THE WILDE TOUCH: Book Two of The Touch Series

by Stoni Alexander

  Before leaving reception, Alexandra glanced over her shoulder as Larry pecked his wife’s cheek before she scooted inside an elevator. As soon as the doors closed, Larry pulled his phone from his pocket, his thumbs flying over the keypad. Who couldn’t you wait to text, Larry?

  The two women entered Crockett’s office and Ellen closed the door. “Before you begin, I’ll need your signed consent.”

  “For what?”

  After Ellen sat at the conference table, she opened one of two manila folders. “You’ll have access to propriety information. By signing this form you agree to the following conditions: All documents are property of Wilde Innovations and remain in this office. You won’t photograph anything. You can’t discuss any of the information with anyone besides Crockett Wilde, Decker Daughtry and myself.”

  Alexandra tossed her coat and gloves on the sofa, sat next to Ellen, read the form and signed.

  With a smile, Ellen handed her the second manila folder. “Your list. I anticipated you’d want to review personnel files of terminated employees, so I have those. You can see them one at a time. If you need to review a current employee’s file, I can request it from HR.” She rose. “Any questions?”

  “No, thanks. I’m good.”

  “I’ll be at my desk if you need me. Happy hunting.”

  Just before Ellen left, Alexandra said, “Actually, I do have a question. What can you tell me about Larry Berry?”

  “You’ll have to be more specific.”

  “Does he work late a lot?”

  “Three days a week he picks up one of his children from child care. I know because we leave at the same time.”

  “How long has he worked here?”

  Ellen paused. “A few years, at least. I can check with HR if you need specific dates. Crockett might know. He has a good memory for that sort of thing.”

  “Larry mentioned he was recently promoted,” Alexandra said. “Would you consider him a satisfied employee?”

  “I guess. Any reason you’re asking?”

  “Maybe. I’m not sure. Thanks for your help.”

  With a smile, Ellen left.

  Alexandra flipped open the folder. Wilde Innovations employed over one hundred and fifty full-time salaried personnel and thirty part-timers. Over the past eight years, twelve resigned and five had been terminated.

  Alexandra focused on the five terminated individuals. She jumped on the Internet and began her detailed search. The first employee had passed away over a year ago. The second had retired to Florida. The third was a government analyst by day and a local musician in the evenings. Alexandra didn’t think the two living people had motivation to sabotage Wilde and crossed them off her suspect list.

  The door opened. She expected to see Ellen. Instead, Crockett entered. His piercing baby blues bore into her and her heart skipped a beat. So handsome. So sexy. So mine.

  The air grew thick. She had the strongest urge to run to him, throw her arms around him, and never, ever let go.

  But in true Mitus form, she shot him a sultry smile. “May I help you?”

  “Yes. You. Can.” His deep voice sliced through the air, her insides clenched with desire. With his gaze pinned on her, he closed his office door, removed his overcoat.

  She whistled. “Looking good.” His tailored navy suit, white dress shirt and bold pink tie melded against his solid frame. While clothes may make the man, this man needed no additional assistance.

  His swagger oozed confidence. His smile halted her breath, but it was the intensity in his eyes that confirmed she was his, in every way. She rose, eager to touch him, feel his mouth on hers, his arms holding her against him.

  He closed the gap between them, drew her into his arms and kissed her. Her insides tingled all the way down to her toes. This man could undo her with the simplest touch. He kissed her once more before releasing his hold.

  “How was your meeting?” she asked at the same time he asked, “Making any headway?”

  Instead of sitting behind his desk and attending to emails, he sat next to her and gave her his undivided attention. “Good meeting.” He hesitated. “I spoke with Max Buchard and refused to redo the interview. Did he tell you?”

  “He fired me.”

  Anger clouded Crockett’s sky blue eyes. “It’s my fault. How can I fix—”

  “The network forced him to bring me on board, but it wasn’t working out.” She fished the thumb drive from her handbag. “Gavin said you called him. Thank you for thinking of this.”

