Landslide

by Robin Mahle

  But instead of stopping, he only kissed her more, making Claire burst out with laughter once again.

  ***

  The alarm clock on the bedside table began its incessant beeping. Claire didn’t need much help rousing, having only been half asleep anyway, and she quickly pressed the off button. Her growing concern over Beth’s unreturned calls last night continued to haunt her, staving off any real sleep.

  Claire sat up on the edge of the bed and turned to see that she had not disturbed Colin. It was far too early for anyone else to be up, but she had a flight to catch and the drive to the airport would be brutal if she didn’t get out ahead of traffic.

  A brief, but pleasant smile spread across her lips as she recalled the pleasurable encounter she and Colin had shared last night. It was late by the time the kids were in bed and she usually packed it in not long after, but instead, they’d decided to build on the momentum from earlier in the evening.

  In those moments, when they forgot about money and jobs and friends in trouble, those were the moments when passion caught up with them. It didn’t happen all that often anymore and sometimes they found themselves performing solely out of obligation. But not last night and it was the morale boost she needed to get through the day. A day that she’d hoped would go well and that would also bring a much-needed call from her presently absent friend.

  ***

  Traffic had already become obscene by the time she left and was only now arriving just in time to board. Claire raced into the terminal at Sea-Tac Airport. She’d hoped to grab a coffee and bagel to settle her nerves, but there was no time for that now.

  The monitors on the wall flashed in hues of blue, white, and grey, all indicating if flights were arriving or if they’d be late. She searched for her gate, but didn’t see it listed. Her plane had to be there by now. The flight was due to leave in about thirty minutes. Still, there was no Gate P101.

  Claire walked over to the information counter. “Excuse me, I’m looking for Gate P101. Can you tell me where that is?”

  The woman behind the counter wore a TSA uniform in a manner that could only be considered ill-fitting. The too-tight shirt pulled at the buttons and her large bosom threatened to be exposed if she sneezed, but she was very pleasant in her reply. “That’s the private terminal, ma’am. You’ll need to take the tram over to the south side. From there, you’ll find a pedestrian walkway that will take you to the entrance of that satellite terminal.”

  “Private terminal?”

  “Yes, ma’am. You know. Corporate jets, private jets; that type of thing.”

  “Oh, I see. Thank you.” Claire high-tailed it down to the train station that would take her to the other terminal. Damn it, I should have looked last night. She’d assumed the flight would be first class, but had no idea it was a private plane. It started to dawn on her just how wealthy Evan Winters was, or at least, how the company had afforded such luxurious assets.

  Funny thing was, she didn’t have Winters’ cell phone number, so unless he had hers and wondered where she was, there’d be no way of contacting him. She only hoped there was enough time.

  If Claire McKenna hadn’t been intimidated before, she most certainly was now. Arriving in the private, or “executive” terminal thrust her into a world of which she knew very little. A world where money seemed of no consequence.

  When the glass doors glided back, they revealed a positively gleaming facility, with plush chairs, docking stations at each one, three elegant cafes and, outside on the runway, she saw several bright and shiny private planes, glistening in the sun’s early morning beams.

  Ahead only a few more feet, she spotted Evan Winters. He was on his phone, maybe trying to track down Claire’s whereabouts because when he saw her, he mouthed something quickly into the phone, then hung up.

  “I was starting to get concerned, Claire.” Evan approached her and extended his hand.

  She returned the greeting. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize the gate was in this terminal. I hope I haven’t caused any problems.”

  “No. Of course not. You made it just in the nick of time. Please, follow me.” Evan led the way to the gate where he handed his boarding pass to the attendant.

  Claire followed suit and proceeded with him through the concourse that led outside. From there, the plane was only a few more steps away. Claire knew absolutely nothing about private planes, but this one looked like it could have been owned by Bill Gates or someone of equal wealth. Warren Buffet, maybe?

  “Have you ever flown on a Gulf Stream, Claire?”

