Free Eye Of The Storm - DK3 by Melissa Good Page A

into the coffee room. The clients had been quiet, almost passive, and she’d been curious about the attitude which seemed more cowed then anything else.
    “Hi.”
    The woman glanced at her. “Oh, hello. I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name in there.”
    “Kerry.” They shook hands. “I’m with ILS.”
    The faded hazel eyes darted around the almost empty room, then settled back on Kerry’s face. “Oh.”
    “We…um…we bought Allison Consulting. You knew that, right?”
    “Oh, yes. Yes, I did. Um…excuse me. I’ve just got to use the rest room.” The woman edged around Kerry’s slim form.
    “Me too,” Kerry agreed pleasantly. “C’mon. It’s this way.” She guided the way to the bathroom and held the door open politely. “That’s a nice dress.”
    The woman looked a little startled. “Um, why, thank you.” She walked to the sink, turned the water on, and washed her hands quietly.
    Kerry waited, leaning against the door with both hands behind her.
    “So, are you here just to watch?”
    “Something like that. To observe. To get reports. Start putting things together, that kind of thing,” Kerry replied. “Find out what they do right.
    What they do wrong.” She watched the broad shoulders twitch. “Why they’re successful.”
    The woman slowly straightened, wiping her hands on a paper towel.
    “Is that why your company bought them? Because they were successful?”
    “Mmhm,” Kerry agreed. “There’s always a lot of questions to ask, though. We want to make sure we give their clients the service they contracted for.”
    Hazel eyes turned and regarded her with an emotion startlingly like wan hatred. Kerry’s nape hairs prickled and she wondered what nerve 40 Melissa Good she’d struck.
    “And he promised it wouldn’t go any further,” the woman hissed, advancing on Kerry. “Now all of you know? That bastard…”
    “Hold on.” Kerry lifted a hand. “I’m not sure—”
    “Get out of my way, you little…” The woman grabbed Kerry’s arm and shoved hard, throwing her against the door. “If it’s over, it’s over.
    He’s going to get what I owe him.”
    “Wait!” Kerry caught her balance, confused and startled. “Ms.
    Andrews. Please. Hold on a minute. I think there’s some mistake.” She took hold of the hand that reached for her again and held it, tensing muscles strengthened by months of activity. “Please don’t do that again.”
    The woman tried to wrench her hand free, but found it held very securely. “Let me go, you bitch.”
    “Ms. Andrews, I am not your enemy,” Kerry told her forcefully.
    “Now calm down, please.” She kept her voice low. “Just take it easy.”
    They stared at each other in silence.
    “Okay. Now, listen. We know something’s going on here. We just don’t know what it is yet.”
    “We?”
    “My boss and I, yes,” Kerry replied. “So, if you tell me what happened, maybe I can help.” She released the woman’s arm and straightened, just as the door opened and Ann breezed in.
    “Well, well. Is this a party?” the petite executive inquired, with a smile. “Getting an early start, aren’t you, Ms. Stuart?”
    “I’m not one for parties.” Kerry opened the door and waited for Ms.
    Andrews to escape out in front of her. “Excuse me.”
    “Funny.” Ann chuckled. “That’s not what I heard.”
    Kerry watched her enter a stall and close the door, and she backed out, pausing in the hallway to consider the words.
    Wondering what they’d meant.
    Suspecting it was nothing good.
    “SO.” SAM LEANED back in his chair. “What did you think?”
    Kerry stood near his office window, gazing out. Now, she turned and leaned against the wall. “They seem very quiet.”
    He chuckled. “Yeah, they’re nice enough folks, but not very lively.”
    “I was a little surprised they didn’t question some of the outline, though.” Kerry watched him carefully.
    “Really? Why?”
    She folded her arms. “Because most of it was bullshit.”