Lies Lovers Tell (14 page)

Sean was unaware of the admiring stares as he strode confidently through the lobby of the Brennan Building. The last time he walked through, he had admired the refined architecture, flawless marble, contemporary design, and even an attractive executive or two. But not today. Today, a woman could have passed Sean buck naked and were that woman not Maya…he wouldn’t have noticed.

There were three reasons why. One, Maya. He’d seen her again last night and as usual, her beauty and brains combo had left him satiated and wanting more. Two, he’d spoken with Tangier and hadn’t liked the tone of the conversation. He thought he’d placated her enough to deal with their situation once his business in LA was over but their conversation proved that wasn’t the case. He didn’t need the extra hassle of her nonsense because three, word was out on the street about a high level hit, one he thought might be aimed at someone in the world of real estate. That brought him back to reason number one, and why he was at the B&A offices. Zeke had scheduled a meeting to discuss Sam Walters. Sean was more than interested to hear what he had to say.

Ester greeted Sean warmly as he stepped into the reception area. “Hello, Mr. Wynn,” she said without him having to introduce himself. “You’re here to see Mr. Brennan?”

“Yes…Ester, correct?”

She was surprised and flattered he remembered, not knowing that Sean’s near photographic memory was one of the things that made him an ace investigator. “That’s right!” Ester answered, unaware that her body language had turned flirtatious.

One of Zeke’s assistants came into the lobby. “Mr. Wynn, Mr. Brennan is ready to see you.”

Sean smiled politely at Ester and followed the assistant down the hall. Just as he passed an office door, an attractive, dark-haired woman rushed out of it. His quick reflexes prevented a collision.

“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry,” the woman said, the surprise on her face quickly replaced with admiration. “You must be Sean Wynn, here to see Ze—I mean, Mr. Brennan. I’m Jade,” she said, holding out her hand. “Jade Laremy.” Had it not been for the hunger in her eyes and the way she straightened her back, straining her breasts inside the tight sweater she wore, her demeanor would have been totally professional.

Sean smiled, shook her hand, and went on his way, reading Jade’s mind like a magazine. Maya was right, he could see treachery in the brunette’s eyes. She’d do anything to get what she wanted, and it looked like she wanted Maya’s right-hand woman position. If things worked out the way he wanted, Jade could have it. Sean had his own plans for both Maya’s personal and professional futures.

“Sean, good to see you again!” Zeke’s handshake was hearty and his smile sincere as Sean was escorted into Zeke’s office.

“You too, Zeke,” Sean replied.

Zeke motioned toward the conference room area. “Would you like anything, Sean? Coffee, croissants…?”

Sean shook his head. “No, thank you, Zeke. I’m on a tight schedule today.”

Zeke nodded his understanding and motioned to the chair on the other side of his desk. He began to speak as soon as Sean sat down.

“I’ve got a plan I want to run by you, get your professional investigator input, if I might. It’s regarding Sam Walters and the project I’ve got Maya working on.”

“I’m listening.”

“Well, Maya’s been in that house for over a month and hasn’t been able to find anything substantial on the guy, but I just can’t seem to shake the feeling that there’s something fishy about him.”

Sean relaxed. This was something he’d be able to handle. “Oh, so you want me to step in, investigate the guy? I could do so discretely, being that I know him and all.”

Zeke leaned back and studied Sean while he tapped a pen on the desktop. “Well, that’s just it. I’ve had background checks done and other screenings conducted. Nothing out of order comes up on the guy. It seems that Sam Walters is who he says he is, owner of a successful, international real estate company.

Sean shrugged his shoulders. “Then what’s the problem?”

Zeke rose from the desk, jammed his hands in his pockets and strolled over to admire his thirty-third floor view. “The problem,” he said slowly, “is that I don’t trust people I don’t know. There are few players in this game that I don’t know about, and I’m not comfortable with the fact that I didn’t know about him.”

Sean resisted the urge to squirm in his discomfort. He had a feeling he wasn’t going to like what Zeke was planning, but remained quiet as Zeke continued his spiel.

“Now Maya’s a beautiful woman, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I would.”

“And, uh, that Walters fellow is new here, doesn’t know anybody. I bet he’d love to get to know somebody like Maya, don’t you think?”