  “After speaking with Buchard, I had a feeling you’d need that.”

  “Reconsider doing the interview with Stacy, for Sophia’s sake.”

  “You know how much I love and miss my sister, but I won’t be manipulated into doing something. Max has no integrity. And doing a story about a girl who’s been missing over a decade won’t bring her home.”

  She caressed his arm. “Please don’t dismiss anything.”

  Sadness shadowed his expression, but he redirected his attention to the open folder on the table. “I’ll give it some thought.” She didn’t believe him, but didn’t want to press the subject further.

  “How’s this going?” He spun the folder around. “Norris was a good man. Sadly, his drug addiction got in the way of his ability to do his job. I paid his rehab bill. Never heard from him again.”

  She closed Norris’s folder. “I met Larry Berry’s wife today.”

  “Roberta, right?”

  “Yeah. If I touched you in public, how would you respond?”

  “You’re going to have to narrow that down. Are we at the movies? At dinner? At a work event?”

  “Work event.”

  “Again, babe, it would depend.”

  She smiled. He’d called her ‘babe’. “Let me explain. Larry Berry’s wife was sweet and affectionate toward him, but he appeared uncomfortable.”

  “Maybe he’s not into public affection. Some people are private. I kissed you in my office because we were alone. If you’d been in reception, I wouldn’t have.”

  “Well, darn, I was hoping for the big make out scene right out there in the open.”

  He chuckled. “Do you think you’re being overly suspicious?” He paused. “Never mind. Your hunch about the club was spot-on.” Crockett’s cell phone rang. “Excuse me. I’ve got to take this.” He answered. “Hey, Danny.”

  After reviewing the roster, she grabbed the folder and left Crockett’s office. Ellen was pulling on her gloves. “You ready for the fifth folder?”

  “Please.” They exchanged folders. “Please make sure you give Crockett that one before you leave.”

  “Will do. Thank you for your help.”

  “Of course.” Ellen slung her handbag over her shoulder and headed down the corridor. On the way back into Crockett’s office, she wondered if Larry would be staying late since he was too busy to take care of his own children. She dropped the folder on Crockett’s desk, then rushed out. As she rounded the corner, she caught a glimpse of Larry hurrying toward the exit. As soon as he punched the elevator button, he began texting. Alexandra glanced at the time. Five thirty-five. What’s the rush, Larry?

  She returned to Crockett’s office and stopped short. With his back to her, he stared out the window at the evening sky. He’d removed his suit jacket. She appreciated his broad shoulders, long torso, and that amazingly hot ass. Crockett Wilde was a whole lotta yummy.

  “Not the news I wanted to hear, but I appreciate the heads up.”

  Feeling like she’d walked into a private conversation, she eased into the chair at the conference table and flipped open the HR folder.

  “Yeah, dinner sometime sounds good. Give Allison my love.” His hand dropped to his side. He didn’t even bother hanging up. “Dammit. Dammit.” He joined her at the table. Darkness tinged his bright eyes.

  “What did he say?”

  “Danny heard back from the source selection committee. The unofficial, off-the-record word is that they aren’t going to recommend
we advance to Round Three.”

  “I’m sorry.” She squared her shoulders. “I’m not giving up. That means you aren’t either.”

  “This is one fight I’m not going to win.” He exhaled a harsh breath. “Why’d you run out?”

  “Keeping an eye on Larry.”

  He eyed the open folder. “Making progress?”

  She stared at Ruth Lizzard’s photo ID stapled to the inside pocket. Her long brown hair and heavy bangs hung like a tarp, her expression deadpan.

  “Damn,” she muttered.

  “What?”

  “I spotted Larry at a coffee shop getting cozy with a blonde.”

  “So?”

  “For starters, his wife is a brunette. I was hoping it was Lizzard, but this isn’t the woman I saw with Larry.”

  Agitation swept over Crockett’s face. He grabbed his laptop, banged something out, and swung the computer around. “Is that who you saw him with?”

