Page 90 of The Demon's Fire
Calperched on the edge of Anna’s desk, chatting when the buzzer from the lobby sounded.
Skyler’s administrative assistant answered the intercom with her usual musical greeting. “Send him up.” She arched her eyebrows, frowning. “Dr. Callahan is on his way. He wants answers about Skyler.”
“I’ll handle it.” Cal planted his feet on the floor, tugging on the lapels of his sports jacket, straightening it, preparing to meet Winston, Skyler’s fiancé.
The tall, blond emergency room doc blustered through the door, his Italian shoes tapping on the tile as if everyone should jump when he snapped his fingers.
“Winston.” Cal put a friendly hand on his shoulder. “Let’s go into my office.”
He shrugged off Cal’s gesture. “I need answers not a buddy. I keep phoning, but all I hear is how Skyler’s trip is taking longer than expected. I tried her cell. It immediately went to voice-mail. What’s going on?”
Cal closed his door, sinking into his high-backed desk chair, crossing his legs, straightening the crease in his slacks. “Coffee, tea, or water?”
“No. Answers.”
“Nothing’s wrong, Winston. Skyler reported in this morning. The deal is taking longer than expected. The parties, according to the chief, are near an agreement. I guess she has worked night and day on this, the clients being difficult to please. You know how she is when she’s negotiating business agreements. She’s like the proverbial tiger with a tail. Is that the saying? Hmm. Not quite. Well, something like that. Anyway, she’s terribly busy. We hardly speak to her.”
Cal took a much-needed breath while he pushed a button on the intercom. “Anna, can I have two coffees in here? … Thanks.”
“I received a message from her secretary saying my dinner date with Skyler had been reset. The next time, she said it was temporarily on hold. That’s the last I’ve heard. Next, I get an Alliance gal in my ER who was shot in a home invasion. I demand answers.”
“Of course you do. Skyler should be more considerate and call you herself, but she is chin-deep in negotiations. Cut her a little slack, Winston. When a power couple gets together, problems are bound to arise.” Cal hefted his pen.Tap. Tap. Tap.Getting an irritated glare from the arrogant doctor, he rested the Mont Blanc on his desk pad. “This is one of those problems. I bet you have days when you don’t have a free finger to punch Skyler into your cell. This time, unfortunately, she has a week of no spare digits. Casualty of the job. Besides, I’m betting she’s not a great communicator on her best days.”
“You’re right. This is so like her. Where is she, by the way?”
“New York.”
“What hotel?”
Cal did the sorry grimace, hissing between his teeth. “She’s been dashing between two. The first client is in the Big Apple. The other’s in the capital. Hence, the hotel hopping. I believe this morning she said she would be on the road again today.”
“Where is she staying?” Winston glanced at his Patek Philippe watch.
“I’m not sure. Let’s ask Anna when she brings in our drinks.” Just then, she walked in balancing a tray of two coffees, cream, and sugar.
“Where is Skyler staying in New York and Albany, Anna?” Cal motioned for Skyler’s admin assistant to serve Winston first.
Offering the doctor a cup, Anna didn’t skip a beat. “The Plaza and the Morgan State House in Albany. Cream? Sugar? Dr. Callahan?”
“No, thanks. Black. Why didn’t she tell me this before she left?”
“I made the arrangements last minute.” Anna set Cal’s coffee, cream, and sugar on his desk. “My bad.”
“I’m a busy man. I don’t have all day to chase down Skyler. Do you have the numbers for both hotels? I’ll see if I can reach her later. As it is, I took time out of an already crowded schedule to come here for information since no one was forthcoming on the phone.”
“I’ll e-mail the info to you when I return to my desk. You’ll have it in a jiffy. When you talk to her, ask her to give me a call, would you?” Anna blinked, curling her lips down in a contrite pout. “I forgot to tell her something this morning.”
After Cal led Skyler’s fiancé to the elevator, he returned to Anna.
She disconnected from the phone. “I contacted the two hotels to request our contacts there to backdate reservations. They know the game. We pay them handsomely for special arrangements.”
“Winston’s kind of a horse’s patootie.” Cal propped a hip onto Anna’s desk.
“My impression, too. Of course, Chief Maxwell can keep him in line. I’m sure he doesn’t bluster around her.”
“Still nothing on Skyler or Commander Kole’s whereabouts? I’m worried. What with all that’s been happening. Are the bloggers silent today?”
Anna sighed. “So far, yes.”
