by Ann Raina
“They took you away from her.”
She nodded. “For three months, I lived in an orphanage. It was an awful time. I can’t describe it any better. I started hating my father, and I hated the system for taking my mother away from me. She was innocent!”
“Was her innocence proven?”
“Yes. But still.” Her brows twitched and her face showed disgust. “You know how people are treated when neighbors know they were in jail. They’re considered outlaws, no matter how often you tell them that you were innocent. We had to leave my hometown. I lost all my friends.”
Michael waited in silence until she was able to continue. Her voice sounded on the edge of tears, but she didn’t cry.
“I made a new start at school. My mom got work and for a while everything was peachy.” Alyssa shook her head. Bitterness crept into her voice. “I met a guy at high school. He was clever, taught me how to use a computer and we spent lots of hours surfing the Internet. But I didn’t know that he wanted to control everything around him like he controlled his programs. We had too many fights to count and still it was hard to leave him.” For the first time, she looked at him. “Sounds stupid, right? A girl should know when a man’s bad for her.”
“You thought you had found someone to trust.”
“Yeah, we were all young and made mistakes. You know, he stalked me for months, kept records of where I went and with whom. It was frightening.”
“But you got rid of him?”
“I fell in love with another boy. Older than he.” She smiled wickedly. “A bad fella. He was a bruiser. No good for nothing, but he showed Derek the door.”
“At least good for one thing.”
“But it didn’t last.”
“Let me guess. He made one mistake too much.”
“And went to jail, yes. I was alone again.” She emptied her mug, but kept it in both hands as if to hold on to something and took a deep breath. “Since I knew much about computing, I took classes at college, put myself under pressure for best grades and such and hoped to never meet a stupid man again.” Again, she shrugged. “A girl can hope.”
He put back his mug. “We all hope. It’s part of our nature.”
“Hmm, you mean, by now I’ve found a tough bruiser intelligent enough not to end in jail?”
“I take the intelligent part and leave out the rest.” His smile meant encouragement. She was worth loving. In the back of his mind, conscience urged him to stop flirting and do his job. “Are you sure you’ve never seen those guys before?”
“Do I look like someone who knows people with guns?”
“No, but…I don’t think it’s a coincidence they waited for you in a dark alley with a hood and cuffs handy.” He eyed her—as he hoped—non-threatening. Just curious. “What have you done that makes you a target for kidnappers?”
Alyssa swallowed and turned her head away.
“Please, Al, I got no problem with smashing some bad guys to pulp. I just want to know what’s cooking in the pot. Will they try again?”
She didn’t answer him, but pulled up her legs, staring forlornly into her coffee mug.
Michael made an effort to lean forward. His bruised body protested. He flinched and caught his breath before he spoke again. “Alyssa, it’s clear as mud that you’re in some serious trouble. Somehow. I don’t know why, but I’d offer help if I knew how.” He touched her arm. “You know you can’t go back to your house, don’t you?”
She stared at him, shocked.
“It’s far too dangerous. They didn’t get you ten hours ago so why should they stop and pretend it never happened?”
Again, she swallowed and when she closed her eyes, a single tear rolled down her cheek.
“You can probably stay on the estate for some time. Until dust settles, I mean.”
“Hide?”
Michael pulled her close, needing the contact as much as she did. “No, it’s not hiding, it’s being in safety until—” Until police find out about them. He didn’t say it.
She looked up in his face and nodded regretfully. “You still think it’d been better to call the cops, right?” She shook her head, brooding again until silence stretched to an unbearable amount. “I haven’t done anything illegal.”
The statement came out of the blue. Michael didn’t twitch, but waited for her to go on.
“I’m a secretary. I keep the books and the shop online. I take care of orders and make sure that customers get what they ordered properly.”
“I know.”
Alyssa took a deep breath. “And I do some computer work.” She lifted her chin when he kissed her forehead. “I told you, I’m a computer freak. And they know that.” She shrugged as if it didn’t mean anything, yet when she continued, her voice was glum. “They know that pretty well.”
“You write programs for Mr. Summerston?”
“Yes.”
“For the Internet?”
“Yes.”
Her relief was palpable. So far she hadn’t admitted any illegal act. Michael caressed the back of her head and nodded slightly, thinking of his next question. “Do you do work for others around, too?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are there more people taking advantage of your knowledge? Partners of Mr. Summerston, for example?”
“You mean Dave?” She smiled briefly. “Dave’s a dodo. He likes to decorate rooms and persons and always chirps about the beauty of flowers and satin laces. He doesn’t know a computer from a cupboard.”
Michael thought about pressing the subject. Why won’t she admit Kamal to be with Summerston? “Is it a big business?”
“Getting bigger since I manage the online shop. Mr. Summerston didn’t know much about this market. It’s very profitable and the only thing you need to worry about is the safety of shipping the bottles.”
“But customers come around to fetch them on their own, right?”
She kissed the tip of his nose. “Certainly, dude. Why are you frowning? Is there anything wrong with the business that you know and I don’t?”
“Are you sure Mr. Summerston only deals with wine?”
