Page 14 of Wired Fear

Their weapons were not returned.

Chapter Ten

Sophie felt the pregnancy test weighing down her backpack as she walked into the Security Solutions office after her session with Dr. Wilson. The little white cardboard box she’d bought at the pharmacy almost seemed to be glowing, radioactive, advertising its presence through the nylon and her terrified conscience like a pulsing beacon.

Ridiculous. More of the depression talking, with its evil twin, anxiety. She didn’t have to listen to the lies; the real situation was challenging enough.

She’d taken the time to freshen up and brush her teeth and change her shirt at the motel after the session, and she’d needed every minute to pull herself together.

Sophie stowed the backpack on a door hook and walked around to her desk to check the schedule, neatly printed out from their shared online calendar by the ever-efficient Felicia.

Out in the reception area, she could hear Jake and Felicia’s voices rising and falling in that bantering, flirtatious cadence she was unable to participate in with any smoothness at all.

As she had remembered, a follow-up videoconference with their client Kim Kauwa was on the agenda. The woman was too busy to come in and meet with them, but Sophie needed to update her on some leads she had uncovered online regarding the money trail, and Jake’s impressions after visiting the physical location of the Festival.

Jake entered, carrying a couple of old-fashioned root beers in glass bottles, their long necks beaded with moisture. “Brought you a little something.”

Sophie had never seen anything look so delicious in her life. “Thanks, Jake.”

She snatched one of the opened bottles out of his hand, tipped back her head, and guzzled.

“Well, now I know what to bring you when you’re thirsty.” Jake sounded amused.

Sophie set the half-empty bottle down on her desk and burped from the carbonation, covering her mouth with a hand. “Therapy is thirsty work.”

Jake sat down in one of the two chairs fronting her desk, leaning it back on two legs as he sipped his root beer. “How did it go?”

“Like I said, therapy is work. Not fun.” She wasn’t about to fill him in any further.

“Last night was fun.” He met her eyes meaningfully, a grin lurking.

Her cheeks went hot, remembering last night’s passion. Clearly, he remembered it, too.

Jake would be angry and hurt if he found out that she and Alika had slept together, but the incident had happened before they were exclusive. She didn’t need to feel guilty!And hopefully she wasn’t pregnant and would never have to tell him.

The computer on Sophie’s desk contained a voice audio communication feature in lieu of an antiquated intercom, and Sophie depressed a button on her keyboard to speak to Felicia. “Hey, Felicia. Can you initiate a call with our client, Kim Kauwa? And bill any time incurred to the Hawaii Tourism Authority account, please.”

“Sure, boss.” Felicia’s voice sounded perky and agreeable, as she always did. Sophie wished she had even a fraction of the girl’s positivity.

Felicia seemed like a great fit for Jake. She was smart, energetic, pretty, and probably didn’t want a lot more out of life than a career, a white picket fence, and a couple of children…

Children.Augh! Sophie finished the root beer in a few giant swigs with her eyes on the computer’s screen.

Jake scooted his chair up to her desk and leaned his upper body into her work area. His low, concerned voice cut across her negative reverie. “What’s up? We had such a special time last night. What happened between when you left this morning, and now?”

Sophie shook her head mutely—there was too much to that subject to get into right now. She used her mouse to open up a new window in the client’s file, and the incoming conference call icon pulsed. Sophie picked up a pair of cordless headphones and put them on, handing another pair to Jake, and hit the Accept Call feature. She turned the monitor to take in Jake as well as Kim’s face appeared.

They greeted each other and exchanged social pleasantries.

“How’s it going so far?” Kim’s forehead exhibited a wrinkle between well-kept brows.

“I have been able to uncover a lead regarding the money trail online that I want to tell you about,” Sophie said. “But I also want us both to hear from Jake regarding his impressions from the site visit.”

“Yes, that was interesting,” Jake said. “I enjoyed touring the venue for the event. I can tell it’s well-attended, and the entire team putting it on seems very attentive and committed. The building and maintenance guy said security is pretty good with off-duty police officers, and only a few bathroom security concerns. I would like to know your impressions about the program manager, Ilima Cruz. She seems to be in a position to shunt funding wherever she wants it to go.”

“Yes, she is in that position. But I would swear that Ilima is completely honest and dedicated to the vision of the Merrie Monarch as a vehicle for the promotion and preservation of Hawaiian culture. She would never do anything to endanger the Festival; in fact, rumor has it that she lost her marriage over it because she was so dedicated and overzealous.” Kim looked like she might be a little overzealous herself. Dark circles under her eyes were visible even in the grainy video feed. Kim leaned forward, rubbing her temples with her fingertips. “What did you think of the old guy? The site manager?”

“Ando Bautista. He’s quite a character. He seems to think there’s something fishy with the financials, too. He said he remembers a lot more money being spent on visible promotion of the event than there has been this year. All of this, so far, is pointing to the leak being something related to marketing and advertising,” Jake said.

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