“I don’t know, why don’t you ask him?” Sean knew his answer was curt, but he didn’t care. Nor did it matter that he was Sam. Where did Zeke get off treating Maya like property?

Zeke held up his hands. “Now just wait, hear me out. I’m not thinking about asking her to be an escort or anything like that. Maya would never go for that and I’m not that crass.”

Knowing what he did about Zeke and Jade, Sean almost snorted.

“But,” Zeke continued. “I do know Sam’s a businessman and as such, could probably use an assistant. Maya could use this ruse to develop a friendship and…who knows what might happen?”

Zeke placed his hands on his desk and leaned towards Sean. “And who knows what secrets could spill out during a little pillow talk if an attraction of the physical nature did develop between those two.”

Sean didn’t yet trust himself to speak.

“He’s rich, powerful…not the fittest man in the world but he’s intelligent—might be Maya’s type.”

Sean leaned back in the chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, his emotions in control. This was an unexpected development that had to be handled with the utmost care because it involved Maya, his MVP.

He wanted to reject the plan outright, but he knew that wasn’t wise. Zeke was already paranoid and Sean didn’t want to do anything to heighten his suspicion. Plus, because of Sean’s supposed London connection with Sam, he was sure Zeke was suspicious of him as well. But if he went along with the plan, that meant spending time when Maya in the guise of Sam Walters, a gruff, bumbling Englishman who “Martha” couldn’t stand and he didn’t think Maya would like him much either.

Then it occurred to him, Sam couldn’t wine and dine Martha, but he could definitely show Maya the respect she deserved. It would be hell to pay if she found out about his charade before he was prepared to tell her, but with them working together in a more professional capacity, he might be able to pull it off. He’d meet with her three, four times tops, enough for Zeke to think his plan was working. Sean smiled, beginning to warm to the idea. He always liked a challenge. And it would be one more way he could keep an eye on Maya, make sure she was protected until the Angel’s Way deal closed and a firm to head up the project was selected. That should be in the next few weeks. Surely his decade plus of undercover work would allow him to keep his true identity hidden for that long.

He was now on board with Zeke’s ridiculous plan, but didn’t want to seem overeager.

“Since you don’t know Sam, why are you willing to risk Maya getting involved with him?”

Zeke chuckled. “Because I know Maya, and you don’t. She’s tougher than she looks, grew up on the south side, pulled herself up by her own bootstraps. The greater risk will be to Sam getting involved with her. I can’t think of any man who’d turn her down if given the chance to get close.”

“Including you?”

Zeke leaned back in his chair. “Including me.”

Sean looked at his watch and stood. This meeting was over. He had to leave Zeke’s office before he lost his cool. The thought of this character trying to roll up on Maya…it was time to go.

“I’ve got to get to my other meeting. But keep me posted on how everything work’s out.”

Zeke’s eyes narrowed as he watched Sean leave his office. Sean seemed miffed at the thought of Maya being with Sam Walters. Could it be because Sean was interested in having Maya for himself?

Zeke was still pondering his options from that possibility as he reached for the phone and rang Maya’s office.

“I got your message. You wanted to see me, Zeke?”

“Come on in, Maya,” Zeke said. “I hear the Santa Monica deal is about to go through. You’re helping with the close, right?”

“I’ve been invited to the meeting, yes.” Maya smiled. She was very proud that this venture, something she’d discovered and then nurtured indirectly as the company’s top producer used his skills to bring all the players on board, was now ready to close. Her first sell, not single-handedly but close enough for jazz. She’d believed it all along but now she knew…she could do this!

“I’m very proud of you, Maya, knew you had it in you to do well in this field. However, the Santa Monica deal isn’t why I wanted to speak to you.”

Maya nodded, waited.

“I think we need to switch tactics where Sam Walters is concerned. You’ve done well to try and get information as his housekeeper, but it seems clear that this ruse isn’t delivering what we need as fast as we need it.”

Maya fought the urge to squirm in her seat. She had nothing to be ashamed of; if there had been any way for her to find something on Sam Walters, she would have done it.

