nights together.
And if Dale decided not to hire
her…she’d probably have to go back to Deleine. A sickness roiled in her stomach
at the possibility.
“Here we are,” David
said.
Anxiety flooded through Mari as
the transport waited at the elaborate wrought iron gate marking the entrance to
Dale’s estate. The metal relief of a massive tree with exposed roots and
gnarled limbs devoid of leaves loomed in front of them.
“That is the ugliest,
scariest tree I’ve ever seen,” Mari said.
David smiled as he helped her out
of the transport. He had such a nice, subtle smile. She kept hold of his hand,
maybe holding it a bit too tightly. If she returned home would he come to visit
her? Maybe at first, but it would only be for a few sporadic weeks throughout
the year until maybe he couldn’t come at all or wouldn’t want to. Suddenly the
pressure of winning Dale over veiled her in sadness.
David must have caught her mood.
“Dale isn’t the only client
in the system, you know. If this doesn’t work out, there are other options.
Just a matter of finding them.”
She appreciated David’s
encouragement, but she knew the truth—it was this job or nothing.
A tall man with cropped blonde
hair met them inside the gate. The elegant cut of his grey suit and light blue button-down
shirt couldn’t disguise the mass of muscles beneath.
“Is he an Armadan?”
Mari asked.
“Looks like it.”
David’s tone took on a slight derision. “Merc-ing himself out as a
bodyguard apparently. I guess no rogue contractors were available.”
The blonde Armadan looked at
David like he was unwelcome. Maybe Mari should have mentioned to Dale
specifically that David would be coming with her, but she hadn’t thought it
necessary.
She took the initiative, hoping
her confidence and use of formal titles would persuade the Armadan that this
had been the plan all along. “Hello, I’m Scientist Boston Maribu and this
is Navigational Leader David Anlow. Chairman Zapona is expecting us.”
“The chairman is expecting you ,
Scientist Maribu,” the bodyguard said. “I’m not sure he understood
you would be bringing a guest.”
She chewed on her lip.
David spoke up. “Dale’s well
aware I would be accompanying her after our meeting at Shiraz last night. Maybe
you should ask him.”
She didn’t miss the fact that
David used Dale’s first name, maybe that familiarity would work in place of her
formality.
“I already contacted Chairman
Zapona when you arrived. Since you’re here, he’s happy to welcome you both into
his home.”
Mari wasn’t convinced of that by
the man’s inflection.
“My name is Carlos. Please follow
me.”
This wasn’t the start she had
been hoping for today. She dropped David’s hand and donned a serious expression,
hoping her professionalism would show through to Dale.
“Chairman Zapona thought you
would enjoy meeting in his conservatory,” Carlos said. “It’s through
the garden.”
Another iron gate, matching the
one at the entry, fit snugly into a towering stone wall which went along the
property as far as Mari could see.
“That must be his house
behind there.” Mari kept her voice quiet so only David could hear her as
she gestured with her chin at the steepled roofs peeking from behind the wall
and the large palm trees somewhere on the other side.
“Looks like,” David
said in a distracted voice as he scanned the gardens in front of them.
He considered his surroundings
with such focus, even studying the erratic flight of a butterfly as though it
carried a secret upon its wings. His behavior only served to unnerve her more.
Mari teetered on her heels as
they crunched through the pea gravel strewn along the main track. David offered
her an elbow to steady herself as they walked. She appreciated that Dale wanted
to go natural, but not at the expense of her ankles. And this was probably ruining
her shoes.
Enticing pathways lined with
vibrantly colorful flowerbeds wove through the walled
And if Dale decided not to hire
her…she’d probably have to go back to Deleine. A sickness roiled in her stomach
at the possibility.
“Here we are,” David
said.
Anxiety flooded through Mari as
the transport waited at the elaborate wrought iron gate marking the entrance to
Dale’s estate. The metal relief of a massive tree with exposed roots and
gnarled limbs devoid of leaves loomed in front of them.
“That is the ugliest,
scariest tree I’ve ever seen,” Mari said.
David smiled as he helped her out
of the transport. He had such a nice, subtle smile. She kept hold of his hand,
maybe holding it a bit too tightly. If she returned home would he come to visit
her? Maybe at first, but it would only be for a few sporadic weeks throughout
the year until maybe he couldn’t come at all or wouldn’t want to. Suddenly the
pressure of winning Dale over veiled her in sadness.
David must have caught her mood.
“Dale isn’t the only client
in the system, you know. If this doesn’t work out, there are other options.
Just a matter of finding them.”
She appreciated David’s
encouragement, but she knew the truth—it was this job or nothing.
A tall man with cropped blonde
hair met them inside the gate. The elegant cut of his grey suit and light blue button-down
shirt couldn’t disguise the mass of muscles beneath.
“Is he an Armadan?”
Mari asked.
“Looks like it.”
David’s tone took on a slight derision. “Merc-ing himself out as a
bodyguard apparently. I guess no rogue contractors were available.”
The blonde Armadan looked at
David like he was unwelcome. Maybe Mari should have mentioned to Dale
specifically that David would be coming with her, but she hadn’t thought it
necessary.
She took the initiative, hoping
her confidence and use of formal titles would persuade the Armadan that this
had been the plan all along. “Hello, I’m Scientist Boston Maribu and this
is Navigational Leader David Anlow. Chairman Zapona is expecting us.”
“The chairman is expecting you ,
Scientist Maribu,” the bodyguard said. “I’m not sure he understood
you would be bringing a guest.”
She chewed on her lip.
David spoke up. “Dale’s well
aware I would be accompanying her after our meeting at Shiraz last night. Maybe
you should ask him.”
She didn’t miss the fact that
David used Dale’s first name, maybe that familiarity would work in place of her
formality.
“I already contacted Chairman
Zapona when you arrived. Since you’re here, he’s happy to welcome you both into
his home.”
Mari wasn’t convinced of that by
the man’s inflection.
“My name is Carlos. Please follow
me.”
This wasn’t the start she had
been hoping for today. She dropped David’s hand and donned a serious expression,
hoping her professionalism would show through to Dale.
“Chairman Zapona thought you
would enjoy meeting in his conservatory,” Carlos said. “It’s through
the garden.”
Another iron gate, matching the
one at the entry, fit snugly into a towering stone wall which went along the
property as far as Mari could see.
“That must be his house
behind there.” Mari kept her voice quiet so only David could hear her as
she gestured with her chin at the steepled roofs peeking from behind the wall
and the large palm trees somewhere on the other side.
“Looks like,” David
said in a distracted voice as he scanned the gardens in front of them.
He considered his surroundings
with such focus, even studying the erratic flight of a butterfly as though it
carried a secret upon its wings. His behavior only served to unnerve her more.
Mari teetered on her heels as
they crunched through the pea gravel strewn along the main track. David offered
her an elbow to steady herself as they walked. She appreciated that Dale wanted
to go natural, but not at the expense of her ankles. And this was probably ruining
her shoes.
Enticing pathways lined with
vibrantly colorful flowerbeds wove through the walled
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