Free Homecoming by Elizabeth Jennings Page A

moans and thought, that can’t be me.
    But it was.
    She was dizzy with desire when he finally lifted his head. One hand rested on his chest, just over his heart, which had begun thudding almost as heavily as hers.
    His face was stark in the moonlight. He wasn’t smiling as he lifted his head.
    “I was afraid of that,” he said, the muscles in his jaw jumping. He released her, stood up and walked back down to the van.

Chapter Five
    June 2nd
     
    EMAIL FROM: [email protected]
    TO: [email protected]
     
    Paul,
    I’m sending this encrypted. Message below.
    Thanks for the update on our Muau Loi property. There is no reason whatsoever to hire an outside engineer, certainly not when we’re keeping Russell White on staff. If it means an extra workload for him, tough.
    If he’s in debt, he needs the job.
    But I do want you to find out exactly how much he’s in debt. A worried employee is a careless employee and I don’t want him making mistakes on our dime. Talk to Walker at AmeriBancorp and have him give you particulars of White’s current account.
    If Walker won’t cooperate, hint that Mansion Enterprises could take its business elsewhere. If Walker still won’t play along, play hardball. In double encryption, you’ll find the name and address of a hacker who will get past AmeriBancorp’s firewalls and access data on White’s credit profile.
    The hacker charges $300. Don’t pay a penny more.
    Frederick
     
    EMAIL FROM: [email protected]
    TO: [email protected]
     
    Russell,
    This Prague business is going to take more time than I thought. We were supposed to meet today with the Deputy Prime Minister, but he’s out of the country. It might very well be a stalling tactic, but the Foreign Trade Commission intends to wait it out. Which means that I’m here for the duration. In my absence, report to Paul Cobb.
    We need you to go out to Hawaii to oversee the construction of a lava break. I want you to leave immediately, on the first flight out. You’ll find a round-trip ticket at the airport.
    Of course, I expect you to continue to stay on top of the Carson’s Bluff project, but we can let the deadline slide by five days, bringing it up to the 15th of June. Keep in touch by email. I know it’s an extra workload, but we have to justify keeping your office open and keeping a staff engineer.
    I had our Finances office look into the estimates for hiring out whenever we needed engineering work done, instead of having you and your crew on staff, and the figures looked good. Get going.
    F. M.
     
    FAX FROM: Russell White, Mansion Enterprises, SF
    FAX TO: Federica Mansion, c/o Sheriff’s Office, Carson’s Bluff
     
    Federica,
    I have to leave for Hawaii today, but I shouldn’t be gone for more than three or four days. In my absence, please fax or email the following information regarding the Carson’s Bluff property to the SF office.
    1. The original surveyor’s certificate. Some of these small towns have the original documents dating back to the nineteenth century.
    2. The last official survey of the property and any geological reports available.
    3. Find out if the local agency of the USDA has carried out any soil composition testing, and if so, what the soil composition is over the entire property, and not just at the building site.
    4. Any records regarding the structure of the property, also known as the “Folly”. Was there an architect on record, and if so, who was he? Are the original blueprints available? Has the building undergone any structural changes or have there been any additions to the original plans?
    That will do for starters, though of course more information will be necessary during the course of negotiations.
    The $10,000 a day clause will lapse for the period during which I’ll be in Hawaii, since you won’t have a Mansion Enterprises representative this end.
    I trust that you will emerge from the first round of negotiations today. We haven’t been able to get in touch with you up