Free To Dream Again by Laura Lee Guhrke Page B

voice expressionless.
    "I don't believe we've met." The dark-haired man stepped forward, tipping his cap, but not removing it. "You must be Mrs. Elliot. I'm Michael Lowenstein. Your new engineer."
    Mara gave him a blank look before glancing over at Mr. Chase. "I see," she murmured. "Gentlemen, will you excuse us, please? I'd like to speak privately with Mr. Chase."
    "Oh, er, yes," Percy stammered and started for the door. Michael Lowenstein followed.
    She faced Mr. Chase, expecting to see laughter in his eyes, but she was surprised to find no hint of mockery there. He was watching her impassively, and she wondered what he was thinking.
    He glanced past her to the doorway. "Michael, when do you think you can have a materials and parts list ready?"
    "I'll have it to you by Sunday," the engineer answered. "I'll be downstairs looking over your equipment if you need me."
    Percy added, "I'll have that list of toy retailers to you by this afternoon. I'll also have a key to the building cut for you."
    Nathaniel nodded. "Do we have a safe?"
    "There's one in my office," Mara said. "Why?"
    He gestured to the train. "I want to start locking up the train at night, along with the track, the accessories, and the design specifications. The toy business is very competitive, and I don't want my train to suddenly disappear. Michael, I want you to be responsible for locking up the train."
    He glanced at Percy. "Let's not discuss this with anyone else. Once the train is in stores, it won't matter, but until then I want to keep this as quiet as possible."
    The two men left the room, and Nathaniel turned back to Mara. "You missed the meeting," he said, but there was no censure in his voice.
    "Unlike some, I had work to do."
    "Mmm, I see." He flashed her that mercurial smile. "Planning various ways to murder me without being caught, I imagine."
    His outrageous comment was so close to the truth, Mara couldn't help the answering smile that tugged at her mouth. "You might say that."
    "Well, the lady has a sense of humor. I was beginning to wonder."
    Her smile disappeared instantly. "Not all people find life as amusing as you do, Mr. Chase."
    He held up his hands in a placating gesture. "I was only teasing you, Mara. Don't stiffen up and go all prickly again."
    She didn't relax. "Mrs. Elliot, if you please, sir."
    He knew she was angry at what he'd done, and that she thought he was bizarre, even crazy. But Mara was his partner, and he didn't want to begin their partnership with hostility. "I'm sorry about what happened earlier. We've gotten off to rather a bad start, it seems. Can we begin again?"
    She studied him for a long moment, and he expected her to reject his offer of peace. But finally, she nodded. "Very well."
    Only two little words, but Nathaniel sensed it had cost her a great deal to say them. He decided to change the subject. "What are those?" he asked, gesturing to the stack of papers in her arms.
    She walked across the room, careful to step around the pieces of metal and wood on the floor, and came to a halt before him. She removed the top sheet, then held the stack out to him. "These are Elliot's financial statements for the past six months. You'll want to go over them, of course."
    He shook his head and waved them aside. "I don't need to see them."
    "You don't want to look over our financial statements?"
    "I trust your judgment and your ability to keep accurate records. Mr. Finch spoke very highly of your financial expertise. I don't have that ability myself, and balance sheets and income statements are Greek to me."
    "Don't you have questions about our financial situation?"
    "Mr. Finch answered all my questions. Besides, aren't there a few things you want to discuss with me?"
    "Definitely. For a start, don't you think you might have consulted with me before hiring an engineer?"
    "I'd already discussed the decision with James, and I had already hired Michael when I learned James was dead."
    "We don't need an engineer."
    "Yes, we do. I'm