Page 62 of The Replacement Wife (New Hope 2)

I don’t think much of it. Mark has always been suspicious of being recorded. He likes to be the one initiating calls. He thinks this matters.

Three seconds later, he rings me back. “I have to ask…is there a reason you chose Scottsdale?”

I hadn’t told him where we were going, but I’m not surprised by the question in the least. Mark knows everything. “It’s sunny here.”

“So then it doesn’t have anything to do with the flagship location Grant Dunn had in the works?”

“No,” I tell him “But while I’m in the area if you need—”

“Do you know why Michael is dead, Tom?”

His question catches me off guard. I don’t like to think about Michael’s death. But I never forget either. “I know speed was definitely a factor.”

“Michael was a drunk, Tom.”

“Yes,” I say. People like Mark need all the reassurance one can give. “I’m aware.”

“Do you know how long we had been trying to rehabilitate your friend?”

“No.” The truth is a fickle and vindictive mistress.

“Ten months,” he tells me. “We gave him ten long months.”

I find myself pacing the length of the hall. “I see.” I don’t see. I have no idea what this has to do with anything.

“Rehabilitating Michael was a social experiment for the church.”

“I see.”

“And you know the interesting thing about experiments Tom?”

No, but I have a feeling he’s about to tell me.

“He couldn’t mess up our rate of success if he were dead.”

“Like June,” I say.

Mark inhales deeply. “You are very good with your deductive reasoning Tom. Very good.”

“What did you need?”

“Huh?”

“You called. I assume it wasn’t to tell me how smart I am.”

“Oh.” There’s a brief pause and then he says, “You’re right about that Tom. You’re my favorite accountant. But that you already knew.”

I hear a door open down the hall. I assume it’s Melanie looking for me. I walk around the corner so I’m out of sight.

“Tom?”

“I’m here…”

“We need to move our latest experiment along. The men’s alliance is getting antsy.”

“How can I help?” I want to make him spell it out.

“Stick to the plan,” he says. “You have the portfolio. Make a choice in the direction we should take. One way or the other. Something has to be done.”