A Bargain with the Boss by Barbara Dunlop Page A

long.”
    She turned. “Then, let me be more blunt. I have all the time in the world, but I don’t care to spend any of it with you.”
    â€œYou’re still angry.”
    â€œWhat was your first clue?”
    â€œI didn’t want things to go this way.”
    â€œGoodbye, Tuck.” She took a backward step.
    â€œDixon is still missing.”
    She shrugged.
    â€œIt’s been over six weeks. I’m getting worried.”
    â€œHe can take care of himself.”
    Under normal circumstances, Dixon could take excellent care of himself. But these weren’t normal circumstances.
    â€œWho takes a six-week vacation?”
    â€œLots of people.”
    â€œNot my brother.”
    Even if their father had been healthy and at the helm, Dixon would never have left for this long, especially not without contacting them. Tuck’s focus had been on Tucker Transportation, but he was becoming genuinely worried about his brother.
    â€œMaybe you don’t know him as well as you think you do,” said Amber.
    â€œClearly, I don’t. Why don’t you enlighten me?”
    â€œWhy should I know him any better than you?”
    â€œYou know him.”
    It was in her eyes.
    â€œYou knew why he left,” said Tuck. “And you know where he went.” Tuck believed there was no romance between her and Dixon. But there was something—a closeness, respect, confidence.
    â€œHe doesn’t want to talk to you?”
    â€œHe’s got nothing against me.”
    Tuck and Dixon might not be the closest brothers in the world. But they weren’t estranged. They weren’t fighting. There was no particular animosity between them.
    Tuck stepped forward. “Things have gotten worse since you...left.”
    â€œYou mean since I was fired.”
    â€œYeah, that.” He didn’t know why he’d tried to soften the words. They both knew what had happened. “We’re losing accounts. We’re losing staff. We’ve gone from high profitability to a projected loss for next month.”
    There was no sympathy in her blue eyes. “You might want to do something about that.”
    â€œI’m worried about the employees,” he said, ignoring her jab. “If this goes on much longer, people could lose their jobs.”
    â€œWhat does that have to do with me? Considering I already lost mine.”
    â€œI’m appealing to your basic sense of humanity.”
    â€œWhile I’m still standing on my basic sense of ethics and values.”
    He eased closer. “Where is he, Amber?”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    â€œWhat do you know?”
    She raised her chin. “That he didn’t want me to tell you anything.”
    â€œThat was weeks ago.”
    â€œI haven’t heard anything to contradict it.”
    â€œSo you haven’t heard from him?”
    She drew back in obvious surprise. “No.”
    â€œDoes he know how to contact you?”
    â€œHe’d probably try to call me at my desk.”
    â€œTouché.”
    â€œHe knows how to contact you, too, Tuck. If he wanted to talk to you, he’d call.” She turned to go.
    â€œWhat about an emergency?” Tuck called out. He could taste failure, bitter in the back of his mouth. “Can you get a message to him? That’s all I’m asking. Get a message to him. You can name your price.”
    She stopped. Then she pivoted, gaping at him in clear astonishment. “My price ?”
    â€œAnything you want.” He could feel his last chance slipping away. “What do you want?”
    To Tuck’s immense relief, she actually looked intrigued.
    â€œYou’d pay me to get a message to Dixon.”
    â€œYes.”
    She seemed to think about it. “What would you want me to say?”
    â€œYou’ll do it?”
    Had Lucas actually been right? Was money going to sway her?
    â€œWhat would you want me to say?” she asked