Eye of the Storm

Chapter

Thirteen

“DAR.”

The tall woman looked back from her worktable where she studied a new set of bandwidth reports. “Yes?” she called out, knowing the intercom would pick her voice up.

“Mr. Ankow is here.”

Yippee. “Thank you. Show him in, please.” Dar allowed her voice to ooze with mock charm. She expelled a breath, and glanced at her pager noting the time. Well, the storm had bought them a few hours, at least, and trapped Ankow in an airplane for the same length of time.

The door opened and María came in, allowing the tall man to enter behind her and giving both him and her boss a polite smile. “Dar, they have canceled your conference call at eleven. They will reschedule for later this week.”

“Thanks, María.” Dar turned and faced her unwelcome guest.

“Morning. Hear you had a rough flight coming in.”

Ankow was dressed in an impeccable dark gray suit and expensive looking midnight blue silk tie with very thin maroon stripes. “A waste of my time. Let’s stop compounding that, Roberts.” He walked across the floor and sat down in one of her chairs, peering out at the rain. “Now that you’ve had your little fun sending Carmen Miranda after me, you can just assign me to whatever blonde bimbo with the brains of a pencil you have planned and let me get on my way.”

Dar finished making a note on her notepad, then took her time meandering around to her desk chair and sitting down in it. She leaned back and crossed an ankle over her knee, very aware of her comfortable cotton shirt and khakis contrast to his formal wear. “Carmen who?” She put a faint smile on her face. “You mean Consuelo?”

“The dancer you thought you’d distract me with.” He smiled right back. “She’s not my type.”

“Ah.” Dar rubbed her cheek. “Consuelo González is our top marketing strategist. She’s got three bachelor’s degrees, a masters in business, and she’s working on her doctorate in finance and applied statistics…and all you noticed was her body?” Dar clucked. “We thought you’d want to ask her questions about how we do business. Must have been an interesting ride from the airport.”

114 Melissa Good He glared at her.

Dar smiled charmingly. “We don’t keep bimbos on staff.” She pressed a button on her intercom and a quiet voice answered. “C’mon over.”

Ankow decided to ignore her win over Consuelo. “I want access to everything.”

“With the exception of the ladies room, you’ve got it,” Dar dead-panned. “Just don’t touch anything. I don’t want to spend half the day reprogramming mainframes.”

He gazed at her. “Enjoy the jokes while you can,” he remarked mildly. “I would guess you’ve got about a month, until the stockholder’s meeting. After that, if you’re in this office, I’ll be very surprised.”

Dar didn’t react. “You seem to think that worries me.”

The inner door opened and Kerry entered giving Ankow a quick, almost invisible once over. “Morning,” she greeted both of them politely.

“Morning,” Dar replied. “Kerry, this is David Ankow, a member of the board of directors. He’s here to review operations.”

“Sir.” Kerry inclined her head graciously. Certainly, she fit the blonde part of Ankow’s assumptions, but Kerry’s well bred air and quiet intelligence should have clued him otherwise.

“This is Kerrison Stuart, our Director of Operations.” Dar circled her knee with both hands and interlaced the fingers. “She’ll be your contact while you’re here. If you have any questions, she can answer them.”

“Great.” Ankow stood up. “First thing you can show me is a cup of coffee. Is that starting off simply enough for you?”

“Regular or espresso?” Kerry inquired, as she followed him to the door. “Or would you like to try café con leche, the local specialty?” She managed to get to the knob before he did and opened the door for him.

“Out, and to your left.” She spared a glance behind her for her boss, who made a sympathetic face before she closed the door.

“SO. WHAT IS it you do here, exactly, Ms. uh...Stuart, was it?”

Ankow inquired, as they left the break room. “I’m not sure what an operations director does.”

“Good question,” Kerry replied. “It depends, unfortunately, on what day of the week it is and what time of the month.” She passed by her office and caught Mayte, installed in her new office, peeking out at her.

She smiled and rolled her eyes outside of Ankow’s field of vision, and the girl smiled back, then went back to checking some reports Kerry had left her.

“Oh, really.”

“Really. I mostly handle day to day operational problems, like outages, customer contact issues, utilization…those areas. But I also structure and organize the consolidation of new acquisitions and make decisions on integration when we buy into companies or join with them as part of a common effort.” Kerry motioned down the hall. “Our main Eye of the Storm 115

operations center is down here.”

