Instead of leaving as Lance had expected, the woman walked over to one of his bookshelves and picked up a notebook. “I used to have a journal just like this.”
“Please don’t touch anything in my office.” With a few purposeful strides, Lance was beside her, taking his aunt’s journal out of her hands. Her eyes narrowed slightly, then her expression went blank again. Lance was detail-oriented. It’s what gave him an advantage with people as well as architecture. There was something about her that didn’t fit with the way she presented herself. He’d heard of architect firms planting informants in the offices of their competitors, but he’d never come across it in person. He dismissed the thought as paranoid. “I left some envelopes on your desk this morning. Please make sure they get in the post by noon.”
“Absolutely.” The woman smiled again but didn’t turn to leave. “Have you read it?”
Lance looked down at the journal in his hand. It had belonged to his mother’s sister, Patrice. Emily had read it and thought some of the entries were disturbing enough that she’d wanted to ask Sophie about them. Lance and Kenzi had decided it was better if they read the journal themselves. Kenzi said she’d found nothing but the ramblings of an old woman. Lance hadn’t read past the first few pages. He’d never known his aunt and had no interest in reading about her life. “No.” He turned and put it on his desk.
The secretary met his eyes boldly. “You should. The one I had was chock-full of scandalous secrets. I’ve always wondered why people write things down if they don’t want anyone to know about them. People can’t help it, I suppose. If they know something, they can’t keep it to themselves.”
The whole conversation felt odd, so Lance ended it. “That’ll be all, Ms. Niarchos.”
“Of course, Mr. Barrington.” With that, she left his office, closing the door behind her. Lance returned to his desk and started his computer. On impulse he opened the cover of the journal. Inside he found a black business card that hadn’t been there before. All it had on it was a white phone number. He closed the journal and strode to the door. His secretary was no longer at her desk. Irritated he called down to the Human Resources department to ask where she was. He felt an unusual sensation of unease when he was told there’d been a mix up with the temp agency. No secretary had been sent that day, but one would be there within the hour.
“Then who the hell is Ms. Niarchos?” Lance asked impatiently.
“I’m sorry, who?”
He called down to his security desk and told them that an unauthorized person had been in his office. He wanted IDs checked and a copy of the security tapes for his floor. He was even less happy a few minutes later when the head of his security informed him that there was a glitch in the camera system that morning. Nothing had been recorded.
None of it made sense. Yes, he’d just gotten a huge contract with the city of Boston, but that wasn’t a secret. He picked up the black business card and called the number on it. When he heard someone answer he said, “Who the hell are you?”
“Who I am doesn’t matter.”
“It does when you pretend to work for me. Is this some kind of joke?”
“No, but what you consider a security system is.”
“If I catch you in my building again—”
An unapologetic laugh. “Don’t threaten me, Mr. Barrington. Just read your aunt’s journal.”
What the hell? “What are you talking about?”
“I’d do the legwork for you, but I’m trying not to get involved. I have to say, though, I’m a little disappointed in your family’s lack of curiosity.” The line went dead. When Lance tried to call it back it rang through to a voicemail box that was full.
He called again but no one answered. What the hell?
Lance ran a hand through his hair. If the day wasn’t already crazy enough, it had just taken a bizarre turn. He sat down and opened the journal with the intention of reading it when his phone beeped from an incoming text.
Kenzi. Having lunch at the Bancroft with Dax, Clay, and Willa. She took the job.
No. Not going to happen. Lance dropped the journal into his computer bag, sent out an email to cancel his one o’clock meeting, and strode out of his office.
He sped across town to the restaurant, tossed his keys to a valet, and only slowed his pace once he entered the restaurant. He spotted Willa almost instantly and went to the table without stopping to speak to the hostess.
Kenzi stood when she saw him, “Lance, what a great surprise.”
So that’s how we play this? Okay. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I was about to have lunch alone. Mind if I join you?” He shook Dax’s hand in greeting.