Page 20 of Silk Shadow

He disappeared again.

Shaken, she stared after him.

Jumping up, she picked up her laptop and followed him into his bedroom where he was standing by the desk phone. For some reason, she didn’t want to be alone. Actually, that wasn’t it. She wanted to be around him. Was that weird? Maybe not, given her sexy daydream.

He turned as she walked in, placing a hand over the receiver. “Did you want to order something else?”

She shook her head and sat down at the small table in the corner of his room to wait until he’d finished. "Do you mind if I ask your opinion on something?" she said, the moment he hung up.

He frowned but walked over to her. "Um, sure, although I’m not sure how much help I’ll be."

“It’s not about fashion.”

“It’s not?”

“Nope. It’s about the way my father died.”

“Oh?” He strode over and after a moment’s hesitation, took a seat beside her at the table. She could smell his aftershave, the same one she’d noticed in the car. He looked good, fresh from his shower, in beige thigh-hugging chinos and a fitted, white T-shirt. It was impossible to ignore the way his arms bulged from beneath the cotton. The guy was seriously jacked. For a fleeting moment, she imagined those muscular arms wrapped around her, drawing her toward him, and her stomach fluttered.

Come on, Izzy. Concentrate.

Something about the police report had bothered her from the start, and it would help to run it by someone impartial, someone whose profession meant that he’d understand her concern.

“This is the incident report on my father’s accident. Would you mind reading it and telling me what you think?”

He narrowed his eyes. "I don't know the specific circumstances surrounding your father's death, only that he died in a car accident."

She gave a tight nod. "It's all here."

The document was open on the screen, and he read: OFFICIAL – MEXICAN POLICE in a bold font across the top.

Izzy turned the screen toward him. "It's been translated, which is why the English isn't that good, but you'll get the gist of it."

He leaned forward and began to read. She watched as his eyes scrolled the page. He read fast, occasionally going back over a line that didn't make sense. The translation was sketchy, but it was easy enough to understand.

Eventually, he looked up. "It’s pretty vague on the actual details, but it sounds to me like he lost control of the vehicle and drove over the edge of a cliff."

"My father grew up in Mexico," Izzy said thoughtfully. "It's always bothered me that he'd lose control like that. He knew those roads backwards, drove them every day. I can't see how he'd simply drive over the edge."

"Do you suspect foul play?" Viper's voice deepened.

"I don't know. Maybe? I mean, think about it. My father dies and his share of the company passes to me. Ordinarily, a woman in my position would sell those shares. I mean, what do I know about running a mining conglomerate, right? I'm into fashion. I have my own company to run. Then, when I decide not to sell, I start getting death threats."

"You think someone is trying to force you to sell the company?"

"It's a possibility, isn't it? I mean, it makes sense. Take out my father, and then go after me."

“You’re saying you think he was murdered?”

She shrugged.

"Who would want to do that?" Viper stared at her, suddenly serious. The sea-blue gaze darkened. "Who would benefit if you were gone?"

"That's the problem. I don't know. None of the other board members can afford to buy me out. My father owned half of the company. That's a sizable chunk by anyone's estimate."

"What about his competitors?"

"I've had offers from two other firms. Both operate in Central America. Neither of them was particularly aggressive, though, and I didn’t detect any malice in their offers." She sighed. "Do you think I'm crazy?"

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