  Of course, he had to know she hadn’t, which put her off a little that he would make such a statement. “No, I’ve never been on a private jet before.”

  Evan led the way up the stairs and into the cabin. “This is a G450; seats eight and has several creature comforts, including a bed for long-range flights.”

  Claire tried hard to control the fact that she was impressed. This was a stunningly beautiful plane. Huge leather chairs, tables, plush carpeting. And she hadn’t made her way to the back of the plane yet. “It’s very beautiful. You own this?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted asking the question. It was very presumptuous on her part. “I’m sorry. That’s none of my business, sir.”

  He smiled and shook his head. “Evan.” He continued on to a seat where he directed Claire to sit. “And no, I do not own this plane. It’s actually just a rental. And no, I don’t always fly privately either. It’s just that when the job requires, some clients prefer to know that they’re dealing with a firm, particularly a financial management firm as we are, that is on par with their own idea of success. As you know, Envirotech is our biggest client and they want to know they’re dealing with a company of similar standing, if you will.”

  “I understand.” Claire clasped her hands in her lap, pressing her lips together in a tight, slightly self-conscious smile.

  “I see you brought a bag with you. Don’t suppose you happened to bring a change of clothes? If not, I can have the driver take you down to a shop and pick up something. I got a call just before I spotted you earlier from Higgins’ assistant. He wants to arrange for dinner and drinks tonight. Will that be a problem for you?”

  “Not at all. In fact, I considered the possibility and I did bring something appropriate for dinner. But, we will still be returning tonight?”

  “Yes, of course. It’ll be late, but we’ll be home before the dawn. Glad to know you’re prepared, Claire. That’s a sign of a good leader.”

  She considered for just a moment bringing up the investigation, but decided this wasn’t the time. Perhaps later, after he’d had a drink or two and a good meal, he might be more willing to speak on the matter. Maybe she would have the guts to ask after a drink herself. “Oh, I haven’t had a chance to thank you for the lovely flowers and champagne. That was much too generous, Evan. Thank you.”

  The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, creasing his sultry eyes.

  Claire looked away for a moment, suddenly bashful, like a young girl. A feeling she hadn’t felt in a very long time rose in her cheeks. A clearing of her throat and she regained her composure, turning back towards him.

  “Of course. I’m thrilled you liked them. I do hope you and your husband enjoyed the champagne. It’s one of my favorites.”

  ***

  They arrived in San Francisco at 9:30, the flight having lasted roughly an hour and a half. Claire felt a little more relaxed now, as she and Evan had discussed things outside of work matters for the duration of the flight. He seemed to know how to put her at ease and she figured that was one of the reasons he was so successful. He put clients at ease with the fact that Winters Financial had access to much of their corporate records and accounts, including highly confidential financial matters. That’s what it meant to be a risk management firm—reducing risk through audit and analysis of clients’ systems. Reducing a client’s anxiety had to be top priority.

  “The meeting starts at 10:30. Why don�
��t we head in that direction and maybe stop off for a quick coffee and just hit the bullet points on the agenda?”

  Claire had a pretty good idea of the details of the meeting, but going over it again wasn’t a bad idea, considering they had a few minutes to spare.

  Envirotech had arranged for a car and as Claire and Evan proceeded inside the terminal, a driver, wearing the obligatory black coat and white collared shirt, was holding a sign that read WFC.

  “That must be our ride.” Evan said, approaching the driver. “Good morning. Evan Winters and Claire McKenna with WFC. Can you recommend a nice café where we might grab a coffee before our meeting?”

  “Certainly, sir, if you’ll follow me.” The driver took Claire’s carryon and led the way towards the waiting Lincoln Town Car. “Ma’am.” He opened the rear passenger door.