“I won’t tell you I’m disappointed at ending this assignment,” Maya said truthfully. “I’m actually relieved that you want me to end that housekeeper charade. You know I’d do almost anything for the company, Zeke. But that assignment was really starting to wear on my nerves, and I’m really antsy to get back into the full swing of things here at the office.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Zeke countered. “Even with your extracurricular activities on my behalf, you’re still doing a great job. Which is why I think you’ll be perfect for what I have in mind.”

Oh God, not another crazy-“a” harebrained idea of yours
, is what Maya thought. “Oh?” is what she said.

“Sam Walters is looking for a temporary assistant. I’m thinking to recommend you for the job.”

“Me? Work with Sam Walters? Am I missing why this would be a good idea?”

“I know this last month has been a strain on you, Maya. But that’s partly because you were out of your element, working as a housekeeper. This assignment should be easy. You’re meeting Sam as Maya Jamison, trusted assistant to Zeke Brennan. I think it will be great. He’s looking for a research assistant. You’ll know everything about him, what locations he’s scouting…what properties. Most important is for you to find out if he’s snooping for someone we don’t know about for the Angel’s Way. It will be your job to find out.”

Maya sat and gazed out the window. Would this nightmare ever end? Just when she was about to celebrate taking off her rubber gloves and putting back on her suit, it was only to find out the suit would be worn while once again working for Sam Walters. Why couldn’t she get away from this man?

“How long and how often am I supposed to do this temp work?” Maya tried and failed to keep the weariness out of her voice.

“Not long.”

“What if this guy is who he says he is, a successful real estate tycoon with money to burn? Look at all this time and effort we’re putting into trying to dig up dirt, when maybe it would be better used developing a partnership.”

“That’s why this plan can be so effective,” Zeke countered easily. “Your developing a friendship with Sam will be beneficial either way. If he isn’t who he says he is, your work will be invaluable to helping B&A stay ahead in the game. If he is who he says, then your working with him can only help you in setting up additional deals, and developing valuable friendships with some of this city’s power players, all of whom, I can assure you, are trying to become friends with Sam Walters.”

“But aren’t these same people already your friend, Zeke? Why can’t I do the same thing as your protégé?”

Maya made a good point. But the situation wasn’t that simple. One of the reasons Zeke was trying to move Maya up in his company was to make room for Jade as his executive assistant. It would give them the perfect cover for their in-office trysts and business trips. He appealed to Maya’s ego.

“I want the industry to recognize you on your own merits, Maya, not as someone who was given what they have because they were my assistant. After you get some nice deals under your belt as a Realtor, my plans are to make you a manager. That way you can use both your sales and your organizational and managerial skills to their fullest potential.”

Maya couldn’t disagree with anything Zeke had said. She should have been elated that he wanted to make her a manager in the firm. Some people had been with him ten years and hadn’t been given that title. But was any of that, or all of it, worth having to put up with Sam Walters on a regular basis?

“If you’re totally uncomfortable with this,” Zeke continued after Maya didn’t respond, “I guess I could see if there was someone else in the office who might be interested in this opportunity. Jade’s busy with another project, but maybe she could—”

“I’ll do it,” Maya interrupted.

Zeke smiled. As he’d hoped, mention of Maya’s stiffest competitor in the office had the desired effect. “I’m glad to hear that. Now, here’s the plan….”

Maya was thankful that her day had been too busy to stay focused on her morning meeting with Zeke. She’d spent the rest of the morning going through her in-box, filled with correspondence, reports, memos, and phone messages. Her afternoon had flown by, spending most of it with Rusty, the Realtor set to close the real estate property tomorrow. This, her first sell, was the one bright spot in an otherwise chaotic, confusing, stressful life, all thoughts of which came rushing back to the forefront as she squeezed into the five o’clock rush-hour traffic on the 10 Freeway.

She needed help sorting it all out, and reached for her cell phone. “Hey, Trish.”

“Ooh, girl, you scared me. I wasn’t expecting my phone to ring.”

“What were you expecting it to do, fly?”

“Oh, you’re Comedy Central now, huh? What I meant was, I didn’t expect the phone to ring while I was checking messages just now. We’re on dinner break, otherwise I would have missed you. What’s up?”