Page 109 of Lumi

With a last groan, he finally left my office.

Sitting back down in my chair, I exhaled all the air I’d been holding in.

Charles’ name lit up on my phone, and with mechanical movements, I picked it up.

“Hello.”

“What’s going on? Is John still there?”

“No, he just left. How did you know?”

“The investigators are tracking his company phone.

“I thought I made sure he couldn’t access any of our buildings by inactivating his ID card, but he managed to convince the security guards at the Dublin building to let him in because of his title. I was alerted, and it wasn’t hard to figure out that he was coming to talk to you.”

“John thinks I set him up.”

“Yes, he implied that much when I spoke to him this morning, but what he doesn’t know is that the investigators just told me that our IT department managed to recover private emails between John and Ken Moritz that implicate them both in the scheme. I’ve told them to keep digging.”

“Wow. And John doesn’t know?”

“No. Not yet. I broke the news that he’s being investigated and asked him to go back home and lie low. What was he thinking seeking you out?”

“He was angry.”

“Did he threaten you?”

“Not directly. He was pleading with me to change your mind, and when I wouldn’t, he raised his voice and banged on my table.”

“You’re kidding.” Charles was quiet for a moment, and then he spoke on an exhalation. “That’s unacceptable.”

I said nothing even though I agreed.

“Honey, I’m sorry about that. I’ll make sure John doesn’t go near you again.”

“Thanks, Charles.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, yes?”

“Yes.”

“Bye now.”

“Bye, Charles.”

Sitting in my chair with my phone in my hand and my heart still galloping from the confrontation with John, my fingers moved of their own accord and reached out for the one person who always made me feel safe.

Damian answered on my first call. “Hey, princess. Miss me already?” His laughter was like a soothing blanket of comfort.

“Something weird just happened.” In a rambling of words, I told him about John White’s anger with me. “I was so happy that my desk was between us.”

“That fockin’ eejit. Ye should have told him to get off the fockin’ stage and quit his melodramatic antics. What kind of man loses his rag like that?”

“Calling him names would just have provoked John. I wanted him to leave, not begin a discussion.”

“That’s because ye’re smarter than me. I would have dealt with him differently.”

“And risk your job? He’s not worth it, Damian. Anyway, I feel better now that I’ve vented. Thanks for listening.” While talking, I opened a window to get the heavy smell of John’s cologne out of my office.