  “Thank you.” Claire slid onto the soft black leather seat that had been comfortably worn in. Her long legs, clothed in the best pants suit she owned, pulled in slowly behind her. She felt a prolonged look fall from Evan’s eyes as she lifted the tall heel of her shoe over the car’s frame until finally situating in her seat. He was either questioning the quality of her attire, or wondering what she might look like beneath it. Claire wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt.

  “Are you ready for this?” Evan asked, slipping into the seat next to her.

  She hoped that her warm and confident smile would disguise the nerves that were growing inside. She’d been to countless client meetings, leading most of them in recent years, but never one this important, and with a man who was proving to be a master of masked intentions. “Yes, sir. Ready as I’ll ever be.”

  ***

  Lucas Abbott rested his feet on his desk as he discussed the impending changes looming at the firm with a friend from the second floor. The intern, who’d been brought on last summer, was about to graduate from Lucas’ alma mater and seemed to admire the man’s achievements so early in his career.

  Lucas desired the company of those who looked up to him; it gave him a sense of accomplishment. “I can’t believe they’re looking for the Salt Lake guy to handle Claire’s accounts. I’ve been here four years. Started right out of college. I don’t know, dude, sometimes I wonder if it’s worth all the hours I put in.”

  “Yeah. That’s not right, but what can you do?” The intern shrugged his shoulders as he sat perched on the edge of Lucas’ desk.

  Charlie was approaching in the distance and Lucas yanked his feet from the desk. “Better get back to work. I’ll catch up with you later, man.” He motioned for the intern to take leave. The kid obliged.

  “Charlie? I didn’t think you were due back until tomorrow.”

  “Nope. Today. I need you to put together a report on the remaining items to be completed for the Sea-Tech account, per their contract. They’re holding back on re-signing, and rightly so, I’m afraid. So I want to see what’s left to bill on their existing contract. Can you get me that information in the next few hours? I’ve got a conference call with them at 4:00.”

  “Absolutely. No problem at all, Charlie. Oh, I hear Claire’s with Mr. Winters in San Fran today, meeting with Envirotech. You’ve already handed that one over?”

  The look on Charlie’s face seemed to suggest his absence at the meeting was not of his choosing. “Looks like it. Claire will do a fine job, I have no doubt.”

  “Of course. I’ll get working on that information for you.” Lucas knew when he’d crossed a line and it seemed as though he’d done so with Charlie just now, as evidenced by the irritated tone in his voice.

  “Thank you.” Charlie took his leave, returning in the direction from which he came.

  Lucas heard the buzz of his cell phone from the pencil drawer beneath his desk. When he retrieved the phone, he pressed the button to turn on the screen. A text message. “Scheduled for 6:00 tonight. Stand watch.”

  “It’s on now,” he said.

  ***

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Paul Higgins more impressed by anyone, Claire, including me,” Evan said as he and Claire were returning to the guest office.

  “Thank you. I do think he and I were able to connect pretty well. Must have been the mention of my father’s work.” This was where Claire had an in with Higgins. His company, Envirotech, depended on research in the area of climate change and green solutions. That just so happened to be her father’s area of expertise, of which he spoke at many energy conferences. She’d read much of his work in the years since his passing, becoming familiar with his research, and was able to speak to it with some intelligence as it related to Envirotech’s products.

  “Had I known about that, I’d have had you involved with their account much sooner. I believe Charlie has been hiding away his little gem.”

  Claire twinged slightly at the suggestion that she was under some sort of protection by Charlie, although maybe she had been. He was very much a father figure to her, having lost his only child. But if so, what was he protecting her from?

  “It’s almost six now. Why don’t you get changed in the washroom? I’ve got a few calls to make and some emails to respond to. We’ll be meeting Higgins at the restaurant in The Vitale in about an hour. Just a couple of drinks and maybe some appetizers or dinner, if you’re hungry, then we’ll head off to the airport. I’d like to be back in Seattle no later than midnight.”

  Midnight? On a school night? “Okay. I’ll freshen up, then. I’d like to check in with the office as well.” Claire glanced at her watch. “See you in bit.” She retrieved her bag and headed towards the bathroom adjacent to the lavish accommodation they called the “guest office.”