“You do, huh?” Ankow seemed either bemused or amused, Kerry couldn’t tell. “How long have you been doing this?”

“About six months,” she answered, scanning her ID card through the large security door. “I was working for Associated Synergenics when they were acquired, as the manager of operations there, and when a position opened up, I applied for it and was hired.”

“This position?’ Ankow inquired.

“No.” Kerry slid her card through a second door and opened it for him. “But then, you already know that, Mr. Ankow, since you requested my personnel file.” She smiled and stood back. “This way, please. I was hired as Dar Roberts’ assistant and moved into my current role when she took on the responsibilities of CIO.”

“She is your boss, then.” Ankow stopped and watched her face intently.

“Yes.”

“Just wanted to clarify that.” He smiled and walked on into the brightly light expanse and low key activity of the operations center.

KERRY INDICATED THE door ahead of her, exhaling a little as they approached the cafeteria. It had been hours of pointed questions and the acceptance of her answers with an air of smugness that was frankly, getting on her nerves.

The smell of arroz con pollo hit her as the door opened, and she entered the line just behind her guest and debated on whether to stick to her usual chef salad or go for one of her favorites.

“Do they have anything American here?” Ankow asked, giving the dish a distasteful look.

“Well,” Kerry smiled at the attendant, who looked at her expectantly, “I’ll have the chicken, thanks, and some flan and a café con leche.”

She turned to Ankow. “They’re Perdue chickens, if that makes you feel better.”

“Sí, señora.” The lady behind the counter wrinkled her nose at Kerry.

“¿Señor? ” She turned her attention to Ankow.

“Give me one of those chef salads,” he ordered, “and a bottled water.”

They took their trays and moved to a table near the window. Kerry took a bite of her chicken and glanced around, noting the eyes watching them and glad it wasn’t just her they were watching for a change.

“You were involved in the Allison Consulting fiasco, weren’t you?”

Ankow inquired, after spearing a forkful of lettuce.

“Yes, I was,” Kerry replied. “I did the initial analysis on the data that came from them. It was very disappointing.” She took a sip of her coffee.

“My question is, how did it get as far as it did? How did you allow us to be duped like that?” The acid comment surprised her. “Do you understand how much that cost?”

116 Melissa Good Keep cool. He’s an asshole. Dar’s words echoed gently in her mind. “I beg your pardon?” Kerry inquired. “I’m operations. I think it’s acquisitions you want to discuss that with or maybe Ernst and Young, who did the due diligence they very obviously should have failed.”

“Yes, but how long did it take you to figure that out?”

Kerry chewed thoughtfully. “I was suspicious the first day. I sent the data the second day. Dar came out that Thursday night and by Friday we had them locked up.”

“Ah. So your…boss had to come bail you out, is that it?” Ankow now looked amused. “Well, that’s understandable.” He dismissed the subject and looked around. The buzz of Spanish around them was perceptible, as well as a lower hum of English, and a few tables of Creole. “Interesting place.”

“I think so.” Kerry scooped up the last of her rice and washed it down with some coffee. “I enjoy the different cultures. It’s very different from where I grew up.”

“Michigan, wasn’t it?”

Kerry nodded.

“So. What’s it like having a scandal in the family?”

Kerry put her silverware down and laced her fingers together. “Mr.

Ankow, I’ve had to put up with your being deliberately antagonistic all day.”

“Too bad.”

“I don’t have to put up with personal questions. That’s not part of the job. So in answer to your question, that’s not your concern.” She paused. “Sir.”

“All right, fair enough.” David Ankow sipped his water and regarded her coolly. “I’m not here to make enemies, Ms. Stuart. And despite what everyone seems to think, I’m not here to tear down you, or anyone else.”

Kerry lifted an eyebrow.

“My job.” He paused for emphasis. “My job, Ms. Stuart, is to protect the investment that people…just regular people, like you and me, have made in this company. Some of those people depend on that investment to carry them through lean times. Some of them depend on it when they retire. It’s my responsibility to make sure we don’t betray that trust. You understand me? That means I have to come in and ask hard questions, like why an account that cost us twenty million dollars to acquire had to be scrapped. That’s not your money, Ms. Stuart.”

Kerry had listened to him, waiting patiently. “Part of it is,” she remarked softly. “I’m a stockholder.”

He was silent.