  Alexandra stared at the photo of the short-haired platinum blonde. Her big curls flowed up and back, the elegant style unforgettable.

  “That’s definitely the hair, but the woman had her back to me. I didn’t see her face. Who is that?”

  “Ruth Lizzard.”

  27

  The Hospital Visit

  The following morning, Alexandra kissed her man goodbye before he left for work, checked in with her mom, and called her former boss in LA. While he was disappointed things didn’t work out with the affiliate station, he wasn’t surprised. She checked Incognito’s website and her heart dropped. No change. The club was still closed.

  She left the condo and drove to Wilde Innovations. While she had her money on Larry Berry, she needed to play this coy. She entered the suite, set her phone on Do Not Disturb, and asked the receptionist to contact Ellen. The ever-efficient assistant whisked her into Natalie Floyd’s office for her first fake follow-up interview. When finished, Natalie dropped her off at Decker’s office.

  “C’mon in,” he said.

  She closed the door and sat across from him. “Is Ruth Lizzard’s blackmail relevant to what’s happening here?”

  “It could be. I don’t mind telling you. I’m bisexual. She saw me at a bar with a man and threatened to out me if I didn’t convince Crockett to give her the Veep spot.”

  “So, she’s super manipulative. Was she always like that?”

  “No, about a year ago she underwent this major transformation. Clothing, hair. Her face, too.” He shrugged. “She was on vacation for two weeks and returned to work a different person. She changed her long, dark hair to short blonde curls. Her clothing went from unremarkable to upscale. She dropped some weight, too. I don’t usually pay attention to those things, but in this case, it was extreme. I remember her telling me she would do whatever necessary to land that VP spot.”

  “Do you think it’s possible Larry’s behind the recent product failures?”

  “Our software’s complexity would make that a challenge. I’m not sure Larry’s got what it takes to override the code and then conceal his work. Ruth, however, could pull it off.”

  “Thank you, you’ve been super helpful.”

  “Crockett said your hunches are spot-on. I hope you’re right. We can’t afford any more failures. Let me know if you need anything else.”

  She rose. “And for the record, anything you tell me—”

  “You have Crockett’s back. I trust you now.”

  “Thank you for saying that, Decker. Can you take me to Larry’s office, please?”

  “You’re welcome to go wherever you need. You don’t need an escort.”

  “Which direction is it?”

  He pointed. “Three doors down.”

  She opened his door. “Thanks for your time.”

  “You’re the first journalist I actually trust. Don’t prove me wrong.”

  On the way to Larry’s office, she typed a text to her mom. “I’d like to take you to your next doc appt and we can have lunch together. I love you so much.” She tapped on Larry’s open door.

  With a grin, Larry said, “C’mon in. I’m ready for my close-up.”

  She sent the text and relaxed into the chair across from his cluttered desk. “No cameras today. Just a few follow-up questions.”

  “You betcha. Whatever you need.”

  “What I need is a phenomenal memory.” She set her phone on the table and pressed the record button on the app. “I’d like to record our conversation.”

  “I’m not comfortable with that.”

  “Standard procedure. Otherwise, I can’t quote you. And I’d hate to cut you from the segment altogether.”

  His eyebrows flew up. “Oh, go ahead then.”

  After asking Larry to paint a picture of his career path at Wilde, she sat back and listened. His answers didn’t interest her but his body language did. When he finished, she reminded him of his comment. “Ruth Lizzard is the brains behind Wilde’s QA Division. Can you expand on that?”

  At the mere mention of her name, he smiled and sat tall. “She’s phenomenal.”

  “Tell me about her contributions.”

  In a heartbeat, Larry became animated and his face flushed like a teenager in love. He talked longer about her accomplishments than his own. Alexandra Reed had hit the mother lode.

  “As a journalist, I’m always in search of my next story. I’d love an introduction.”

  He cleared his throat. “We don’t keep in touch.”

  Sure you don’t. “Well, darn. I’ll have to call her office cold then. She sounds like someone I’d like to interview. A real take-charge kind of lady.”

