break it off when she got off this call, she decided. “And if you can give me a little information about what you had the appointment for, maybe that’ll narrow it down for me.”
    The man on the phone huffed again. “I ain’t doing your work for you. You just put me through the line and I’ll try to speak kindly about you when I speak to her. I doubt it’ll do you much good, but I’ll give it my best.”
    Alyssa just bet he would. She debated for all of a minute then leaned back in her chair. Anger made people stupid and she was betting this guy had it in spades. The stupid part, she thought.
    “No.” She waited a full ten seconds before she continued. “No, I’m not putting you through, you pompous windbag. Appointment? Really? That’s the best you can come up with?”
    “Now you see here, you’re not talking to me that way, young lady. I’ll have you know that she and I go way…” He took a deep breath before continuing. “I’ll not explain myself to you. Put the damned bitch on the fucking phone,” he yelled at her.
    Alyssa grinned. “My, my. You sure have changed your tune, haven’t you? Not only do you not have an appointment, you probably can’t spell appointment. What is your name?” she demanded right back.
    “Brian Sa—” The line went dead. Alyssa pressed the speaker button to disconnect the humming noise.
    She looked up at the several people now crowding her office. “I guess I made him mad. Does someone want to tell me what the fuck is going on?”
    Quinn sat in the chair across from her and then Drew. The other people, mostly security, just milled about the room. Alyssa could ignore them for now. She wanted answers.
    “Somebody called my office earlier this week,” Quinn started. “He said he had some money he wanted to donate.”
    “I don’t take donations, not unless it’s at a fundraiser for another foundation. This company funds its own charities. What did he say he wanted to do with the money?” Alyssa was sure she wasn’t going to like her answer.
    “He got mad at me because I wouldn’t give him any information about you. He wanted to speak to you and then when I refused, he hung up.”
    Alyssa sat back and looked at her. Quinn was upset, but so was she. She should have been