“So is Dar. So are most of the people around you.” She leaned forward. “I understand about being responsible to people, Mr. Ankow. My job is to try and make everything run, so the company can do what it’s paid to do and provide value to those very same stockholders.” She studied his face. “You represent me, just as much as you do those faceless Eye of the Storm 117

people out there who invest without being personally involved in the company.”

A smile quirked the very corners of his lips. “You are Roger Stuart’s kid, aren’t you?” There was a touch of wry admiration in his tone. “I interned in his office for a year. I remember seeing a picture of you in his office.”

It hit her so hard, Kerry almost lost her lunch on the spot, and it took everything she had to keep a politely interested look on her face.

“Hi.” The interruption was doubly welcome and the voice put a covering of calm over her very jangled nerves. “Mind if I join you?”

Dar hadn’t eaten lunch with her in the cafeteria for at least three months, but Kerry had never been so glad to see anyone in her life.

“Sure.”

The tall executive dropped down next to her and put a tray down with a meal the duplicate of Kerry’s on it. “How’s the tour?” she asked Ankow, drawing his attention to her. “Find any roaches?”

“Very educational.” Ankow went back to sipping his water. “I owe you an apology, Roberts. My compliments on your selection of a babysit-ter for me.” He tipped his water bottle in Kerry’s direction. “I’ve learned a lot.”

“Good to hear.” Dar speared a bit of chicken and chewed it. “Considering your being here is putting a huge kink in operations with Kerry playing tour guide. How much more time are you going to need?”

“Hard to say.” He leaned back. “I’ll have to let you know.” He took another sip. “I’d like to speak to Lou Draefus. I want reports pulled on all the account consolidations this year, so I can review them.”

Dar shrugged, unconcerned. “Suit yourself. But you’ll do that without Kerry.” She took a swallow of coffee. “We’ve got an Operations staff meeting this afternoon.”

“It can wait then. I’d love to sit in on your meeting.” He changed his mind smoothly. “I’ve heard so much about your managerial style.” He smiled. “I’m looking forward to seeing it in action.”

Dar chuckled humorlessly. “Try coming to the board meetings sometime.” She finished her coffee and picked her tray up. “See you upstairs in a few minutes.” She met Kerry’s eyes.

“Will do,” Kerry answered briskly. “Can you have María print the minutes? I haven’t had a chance to get back to my desk.”

Dar nodded, then threaded her way through the crowd with a powerful stride that cleared a path before her like magic.

Kerry let her breath out slowly, grateful beyond measure for the few minutes Dar had allowed her to collect herself and regain her composure.

Cookies for that, honey, or maybe an ice cream cone, hmm? She put her silverware on her tray. “Are you done?”

“Just starting.” He smiled at her, with a slight twinkle in his eyes.

IT HAD BEEN months, Kerry reflected, since they’d seen a full fledged, 118 Melissa Good all out temper tantrum from Dar. The tall executive had been businesslike, but fairly mellow for her. Accepting reports at their weekly meetings and doling out assignments without her usual bouts of calling people on the carpet, or picking apart a particular operational issue until whoever it was felt like curling up under the conference room table.

Today, however. Kerry sighed and kept an eye on her boss, who was seated in her usual chair, leaning forward and fiddling with a long stick pen she’d just been using to doodle. Ankow was in the seat next to her, questioning a reallocation of server resources that had taken down a fairly important client for an hour, to maintain the integrity of the network.

It had been a chancy decision, Kerry knew, since she was the one who had made it. But her options hadn’t been extensive and it was that, or lose two critical financial applications for the balance of the day.

“Without having a backup routing center, there wasn’t much else we could do.” She spoke quietly, catching his attention and drawing it from her visibly edgy lover. “It was my decision.”

“Did anyone call Interspatial and tell them?” he asked her.

“I did, personally,” Kerry replied. “They weren’t happy.”

“No, they certainly weren’t,” Ankow agreed. “And what’s to say it won’t happen again, if you don’t have any backups?”

Kerry propped her chin up on one fist. “That’s exactly why Dar’s spending all her time designing our new network. So it won’t happen again.” She shifted her gaze. “Right, Boss?”

A very wry blue twinkle. “That’s the theory, yes.”

Ankow sat back and lifted a hand.

“Mark. What about those server farms, did we get them online?” Dar asked, making a tick mark on her agenda. Was a time, she reflected, when I wouldn’t have had to ask. She’d have known.

“Bank A came online Tuesday, Bank B on Thursday,” Mark answered, batting a small, red rubber ball between two pens on the table.

