Page 64 of A Flower for Angus

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POPPY SLIPPED THE KEYinto the door of the sleek, chrome two-story building and opened the door. “I wonder where the guard is?” she murmured uneasily, looking around. “He must be making his rounds.”

Angus slipped the folded piece of napkin he’d taken from Andrea’s dinner table and folded it into an even smaller square. Then he slipped it between the door lock to keep if from closing completely. Just a precaution in case Vince wanted to check on them later. They had prearranged it while Poppy was freshening up.

Every instinct Angus had was on high alert. The knife he’d taken Julian’s study was in his casual dress boot for easy access. He hadn’t known Poppy had a 9mm or he might have asked for one himself, but it was too late for that now. If there was any trouble, they would search him first anyway for a gun. That might give her a few moments to reach into her purse if needed.

The low lights in the foyer cast shadows from the dark corners where the light didn’t reach. All was quiet. Too quiet in his opinion, as if a pall of doom hung heavy in the atmosphere.

The clicking of Poppy’s low heel on the gleaming silvery tiles of the floor made him wish she’d worn something with a soft tread, like his boots.

The reception desk was silent as they passed, no machines humming, no fingers pecking on keyboards or phones ringing. There were only a few security lights for the guard above the hallways and the elevator straight ahead.

“Is Julian’s office upstairs?” Angus hissed in her ear, making her suddenly jump.

“You scared the crap out of me, Angus. Yes, but why are we whispering?”

“For the same reason I want ye to take yer shoes off and take the stairwell,” he whispered back. “It’s so quiet in here it’s like the silence is screamin’ at me. Where’s yer guard?”

“I don’t know,” she said uneasily. “When I was here, the guard stayed in the foyer and did a security check of both floors on the half hour, which took about 15 minutes. If that’s still the schedule, he should be back by now, so he’s 10 minutes late. It’s almost 9:00 p.m. Just because that’s the way it was doesn’t mean things are still the same though.”

“I think we should call the police and ask for an escort through the building,” Angus said uneasily. “It doesn’t feel right.”

Just as Poppy seemed ready to agree, the elevator dinged and the doors slid open with a soft hiss. A young woman stepped from the elevator and smiled at them. “Hello, Mrs. Condoloro, I’m Abby Nesbitt, one of the board members. Nevil sent me down to escort you to Julian’s office. The security guard called in sick tonight so we didn’t have anyone in the foyer to meet you. I’m so sorry about that.” She came forward to shake hands with Poppy.

“Oh yes, Abby. I remember you now. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I didn’t realize you were going to be here. Nevil didn’t mention it when he called me today. This is my friend, Angus Sangster.”

Angus held out his hand as he eyed the pretty young blonde in a sharp business suit. “It’s a pleasure to meet ye, Mrs. Nesbitt. Ye’re a mite young to be on a board of a corporation aren’t ye?” If he had to guess, he’d say Abby Nesbitt wasn’t out of her twenties yet, but some young people were highly motivated and driven these days, especially in the corporate world.

“It’s Miss Nesbitt, but you can call me Abby. Thank you for the compliment, but somedays 35 feels ancient,” she replied with a soft chuckle. “Please, this way.” She held the elevator for Poppy and Angus to get on, and with one swift sweeping glance around the lobby, she stepped inside and hit the button for the second floor.

It was the smear of red on the collar of her cream jacket just beneath her ear that had Angus’s instincts twitching. Was it lipstick? Or was it something else. The elevator doors slid open and she waved them out. When they traveled the few steps to the office door, Angus put a hand on Poppy’s arm to hold her back from entering the doorway. With a gallant sweep of his arm, he motioned Abby through before them. “After ye, Miss Nesbitt.”

“No, after you, Mr. Sangster,” she replied coldly as she drew the gun from inside her suit jacket pocket and pointed it at them both.

Poppy gasped. “What are you doing?”

She eyed Poppy with disgust. “It’s really too bad you chose to bring your friend with you tonight. It’s a complication I could have done without, but then I’ll manage. Now get inside, both of you.” She waved the gun at the doorway and stood back. “Don’t try anything, I won’t hesitate to kill you immediately,” she warned Angus.

***

WHEN ANGUS FOLLOWEDPoppy into the interior of the office she gasped in shock. In the low lights they could see Nevil Hanrahan lying back in the office chair with a bullet hole in his forehead.

“What’s going on?” Poppy cried. “Did you kill Nevil?”

“No, you did,” Abby spat back at her. “If you hadn’t decided to stick your nose in and come back to run the business, he would still be alive. As it is, you and he got into an argument and he shot you and your friend, but not before you got one shot off and killed him. Nice little ending, don’t you think? Especially when they find out Nevil was the one who embezzled the funds from the company.”

“And did he?” Angus asked grimly, glad he’d turned his cell on silent and set it to record just before they came into the building.

“Of course not,” Abby snorted. “He’s not clever enough to do that.”

Beside him Angus could feel Poppy trembling. He glanced sideways to see her face was pale but a determined light in her eyes. She might be afraid, but she wasn’t down for the count yet.

“But you are,” Poppy said decisively, stiffening her back. “Were you and Adrian in this together? Did you both kill Julian as well?”

Abby laughed and then jeered, “Adrian was a weak, pathetic fool. His rich father gave him everything life had to offer. Julian bailed him out of trouble time after time and then he gave him the company...everything that I should have had. No, Adrian never even saw me coming.”

“Ye killed Adrian and Julian,” Angus guessed, trying to keep the woman talking. It was obvious she’d been planning all of this for a long time. The light of insanity and obsession was evident in her eyes. He knew she was going to kill them both, it was just a matter of time. Bracing himself, he watched for his opportunity.

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