Alyssa stiffened in his arms and the smile was blown away. “Sure,” she replied but didn’t manage to relight the smile or find an assuring tone. “And he helps Lady S with the wellness farm.”
“I bet he’s good at what he does.”
“Sure is.” She slipped from the bed, pretending to search for a bagel in the bag.
He’d bet she wasn’t hungry anymore. “Are you such a super brain that someone will snatch you from him?”
She lowered her head, thinking.
Michael knew she needed to talk to someone and that he got the chance to squeeze her for information. Then why do I feel like a miserable liar?
“No super brain. Just good.” Another shrug. “I write the programs they need and do uploads and such. It’s a piece of cake.” A smile came and went quickly. “At least for me.”
Michael thought for a moment, then shook his head. “Alyssa, by all means, this is about more than just writing some freakin’ programs, right?”
“But no, why—”
“Come on! They were very specific they wanted you, not me! They didn’t even take the advantage of getting me boxed in for blackmailing you! What’s going on here? What makes you such a valuable tango…target?”
She dropped the bagel back into the bag and spun round to him, eyes small slits in an angry face. “Who are you, Matt? Why’re you so fuckin’ interested in what I do for a living?”
“I’m always interested when my girlfriend is almost abducted and I’m almost shot!”
“There’s more! I know it!” She stabbed a finger at him. “When we talked about Habib, you said that Mr. Summerston fired his personnel at will! No one except military uses this word! And now this! Tango! What kind of word is this? Who the fuck are you?”
Michael cursed himself for negligence. He had had her and now she reversed positions. He breathed loudly, annoyed o
n purpose. “My father was an officer. He’s long gone. But some things always remain. But that’s not the question here! I’m willing to help you, but not blindly. Tell me what you do! What did those fuckers in the alley hope to gain by kidnapping you?” Her anger washed away and left her with fear of the unknown. She wanted, needed to trust someone. When she looked at him again, she read genuine interest, even love in his eyes. At least, that was what he wanted to read. “Please, Al, talk to me. A fight in the alley’s one thing, but I can’t protect you if I don’t know against whom you’re fighting.”
“I’m not fighting, Matt.” She shook her head, miserably, and put down the bagel again. Exhaling, she sat on the bed once more, flinching at his battered face. “I got this job, you know, and in the beginning, it was just like I said. I kept the books, I proposed online sales and George went for it with guns blazing. He spoke highly of me. It was so wonderful to be regarded worthy. Finally, there was someone praising my work. I had studied so hard, you know.” She shook her head. “I knew, this wasn’t meant to last.”
“You’re a crack and that’s a good thing, Al. I wished, I knew so much about computing. All I know is where to switch it on. “ He triggered a small, quickly vanishing smile. “What happened when he knew you’re so good?”
“There was another man. I had only seen him a few times before. He gives me the creeps.” She covered her face with her hands, wiped it and dropped the hands again. “I know, he was up to something, and when George told me to write a program for him, I… Well, I didn’t want to know what it was for.”
“What kind of program?”
“Network. Hidden within the Internet. Special codes. He started out simple and told me to modify it bit by bit.”
“George Summerston?”
“Yes, at first it was George. The other one showed up now and then, but George did all the talking.”
“And the other guy? What kind of guy is he?”
“Unfriendly. I wished I had nothing to do with him.”
“An American?”
“No.”
We are talking about Kamal. “Did you write all the programs they needed?”
“Sure.” She nodded, dropped her shoulders and looked like a lost child.
It wasn’t hard for Michael to imagine her as a teenager, robbed of her friends. The only solution was to get lost in studies to become a lonely genius. “Did George tell you why he needed these programs?”
“He said it was better if I didn’t know too much.” She met his eyes. “You think, that’s why the goons in the alley wanted me?”
“It’s a possibility, right?”
She swallowed hard. “I should never have taken this job.”
“No, I guess you should.” He pulled her in his arms, adding an amiable smile. “I knew it the moment I saw you. My Lord, I thought, I’m going to meet the most intelligent and interesting and lovable lady around.”
She tried to return it. “You weren’t thinking any of this.” She searched his face.
He used the chance to pull her back for a more heartwarming kiss.
“Oh, Matt, I wished everything could be healed with a kiss.”
Chapter 15
The news of Matthew Hathaway’s absence due to an accident reached Lady Summerston with the first tea. She sat at the desk, read the note twice and gnashed her teeth. Within two minutes, she summoned Peter to bring her George Summerston.
When he arrived—Peter like an escort one step behind him—he was irritated enough to slam the door shut, not bothering that Peter had to jump to the side. He brought order to his dark blue polo shirt and marched up to the desk. His face had reddened and his voice reflected hardly restrained anger. “Would you mind, my dear sister-in-law, to explain your unusual behavior or shall I assume you just had a bad night and need some poor stooge to throw a tantrum?”
She looked up coolly, covering her inner turmoil. Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture was a perfect background to her emotions. “I want this bitch Moreno fired. Today.”
* * * *
George Summerston stopped, his mouth open. He had expected much, even new slander against the foreign staff members, but this was beyond him. In an angry gesture, he stubbed his cigarette in the ashtray on the coffee table. “Alyssa? Why the hell should I do this?”
