Page 45 of Beautiful Liar

“Good. Be dressed and downstairs at quarter to two. Ridge will drive you to the airstrip in the limo.”

On the one hand, I’m two seconds away from emptying the bare contents of my stomach at the thought of going anywhere near Edward Krakov. On the other, I’m giddy with relief that this summons isn’t to question me about the documents I took from his safe two days ago.

I nod and hightail it to the door. I grasp the handle, taste elusive freedom.

“Oh, one more thing, Lucky.”

My heart drops to the soles of my battered boots. I hold my breath, clench my features to neutral and turn.

“My security systems shows my passcode was accessed after hours two nights ago. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

A touch of confused surprise. The minute gathering of a frown. Then mild affront. I’ve practiced it in the mirror a thousand times. “Of course not.” No inflection on any vowel. A perfect, terror-steeped, delivery.

The gold-plated ballpoint pen in his hand rocks back and forth. Back and forth, as he watches me. Eventually, he nods.

“Okay. That’s all.”

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