By the time she’d determined the best time interval, it was nearing 1600. Only an hour left before she could go home.
Anders appeared at her elbow. “How’s it going? Do you need any help with anything?”
“I think I’m figuring things out, thanks.”
“Good. I expected that. You’re a quick study. Oh, looks like you have company. I doubt she’s coming to see me.”
Dani looked up to see Althea coming her way like a bad dream.
“Can I help you with something? Did you lose your way again?”
“Oh no. I came here to see you, dear. I need someone to show me where I can get a nice coat. It’s much chillier here than it was in Australia, and I didn’t pack well, it seems. You don’t have anything important to do, do you? I cleared it with your boss.”
“You talked to Dr. Brant?”
“No, I talked to her boss. Dr. Seebak, was it? He said he could find someone, but I insisted on you.”
Dani just barely managed to keep from rolling her eyes. She thought about turning her down flat, but Kat had suggested she find an excuse to talk to her. Maybe this was a good time. Besides, she was important to their investigation.
“Let me put these things away. Give me a few minutes.”
She took off her lab coat and exchanged it for the jacket she’d worn in. “I guess we can go.”
They rode the slidewalks to the tube station.
“What’s next in your father’s case?” Dani figured she might as well keep up to date.
“I have access to most of his accounts. I can’t imagine releasing the amount of money they’re asking for, though.”
“You’re hoping the kidnapper will negotiate?”
“He has to, if he wants his money. Let’s not talk about that. It’ll all work out, I’m sure. I need a nice coat now. What store here in Seattle has good quality clothing? I don’t want to wear anything ordinary.”
“I haven’t even lived here a year.”
“But finding out the right stores should be the first thing you do. How about a Cilësi shop? You must have one of those. It’s not the best, but they’d have something suitable, I’m sure.”
Of course Althea would shop at Cilësi, where a simple button-up blouse cost three times Dani’s monthly salary.
“Yes, we have one. We’ll have to head downtown.”
While Althea tried on coats and admired her appearance in the holographic mirrors, she told the shop clerks to “find something for my friend. And pour her some champagne. She needs to relax.”
Dani reluctantly changed into a navy swoosh-neck shirt with a slant hem, paired with teal-toned vari-color slacks. She sipped champagne from a fluted glass.
“You look darling. Let me buy it for you.” And before Dani could say anything in protest, the cashier had registered the purchase. “Now try these on.”
“I can’t take these.”
“Of course you can. If you think you can’t, you need more champagne. And let’s find you a necklace and some shoes.”
In the end, Dani had three new outfits, complete with shoes and accessories. Althea had two new coats. “I can’t tell what the weather is going to do in a place like this. So inconvenient to have to deal with all the uncertainties. Feels positively rustic.”
Dani was still not sure how she ended up walking out of the shop with two full bags of clothing and a small bag of makeup, samples of which had been expertly applied to make her look like someone entirely different. But she felt good.
Althea had selected one outfit for her to wear out of the store. “You can’t be seen in your old clothes.”
Dani laughed. “I don’t know where I’ll wear these. My clothes work fine for the lab. I wear a lab coat over them all day anyway.”
“They’re very practical, dear. You can wear them anywhere. And the makeup does wonders for your eyes, which needed some brightening up. You must realize that. You don’t want to look mousy.”
Dani suspected there was an insult hidden in Althea’s words, but she was feeling too good to work it out. “I don’t know what to say.”
“It was no trouble at all. It’s Daddy’s money. He won’t miss it.”
Whatever Dani had expected when she left the institute, it wasn’t this. It was a strange feeling, but decidedly not unpleasant. She had to admit she’d been enjoying the day.
“Now, where do you go to have fun? We’re going to show off your new look at the best places tonight. Do you have a boyfriend? I’m going to have Lex meet us, and we’ll need a boy for you too.”
Dani’s mind went blank. She hadn’t really spent time with anyone but Lexil lately. Maybe Anders? She still had his number. Somewhere.
“You want me to go where with you?” Anders asked.
Dani laughed. He was so funny. “The best places! Althea wants to take us out. Lexil is coming. She said I need a boy. Can you be my boy?”
“As fun as it sounds, I don’t think Ellie would like that.”
“Ellie?” A faint memory broke through the fog in her brain. “She has a desk next to yours?”
“Yeah. We’ve been seeing a lot of each other. I’ll tell you more at work tomorrow.”
“Oh. Well. That’s nice for you! I’ve gotta go now.”
She broke the connexion and giggled. “He’s already got a girl. Can’t be my boy.”
“You must have some guys you spend time with.”
Dani nodded. “You’re right! I spend time with Lexil.” She thought about it. “Too much, y’know. I didn’t see Kat at all for three weeks. Maybe four.”
“Lex? That’s right. He mentioned that. He told me you were like a sister to him.”
“Sister.” She remembered how much they talked. He was easy to talk to. Yeah, that sounded right. “He’s like my brother. He shouldn’t’ve kissed me, though. That’s not right, y’know.”
Althea took her by the elbow to balance her. “You should sit down. Have you had anything to eat today? I think that champagne is going to your head.”
