Free The View from Suite 2100 by Tess Allen Page A

looked up at me and smiled. She was clearly on her best behavior. “I’m going to be on an important call for a bit, so don’t put through any other calls.”
    “Of course, Rowena.”
     
    I sat at my desk a moment trying to gather my thoughts. My attorney, Lincoln Collier, was profound when it came to business and tax matters, but I didn’t know how he’d feel or fare dealing with an issue like this. My integrity was at stake! The full impact of that statement hit me with a ton of bricks. Even now, even as I contemplated contacting my own attorney I was worried about how he was going to perceive me now that my ‘morals’ were being called into question.
    “Who did this to me?” I cried out softly. I tried to ignore the little voice that was saying: Maybe you did it to yourself .
    I reached for the leather bound calendar I kept on my desk to flip to the back where I maintained a private directory of phone numbers. My calendar wasn’t there.
    That’s odd, I thought. I haven’t moved it, at least I didn’t remember moving it. I glanced over the rest of my desktop. It wasn’t there. I checked the credenza behind me and it wasn’t on it either.
    A chill raced up my spine. I’m a creature of habit, putting things in the same place all the time, and that particular calendar stayed in this office on this desk in this spot. It was gone. My mind raced. I tried to remember what all I’d recorded in it? Not much. Just appointments, contact names, phone numbers, a few notes, but nothing of any real significance. But it was mine and it was gone.
    Oh my goodness! Am I losing it? My mind started racing and I didn’t want to be there anymore. Someone had been in my space, had taken my calendar. I thought about Lila.
    I tried to calm myself as I approached the reception area. There would be no percentage in antagonizing Lila if she knew nothing about my missing calendar, but something in my gut was telling me she did.
    “Lila, do you know if anyone has been in my office?”
    She smiled. “You mean today?”
    I cocked my head to the left. Today?
    “Actually anytime when I haven’t been here?”
    It appeared to dawn on her that maybe all wasn’t well. Her expression sobered. She paused, thinking, calculating. “I went in there last night to get your calendar. My sister called and said you wanted me to drop it off to her when I got off of work.”
    “Your sister?” I couldn’t believe my ears, but even before it came out of her mouth I knew who here sister was, I recognized it now as I looked at her gray eyes.
    “Yes, Sandra Durante. Didn’t you know she was my sister? She’s the one who told me about this job?”
    My heart was pounding and although it wasn’t yet clear, the clouds were starting to part. Sandra Durante had it in for me. But why? I thought about her reaction when I had mentioned Drew. What had she said when I asked her if she knew him? Something about ‘not well, but she knew the family.’ Wasn’t that what she’d said?
    “Thanks, Lila. I didn’t realize you were related to Sandra. You have different last names.” I needed to be cool. The next question was important. “So, you know Drew Ardmore?”
    Lila smirked. “We have different fathers. Drew? Not really. He used to date my sister a few years ago, but I was so young then he doesn’t remember me. I started to remind him when he was here yesterday, but he didn’t look like he was in such a good mood.”
    I closed my eyes slightly and nodded. “Okay. I just wondered.”
     
     
    Chapter Fifteen
     
    I took the elevator down to the garage. Walked to my car and slid in. I’d spoken to Lincoln briefly, just to get a feel for my position. I didn’t mention the morals issue, instead I just inquired if the bank could in fact call the loan. He told me that within the language of the contract there was no doubt a clause that gave them that arbitrary right. If they insisted I would be required to meet their demand. He’d been furiously