Free Intrusion by Arlene Kay Page A

Cahill gulped. She covered it with a weak cough, but I got the message. For once in her life this pillar of rectitude was speechless. Dare she risk offending the majority partners? Probably not. I sweetened the deal by dangling some bait in front of her.
    “I’ll only be available on a temporary basis, of course. Assessing the business will really be useful.” I lowered my voice. “Confidentially, my partner is inclined to sell her shares once Tommy’s estate is probated, but she wants a fair settlement. I’m still undecided.”
    Meg clucked sympathetically. “I understand entirely.”
      “So. How does that sound?”
    “Exciting, Elisabeth. Why don’t we meet tomorrow to discuss it? Rao is gone for the day, or I’d conference him in right now.”
    “Great. I’ll be there at nine with Ms. Ott .”
     
    ~
     
    “Are you crazy?” Candy asked. “What are you trying to prove?” She was working up to a major fit of pique. All the signs were there: wringing hands, mascara tracks, trembling lips. I’d seen it all before, and I knew how to handle her. I channeled my inner cherub.
    “It’s not about me, Candy. Tommy sent me a message, and I plan to decipher it. Staying at Sweet Nothings won’t help one bit.” I patted her shoulder. “I won’t let him down again or you either.”
    She closed her eyes and started chanting. Whatever mantra she used, it worked.
    “OK. I get it, but that place might be dangerous.” She threw her arms around me and squeezed. “Oh, Betts. If something happens to you, I’ll die. I can’t stand any more loss.”
    Loss. I was an expert on that topic. Without Kai, I’d spent the past year only half alive, a zombie. Now after twelve months of wandering aimlessly, I was finally focused. CYBER-MED might be my destruction or salvation. Either way, it was put up or shut up time. I almost convinced myself that it had nothing at all to do with Lucian Sand.
    Della curled at my feet while I spent the afternoon researching. There was a ton of material about Judge Jacob Arthur. Some of it was the society fluff endemic to the fabulously wealthy. His family owned one of the largest private banks in the nation, and Arthur dabbled in philanthropy. It shocked me to realize that I’d actually met the man several times. Kai was a major booster of Angel Memorial Animal Hospital, and a few weeks before he died we’d taken Della to their Furry Affair fundraiser. Jacob Arthur had been the enthusiastic, somewhat pompous master of ceremonies, presiding over the auction with a firm bang of his judicial gavel. Funny, I’d totally forgotten him in the filmy haze of that special night. I’d just learned that I was pregnant. Kai was so ecstatic that he couldn’t keep his hands off me. We had toasted with Pellegrino instead of Cristal and danced the night away. One month later Kai was gone and so was our son.
    Focus, Lizzie Mae. Focus. Bury the past.
    When Candy poked her head in the door an hour later, she caught me dozing at my desk. No energy crisis for her. She’d adjusted her attitude and banished her tears. I could tell by the flawless makeup that adorned her face. Experience told me that any attempt to ignore her was doomed. In her manic state, Candy’s impervious to snubs and slights. She leaned over my computer and pointed.
    “Well, what do you know? Look at the couple of the year.”
    I zoomed in on the images section and gasped. There, bigger than life, was a photo of the late Judge embracing none other than Dr. Meg Cahill. What followed was a short blurb on implanted medical devices, which were hailed as a huge breakthrough in quality care. Lots of kudos to the medical community, especially cardiologist Margaret Cahill. According to her patient, Jacob Arthur, his pacemaker had saved his life more than once. The article coincided with the startup of CYBER-MED, a company designed to monitor such devices.
    “My God, Betts, we’re two for two so far. Arthur and Mary Alice.” Candy shivered.