Page 26 of To the Chase

She frowned. “I wasn’t calling you a computer. I’m just trying to make sense of things. I don’t think—”

I’d never find out what else she had to say. The elevator’s emergency phone began ringing, and Bea practically lunged for it.

“Hello?” She eyed me with much-earned wariness as she spoke to the person on the other end. “I’m trapped with your CEO, so you’ll probably want to expedite this process. Every minute he stands here, another million dollars goes down the drain. Do you want to be responsible for that, Victor?”

She nodded and made a few sounds of affirmation asVictorreplied.

“Hmmm…interesting. An attack on the elevator’s programming?” That earned me a razor-sharp glare. “I’d think Nox would be impenetrable.”

I held up my hands. “The elevator is serviced by a private company.”

She tapped her lips. “Shhh. I’m talking to Victor right now.”

Despite the fraught circumstances, I laughed. It wasn’t often I was shushed these days, and coming from Bea, I liked it. It made me want to find other ways for her to scold me.

Of course, I’d have to work my way back into her good graces, and I was nowhere near that point, but I thought maybe we had been getting somewhere before Victor had interrupted us.

Bea hung up the phone and refolded her arms. “The elevator will be fixed in a few minutes.” She eyed my pocket. “Or, you know, you could press a few buttons and fix it now.”

“I’m still unsure how you think I stopped the elevator from my phone.”

“I’mstill unsure why you got on this elevator in the first place.”

“Isn’t that obvious?” I moved into her space again. Not touching, but close enough to smell her fresh, barely there, warm vanilla scent. “I would like a chance to explain myself, but not here. Not when we’re both working. If you decide you still hate me, I—”

“I don’t hate you, Tore.” She jutted her chin. “I’ve barely thought about you.”

Whether that was true or a barb thrown out to save her pride, it stung regardless. “Okay. I understand.”

She let out a beleaguered sigh. “But if you feel a strong need to be heard out, I can give you a few minutes.”

“Tomorrow evening?”

“I’m waitressing tomorrow evening. That won’t work.”

Still waitressing? I thought…

“The next night?” Bea offered, surprising me with her willingness to find a solution. Buoying me.

“Yes. Can I text you an address? It would be ideal to speak in private, if you’re comfortable.”

She nodded slowly. “As long as you’re not planning on trapping me in a small metal box again.”

“You say that like it’s a habit of mine.”

A series of beeps screeched, and suddenly, the elevator began descending. Bea grabbed her bags from the floor and shuffled toward the door.

“I’ll send you the address,” I said.

“Fine.” Her hands tightened around the straps of her bag. “No trapping me, right?”

“No trapping,” I promised.

I’d just have to be sure what I had to say was good enough for her to want to stay.

Chapter Ten

Bea