Lies Lovers Tell by Zuri Day Page B

I was going to have you come in first thing this morning anyway.” Zeke’s demeanor was jovial as he walked into the office, bringing Maya back to the present. Instead of going to his desk, he walked over to the conference area. “Have a seat over here, will you?”
    Maya walked from where she sat in front of Zeke’s desk over to the conference area. The usual spray of exotic flowers had been moved to a back wall credenza. An urn of coffee and a tray of pastries, bagels, and croissants were also displayed.
    “We’re having a meeting?” Maya asked. She almost always came prepared to take notes but had been so focused on telling Zeke what she knew that she’d forgotten to bring her laptop. It had taken her all weekend to decide that he should know; she wanted to get it over with.
    “I have some important information to share with you,” she continued without waiting for an answer from Zeke. “I think I’ve uncovered some things about Sam Walters.”
    Zeke leaned back in his chair. “Oh?”
    “Yes. I believe I have concrete proof that Sam Walters is conducting extensive investigations into the players of L.A.’s real estate market, and it makes perfect sense that B&A is one of the players being investigated. Now, I don’t know if the Rosenthal Group is behind it, but I—”
    Just then the intercom sounded. “Hold that thought,” Zeke said. “Yes, Ester?”
    “Mr. Brennan, your nine-thirty appointment is here.”
    “Have Jade bring him back,” Zeke said. “Wait a moment, Maya. I’ve just hired someone to help with this whole Sam Walters thing. The information you have could be beneficial to him as well.”
    Jade tapped lightly on Zeke’s office door before coming into the room. Zeke stood as his hire came around the corner. Jade nodded quietly and made her exit. Maya had walked to the credenza to pour a cup of coffee and missed the dagger eyes Jade cut at her back.
    “Maya Jamison, I’d like you to meet someone introduced to me over the weekend.”
    Maya turned with a smile on her face.
    “Sean Wynn.”
    Had Maya not become paralyzed into immobilization, she would have dropped her coffee mug. Sean!
    “Sean, this is my right-hand woman, Maya Jamison.”
    Sean’s face showed absolutely no recognition as he took a couple of steps toward her. “Nice to meet you,” he said cordially, his back to Zeke. But his eyes blazed.
    “N-n-nice to meet you.” Maya had never stammered a day in her life. There was a first time for everything.
    The stammer didn’t escape Zeke’s notice. He glanced briefly between Maya and Sean before asking Sean if he’d like coffee. “Maya, do you mind?” he asked.
    “Not at all.” Maya forced herself to regain her composure. She called upon thirty years of discipline and then called upon another thirty she hadn’t yet lived to force the tremor from her voice. “Cream and sugar, Mr. Wynn?”
    “No, black is fine, Ms. Jamison, correct?”
    Maya prayed she could get the coffee in the mug. She gripped the urn as if it were a lifeline. Deep breaths , she told herself. The coffee poured into the mug perfectly. Breathe out.
    Sean joined her at the credenza. “Here, let me help you with that.”
    “No, no, I’ve got it.” She handed Sean the mug with a barely shaking hand, then forced herself to look him in the eye. “And please, call me Maya.”
    “Maya? Is that M-A-Y-A?”
    “Correct.”
    “Hmm. I met someone recently with a similar sounding name. Marcy, Myra…it was a casual meeting. The name escapes me now. At any rate, please, call me Sean.”
    It was only because Maya knew Sean that she detected the sarcasm underlying his seemingly innocent comment.
    Maya and Sean joined Zeke at the conference table. “I had the privilege of meeting Sean this weekend,” Zeke restated. “The moment he told me he was a private investigator here from London, I knew I wanted him on my team.”
    “Oh,” Maya said. “You’re a private investigator?” What were you investigating