“They’re running pretty good, but A’s taking three percent more utilization than they projected. I’m gonna have to monitor that.” He glanced at Dar. “They’ve got some weird traffic going across.”

“Don’t we know what they’re running over our network?” Ankow asked immediately.

“Not always,” Dar interjected quietly.

“Why not?”

“Depends on the contract.” Dar was drawing a pig. “Sometimes we’re just the carrier.”

“I disagree with that.” David Ankow shook his head. “We should know what we’re putting down those pipes. It’s our responsibility.”

“Talk to the people who sign the contracts,” Dar shot back. “I don’t make the deals.”

“But you approve them.”

“I approve the technology.” Blue eyes took on a dangerous glint. “I make sure we can deliver what we promise. I don’t judge the content.”

Eye of the Storm 119

Ankow met her eyes and returned her intent glare.

Kerry cleared her throat gently, distracting them. “Actually, we generally do know what kind of data’s being carried. Just not the specifics of the packet structure, unless we’re asked to analyze that to improve network performance or if there’s a problem.”

“Generally?” Ankow turned to her.

“Sure. Banks send banking data. Graphics companies send graphics files.” Kerry smiled at him. “We don’t need to know more than that. In fact, in some cases, intercepting that data is strictly against the contract, like with the airlines.”

“Really.”

“Of course.” Mark picked up the thread. “We transmit ninety percent of the air traffic control and communications data. We could, technically, intercept an in-air mayday or a vital directional instruction if we dipped into the data stream at the wrong time.”

“Yeah,” Mark’s assistant agreed. “We just make sure the right packets are going to the right people.”

Ankow sat back and regarded them in silence.

Dar made another tick point and wished she were home. “That’s it for open issues. Anything out there you want me to know about?”

“Shouldn’t they be asking you that?” Ankow got a last snipe in.

Dar didn’t dignify that with an answer. Normally this was where her team told her about all the goofs and mistakes they’d made, which she’d be likely to catch wind of, or have to explain. They’d tried to keep something like that from her once and she’d given them the “if it’s going to come out of Alastair’s mouth, I want to know about it” speech.

Today, however, everyone kept prudently quiet.

“Nothing?” Dar prodded. “Don’t tell me we had a mistake free week?”

They all looked at each other, then at her.

“Ops, nothing?” She looked at Kerry, who gravely shook her head.

“Facilities?” Now she glanced at tall, bookish Bill Bowers, who blinked and shook his head.

“Not this week, Boss.”

“MIS?”

Mark cracked his knuckles. “Nope.”

“Security?”

Mark grinned. “Sixteen attempted accesses, sixteen repulsions, resulting in four IP traces, and two hits, which I turned over to the goon squad.”

Dar nodded. “All right. That’s it. See you next week.” She stood and gathered her papers. “I believe you had an appointment in Accounting?”

Ankow also stood. “Actually, I wanted a word with you first.”

Dar sighed inwardly. “C’mon.”

Mark edged around the table and ended up next to Kerry, as they watched the two leave. “Is she gonna hurt him or what?” He shook his head. “What a rhino sized butthead.”

120 Melissa Good

“Ugh. You don’t know the worst.” Kerry drank down her glass of water and exhaled. “I’m going to run down to the cafeteria and grab some coffee. Then I’ve got an inbox the size of Manhattan to work out.”

“I’ll walk you down,” Mark offered. “I could use a soda myself.” He followed Kerry out the door. “Besides, you’ll need an extra hand to help carry her milkshake back up here.”

Kerry gave him a look. “Am I that predictable?” She hit the elevator door button.

Mark grinned and rocked up and down on his heels. “No. But she is.”

“ALL RIGHT.” DAR dropped her notes on her desk and sat down.

She gave her trackball a spin to bring her monitor to life. Another page of messages appeared, this one with a scattering of exclamation points.

“What do you want?”

David Ankow crossed behind her and gazed out the window, admiring the view. “Nice.”

Asshole. Dar closed her eyes against the pounding headache. Then she opened them and surveyed the screen, deciding to ignore her unwanted guest until he decided to say his piece. She clicked on her first mail and reviewed it.

“You think I’m here to bust your chops, don’t you?”

“I don’t much care why you’re here,” Dar replied, typing rapidly.

Ankow circled her and sat on her desk. “You don’t like being questioned, do you, Roberts?”

Dar half turned and regarded him. “I don’t like wasting my time answering questions you could have looked up in the corporate database, no.” She paused. “You’re wasting a company resource.”

