itched. Right.
Archer stared at the computer like it was a loaded gun. Knowing Len, it could easily be
just that. Yet it had seemed very innocent sitting on a rattan table in an alcove off the
kitchen. And it had worked well enough for him on Pearl Coves accounts. Hannahs simple
password Today had opened up everything on the hard drive.
It had taken less than an hour to verify that, as a business, Pearl Cove was ninety-eight
percent in the toilet. Len had borrowed against everything at least twice, and that
included pearl futures.
Of course, there could be another set of books somewhere. In fact, Archer would have bet a
lot on it. The question was where.
He glanced at Hannah. Her nap had helped to focus her, but she was still nearly dead on
her feet. So you both used this computer? he asked, hardly able to believe it.
Yes. She poured more coffee in her own cup and held the pot out to him, silently asking if
he wanted more. Her eyes looked huge and dark against her pale skin. Despite her fragile
appearance, she handled the coffee pot and cup without clumsiness.
No, thanks, Archer said, shaking his head. He looked back at the computer screen. Caffeine
could only go so far in curing jet lag. He was well past that point. Im surprised you
didnt have separate computers. Len didnt like sharing.
Hannah shrugged. Money. Every penny we had went into his pearl experiments.
I went through all the files on the hard drive while you were asleep. I didnt see any that
were Lens. Frankly, I would have expected him to booby-trap his computer.
He kept his work on a separate storage disk. She went to what looked like a cookie jar,
took off the scarlet lid, fished around for a few moments, and pulled out a disk that fit
easily in her palm. The disk had been wrapped to protect it from cookie crumbs. Absently
she wiped the package on her thigh.
Chocolate chip? Archer guessed, looking at the dark smear on her skin. The thought of
licking it off sent a shaft of heat through him. He wondered when he would get too tired
to respond to her or if exhaustion, like time, wouldnt be enough to kill his response to
his half brothers wife.
Yes, its chocolate chip, Hannah said. How did you know?
Lens favorite. Mine too.
Smiling rather sadly, she smoothed a spike of chestnut hair behind one ear and rubbed a
sleep crease on her neck. Theyre a little stale. I havent made cookies since Len... Her
breath went ragged. Anyway, if you want some, feel free.
Ill take homemade chocolate chip cookies any way I can get them.
Without a word she set the jar on the floor next to Archer. He reached in and came up with
a fistful of cookies.
Did Len have any particular ritual for loading the disk? he asked around a big bite of
cookie.
As she had said, the cookie was stale. It tasted wonderful, like childhood, when he and
his brothers had hidden cookies everywhere in the house to make sure they got more than
their fair share. Sometimes they didnt find all of the cookies for days.
Len turned on the computer, Hannah said, put his disk in the drive, typed in something,
and went to work.
Code word. Or words. Archer wiped his fingers on his shorts and then rubbed his palms over
his eyes. They couldnt possibly be as dry as they felt.
After hours of staring at computer screens, the last thing he wanted to do right now was
have a go at Lens records, but there wasnt much choice. Uncle hadnt returned his call.
Until he knew whether his half brother had been working for the U.S. government when he
died, Archer couldnt realistically assess how dangerous staying in Pearl Cove was. If the
motive for killing Len had been politics rather than business, Hannah might not be in
danger.
Dont suppose you know what his code is? Archer asked, biting back a yawn. Maybe he should
take her up on that coffee. Or maybe sugar and grease would get the job done. He finished
off the second cookie
Archer stared at the computer like it was a loaded gun. Knowing Len, it could easily be
just that. Yet it had seemed very innocent sitting on a rattan table in an alcove off the
kitchen. And it had worked well enough for him on Pearl Coves accounts. Hannahs simple
password Today had opened up everything on the hard drive.
It had taken less than an hour to verify that, as a business, Pearl Cove was ninety-eight
percent in the toilet. Len had borrowed against everything at least twice, and that
included pearl futures.
Of course, there could be another set of books somewhere. In fact, Archer would have bet a
lot on it. The question was where.
He glanced at Hannah. Her nap had helped to focus her, but she was still nearly dead on
her feet. So you both used this computer? he asked, hardly able to believe it.
Yes. She poured more coffee in her own cup and held the pot out to him, silently asking if
he wanted more. Her eyes looked huge and dark against her pale skin. Despite her fragile
appearance, she handled the coffee pot and cup without clumsiness.
No, thanks, Archer said, shaking his head. He looked back at the computer screen. Caffeine
could only go so far in curing jet lag. He was well past that point. Im surprised you
didnt have separate computers. Len didnt like sharing.
Hannah shrugged. Money. Every penny we had went into his pearl experiments.
I went through all the files on the hard drive while you were asleep. I didnt see any that
were Lens. Frankly, I would have expected him to booby-trap his computer.
He kept his work on a separate storage disk. She went to what looked like a cookie jar,
took off the scarlet lid, fished around for a few moments, and pulled out a disk that fit
easily in her palm. The disk had been wrapped to protect it from cookie crumbs. Absently
she wiped the package on her thigh.
Chocolate chip? Archer guessed, looking at the dark smear on her skin. The thought of
licking it off sent a shaft of heat through him. He wondered when he would get too tired
to respond to her or if exhaustion, like time, wouldnt be enough to kill his response to
his half brothers wife.
Yes, its chocolate chip, Hannah said. How did you know?
Lens favorite. Mine too.
Smiling rather sadly, she smoothed a spike of chestnut hair behind one ear and rubbed a
sleep crease on her neck. Theyre a little stale. I havent made cookies since Len... Her
breath went ragged. Anyway, if you want some, feel free.
Ill take homemade chocolate chip cookies any way I can get them.
Without a word she set the jar on the floor next to Archer. He reached in and came up with
a fistful of cookies.
Did Len have any particular ritual for loading the disk? he asked around a big bite of
cookie.
As she had said, the cookie was stale. It tasted wonderful, like childhood, when he and
his brothers had hidden cookies everywhere in the house to make sure they got more than
their fair share. Sometimes they didnt find all of the cookies for days.
Len turned on the computer, Hannah said, put his disk in the drive, typed in something,
and went to work.
Code word. Or words. Archer wiped his fingers on his shorts and then rubbed his palms over
his eyes. They couldnt possibly be as dry as they felt.
After hours of staring at computer screens, the last thing he wanted to do right now was
have a go at Lens records, but there wasnt much choice. Uncle hadnt returned his call.
Until he knew whether his half brother had been working for the U.S. government when he
died, Archer couldnt realistically assess how dangerous staying in Pearl Cove was. If the
motive for killing Len had been politics rather than business, Hannah might not be in
danger.
Dont suppose you know what his code is? Archer asked, biting back a yawn. Maybe he should
take her up on that coffee. Or maybe sugar and grease would get the job done. He finished
off the second cookie
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