commitments beyond the next date. But now, ten
of them were either engaged or married. Ace and Emmett were going to be fathers.
If anyone had told him two years ago that would happen, he’d have laughed his
ass off.
“ All right,” she said, pulling him back to the present.
“I’ll trust you where this is concerned, and I won’t tell this to anyone.”
There
was something unspoken in her tone. “But?”
The
corners of her mouth turned up. “I’m very transparent, aren’t I?”
“ Yes, but I like that about you.”
She
frowned. “I’m not sure I can keep working at HCS. Not after what I heard today.
I’m surprised Ralph hasn’t been caught with the phone calls he’s made lately
from his desk phone. And I’m also not sure I covered my tracks completely today
when I recorded his conversation.”
She
had a point. They had what they needed from Ralph already, and Viggo doubted he
knew anything else that could help them. The more Madison recorded his
conversations, the greater the risk she’d be found out.
“ You’re right. It’s too risky. And honestly, you
probably didn’t cover your tracks completely. Not saying they’ll find it unless
they go looking for it specifically, but it’s probably still there in some
fashion for an IT person to find. As for Ralph, these calls have only been
recently, correct?”
“ Yes.”
“ They might already be monitoring them and he’s being
watched, which means you’re at risk, too. You could quit, you know. Leave
today. Come work for me.”
She
blinked a few times. “Are you serious?”
“ Of course. I told you I wouldn’t leave you with no
employment, and I meant it.”
“ But don’t you need more information?”
He
shook his head. “What you got today is more helpful than you know.”
She
look so conflicted Viggo wished he knew what to say to help her make what to
him was an obvious decision. “Won’t Ralph become suspicious if I quit just like
that?”
“ Don’t tell him where you’re going.”
“ He’ll find out.”
“ Probably, but it will take a while. By that time,
we’ll have Dave.”
“ How do you know that?”
Viggo
smiled. “Once Brent Easton finds out why we need him, we’ll have him. Trust
me.”
“ You scare me a bit.”
He
laughed and pulled her close again. “You have nothing to fear from me.”
She
sighed, and then he felt her nod. “All right. I’ll quit today.”
Viggo
kissed her hair. “Welcome to Ingram Properties, Miss Overton.” He had no idea
how this would turn out, but it felt right, and Viggo always trusted his gut.
Chapter
Twelve
Thursday
morning, Madison had thought she’d be afraid to confront Ralph in person, but
the conversation wasn’t filled with anger. It was merely a bit terse. He asked
her why she was leaving and she told him she’d found an opportunity where she
could use her marketing skills. He had snorted and said he knew this job hadn’t
given her the chance for that, and then he’d wished her well.
She
carried her small box of personal items from her desk straight to the building
that housed Ingram Properties, where Viggo came down to the lobby to greet her.
“Do you think he knows you’re here?”
“ No. Not unless he had me followed.”
“ Come on up. I’ll introduce you to everyone and have
one of the other analysts help you get settled. I’d do it myself, but I have
another conference call with all the Weathermen shortly.”
He’d
been on his computer in a series of video calls most of Wednesday evening.
She’d gone to bed while he was still working, and he hadn’t woken her up during
the night. This morning, he’d apologized for letting her sleep, explaining he
was exhausted. She’d told him he had no reason to apologize to her, and thanked
him again for the new job.
She
waited until they were alone in the elevator to ask about the call. “What’s it
about this time?” The evening before, he had sent the others the recording
Madison made, and
of them were either engaged or married. Ace and Emmett were going to be fathers.
If anyone had told him two years ago that would happen, he’d have laughed his
ass off.
“ All right,” she said, pulling him back to the present.
“I’ll trust you where this is concerned, and I won’t tell this to anyone.”
There
was something unspoken in her tone. “But?”
The
corners of her mouth turned up. “I’m very transparent, aren’t I?”
“ Yes, but I like that about you.”
She
frowned. “I’m not sure I can keep working at HCS. Not after what I heard today.
I’m surprised Ralph hasn’t been caught with the phone calls he’s made lately
from his desk phone. And I’m also not sure I covered my tracks completely today
when I recorded his conversation.”
She
had a point. They had what they needed from Ralph already, and Viggo doubted he
knew anything else that could help them. The more Madison recorded his
conversations, the greater the risk she’d be found out.
“ You’re right. It’s too risky. And honestly, you
probably didn’t cover your tracks completely. Not saying they’ll find it unless
they go looking for it specifically, but it’s probably still there in some
fashion for an IT person to find. As for Ralph, these calls have only been
recently, correct?”
“ Yes.”
“ They might already be monitoring them and he’s being
watched, which means you’re at risk, too. You could quit, you know. Leave
today. Come work for me.”
She
blinked a few times. “Are you serious?”
“ Of course. I told you I wouldn’t leave you with no
employment, and I meant it.”
“ But don’t you need more information?”
He
shook his head. “What you got today is more helpful than you know.”
She
look so conflicted Viggo wished he knew what to say to help her make what to
him was an obvious decision. “Won’t Ralph become suspicious if I quit just like
that?”
“ Don’t tell him where you’re going.”
“ He’ll find out.”
“ Probably, but it will take a while. By that time,
we’ll have Dave.”
“ How do you know that?”
Viggo
smiled. “Once Brent Easton finds out why we need him, we’ll have him. Trust
me.”
“ You scare me a bit.”
He
laughed and pulled her close again. “You have nothing to fear from me.”
She
sighed, and then he felt her nod. “All right. I’ll quit today.”
Viggo
kissed her hair. “Welcome to Ingram Properties, Miss Overton.” He had no idea
how this would turn out, but it felt right, and Viggo always trusted his gut.
Chapter
Twelve
Thursday
morning, Madison had thought she’d be afraid to confront Ralph in person, but
the conversation wasn’t filled with anger. It was merely a bit terse. He asked
her why she was leaving and she told him she’d found an opportunity where she
could use her marketing skills. He had snorted and said he knew this job hadn’t
given her the chance for that, and then he’d wished her well.
She
carried her small box of personal items from her desk straight to the building
that housed Ingram Properties, where Viggo came down to the lobby to greet her.
“Do you think he knows you’re here?”
“ No. Not unless he had me followed.”
“ Come on up. I’ll introduce you to everyone and have
one of the other analysts help you get settled. I’d do it myself, but I have
another conference call with all the Weathermen shortly.”
He’d
been on his computer in a series of video calls most of Wednesday evening.
She’d gone to bed while he was still working, and he hadn’t woken her up during
the night. This morning, he’d apologized for letting her sleep, explaining he
was exhausted. She’d told him he had no reason to apologize to her, and thanked
him again for the new job.
She
waited until they were alone in the elevator to ask about the call. “What’s it
about this time?” The evening before, he had sent the others the recording
Madison made, and
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