“I told you in the beginning, you shouldn’t hire her, but you wouldn’t listen.”
“And the point is?”
“She’s making out with one of the boys.” Lady Summerston drummed her fingers on the tabletop, seeing George smirk. “I told her they’re off limits!”
George regained his composure. This wasn’t about Kamal and his recruits, which was a nice change from the usual fights they had led the last weeks. He stood straighter, pursing his lips to stand his ground. “I won’t do it.”
“I demand it!”
“No!”
She stood in one fluent motion and slapped her palm on the desk. “For God’s sake, George, she’s just a fucking secretary and you’re gay! So why even think about keeping her? Is she making out with all of the staff? I want her out!”
“Why don’t you tell your precious boy to drop Alyssa?”
She made a dismissive gesture. “You don’t understand. He’s but a man. He can’t think straight when it comes to a willing pussy.”
“My lord, Kate, your language!”
His irritated grimace was lost on her fury. “I don’t give a rat’s ass if you like to hear what I say! She can’t stay here! So go and tell the whore she needs another job!”
He stepped closer again, flinching when the trumpets got louder. “Don’t you listen, Kate? There’ll be no pink slip. I need her. She’s valuable and just great at what she does.”
* * * *
Lady Summerston’s eyes narrowed. The dragon was about to spit flames. “Every fucking secretary could do what she does or is there some special service she delivers you haven’t told me of yet? Something Dave can’t?” She realized with glee that her brother-in-law lost his defensive stance. She had obviously hit a vulnerable spot. “George? I demand an answer!”
* * * *
George Summerston thought of his options. He could lead this argument on till the end of winter next year, but the only consequence would be that Katherine fired Alyssa herself, claiming she had the right to do it. Pressing his lips tight, he searched his breast pocket for another cigarette to light it with trembling hands. Why is Kate always so difficult about things? He squinted through the cloud of smoke. “All right, I tell you, but afterward, there’ll be no more quibble about it.”
“Quibble?” Lady Summerston snorted and shook her head vehemently. Her voice lowered to a threatening growl. “George, who do you think you are? The owner of this estate? Don’t be mistaken! If I wanted you out, you’d have to go. Don’t forget it!”
He lowered his chin, exhaling. A voice in his head said that Patricia Dellman was responsible for Kate’s renewed fury. He wished he could keep this bitching woman from visiting the farm, but she was as depraved and horny as the rest of them! He had seen the clash coming and still felt as if pressed in a vice. “We agreed on me leading the wellness farm, including employees and—” He paused, grimacing, when the trumpets and drums reached their crescendo and the bells made a conversation impossible. Lady Summerston didn’t bother to turn the volume down. The guns boomed while she waited for him to continue. He took a deep breath, willing his voice to remain calm. “I hired Ms. Moreno because she doesn’t only know about Word texts and Excel charts. She’s a crack when it comes to the Net so why should I fire her, for God’s sake! Tell your boys to stay away from her and everything’s great again.”
“This conversation is going in circles, George. You either reveal what Alyssa does no one else can do or I will have her fired. Today. Even if I have to use force.”
George was taken aback by her fierceness. Never before had he seen her so upset. Belatedly, he realized that the man Alyssa had laid was one of her favorites. He sighed inwar
dly and drew on his cigarette. Women, hormones, jealousy. What a toxic mix! “Listen, I don’t want to waste time to train another secretary when the one I got is the best I’ve ever had. I promise to talk to Alyssa as soon as she arrives, okay? I will get this matter handled to your convenience.”
“She hasn’t reported in yet?” Lady Summerston glanced at the clock on the shelf. “She’s late.”
“She works odd hours so I don’t mind her showing up later in the morning.” He wanted to leave. He wanted to sit down for breakfast and forget about his sister-in-law, Kamal, and troubles with employees who couldn’t keep their flies closed. The matters at hand were difficult enough without a callboy gone rogue on his precious secretary. “I promise, Kate, this will be resolved.”
Lady Summerston sat down again, lips a tight, unfriendly line. She pulled the sleeves of her light gray blouse in place, a rash, angry gesture. The overture was over and the Waltz of the Flowers from the Nutcracker took over. “You better do this. There’s no way I will allow fraternization among the employees.”
Especially not if you have a crush on him yourself. “I agree.” He took a deep breath. “Anything else? The cook changed the menu. You should try a meal. They’re delicious.” When she only glared at him, he shrugged and left.
* * * *
Lady Summerston stared at the closed door, still upset, still dissatisfied. George had not revealed Alyssa’s importance to his business so she had to take a detour to find out.
* * * *
Alyssa’s hands were shaking when she ran downstairs to the basement to enter George Summerston’s second and much smaller office behind the larger one in the front after pulling her swipe card through the slit. She rushed to his desk, speaking while she put her hands on the tabletop. “I was attacked last night! In an alley. Downtown, DC!”
George frowned, immediately alarmed. The news hit him like a brick. He stood up behind his desk. “Are you all right?”
