Page 142 of Moonlighter
“Sure it does,” Max argues. “Whitbread wants Alex gone. And Xian Smith wants a foot in the door. If I were Smith, I’d ask Whitbread for help, too.”
Nobody says anything for a minute. We’re all busy thinking.
“Is that all?” Rolf asks finally.
“Yeah,” Alex croaks. “Thank you.”
More silence, while everyone works through the ramifications.
“He had the Thai contract,” Alex says slowly. “He knew we were using Mr. Khun as a supplier.”
“You’re saying he passed that information to Smith?” my father asks. “If Whitbread is your mole, then nothing is safe.”
“I have to confront him,” Alex says.
“Or you could keep him around, but feed him misinformation,” Max says.
“No,” Alex shakes her head. “He’s the leak that endangers anyone else I hire. Even if I try to misdirect him, someone else could get hurt.”
“She’s right,” Carl agrees. “Let’s walk into his office right now, before he gets a whiff that we’re onto him.”
“Is he in today?” my brother asks. “He’d be on this floor, right?”
“Yes, at the other end of the hall.” Alex lifts her phone’s handset. “Should I call him and check?”
“Do it,” my father says. “I’ll step out to make sure he doesn’t leave.”
As soon as the door closes behind him, Alex dials. “Everyone stay quiet a second.”
The three of us listen to the phone ring through Alex’s speaker. He answers on the second ring. “Whitbread.”
“It’s Alex. Listen, Peter. There’s been some more trouble with a supplier. And I suspect that one of our manufacturers is up to no good. Can I come down to your office and fill you in?”
“Of course,” he says. “If there’s trouble, I’ll need to know about it right away.”
“Wonderful,” she says smoothly. “I’ll be there in five.” She ends the call.
“Well,” Max chuckles. “That will terrify him whether he’s your leak or not.”
She pushes back her chair. “Let’s go. We’ll start by asking him why the hell he gave Xian Smith a visitor’s pass. I can’t think of a single legitimate reason for Whitbread to meet with him.”
My brother and Alex advance toward the door, looking tense.
“I suppose I shouldn’t complain about my lost lunch plans?” I joke as Max opens the door for her. “Can I go buy us all takeout?”
Alex cups my cheek before she steps out. “You’re always feeding me.”
“Someone has to.”
We all pass Rolf’s desk. “Off to the restaurant?” the assistant asks.
“Not yet,” Alex says, her voice tense. “Rolf, this might be another late night.”
“Color me surprised. So I’m taking a lunch break now, okay?”
Alex doesn’t answer. She’s already on the move.
My father is waiting a ways off, in view of the elevators. He gives his head a shake to let her know that our man has not come by. Then he falls in with my brother and Alex on their way to Whitbread’s office.
