Free Keep Calm by Mike Binder

custom-fitted tight shirt, and a smartly woven silk tie. He had an oxygenated glow to his skin, and the back of his hair was still wet, which made Steel assume he had just come from the gym—he probably spent a lot of time there, she thought, the gym and the tanning salon. He had a near-perfect set of veneers and perfect fake teeth. She knew they were fake only because she had read online that he had flown his private jet to Beverly Hills to have his teeth done by Dr. Kevin Sands, the world-renowned dentist to the stars. It was an amazing smile, but the idea of all that time and expense to have your teeth fixed left an odd taste in her mouth.
    â€œSo I figured you’d be round to see me once I had heard they’d settled on you for the lead spot on the investigation, but I didn’t suspect you’d be this quick.”
    â€œWho did you hear that from? That they had ‘settled’ on me?”
    â€œOh, surely you’re not so naive as to think that I don’t have friends who were inside of the Cabinet Room yesterday?”
    â€œWhat made you think I’d be round?”
    â€œWe were there, in the very room the bomb went off, a good hour or two before. Why wouldn’t you come around with some questions? Especially someone as good at what she does as you are, Ms. Steel.”
    He sat down next to her, got closer than she wanted him to get. He smiled in a way that was meant to be charming, clubby. Steel had no interest in getting “clubby” with Sir David Heaton.
    â€œDid you notice anything suspicious going on at the time you were at Number 10?”
    â€œOf course not. If I had, I would have said something straight up. This whole thing is devastating to me. I’ve known Roland Lassiter going on thirty years.”
    â€œWhat was the business of your meeting? Why was it held in the White Room?”
    â€œI would think for the sake of the size. There were a handful of us, more than a good ten or so from the civil service side, the chancellor, the cabinet secretary. The PM just popped in for a few minutes, but there were too many for one of the offices, and I don’t think it was of a nature that was right for us to meet in the Cabinet Room.”
    â€œWhat was the meeting’s nature?”
    â€œCivil service’s pension program. We were pitching a plan to privatize. A scheme to make the pensions more valuable, to give the civil servants more retirement security.”
    â€œAnd I suppose a pretty penny for your coffers as well?”
    â€œVery good. Yes.” He almost winked at her, threw a wry grin. Steel realized he was enjoying the banter. “We don’t run a charity, you know that, right?”
    â€œWho was in your delegation?”
    â€œI’m sure you have a list. Everyone had to be vetted by security. We spent a chilly three-quarters of an hour at the gate, in the shack, as we came in.”
    â€œYes, we do have a list. I’m just trying to be certain that there’s no one in the group that you think I may need to have a chat with.”
    â€œThey were all my people. My top pensions specialists. Most from the Paris office. Some from Texas.”
    â€œAll people you know well, I presume?”
    â€œYes. Surely. All people I have worked with in this side of the business for years. The best.” He remembered something then—she saw a flash go by his eyes. He wanted to move on, figured it wasn’t relevant. She wanted to deal with whatever had just crossed his mind.
    â€œEach of them? You knew them all by name?”
    Heaton stopped now and took a quick beat with his answer for the first time.
    â€œNo. Actually, not all of them. All but one. An American. He’s new. I don’t know him. Don’t even know his name. He’s from the Chicago office.”
    â€œWhy was he involved? Why was he in the group?”
    â€œIt’s a good question, that. He’s a strong salesman, I believe. I think someone