  He beamed. “She sure is.”

  Alexandra rose. “Larry, you were the exact oomph the story needed.”

  On her way back to Crockett’s office, Alexandra tapped off the recorder and checked Incognito’s website for the second time that morning. Still closed. Dammit.

  As soon as she swiped off the Do Not Disturb, her phone blew up with texts and missed calls. The first one was from Crockett. “I think this text was meant for Kimberly, but I’ll respond. I don’t have a doc appt, but my dental cleaning is coming up. You can take me to that. Lunch with you, anytime, babe. I love you, too. So much.” Following his text was a big smiley face.

  She burst out laughing. I said it. No turning back now.

  The next text was from Colton. “Mom in hospital. She’s OK. Left you a message. Talked to Crockett. See you soon.” Adrenaline shot through her and she took off toward Crockett’s office.

  Crockett powered down the hallway with Alexandra’s coat, handbag and gloves in hand. As they drew close, worry shadowed her beautiful face. “What happened?” she asked.

  “She fell.” He helped Alex on with her coat and handed her the gloves.

  “How?”

  “I’ll tell you on the way.”

  At the elevator bank, he punched the down button. “Kimberly had difficulty getting out of bed and couldn’t find her balance. They’re doing a brain scan to check for recurring tumors.”

  Her shoulders sagged. “Oh, no.”

  The doors opened and they squeezed into the crowded elevator. Everyone else filed out at the lobby level, but they continued down to the underground parking.

  “Thank you for dropping everything for me.”

  Pulling her close, he kissed her temple. “What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t?”

  Her sad smile shredded him. Falling in love shouldn’t be filled with so much angst. They climbed into his truck and he drove out of the parking garage. For several moments, they rode in silence while Vivaldi’s Four Seasons played softly in the background. “We’ll know more once we’re there.” He clasped her hand. “Would talking about your morning help distract you?”

  Leaning over, she kissed his cheek. “Probably. I don’t know. Maybe.”

  “Give it a try.”

  She gave his hand a little squeeze. “Larry thinks he’s in love with Ruth Lizzard. He doesn’t have motive, but she d
oes.”

  “And you think she’s behind my product failures?”

  “It’s a possibility. Decker is convinced Larry’s not smart enough. But he thinks Ruth could have done it. Could Larry have given her access to the system?”

  “Absolutely.” He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “This fucking pisses me off.” He exited the G.W. parkway and merged onto the beltway, thick with traffic. She stroked his shoulder, alleviating some of his billowing anger.

  “I’ll call Ruth tomorrow for an interview and hope her ego takes the bait.”

  “Isn’t that risky? You don’t work for the cable station.”

  “She doesn’t know that.”

  “If Ruth did orchestrate this, she’s as crazy as she is dangerous. Please be careful.”

  They passed an accident, already moved to the shoulder. Moments later, they pulled into the Inova Alexandria Hospital parking lot and rushed inside. Though Kimberly perked up when they entered the room, her sallow cheeks and glassy eyes were a definite sign she wasn’t okay.

  Colton rose from the chair next to her bed and hugged them both. “Thanks for getting here so quickly.”

  “Of course.” After hugging her mom, Alexandra sat on the edge of the bed and held her hand. “What happened?”

  “The doctor called it ‘an episode’,” Kimberly said.

  Colton’s phone rang. “It’s the movers.” Stepping toward the door, he answered. “Mitus.”

  Crockett kissed Kimberly’s cheek, then sat in the chair Colton had just vacated. “What happened?”

  “I stood and lost my balance. The nurse claims I was incoherent.” She tossed a nod in the direction of a walker next to the bed. “My newest accessory. Colton’s guesthouse is ready, so I’m moving.”

  “That’s great news, Mom.”

  Colton walked back in. “Mom, I’m meeting the movers at your place.”

  “Thank you, son. When do I get out of here?”

  “The doctor wants to keep you another day.” Colton kissed his mother’s cheek. “Don’t worry about a thing. We’ve got this. Your job is to relax.”