Page 33 of Misdirection

She stepped from her office and met her. “Bree, has anyone been in my office since I left yesterday?”

“No, ma’am.” Bree paused by her desk and took off her heavy wool jacket, appearing surprised at her question.

She may have even felt ambushed. Olive should have acted more casually. She took a deep breath and reminded herself to act cool.

“Who has the key to my office besides you?” Olive asked.

Bree’s motions were stiff with alarm and curiosity as she leaned against her desk. “Only me and you and maybe the head of maintenance. Those should be the only ones.”

Olive didn’t bother to ask who else might be able to get on her computer. She knew she wouldn’t get a satisfying answer anyway.

But she needed to figure out who’d been in her office.

“Is everything okay?” Bree stared at her, a wrinkle between her eyes.

“It’s fine.” Without any more explanation, Olive stepped back into the office.

She would ask Tevin to get her a camera to hide on her bookshelf. That way if anyone came in here again, she’d know who.

The fact someone had been on her computer could mean that someone was onto her. But it could also mean that someone was nervous that she might discover something in her job as an External Information Security Analyst.

She stood and began to check her office for listening devices or cameras that may have been placed here if someone had snuck in.

She didn’t find any. That was a relief, at least. But she still didn’t like this situation.

She glanced at the time. Most employees should be in the office by now, and Olive needed to set up a meeting with Ryan. She was interviewing each executive as part of her job, so calling a meeting with him shouldn’t seem unusual. Right now, he and Bennett were her best suspects.

She dialed Ryan’s number, and he answered on the first ring. “Ryan . . . it’s Olive Whiten. As you probably know, I’m setting up meetings with all the senior-level executives, and I was hoping to meet with you today. Do you have time in your schedule?”

“Today?” He hesitated. “I have several meetings already.”

“This won’t take long.”

Ryan hesitated again. “I suppose. How about at one o’clock? Would that work?”

“It’s perfect. Meet me at my office.”

“Okay then. I’ve made a note of it. Anything I should prepare?”

“Nothing at all. I promise it’s not as scary as it sounds.”

He let out a low chuckle. “That’s good to know.”

One o’clock? That gave her four hours.

She had a lot of work to do until then.

Just before lunch, Olive headed downstairs to stretch her legs and grab a cup of peppermint tea.

Just as the barista called her name, she looked over and saw Bennett Artfield step off the escalator and head away from the Conglomerate headquarters. He talked on his cell phone, and even from a distance, the conversation looked heated.

Where was he headed in such a hurry?

Her hunch could be nothing, Olive realized.

Or it could be something.

She nibbled her lip as she contemplated what to do.

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