His eyebrow, so even she suspected he plucked it, lifted. “Is that how you view yourself, as a resource?” He didn’t get an answer. “All right.

I’m going to surprise you.” He stood and walked around to the front of her desk, then sat down. “I agree. I think you are a resource.” He leaned back. “Much as I hate to admit it and I do. Trust me, you’re not just a resource, you’re damn near the cornerstone this operation’s built on.”

Dar folded her hands. “And your point is what?”

“My point is…you think you’ve got this company over a barrel.”

Dar rolled her eyes. “You know what?” She gave him a disgusted look. “You’re stupider than I gave you credit for. Get the hell out of my office and go find something useful to do, will you?”

He blinked at her.

“Catch a goddamned clue, Ankow. I don’t want anything from the damn company other than my bimonthly goddamned paycheck, if that’s not asking too much.” Dar stood and leaned forward, using her height to good advantage. “I don’t ask for trouble, I don’t ask for help, I don’t ask for assholes to come flying in here from Texas who don’t have the sense that God gave a squirrel and waste my time.”

Eye of the Storm 121

Surprisingly, he chuckled. “Now, that’s the Dar Roberts I heard about. I was wondering where you were hiding.”

“What,” Dar let her voice lift, “do you want?”

“Me?”

“Either talk, or get out.”

“And if I do neither?” Ankow seemed amused.

“Then I’ll pick you up and throw you out.” Dar felt her darker side waking up, as her temper flared.

“Would you?” her antagonist asked, softly. “I’d be a little careful there, Roberts. I’m not one of your Texas two steppers.” He stood and advanced towards her. “I don’t spend all my time around a desk.”

Dar remained still, allowing only a faint smile to crease her lips.

“Neither do I.”

They were eye to eye now, wills clashing over the wooden surface of Dar’s desk. “So…talk, or you’ll leave, one way or the other.”

He let her wonder for a moment, then cocked his head and broke the tension. “All right.” He sat on the edge of the desk, and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ll tell you what I want. Since you asked so nicely.” He smiled. “I want the company.”

Dar rolled pale blue eyes. “There’s a shock,” she muttered.

“I want McLean out. I want his job,” Ankow continued. “And I want you to help me get it.”

“Ah.” Dar nodded. “Is that all?”

“You think I’m joking.”

“I think you’re two squid short of a seafood salad,” the tall woman replied. “One, for wanting to run this place and two, for thinking I’d help you.”

Ankow didn’t seem to be surprised at the answer, he rose and went to the window, watching the rain fall. “Well…one, I’ve got my reasons and two, you’ll help me all right.” He turned and smiled viciously. “Or I’ll make your life miserable until you do.”

Dar resumed her seat and propped a knee against the edge of her desk. “You don’t have the power to do that.” She lifted a hand and pointed. “Now, get out.”

He gazed at her. “You don’t think so, hmm?”

“Nope.” The blue eyes held him in hooded disdain. “To do that, I’d have to give a damn about you or this job and I don’t.” She pointed again.

“So take your sleazy little plan and don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” He didn’t move. “You think I’m joking?” Dar inquired. “Right now, this company needs me a hell of a lot more than I need it, mister. And if you think you can do this job better. G’wan. Give it a try.”

“Oh, I won’t bother with that.” Ankow smiled. “I’ll just have our lawyers file a lawsuit against you for this quarter’s losses. Since you made those decisions, Roberts, and you are liable for them, you did realize that, right?”

Dar was silent for a moment. “You’d never win that,” she finally responded.

122 Melissa Good

“Maybe,” Ankow purred. “Maybe not. You’ve profited nicely from this company. How would the stockholders feel about you sitting there on your little nest egg, while they have to eat losses caused by your blun-ders?”

“If they were mine,” Dar kept her breathing even, “I wouldn’t wait for you to sue me. I pay my debts.”

“Well. We’ll just see. Why don’t you think about it, hmm? I can file suit against your friend Alastair, which I was planning on doing. Have you seen his portfolio lately? Or I can do both of you and we can make a profit this quarter.” Ankow stood. “It’s your move, Roberts. But I’d guess you were used to that nice lifestyle.”

Dar watched him saunter out, holding the door open for Kerry as she entered. Her stomach hurt, thinking about the threat, and she exhaled slowly as the door closed and her lover stood quietly watching her. “Hi.”

Kerry walked over and put a styrofoam cup down on her desk. “Hi.