“I had lunch, I think.” She laughed. Everything was funny today.
“Let’s find you a boy and then we’ll get something to eat.”
“I can ask Silas, maybe?”
“That sounds good. Why don’t you give Silas a call, and I’ll check on Lex.”
It turned out that Silas had no plans, and he said he’d ride along with Lexil.
“They’ll be here in ten minutes,” Althea said. “Shall we get a table?”
When Silas and Lexil arrived, Dani stood up and threw her arms around Silas. “He returned her hug with a laugh. “What brought this on?”
“She’s had some champagne. More than she’s used to, I gather.”
Dani spotted Lexil. She remembered being upset with him, but seemed silly now. He had such a cute smile, and he was always doing nice things. She reached up to hug him. He seemed surprised, she thought, but he gave her a light hug back. She whispered—louder than she meant to—in his ear. “I figured it out. We’re like brothers. Sisters. Brother and sister.” She giggled. “Althea is so much fun. I thought she was a meanie, but she’s not.”
She felt woozy and sat down with a thump. “Oops.”
Althea smiled and patted her hand. “Don’t worry about it, sweetie. You’re even cuter when you’re tipsy. Let’s get you something to eat.”
“And some water,” Lexil said. “She may be cute, but she’s going to need a RELEEF patch before she goes to bed tonight, even if we get her hydrated.”
“I’m right here.” Dani pouted. “You’re all talking about me, but I’m right here.”
“I’ve got some.” Silas patted his shirt pocket. “Always bring some when I go out for the evening. You never know who might need one.”
Lexil shook his head. “No, you really never do.”
DANI’S APARTMENT, First Hill, Seattle, WA. 0700, Thursday, September 14, 2215.
Dani groaned as she rolled over in bed. Her eyescreen was flashing, and she knew it wouldn’t
stop unless she got up. Finally, she gave in and went to splash water on her face.
“Mirror,” she said to the viewwall in the bathroom. The reflection that stared back at her had eye makeup smeared down her cheeks and reddish eyes. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. She was a little ashamed that it had come to needing a RELEEF patch. She had to remember to thank Silas for that. She didn’t even want to think about what she’d be feeling if it hadn’t been for him.
The evening’s recollections were hazy, but she remembered the highlights. She had eaten a delicious meal. She couldn’t remember the names of the foods, just that she’d never heard of any of them before. After a decent interval, when the room stopped spinning, she had danced with Silas, feeling happy to be with him. And when she watched Lexil dance with Althea, she wasn’t bothered by it at all.
It had to have been the champagne that helped her accept that so readily, because it bothered her now, thinking back on it. She acknowledged that she’d been eager to get closer to him. Deep down inside, she had enjoyed that kiss. But that was in the past. She had to move on.
She showered and got ready for work. She decided to wear one of the outfits Althea had gotten for her yesterday, a periwinkle blue one-piece with a flex collar. She felt like a new person, a different Dani. She applied the makeup—a little lighter than she’d worn it for the evening, but considerably more than she was used to—and gave herself an approving glance in the mirror. Althea was right. She was tired of being mousy. She gathered her stuff to head for work.
She hoped Silas would forgive her for being a little flirty last night. She’d have to stop in and see him, just to make sure everything was cool between them.
Despite a dull headache, she felt hopeful. Her life was looking up. She was so glad Althea had come to town.
RIACH LABORATORIES, Alki Beach, Seattle, WA. 0815, Thursday, September 14, 2215.
Silas was out when she got to the Temporal Disturbances lab.
“Getting coffee, I think, and don’t you look amazing this morning!” Zaidee twirled her finger. “Turn around, let me see the whole effect.”
Dani complied, pivoting around a full circle. She was enjoying this kind of attention, and she felt good. Maybe she’d get a haircut too. Halfway around the turn, she spotted Lexil along the back wall, looking her way. In her new frame of mind, she no longer felt compelled to avoid him. In fact, if he kissed her right now, she’d just laugh and brush it off.
She waved. He nodded in greeting, and came out to see her.
“New outfit?”
“Yeah. What do you think?”
“It’s nice. What do you think?”
“I love it. I’m glad you told Althea to take me along when she wanted to go shopping.”
“I’m glad you’re glad, but I didn’t actually tell her that.”
“Or words to that effect. Whatever you told her. Also something about me being like a sister to you, I think she said.”
He flushed, barely noticeable. Or maybe it was just the lighting. “I wanted her to like you. I wanted you to like her.”
“Oh, I do! I totally misjudged her. I had her all wrong.” She smiled, warmly, comfortably.
He returned her smile. This was how it should be.
“Dani, Silas is back!” Zaidee called from the other end of the lab.
“There’s my dance partner! How’re you feeling this morning?”
“Great! Thanks so much for that RELEEF patch. I know I overdid the champagne.”
“You were fine. Better than fine! Just havin’ a good time. And whooee—Lookin’ good this morning!” Before she knew it he had grabbed her hand and twirled her, catching her gently in the small of her back and dipping her until she almost touched the floor before bringing her smoothly back up. He was a tremendous dancer. It was easy to move with him.
