A Taste For Danger (12 page)

Jack looked down. Ron spoke the truth. Since going on his dive of self-destruction, he’d lost contact with many of those to whom he was closest. He looked up at the two men. Their faces were strained and sincere. He didn’t envy their next forty-eight hours, or their next couple of years. But they seemed determined to turn this around.

“You have my support,” said Jack. “I know that things can turn around.”
They certainly did for me
.

“We appreciate that, Jack.”

Frank looked at his watch. “Ron, we need to go. It’s 9:00 and we need to be at Big D when they come for Tom. Plus I need to prepare for the press conference.”

The two men stood up. “Jack,” said Frank, “can you make sure that things stay orderly here? It’s not every day that people are arrested.”

“Of course,” said Jack. “You can count on me.”

The two men left. Felicia hung up her phantom phone call. The rest of the office proceeded to gossip. No one could figure what the men wanted with Jack. A couple of people even stopped by and hinted that they wanted to know, but he ignored them. Cindy and Eddie stayed in their offices. He had emailed them to stand by for 9:30.

At 9:30 on the dot, two men from the SEC and three FBI agents came through the door. They didn’t stop at Felicia’s desk. Walking fast they headed straight for Victoria White, Head of Managing Agents; Rance Masters, Head of Claims; and Dick McLellan, Head of Reinsurance. The agents already knew where to go and did not stop for directions. Soon all three employees were in handcuffs and paraded through the suite. People stood at their doors gasping. A few cried. For her part, Victoria yelled to high heaven that they were wrong, and she planned to sue. Rance and Dick just walked through with heads down. As quick as they came, the entourage left. No words, no explanation to anyone.

Jack found himself with a throng at his door. “Watch the Devonshire Press Conference at 11:30 a.m. was all that he would say. When the crowd had diminished to gossip in corners elsewhere in the office, Jack snuck out. He left his mobile and security card on his desk with a letter of resignation concerning what he hoped would be his first and last corporate job—at least from the inside.

Jack made it home in time to watch the press conference on TV as well as the news on the captures. Broadcasters said nothing about Cheryl Wong or the Chinese. Jack didn’t expect them to. After a healthy lunch, he drove out and bought a new phone. Apartment complete again, Jack knew exactly what he planned to do. He picked up the phone. She answered on the third ring. “Cindy, it’s Jack.”

“I didn’t expect to hear from you,” she said.

“Yeah well, it’s true, I no longer work for your company.”

She laughed. “You left quite a bit of fallout in your wake.”

“Just doing my job.”

“Oh, I think you did a little extra.”

Jack smiled. “Would you like to go to dinner with me?”

There was short pause. “Why, yes, I think I’d like that.”

Jack smiled again. Things were looking up. It was going to be a good year after all.

If you enjoyed reading
A Taste for Danger,
you may enjoy these other Breathless Press titles:

A Taste for Killing

Eyes Only

All For A Dead Man’s Leg

All For A Fist Full of Ashes

Jinn and Toxic

Available at Breathless Press

www.breathlesspress.com

Biography

H.K. Sterling is an author with Breathless Press known for stories with imagination, intelligence, a kick, and twist endings. She likes to focus her writing on romantic suspense, science-fiction, shorts, and anything that is spicy and unexpected. Sometimes her books may even go dark. H.K. lives in Virginia with her husband who graciously puts up with her passion for writing. H.K. currently has a Short Spy Romance out called Eyes Only, a Mystery/Thriller titled A Taste For Killing, and two short stories in the Breathless Press Anthology, My Bloody Valentine. H.K.’s books are suitable for 18+.

Catch up with H.K. Sterling on the following media:

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/hksterling

Twitter: @HKSterling

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Email: [email protected]

HK Sterling “Undercover Blog”: http://hksterling1.blogspot.com/

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