Page 44 of Wired Strong

Chapter Thirty-Three

Raveaux

Day 7

The next morning,Raveaux sat in the consultation chair in front of Heri Leede’s desk, one ankle cocked over his knee. He slid one of Gita’s old bookmarks between the pages of his Jack Reacher paperback, as his new investigative partner walked into her office.

“I see you’re making yourself right at home.” Leede went behind her desk and sat down.

Raveaux tucked the book inside his jacket pocket. “I was five minutes early. I let myself in. I hope that’s all right.”

“Shows that you know your way around a pair of lockpicks, and that I need a little more security around here.” Leede was annoyed, but trying not to show it.

“I apologize. You have nothing to worry about from me,” Raveaux said gently. “I will wait in the hall next time.”

Leede took off her ridiculous little plaid pork pie hat and tossed it, with perfect aim, onto the hook of a freestanding coatrack. “It’s fine. I’ll have a key made for you.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“But maybe I want you to have a key.” Leede leaned back in her chair. She spun back and forth, eyeing him. “Sophie rang me while I was on the way over. She has a couple of leads for us to follow up on. The first is the name of the bank, and the account number, where the deposits are being skimmed into. She is really very good at what she does.” Leede flicked on her computer. Weary shadows that even her rhinestone-edged glasses could not conceal, showed under her bright blue eyes in the monitor’s glare.

“Did my dinner not agree with you?” Raveaux asked. “Did you sleep badly?”

Leede took off the glasses and rubbed her eyes. “Just shoot me now, if I can’t stay up for a few hours past my bedtime drinking wine with a handsome man. Besides, I had a whole day to recover.”

“I enjoyed it,” Raveaux surprised himself by saying. “You’re good company.”

“And your cooking was superb. I’m sure Sophie thought so too, even though she left early.” Leede formed a little pyramid with the tips of her fingers and stared at him over them. “Are you interested in Sophie? Am I wasting my time flirting with you?”

Raveaux froze—he wasn’t prepared for her to be so direct.“I don’t know what you mean.”

Leede flung her hands up with a snort. “I’m not blind. Sophie is beautiful and years younger than you, while I am nine years older. I’m not an idiot.”

“Age has nothing to do with it,” Raveaux said stiffly. “I have a professional respect for both of you.”

“I wouldn’t bother with you, or this conversation, if I didn’t really like you, Pierre.” Leede cocked her head in that birdlike way she had. “Have you thought this thing with Sophie through? I don’t know if you have a chance with her. She has a lot of baggage, and will, very soon, have even more.”

“If you’re asking if I’m interested in datinganybody,the answer is no. It has been ‘no’ since my wife died,” Raveaux said. “Sophie is . . . preoccupied, with a lot on her mind and grief on her heart. She is also pregnant, and that will take most of her attention in the coming year or two. She is not in a position to be interested in a relationship, nor would I presume that she would want one with me. But yes, I am attracted to her.”

Leede seemed undaunted by his frosty manner. “It’s been more than five years, Pierre. More than that for me, too. We’re both in need of companionship. That’s all I am proposing. It would be nice to spend time with someone interesting. Perhaps take in a concert, or an art show, or whatever Honolulu has to offer in the way of cultural activities.” She arched a brow. “Maybe even a little fooling around, should we both be so inclined.”

Raveaux felt the tickle at the side of his mouth—he was tempted to smile. Until now, Sophie was the only one who’d caused that effect, but Heri Leede was smart, surprising—andfun.

“Well,” Leede leaned over the desk. “I can hardly compete with someone like Sophie, nor would I try to. Companionship is all I’m offering. Perhaps the Bishop Museum? On a day and time of our mutual choosing?”

“Yes, that I can do,” Raveaux said. “I have yet to explore the museum. Sophie has mentioned it several times as a cultural treasure trove.”

“Good. Now back to the case. Why don’t you make us a pot of tea? I will call this bank in the Caymans, and see if I can get them to give us the name on the account.” Leede slid her glasses on and reached for the phone.

Raveaux stood, smoothing his trousers, and headed for her beverage station on the credenza. “Good luck. They’re highly unlikely to respond to anything but a court order, or perhaps a probe by the FBI.”

Leede twinkled up at him. “That, too, can be arranged.”

* * *

Raveaux followedLeede into the student computer lab at Kama`aina Schools.

The room was large and toned in the mid-gray that was so prevalent in computer labs the world over, the air lowered to a comfortable temperature. New computers ranged the walls, and a central island was also equipped with several networked computers that clearly could be engaged in the same activity. One or two students occupied the stations. An adult monitoring the room got up and advanced toward them. “Can I help you?”

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