Her limbs felt light. Even standing still, she could feel the beat of inaudible music. “I’ll gladly be your dance partner whenever you want. Just let me know. Probably won’t even need the champagne next time.”
“While you’re here, do you want an update on our anomaly?” Lexil swiped some charts to the main screen.
Why not? It wasn’t her concern any more. She was sure they’d figure it out. But curiosity was one of her more persistent traits.
“Any change?”
“No, but it’s stabilized. Marak is working his way up the chain, getting the right contacts. Said he’s met quite a bit of resistance, but he’s not giving up.”
“At least they’re not tossing him out and slamming the door in his face.”
“That would be something to watch.” He laughed. “Just try that with Marak. Not the sort of person you want to trifle with.”
“I know what you mean. Beneath that goofy exterior lies a relentless journalist.”
“Or vice versa,” he said. “I’m never sure which.”
The time changed on her eyescreen to 0835. She blinked to turn it off. “I’d better get upstairs. There’s a backlog of investigations to work through, and we’re shorthanded.”
“Okay. Enjoy yourself. And drop in whenever you want.”
“I second that,” Silas said. “We all miss you.”
“Since last night?” She winked at him.
“Yeah, you know it. Especially since last night.”
She waved to the rest of them on her way out of the lab, to Chali, to Patyl, to Zaidee. It was nice to be missed, but she had work to do.
She had barely made it to her desk when a message came through to see Dr. Brant as soon as possible. She pulled out her lab coat and put it on while she was walking.
“Dani. Come in, sit down. How are you doing on that backlog? Do you think you can have it done by the end of next week?”
“Easily. I got through a third of it yesterday.”
Dr. Brant nodded. “I remember how fast you were. I want you to know how much we appreciate the help. A lot of cases are waiting on evidence. Which reminds me. I was going to ask you if you’d be willing to testify as an expert witness when they need verification of what you’ve found.”
Expert witnesses had become essential in criminal investigations ever since the ban on recordings that could be played in court. “I’d be honored. Let me know if you need me.”
“We may need you in the Morgan case. Detective Rayes asked if you could be certified, since you have already seen so much.”
“What do I need to do to get certified?”
“I’ll have Anders get you set up for that, if you’re willing. I think it would be a good career move for you.” She pulled out her worktablet. If you have no objections, I’ll need your signature here and here—she pointed—so we can get started.”
Dani finger-signed. “Is that all?”
“There’s one more thing. I need you to keep this entirely confidential. Don’t discuss it with anyone but Detective Rayes, Althea Morgan, or me.”
“Of course.”
“Althea received a death threat this morning. She’s going to be hiring a bodyguard, but she sounded pretty shaken.”
“That’s terrible. What kind of a threat was it?”
“It was broad-stroked. Let me read you the exact wording. Ah, here it is. ‘Pay the ransom or face the consequences. How much is your life worth?’ is how she reported it.”
Dani nodded. “Sounds pretty serious. She was balking at paying the whole amount, I know.”
“Yes, I know. Dani, she’s going to need a friend to get through this. And she asked for you.”
“I’ll get in touch with her. I’ll be done with the most urgent stack in a few hours.”
“Good, she’ll be coming in with Detective Rayes again just before noon.”
Dani’s estimate turned out to be right. She had finished the last of the priority scans and made the necessary notations to the files by 1130. She met Detective Rayes and Althea as she passed by the lobby.
“I’m headed back up to CIS. Are you two going my way?”
“We’ll walk
with you.” The detective fell into step, with Althea just a bit behind them. Dani glanced over her shoulder and slowed a little to let her catch up.
She didn’t know her very well at all, but she seemed much more subdued than she had been either at their first meeting or last night.
“How are you doing? I heard you had an unwelcome message.”
“Unwelcome.” Althea laughed, but there was no humor in her laugh. “Yeah, you could say that. It’s got me pretty unsettled. I was determined to hold firm on the ransom demands, but now I’m not sure.”
Detective Rayes stopped walking and whirled around. “I think it’s best if we keep our voices low. Even in a place like this, there’s no telling who is listening.”
He glanced up and down the hall, and then he continued, his voice near a whisper. “I know you don’t like negotiating with a kidnapper, but I want to remind you there is no shame in paying the ransom. Many of the cases I’ve worked end up going that way. It’s all about what is most likely to keep your father alive long enough for us to track down the kidnapper’s location. Even that message could help us do that. The more times your kidnapper communicates with you, the better our chances.”
“Aren’t you supposed to ask for proof of life or something?” Dani asked, matching his low tones. “Has he provided anything like that?”
The detective nodded. “That’s next on our list. Since Althea just got into town, we hadn’t had a chance to respond to the ransom demand yet. Now, with the threat, we’re moving up our timetable.”
“I understand. What can we do for you here at RIACH?”
“I don’t need anything right now. I was just coming by to drop off some items for another case.”
Althea sniffed. “I got a hold of him before he left and told him I wanted to come over here, but I didn’t have a bodyguard lined up yet.”
“So I said I’d escort her. She should be safe enough inside the building, and her bodyguard will meet her here when he’s selected.”
A Chronetic Perspective (The Chronography Records Book 2) Page 12