  Claire hung the small garment bag over the hook on the door and unzipped it. She prayed the dress wasn’t in need of an iron. Although, as she glanced around the luxurious washroom, she spotted a cabinet with a sign above it reading “ironing facility.” Figures they would think of everything. It was almost offensive, the decadence of this building. For a company built on green solutions, it must have required a great deal of green to build. She understood now why Winters wanted the rented jet. He had to be sure Higgins knew they were successful and could still handle an account of their standing. Of course, Charlie was the one who initially signed them, but that was years ago, before the interest in environmental solutions became trendy. They’d obviously grown substantially since then. The thought of Charlie reminded her that she should check in with him to see how things went without her today.

  It was 6:15 and she wondered if he would still be in the office, but then recalled that he hadn’t gotten in from Salt Lake until this afternoon. I’ll try his cell.

  Claire pressed the call button on Charlie’s contact in her phone. It rang once, then twice and finally a third time before he picked up.

  “Hey, Charlie. It’s Claire. Are you still in Salt Lake?”

  “No, I got back earlier today, but I’m heading home now. I left about half an hour ago. How’s San Fran? How’s Mr. Higgins doing?” Charlie’s tone indicated nothing other than mild concern.

  “Well, we’re getting ready to head out for a couple of drinks with him and then we’ll be back on the plane and heading home. I’m hoping to be back at the airport before midnight. But, it actually went really well today. I’m sorry you weren’t here to pass the torch yourself. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to you, Charlie. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.”

  “Don’t thank me yet. Wait until Higgins gets a wild hair up his ass and starts hounding you to solve whatever problem he’s managed to concoct. But, listen, Claire; you keep your head straight, understand?”

  “Um, okay.” She didn’t really catch his meaning and waited for him to elaborate.

  “Winters is a powerful man with great means. And it seems you’re the soup du jour in his eyes right now, but that may not last.”

  “I’m sorry, but I’m not sure exactly what you mean.” She had an idea, of course, but didn’t like the inference.

  “Just watc
h your back, Claire. I’ve got to go. I’m pulling into my driveway now. See you tomorrow.” Charlie was gone.

  Watch your back? What the hell did he mean by that? This was exactly what she’d wanted to avoid. Corporate politics. Here she was, feeling happy about the rapport she’d begun to build with Higgins and Charlie had to dump all over it. He thinks I’m just Evan’s latest pet project? Bring the loyal, hardworking girl up through the ranks so she can be what, his plaything? This was crap and if Charlie was trying to hurt her feelings, he’d succeeded. She’d gotten here on her own merit—period.

  Time was slipping away and she still had to get changed. She would make a point to discuss this in further detail with Charlie tomorrow. But before allowing herself to get flustered even more, she had to try Beth again. With little time on her own today, now was her chance.

  Claire held the phone to her ear, waiting for Beth to pick up. Still…nothing. Damn it! Where the hell is she? Her frustration was now redirected towards an innocent Beth. She took a deep breath and considered for a moment why Beth wasn’t returning her calls. Her brow creased as she thought that maybe Beth’s lawyer hadn’t wanted her to contact Claire. But since when did Beth listen to someone else’s advice? But, the more she pondered it, the more she realized that this could very well explain the silence. What about the FBI? Sanchez and Huffman? Were they playing a part in this as well? Had they convinced Beth to cease communications until all this was sorted out? It didn’t make sense; not after their meeting on Friday night. They’d specifically asked Claire to keep watch. At any rate, it would have to wait until tomorrow. She would drop by Beth’s house and find out what the hell was going on. I’m worried about you. Will stop by tomorrow when I’m back in town. She sent the text.

  Claire slipped on the black cocktail dress; conservative, but still showing off her curves just a little. For a woman of thirty-seven with two kids, she felt pretty good about her appearance. It wasn’t easy.