Page 35 of Wired Strong

“Good,” Leede said crisply. “Then you won’t mind if I make a move.” And with that, Leede left Sophie in the kitchen, in front of a sinkful of greasy pots and pans, walking outside to join Raveaux and closing the glass slider behind her.

Sophie filled the sink with hot soapy water and went to work on the cookware, scrubbing energetically. She rinsed and stacked the pans in the drainer, feeling unsettled. “Good luck to her,” Sophie muttered. “She’s going to need it.”

“Need what?” Raveaux had come up behind her, and for a moment she thought she felt his breath at her neck. “I made a chocolate torte. It needs to warm up a little to be at its best.”

He opened the refrigerator and took out the torte. The glossy dark round, garnished with raspberries, looked as perfect as if it had been made in a bakery. He set the dessert on the counter. “Come outside with me so we can discuss the case.”

“Leede wanted a little alone time with you.” Sophie dried her hands on a dish towel. “I can finish cleaning up here.”

Raveaux arched a brow. “Come, Sophie. You know who I want to spend time with.” Before she could respond, he’d moved in his graceful way back out to the deck.

Sophie took a moment to finish wiping down the stove and counters anyway, before refreshing her drink and following him out to the lanai.

“I’ve seen the dessert,” she told Leede. “Chocolate torte. I expect there will also be a fresh raspberry sauce.”

“My favorite!” Leede clapped her hands. “Now, Sophie, you said you found something on the computers?”

“I did.” Sophie sat down and described what she’d uncovered. “Have you found any entries in the formal logs to match what I’m describing?”

“I have been going over the logs that are submitted to the Kama`aina Board each quarter. There does seem to be a large budget for ‘office supplies’ now that you mention it, but not enough to account for the major shortage our clients have asked us to find.” Leede frowned. “I wonder if this is how the embezzling is being done: padding legitimate expenses with random, computer-generated deductions to the bank account and siphoning them elsewhere. The accounting program shows that certain retailers are given categories, and when the retailer is paid, that category is triggered. A good deal of the ordering is automated for an organization this size. All the embezzler would have to do is hack into that software and set up a skim to various ‘retailers’ that were fake accounts.”

Sophie nodded. “I think that’s exactly what is going on.”

“And, just like that, Sophie solved the case.” Raveaux stood up. “Time for dessert. Would either of you like tea or espresso?”

“No caffeine for me, thank you,” Sophie said. She yawned. “In fact, I’m so tired all of a sudden. Can I get my dessert to go?”

Raveaux’s mouth tightened with disappointment. “Of course. I will prepare a Tupperware.” He disappeared, shutting the glass door behind him.

“Even the way that man says ‘Tupperware’ is sexy,” Leede murmured, swirling her wineglass.

“How old are you?” Sophie asked. “Raveaux is thirty-nine, but his life has aged him. You?”

Leede’s eyes twinkled. “Guess.”

“I think you present yourself as at least in your sixties. Why?” Sophie sipped her Perrier.

“It helps with my work. Adds credibility. At a certain point, an older woman is more authoritative. Guess my age.”

Sophie narrowed her eyes, assessing. The woman’s skin was beautiful, though the white hair . . . “I don’t know.”

“I’m forty-eight. My hair turned white when I was twenty-five; a family thing. I discovered the advantage of looking older in my years in Scotland Yard. Men were less threatened by me, and the suspects underestimated me.”

“I can see that worked well,” Sophie said seriously. “I have played down my femininity too.” She flexed her arm. “In favor of musculature.”

“Sorry, Sophie, but you’re quite beautiful and the muscles are not unattractive,” Leede said. “If I batted for the other team . . .”

“What does that mean?” Sophie asked. “I’m not familiar with that colloquialism.”

The door opened just then, and Raveaux appeared, carrying two beautifully garnished plates of torte with forks on the side. “Your Tupperware is on the counter, Sophie. We’ll be in touch tomorrow.”

Sophie had displeased him, and now she was dismissed.

“Thank you, Pierre. I will enjoy my dessert at home. Good night, Heri.” Sophie stood up and gave a little wave, which only Leede returned. She shut the sliding door and left the two on the lanai with their desserts.

“Good luck, Heri,” she whispered as she picked up her container with its dark treasure inside. “He needs someone, and you just might be woman enough.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

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