Page 5 of She's a Big Deal

“Thanks, Libby,” she nodded. “This orchid is gorgeous.”

The woman beamed in pleasure. “I am glad you like it. Can I do anything else for you today, Ms. Michaels?”

“Hmm…” Grace glanced at her watch. Could it be six P.M. already? Time sure did fly when you were busy annihilating the competition. “No, it’s okay. You can go if you like. Have a good weekend.”

“You too, Ms. Michaels.”

“And Libby?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you for your support during this latest campaign. You were a valuable part of the winning team. I love your outfit today, by the way.”

“Oh, thank you!” Libby flashed a brilliant, if slightly dazed, smile at such an unexpected compliment from her usually tight-lipped boss.

She hesitated and did look for a moment as if she may even attempt to deliver a hug. Luckily, she decided against it. It was well known among her staff that Grace Michaels did not engagein softie-softie interactions. Or waste time celebrating birthdays, for that matter. She was aware of the things people called her when she was out of earshot. A creative genius, for sure. But also cold, intimidating, and aloof, most of the time. Some referred to her as an arrogant, unforgiving, demanding bitch. Grace was not worried about any of it. She supposed that a woman like her, with serious skills, ambition, and a winning attitude, ran the risk of being called a lot of hurtful things. Sometimes especially by less talented, jealous women in her field. Grace had no time for petty jealousies and reflected with amusement that it must be the reason why it was her face on the cover of Time and not theirs. Anyway, bless the lovely Libby for daring to challenge the status quo with her thoughtful gift. As she watched the door close behind her assistant, Grace recalled a time when she actually loved birthdays. And Christmas, too, which was only weeks away now. She employed someone to buy seasonal gifts for the staff closest to her, but she might make an exception this year, and take care of Libby’s personally. Smiling at the idea, she picked up her phone to set a reminder. And almost dropped it.Oh…The sudden tightening in her chest made her gasp. It was immediately painful, and her heart began to race.No, no…God-dammit!As her legs trembled, Grace dropped into her chair and gripped the armrests tightly.Just breathe. Clear your mind and breathe.She squeezed her eyes shut, focused on catching her breath, first of all, and then on taking deep ones. A drop of sweat rolled down the side of her face as she fought to recover. She did manage it eventually, not quick enough for her liking, but it happened. Gradually, her body settled. Like a river out of control, the roaring in her head receded too. It was not long before her anger flared.

“For fuck’s sake!”

She tried to recall the last time a similar rush of anxiety had caught her unaware. It was at least a full year... So why now? Just because she took pleasure in thinking of buying someone a gift for Christmas? She hated to think she was still not over this stuff. Such a loss of control was unacceptable. Grace swallowed two paracetamol tablets from the emergency stash that she kept in her drawer since even a short episode like this could trigger a debilitating headache later on. Then she did what she did best: ignore the issue, especially thinking about its root cause, and concentrate on some work instead. Twenty minutes later, irritated at her inability to do so, she gave it up.Okay, now what?Dealing with too much energy in her system, probably. She was still pretty revved from the confrontation with Barnett. Also, it was Friday evening on her forty-ninth birthday. She had just won the business deal of the year. Yet, here she was, alone in her office and still hustling. Or trying to, and not faring very well. How ridiculous. Maybe she did deserve a treat, after all?

“Bet your ass I do,” she muttered.

She could have gone to the gym to blow off steam, but it would feel like a chore. No, she had something better in mind for tonight. Switching screens, Grace opened a new window and typed in:www.redencounters.com. Her pulse quickened, in a good way this time, as she entered her login details and watched a familiar greeting flash on the screen:Welcome back, Sky Dancer.No one used their real name when shopping for an escort online, of course, and Grace’s user name was a nod to her former life. She scrolled down the list of profiles until she reached the one she was after. The chance of Magalie being available on such short notice was one in a million, but this seemed to be Grace’s lucky night. She hit the booking button and made her selection from the drop-down menu which appeared.

Platinum package – All night. $2,000.Magalie, also not her real name, was one of the few escorts who could entertain her equally well on the dance floor and in bed. Without hesitation, GraceclickedConfirm.

chapter 3

Red Falls – Vermont

As Olivia Bianchi crawled into a dark, icy tunnel, the last thing on her mind was a night of sultry dancing and forbidden sex with a high-class escort girl. Dana Matthews, the local vet and her partner in crime at the animal shelter, flashed her own light from the other end.

“You see anything?”

“Yeah.”

“What?”

“Spiders with a grudge,” Olivia replied.

“Watch yourself.”

When it came to most other things, Dana was fearless. However, as small spaces were her kryptonite, when dark narrow tunnels were involved, namely some kind of old drainage pipe, Olivia got the job. She would not mind that at all, nor the spiders, if only she could locate the dog they had been told was here.Ah…Just as the thought occurred to her, she finally caught two small eyes in the beam of her flashlight.

“Got him,” she advised. “Oh, gosh, he’s only tiny!”

“Is it a puppy?”

“Yeah.” Olivia angled her torch away slightly in order not to blind him. “Tiny trembling pup.” She crawled closer. “Hey there, little guy. Hey… It’s okay.”

The puppy watched her approach with terror in his eyes, and Olivia noticed a couple of fresh scars on his side. He’d been hurt. No doubt someone had done this to him on purpose.Sick bastards.She hated violence of any kind. When against children and animals, it made her blood boil. She edged a bit closer still, torn between not wanting to scare him further and also keen to catch him and make him safe.

“It’s okay, baby. It’s alright. Shhh…” She reached out with the clean towel she carried. The puppy let out a silent bark and a pleading whine. “I know, I know. I got you,” Olivia assured him. “I won’t hurt you, I promise.”

Finally, she managed to scoop him up, crawled back out, and emerged into the weak afternoon sun.

“He really is tiny,” Dana reflected as she took her first look at him.

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