Page 74 of Sinful Beauty

“That’s how I see it, too. I’ve met with over half of the employees at our Geneva location, combed through records, which admittedly can be falsified, but I don’t see any Russian imprint. And I’m running out of leads. As soon as I track one, they end up dead.”

“Wreaks of a cleanup. Just do me a favor. Remember, Arrow’s priority is keeping the Watson girls safe. If you uncover anything that might send a clean-up crew their way, I need to be informed immediately.”

This isn’t the first time he’s expressed concern about those two women. It could be because he’s a good boss and looking out for his team members, but I’ve been in this field long enough to know that’s an unlikely scenario. “What’s your connection to those girls?” I doubt he’ll come clean, but there’s no harm in asking.

“I’ll share that on a need to know basis.”

“The information isn’t relative to this case?”

“No, it’s not.”

“Understood. Well, I’ll let you know if we get more information. I’m going to spend some time triangulating the bankers’ connections to Lumina employees. Although, a connection doesn’t mean anything. He lives in Geneva.”

“I’m working on getting our file on him.”

What he means is, he’s digging up all the information the CIA has on him.

“I’ll put in some requests from our international partners. When is Haussler’s return flight?”

“In five days. I’ve got men monitoring him. We’ll report on who he meets with.”

The call ends and I refresh my coffee and head into my office. So much for getting in early, but knowing Lucia, she’ll be grateful to buy some time before putting on her professional face around me.

My first call is to Nigel to ask him to expedite requests for information from our international partners. We both agree a blue notice will tip our hand, as there’s a good chance all interested parties will learn a blue notice has been placed on the banker.

After the call ends, I reach out to Ozzie and ask her to see what she can find. I also reach out to a few of my trusted contacts within MI6, Japan’s Public Security Intelligence Agency, the Federal Intelligent Service, or FIS, here in Switzerland, and even one highly coveted contact within China’s State Security Ministry. It’s a broad sweep, but these are individuals I’d trust with my life. What will be interesting is if what they provide differs at all from what the heads of state share after receiving Interpol’s official request for information.

The process of reaching out to my contacts is time intensive, and it’s past noon by the time I’m strolling into the office with a practiced debonair air.

Lucia’s computer screen is dark. Good for her. She finally broke away for lunch. Unless her absence means she was too sick to remain at the office.

“Where have you been?”

Peltz steps into the hallway. His thin hair is unkempt with one thick clump laying the opposite direction from all the others in a curved arch, and his tie partially covers a brown stain, presumably coffee, on his starched robin’s egg blue oxford.

“Working from home this morning.” His lips press together in obvious distaste. Truthfully, I’d hate myself if I were in his shoes. There’s little worse than a useless employee you’re forced to manage.

“What’s your schedule like this afternoon?”

“I’ll need to check.” That’s a lie. I don’t have any meetings. I’ve been careful to casually meet as many employees as possible while ensuring project meetings proceed without my inclusion.

“I need you to join me for meetings at two, three and four. I’ll need you to take notes.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to explain to him how to record a meeting, upload it, and have AI produce reliable notes, but Lucia might have my balls. She loves attending those meetings.

Which, why is he asking me and not her?

“Is Lucia sick again today?”

Our family physician got me a contact with a nearby OB-GYN. I refrained from making the appointment, as that felt like overreach. It’s something I want to discuss with her this evening.

Peltz’s chest falls, and he scratches his scalp. “Lucia is no longer employed here.”

“Come again?”

Did he fire her? Absent one day?

“We’re interviewing for replacements. I believe they’re setting up interviews for Friday. Graeme’s working on it. Until I get that replacement, there are quite a few meetings I’d like for you to join in on.”

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