Page 52 of Live a Little!

“I imagine you’d have quite a fewadventures.”

She didn’t want to talk about her nonexistent adventures, she wanted information about his ships. Honestly, the man could be so thick. “Do they go all over the world? Yourships?”

“Our ships?” Aha, was it her imagination, or did a shifty expression cross his face? Hard to say; the bland smile was back in a flash. “We don’t have our own ships anymore than we have our own trains. We contract shipping companies to carry ourcargo.”

Her brow furrowed. “But I’m sure I saw a ship listed in the company’sassets.”

“Ah, you have been diligent. You must mean thePacific Princess,a pleasure boat we use to take clients out fishing. You’ll get a chance to see it next summer when we have our annual staff trip. Or perhaps, if you’re a good girl, I might arrange to take you out myself one of thesedays.”

Oh,gag.

Once again her excitement plummeted. ThePacific Princessobviously wasn’t the fishing trawler Jake’s friend had been aboard when he waskilled.

If she could just find some evidence, anything atall.

She’d witnessed Jake’s grief last night, and had come to understand how important this investigation was to him. She wanted to help him bring Hank’s killers tojustice.

If a part of her was panicked that once she was off the case, Jake wouldn’t be part of her life anymore, well, she just wouldn’t think aboutthat.

Neville glanced at his watch. Oh, no. She had to come up with something to keep him talking. She’d get him to drop a clue if she had to shake it out of him. “I really want to understand how this company works. I’d just love it if you could explain it all to me,” shegushed.

His chest puffed up like a preening seagull. “I’d be happy to. I’ve got to run to a meeting now, but why don’t I answer all your questions when we have moretime?”

She hid her chagrin. “That would bewonderful.”

“Say over dinner, Saturdaynight?”

She jerked backward a step, jabbing her hip against the rough corner of a crate. “Dinner?” She cleared her throat. “Saturday night? Are you asking me for adate?”

He gave her his bland smile, but there was a disturbing glint of interest in his eyes. “Officially, Oceanic frowns on interrofice relationships. Why don’t we call it a getting-to-know-you dinner, since you’re new here and obviously interested in our company?” Well, she wanted to interrogate him, didn’t she? “Uh, sure.Thanks.”

As she stumbled numbly back to her desk she mentally kicked herself all the way. Why hadn’t she made an excuse? She didn’t want to date Neville Percivald on Saturday night. She wanted to dateJake.

However, a few hours of uninterrupted time with Neville Percivald could be a perfect opportunity to try and get information that might help the FBI. She wouldn’t seduce Neville, of course, in spite of what Jake had once proposed. But when her boss was relaxed, maybe having a couple of drinks, he’d be much more likely to revealsecrets.

She wondered what Jake would think about her “date” with Neville. A few weeks ago, she’d have laughed if anyone told her she’d have two men showing interest inher.

She flopped into her desk chair and noticed she had a voicemail message. She played it and then groaned. It wasn’t two men interested inher.

It wasthree.

Walter had asked her to have dinner with him on Saturdaynight.

Aargh!

She dropped her head in her hands. “I can’t date three men!” she wailedaloud.

“I hope this isn’t a bad time, Cynthia.” Agnes’s apologetic tone interruptedher.

“Not unless you’re asking me for adate.”

“Oh.” Agnes chortled. “Well. I suppose I am, in a way. I’m referring to our hair appointments. Did you makethem?”

“Hair. Right! Of course I haven’t forgotten. I’ll pick you up at ten Saturdaymorning.”

“That would be wonderful. I just feel…oh, nevermind.”

“Agnes, I thought that was your voice.” An older man Cynthia didn’t recognize stood just outside herdoor.

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