Page 9 of Saving Serena

Time for another approach. “Call his wife, Lauren, then. She’ll vouch for me.”

He put the money back in his wallet.

This was the worst possible time to learn that appearance mattered more than substance. I hoped a personal story wouldconvince this guy I knew the Covingtons. “We’re close friends, and Lauren told me the first time she met Bill, she spilled coffee on him in front of the elevator and didn’t even know who he was.”

Gus’s eyes brightened. “I was here for that.” He picked up the phone and dialed. “Mrs. Covington, Gus downstairs. I have a Serena Benson here to see Mr. Covington.” He hung up. “She’ll be right down.”

I nodded. “Thanks.”

“Sorry, I thought?—”

I raised a hand to stop him. “I know. It’s supposed to look realistic.”

“My God, what happened?” Lauren’s almost shriek when the elevator opened drew more attention than I wanted.

“A man ran me off the road,” I confessed, looking around the lobby.

“That’s terrible.”

“Can we talk upstairs?” I asked.

She pushed the button again and held the elevator door open as I joined her.

“Car accident,” I explained when the door closed. “I need your and Bill’s help.”

“You should go to the hospital.”

“I already did.” The door opened on the top floor.

“They didn’t do a very good job,” Lauren said as she pointed the way.

The woman outside Bill’s office—Judy, by her nameplate—smiled when she saw Lauren. “He won’t be long. He’s interviewing the candidate for the Boston job.” Her face changed when she took in my appearance. “My goodness.”

I was having that effect on everybody today.

“This is important,” Lauren said as she opened the door and ushered me in.

I silently slipped into the office behind her, then stopped in my tracks when Bill’s guest turned around.

“What the hell?” my brother Vincent exclaimed as he rushed over.

“Ouch.” I winced at the hug he gave me.

He backed off at my reaction.

“Car accident. Sorry about my voice. I got hit in the throat.”

“What happened?” Vincent asked.

“Let’s all have a seat and talk this through,” Lauren suggested, taking my elbow.

I sat down, and my leg started shaking again. I’d already mentioned being run off the road to Lauren, so there was no avoiding the discussion.

I gave my brother my best glare. “You can’t tell Dad.”

Lauren gasped. “Why not?”

Vincent shook his head, but I knew he understood the source of my reluctance.

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