Free No One Lives Twice (A Lexi Carmichael Mystery) by Julie Moffett

leaning close to my face. “Come in for a couple of free lessons. It won’t cost you a thing, and you can see if you like the challenge.”
    I was still amazed that he thought I was capable of coordinating my body movements. I had never been much of an athlete and stamina was a word that didn’t exist in my vocabulary.
    “Are you serious?”
    “Tomorrow night, eight o’clock,” he said in a firm voice. “It’s Basia’s class, too. Maybe you’ll see her here. Wear a soft T-shirt, sweat pants and no socks. I think you’ll enjoy yourself.”
    He put a hand on my shoulder and I could feel the heat emanate all the way down to my toes. “Okay,” I said. I just kind of hoped he would never move his hand.
    Before I knew it, he had propelled me to the door. I took a step outside and Lars locked up behind me. I blinked in the sunlight, pulled my sunglasses back down on my nose and walked to the car.
    Graceful, I thought, adding a spring to my step. Maybe after a few karate lessons, I could even be dangerous.
    “I’m Lexi Carmichael, black belt in karate,” I said to the Miata. “My hands and legs are licensed killing weapons.”
    I slid behind the wheel, liking the feeling of being in control—especially after what had happened to me yesterday. Maybe a couple of lessons in self-defense wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
    Feeling better, I pulled into a nearby McDonald’s drive-thru, ordering a Diet Coke and a large order of hash browns. I ate the crunchy potatoes in the car, sitting in the parking lot. After the last one was gone, I wiped the grease from my hands with a napkin and got out to use a pay phone in front of the building.
    I called the main number of the NSA and rattled off Paul Wilks’s extension. After two rings, he picked up.
    “Hi, Paul,” I said. “You got that translation for me yet?”
    “Sure do,” he said, his voice cheerful. “You ready for this?”
    “Fire away,” I said. An ambulance screamed down the road, so I pressed a finger to my ear to hear him.
    “Hey, I thought you had a doctor’s appointment,” he said.
    “I do,” I lied. “I’m on my way there now. What’s the translation?”
    He paused. “Look, you’re not going to back out of our date Friday night after I give you this info, are you? I already told half the office.”
    I groaned. “For God’s sake, Paul. Why did you do that?”
    “Insurance. You gave me your word, Lexi. Friday night and all the trimmings. I’m looking forward to it.”
    I rolled my eyes. “I know what I promised. I’m good for my word. The company name, please.”
    “Okay. I’m pretty sure it’s Bright Horizons. I considered a couple of other combinations, but this one seems right to me. Just in case, I checked out the address on the contract for you and it fits. A company with the same name is registered there in Warsaw.”
    “Bright Horizons? It’s a Polish company?”
    “No. American.”
    “Well, that’s interesting.”
    “Why? There are hundreds of American companies operating in Poland.”
    I supposed that was true. “Where is their home base in the States?”
    “Richmond, Virginia.”
    Rather close to home. “What kind of company are they?” I asked. “Technology?”
    “Sorry, I don’t know.”
    “Did you check the internet?”
    “Do I look like your personal secretary?”
    I sighed. “Guess not. Well, I gotta go. Just tell me you were discreet.”
    “It’s my middle name.”
    “Thanks, Paul. I mean it.”
    “Thank me on Friday,” he said and hung up.
    I replaced the receiver and headed back to my car. I sat there for a few minutes, trying to piece together all the strange pieces of information I had gathered. I thought I was pretty darn good at finding threads and putting them together to form something that made sense. But I just didn’t have enough information to get a big picture here. More input was needed.
    I drove home, trying to figure out what to do next. Upon my arrival, I did a thorough search of the