through a few other items. “A note to call Carla. A photo of Carla standing outside her new art gallery, and an announcement of the opening of the gallery. Carla’s last name is the same as your last name. It wouldn’t take much guesswork to figure out she’s your sister, and everyone knows younger sisters are occasionally pains in the ass, especially when they’re good-looking. It’s all here, Gwen. Everything Madame Zoltana revealed to you was revealed to her first by someone who went through your purse.”
“You’re absolutely right,” Guinevere breathed. “That explains everything. It also fits with my theory of her having an inside person at Gage and Watson. I left my purse in my desk drawer several times yesterday and again today. It would have been very easy for someone to have a look through it.”
“Yeah.”
“But what about you, Zac? She knew about you, too.”
He grinned. “What did she know about me? Use your head, Gwen. Whoever works for her at G and W probably saw you meet me for lunch yesterday. It wouldn’t have taken any great psychic power to figure out that you and I are seeing each other for some nonplatonic reasons.” Especially not after the way you kissed me in front of that turkey who was trying to make a pass at you as you got off the elevator, Zac added to himself.
“What about the danger she hinted at?”
“That was the hook, the bait to make you return for a few more visits. Vague references to danger are probably standard operating procedure for her. By the next time she would have learned even more about you.”
Guinevere’s mood lightened several degrees as she assimilated his logic. “Yes, it all makes sense. What a racket. The thing is, Zac, she’s really very good. She creates this odd atmosphere that is very convincing.”
“Good con artists are all very convincing. They have to be in order to make a living. Ready to eat?”
“Mmm-hmm.” Guinevere followed him back through the kitchen door, wondering why she hadn’t told him everything Madame Zoltana had said. For some reason she didn’t want to examine too closely, Guinevere didn’t want to bring up the fact that Zoltana had warned her she would soon feel fear around Zac. And Guinevere didn’t want to think about the other warning, the one that implied she might not be able to trust Zac when the chips were down. The problem was, she had let Zoltana get to her, allowed the woman to prey on her imagination. Gullible Guinevere.
“You know, Zac,” she said as she set the table, “you look cute in an apron.”
Chapter Four
It was touching, Zac decided the next day as he interviewed Evelyn Pemberton, really touching. When he thought of how hard Guinevere must have worked to avoid sending him a bright-eyed, sexy little ex-cheerleader, he got a nice, warm feeling deep inside. Somewhere in the vicinity below his belt to be precise. The notion of Guinevere going out of her way to make certain he wouldn’t be put in any danger of being seduced by a sweet young thing amused him no end. After all her hard work, he almost hated to have to tell her that Evelyn Pemberton was exactly what he’d had in mind from the beginning.
Already he was beginning to relax around Mrs. Pemberton. No doubt about it, the woman inspired confidence. He could envision her already seated at the desk in the outer office of the new suite upstairs, organizing the daily business and calming clients. The fact that she could type was simply an added bonus, as far as Zac was concerned. He couldn’t wait to put everything in her hands.
“Mrs. Pemberton, I think this is going to work out beautifully,” he announced with satisfaction after only fifteen minutes of interviewing. “Free Enterprise Security will be moving upstairs to its new offices on the twentieth. I’d like you to start on that date. Now, Gwen tells me there are some tax forms we have to fill out.” He scrabbled around in a desk drawer trying to find them as he spoke.
“You’re absolutely right,” Guinevere breathed. “That explains everything. It also fits with my theory of her having an inside person at Gage and Watson. I left my purse in my desk drawer several times yesterday and again today. It would have been very easy for someone to have a look through it.”
“Yeah.”
“But what about you, Zac? She knew about you, too.”
He grinned. “What did she know about me? Use your head, Gwen. Whoever works for her at G and W probably saw you meet me for lunch yesterday. It wouldn’t have taken any great psychic power to figure out that you and I are seeing each other for some nonplatonic reasons.” Especially not after the way you kissed me in front of that turkey who was trying to make a pass at you as you got off the elevator, Zac added to himself.
“What about the danger she hinted at?”
“That was the hook, the bait to make you return for a few more visits. Vague references to danger are probably standard operating procedure for her. By the next time she would have learned even more about you.”
Guinevere’s mood lightened several degrees as she assimilated his logic. “Yes, it all makes sense. What a racket. The thing is, Zac, she’s really very good. She creates this odd atmosphere that is very convincing.”
“Good con artists are all very convincing. They have to be in order to make a living. Ready to eat?”
“Mmm-hmm.” Guinevere followed him back through the kitchen door, wondering why she hadn’t told him everything Madame Zoltana had said. For some reason she didn’t want to examine too closely, Guinevere didn’t want to bring up the fact that Zoltana had warned her she would soon feel fear around Zac. And Guinevere didn’t want to think about the other warning, the one that implied she might not be able to trust Zac when the chips were down. The problem was, she had let Zoltana get to her, allowed the woman to prey on her imagination. Gullible Guinevere.
“You know, Zac,” she said as she set the table, “you look cute in an apron.”
Chapter Four
It was touching, Zac decided the next day as he interviewed Evelyn Pemberton, really touching. When he thought of how hard Guinevere must have worked to avoid sending him a bright-eyed, sexy little ex-cheerleader, he got a nice, warm feeling deep inside. Somewhere in the vicinity below his belt to be precise. The notion of Guinevere going out of her way to make certain he wouldn’t be put in any danger of being seduced by a sweet young thing amused him no end. After all her hard work, he almost hated to have to tell her that Evelyn Pemberton was exactly what he’d had in mind from the beginning.
Already he was beginning to relax around Mrs. Pemberton. No doubt about it, the woman inspired confidence. He could envision her already seated at the desk in the outer office of the new suite upstairs, organizing the daily business and calming clients. The fact that she could type was simply an added bonus, as far as Zac was concerned. He couldn’t wait to put everything in her hands.
“Mrs. Pemberton, I think this is going to work out beautifully,” he announced with satisfaction after only fifteen minutes of interviewing. “Free Enterprise Security will be moving upstairs to its new offices on the twentieth. I’d like you to start on that date. Now, Gwen tells me there are some tax forms we have to fill out.” He scrabbled around in a desk drawer trying to find them as he spoke.
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