• • •
They took the George Washington Bridge to the Palisades Parkway, where Chay pulled over at what was labeled a scenic rest stop, not for the scenery or the rest, but that so he could phone the Avido Management Company.
“It’s Sunday,” Bianca whispered. “Who—”
Chay held up his index finger.
“Yes,” he said briskly. “This is John W. Smith. I’m a supervisor with the Department of Public Works. I need to speak with someone who has the authority to give me some information about the electrical system at…” He snapped his fingers, and Bianca rattled off the address of the building that housed East Side Associates. Chay repeated the information. “I know it’s a Sunday, but I’m a born and bred workaholic.” He barked out a laugh that made Bianca raise her eyebrows. “I’m trying to close out a file and I have a couple of simple questions. I’m sure we can do this over the phone. Of course, I’ll understand if you prefer to wait until business hours tomorrow, when we can schedule an appointment for me to send in some of my people to go over things with you. Done that way, we shouldn’t need more than, say, three or four hours of your time. Thank you, and please get back to me ASAP at 1-555-231-4752.”
He disconnected.
Bianca looked at him. “Voice mail?”
Chay nodded.
“Really, Chayton. You cannot possibly think that anyone is going to respond to a message left on a Sunday by a man named John Smith…”
“John W. Smith. No joke, honey. The initial makes all the difference. Just give it a minute and—”
His phone rang. He tried not to look smug as he answered it.
“John W. Smith here.” Bianca’s mouth dropped open. Chay grinned and touched the tip of his finger to her bottom lip. “Yes, Mr. Garson. Thank you for returning my call so promptly…”
Ten minutes later, he’d confirmed what he’d already suspected.
There had been no power failure on Friday. If there had been, the system would have automatically relayed that information to Avido Management. The new system was programmed to deliver that sort of feedback.
Chay thanked Garson. Then he ended the call.
Bianca had been listening to every word. Now, she turned and faced him.
“So—so someone was in the building,” she said. “Someone who wanted to—to—”
Her face was pale. She sat rigidly upright, her fingers tightly laced together in her lap. She was doing her best to remain self-composed, but he could see the fear in her eyes.
Chay cursed, reached for her and gathered her tightly in his arms.
“You are mine,” he said fiercely. “And there’s not a way in the world I would ever let anything or anyone harm you.”
r /> Had they been anywhere but inside the cramped confines of the car, he’d have made love to her; he’d have stamped her as his; he’d have given himself to her in the only way he understood.
Instead, he did the next best thing.
He kissed her again and again, until she was whispering his name against his lips…
Until the words he’d never dreamed he’d want to say were right there, unspoken—in his heart.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Their flight was waiting for them in Newburgh.
The pilot introduced himself as an old pal of Liam Sanchez.
“Heard you guys need a lift to Santa Barbara,” he said cheerfully.
Chay nodded as they shook hands. “I can’t thank you enough for this.”
The pilot grinned. “No need, dude. Happy to do a favor for Liam—especially since now he’ll owe me one.”