What happened? You’re white as a sheet.”

“Bastard,” Dar whispered.

A glance over her shoulder showed the tightly closed door, so Kerry rounded the desk and leaned on the edge, putting a hand on Dar’s arm.

“Hey. What the heck did he say to you?”

Dar took a deep breath. “He wants me to help him oust Alastair.”

“What?”

“Yeah. I told him forget it…but…”

Kerry closed her hand around her lover’s. “But what?”

Dar was silent for a moment. “He threatened to file suit against me.

To recoup the losses from this quarter.”

The blonde woman’s jaw dropped. “Can he do that?”

“I don’t think so. I mean, he can file, sure.” Dar’s brow creased. “But he’d have to prove criminal negligence, and frankly, there’s no chance of that.” She lifted her eyes to meet Kerry’s. “I may have been a touch absentminded lately, but not negligent.”

“You haven’t been absentminded at all,” Kerry replied sharply. “No one has. The entire division’s been running better this quarter by stats than the past four.” Her eyes glinted a bit. “I could take personal affront for him even making that statement.”

Dar patted her leg. “Easy there. No, you’re right. We just had a string of bad luck this quarter. God knows it would have been worse if we hadn’t caught some of it and there’s no doubt about it, but…” She sighed.

“It’s gonna raise questions. They’ll drag out all my personal and financial records.”

Kerry shrugged. “So? Dar, you’ve never even paid your phone bill a day late. What’s the big deal?”

A dark brow lifted at her. “The big deal is going to be the fact that the half owner of everything I have happens to be my second in command here.” She paused. “Who also lives with me and shares a bank account.”

“Ah.” Kerry felt like slapping herself. “Right. Yeah, I forgot that Eye of the Storm 123

part.” She thought about the problem. “That’s going to look kinda bad, huh?”

Bad. Dar rubbed her temples. “It’s certainly going to throw a doubt on a few things. Like my personal judgement, for instance. Not to mention the fact that a number of the board members are a little more conservative than George Patton.”

“Mmm.”

They looked at each other. “So. What’s the plan?” Kerry finally murmured.

“I’ve got no idea. I want to talk to Alastair, see what he’s got to say.

Maybe there’s a way to pay this guy off. I don’t know.” Dar closed her eyes and leaned back against the cool leather of her chair. “Damn.”

“C’mon, Dar. What’s the very worst that could happen?” Kerry stroked her knee gently.

A blue eye appeared. “If they sue me and win? They wipe me out.

Wouldn’t be much left but the clothes on my back and the damn car.”

“Mmm.” Kerry got a peculiar look. “Well, we could go on the road then,” she mused, “just sort of wander from place to place. Maybe I could read poetry for a couple of quarters. You could give self defense lessons.

It might be fun.”

Dar cocked her head.

“Sleep under the stars. Fish for our dinner. How about it?”

Blue and green eyes met and shadows within them twinkled and danced together. “Sounds…like an adventure,” Dar murmured.

Kerry smiled. “Doesn’t it?”

They both chuckled and looked away. “What’s that?” Dar pointed at the cup.

“Chocolate milkshake.” Kerry nudged it towards her. “I figured you might need it.”

“Mmm.” Dar captured the cup and sucked at the straw with a look of absorbed delight, then she peeked over the rim and offered it to Kerry.

“Share?”

Kerry sighed. “Yeah.” She took a slurp. “What an aggravating day.”

“Looking forward to the gym tonight,” Dar growled, then punched a number into her phone. It rang twice, then was answered.

“Hey, Boss.”

“Mark. I need a full profile on Ankow. Everything. From his birth certificate to last year’s taxes.”

Mark’s voice was definitely smug. “Already running.” They could almost hear him buffing his nails on his shirt. “Figured you’d ask. What a jerk.” A clatter of keys. “Should be about four, five hours. I’ll queue it to you when it’s done.”

Dar nodded, her eyes narrowing. “Good.” A light flaring of her nostrils. “He wants trouble?” she murmured. “He’s going to get it. Thanks, Mark.”

“No problemo.”

She hung up and took the proffered cup back, sucking on the milk-124 Melissa Good shake with a thoughtful look. “Sleeping under the stars, huh? You know, I hate camping, but there’s something very appealing about that thought.”

“Mmm, yeah.” Kerry smiled a bit. “I can almost smell the wood smoke of the campfire, can’t you?”

Dar’s nose twitched.