The Mercenary and the Shifters (The Turning Stone Chronicles) by C.D. Hersh Page A

counsel, who rose to greet him. The two men shook hands, dancing around each other like peacocks fighting over a mate as Swindell attempted to pass and take a seat closer to where Fiona sat.
    When everyone was situated, the Port Authority council opened the meeting.
    “We’ve determined the cause of the ship’s sinking and have cleared your company of negligence on the part of ship maintenance. The flotation equipment appeared to be in working order, and the quick thinking on the part of your crew most likely saved their lives.”
    The banging in Fiona’s heart lessened. At least she wouldn’t be facing fines for carelessness.
    “However, the explosion that broke the ship in half appears to have been the result of a bomb.”
    “A bomb? I didn’t—”
    Her attorney grabbed her arm and squeezed, cutting off her protest. “Let them finish before you start objecting,” he whispered.
    “But I didn’t do anything wrong,” she insisted.
    He scowled at her. She clamped her jaw shut, giving her full attention to the authorities. Were they going to accuse her of setting the bomb off on her own ship? What possible reason would she have for sabotage?
    “Additionally, when our divers checked the sunken ship’s cargo hold they saw a hole had been cut in one of the containers. Did you send divers to retrieve cargo?”
    “No. My insurance company advised against it. The cost of cargo retrieval, at the depth the ship sank, would be more than the total to replace the shipment.”
    “Upon checking the manifest against the cargo in the aforementioned section, we discovered there were some missing items.”
    “What?” she asked.
    He flipped through a sheaf of papers and slid one across the table to her. “A medical container of supposedly dead anthrax.”
    “Supposedly?”
    “When it was shipped the lab sent it as dead. The anthrax was to be used to calibrate medical equipment instrumental in checking for the virus. After shipping, the lab discovered some of the anthrax shipments were not dead. The one in your ship’s hold was reported to be the live anthrax virus.
    “We tried to trace the container’s destination, but all we’ve found are dead ends and shell companies.” He paused and looked over the top of his glasses at her. “Considering your recent involvement in a smuggling operation, naturally, we must explore all the possibilities.”
    “My client was cleared of those charges,” her lawyer said.
    “Yes, she was,” the counsel for the Port Authority replied, “and, at the moment, we have no evidence Ms. Kayler was involved in the sinking of her own ship. For now, we are going to declare her innocent of wrongdoing in the sinking of the KayFion . However, the investigation into what happened will not be closed yet.” He squared his papers and rose. “I’d advise you not to plan any out-of-country trips, Ms. Kayler, until this matter is resolved.”
    “What does that mean?” Fiona asked.
    “It means, my dear,” Swindell said, “they will be watching you and your shipping company.”
    Trembling, Fiona sank against her chair. She had an illegal shipment of cigarettes leaving soon. Were they going to check her cargo? Watch her every move? How would she explain smuggled cigarettes? How would she manage a merger with Kyle or destroy OmniWorld when Homeland Security and the Coast Guard were watching her every move?
    She rose and leaned over the table toward the Port Authority council. “I didn’t have anything to do with the sinking of the KayFion . I swear. I’ll take a polygraph test or whatever you want for proof.”
    Both Swindell and her company lawyer rose, protesting together at her outburst. “I’m innocent,” she insisted when they tried to stop her remonstration.
    Swindell laid his hand on her arm, the buzz from his touch breaking through her panic.
    “Our client is distressed,” he told the authorities. “She will not be submitting to a lie detector test, because she has not been accused