HANNAH (Silicon Valley Billionaires 3)

“I have those names you wanted.”

“Great.”

He’d been collecting the names of all the independent contractors who’d worked for Li Na over the past year. I wanted to assemble the list for the FBI as further proof of what Li Na had been up to.

“What about the other name we discussed?” I held my breath, hoping he’d been able to find out who was responsible for Jim Pace’s death.

“I have the information you’re looking for.”

“But?”

“But it’s going to cost you.” Carey sounded pleased with himself, and I sincerely wished he had a higher moral fiber.

But I wanted the information. Bad. Bad enough to keep Carey in a nice condo and the muscle cars he seemed to prefer. “I’m prepared for that. So, Carey…let’s make a deal.”

* * *

It’s done, Biyu wrote. I put the packages into the locker at the airport like you said.

Did anyone find out? I wrote back, palms sweating.

I don’t know, but I’m not going back there to check. The lab has security cameras. See you on the other side, she wrote.

I was going to have to explain an awful lot to Wesley when I picked Biyu and her son up at the airport.

If they made it to the airport.

I paced my office, waiting to hear anything. There was no other news, and I knew I had to wait until Ellis’s contact landed on American soil to begin my campaign in earnest.

So for now, the phone was my only weapon. Like any good publicity director, I yielded it expertly. I pulled up my list and started dialing my media contacts, getting everyone buzzing about the news about to break.

Today, I stoked the fire.

Tomorrow, I watched Li Na burn.

* * *

“He’s here. I have the samples. I’ll send them to the lab with Levi.”

“Thank you, Ellis.” I sank down into my chair, relieved.

“You’re welcome. Try to stay out of trouble long enough to finish this thing, okay?”

I could hear the grin in his voice.

“Okay.”

I immediately called Calvin after I hung up with Ellis. “The samples are on their way. We’re getting started this afternoon.”

Calvin and the photographer were staying at an Airbnb in town.

“We’ll be there. I can’t wait to find out what the hell these are samples of—they better be good!”

“They are.”

“I know. I can tell you’re nervous—and you wouldn’t be nervous if this wasn’t a big deal. See you in a few.”

I could hear the grin in his voice, too.