by Ravenna Tate
Which raised the question of how Ralph found out. Apparently they had a leak at headquarters in Central. Perfect. “Anything else?”
She averted her gaze for a second. Whether that was because she was thinking, or about to tell a lie, Viggo couldn’t discern. “It sounded like whoever he was talking to didn’t work there any longer. I mean at HCS.”
Oh, really? “What led you to that conclusion?”
“Because he said more than once, ‘If you were still there you’d have heard this’ every time he gave the person more information.”
That was bad news. That was very bad news. “Do you know the name of the person he was talking to?”
“No, but I did hear him mention Dave Perry by name to this person. I looked up that name and confirmed he’s no longer with HCS.”
Viggo’s heart raced, but he forced his expression to remain neutral. “Did you get the sense that Ralph was speaking to a man or to a woman?”
“I can’t say. His tone was gossipy, but then it usually is, if you know what I mean.”
Viggo knew exactly what she meant, but he wasn’t ready to tell her what he thought of Ralph yet. “Why were you listening to this conversation?”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s kind of hard not to. He has a loud voice.”
Viggo wanted to laugh but held it in check. She had her boss pegged perfectly. “Why would you come here to tell me this? Don’t you feel any loyalty to the people who sign your paycheck?”
She averted her gaze again. Was the reason behind that guilt, or something else?
“Let me rephrase the question. What did you hope to accomplish by coming here today to confront me about what you’d heard?”
She blew out a puff of air that fluttered her bangs. The gesture was so endearing that Viggo’s dick twitched. His gaze roamed over her lush body, clad in a very stylish dark gray suit and matching heels. Something bright and colorful would look better on her. He’d love to see her in red or maybe royal blue.
“My eyes are up here.”
Viggo had to laugh this time. He had been checking out her boobs. He wouldn’t deny it. “Yes, they are. And they’re very nice eyes, too, if I may say so.”
Her expression grew wary, but that didn’t faze him. She was a beautiful woman and he appreciated that fact. He wouldn’t apologize for being who he was.
“You’re such a pig.”
“Why? Because I think you’re attractive?”
“Because we’re supposed to be having a serious discussion.”
“No, you’re having a serious discussion. I’m still trying to decide why you’re here and whether I should let your boss know.”
“I had the grim part right,” she muttered.
“Excuse me?”
Her face colored. “Nothing.”
“Oh come on. That was such a bizarre comment you have to tell me.”
She shook her head, clearly embarrassed now. “It’s just something I do. I like anagrams.”
“And grim is an anagram for what, exactly?”
“Not only grim.”
“What then?”
“You’ll think I’m an idiot.”
His heart gave a strange lurch at the pain in her voice. Pretty girl, obviously intelligent enough to have earned an MBA and been hired at HCS, which meant there was no dirt in her background. Had she thought she’d uncovered a juicy secret about him and the other Weathermen, and that’s why she was here? She had guts. No doubt about it. To get past Dorothy in the lobby without an appointment she must have put on a convincing face. Why did she sound so insecure now?
“No, I won’t. Please tell me.”
“The complete anagram was via grim gong.”
He thought for a second, then grinned again. “My name. Viggo Ingram. You made an anagram from my name. Why?”
She shrugged. “It’s just something I do.”
“But when did you do it?”
“When I saw the huge plaque on your door.”
“You mean you did it in your head?”
“Yes.”
“How long did it take you?”
“I don’t know. It just … popped in there. I see the letters in my mind.”
“Add my middle name and tell me what you come up with. It’s Dennis. D-E-N-N-I-S.”
She glanced down at her lap and he counted. No less than seven seconds later she lifted her gaze to his, smiling. “I came up with several, but I’m not sure you’ll like any of them.”
“Tell them to me anyway.”
“All right, but don’t hold these against me.”
He’d like to hold something against her, but it wasn’t words. “Agreed.”
“Governing as dim gin, governing in mid gas, um … and governing a dim sign. Also misgiving on red nag, and misgiving no danger. But I like this one the best. Aggrieving on minds.”
“Is that how you see me? Aggrieving?”
She didn’t answer right away, as if she were weighing her words.
“It’s all right. I’d like to know.”
“More like arrogant, but that didn’t fit.”
“No, I suppose not.” Viggo wasn’t easily impressed, and this went well beyond that. He was astonished. “How do you do it?”
“I don’t know. Honestly. The words just come to me.”
“Tell me why you’re here, Madison.”
He swore he felt her shiver slightly. He knew what effect that tone of voice usually had on women. He wasn’t being fair, but he really wanted to know now because he was probably going to ask her out. Assuming she wasn’t trouble for any of them. No amount of charm was worth that. They’d each had enough trouble the past couple of months to last five lifetimes.
“I thought I could blow the lid off a scandal.”
“That’s not a good enough reason.”
She sighed. “You’re right. It’s not. It would also be a really sleazy thing to do.” She eyed him warily, like she wasn’t sure if she should continue.
“Did you hope to do that because of who we are, or is there another reason?”
She glanced at the floor for a second before meeting his gaze again, and he didn’t like the fear in her eyes. “Something is going on at HCS. Something isn’t right. That’s not the only conversation I heard Ralph have on the phone where it made me wonder why he was spilling what sounded like carefully guarded secrets.”
Viggo said nothing, but his mind raced with the realization that Ralph was more of a threat to them than this young woman was.
“Were the other conversations you overheard along the same lines as the one that led you here this morning?”
“Yes, but it’s not only that I thought there was a scandal surrounding all of you. I can’t help wondering whether Ralph is involved, as well as key people at HCS.”
“Then why not simply go over his head and address your concerns with his supervisor?”
“Because I didn’t know who he was talking to. HCS is a government agency, and I’m just an AA who has been there for a month.”
Viggo understood her dilemma, but that didn’t excuse her behavior. He leaned forward. “Madison, you still haven’t convinced me your intentions were honorable.”
“There was an article in the Central Free Press a few months ago that suggested all of you know the names and locations of the hackers, but are keeping them secret from HCS.”
That fucking article would haunt them until the planet exploded, or they all suffocated down here.
“Then when I heard Ralph saying those things, I thought all of you and certain people who work at HCS were conspiring together. I thought there was a secret plot, and that I’d landed in the middle of it. I don’t want to work for an agency whose public mission is to do one thing, but in reality, they scheme and lie and make secret deals behind each other’s backs.”
Viggo couldn’t help but smile. “Welcome to government work.” He leaned back again. “Let me see if I have this right. By coming here and confronting me, you thought you could g
et the truth and do what with it? Save the day?”
She looked really embarrassed now, but that couldn’t be helped. “Yes and no. I wanted the truth for my own peace of mind, but at the same time, if I uncovered something really big … I don’t know. I’m in over my head. It was a reckless thing to do.”
Her entire body slumped a bit, and his heart gave another lurch at the gesture. She was now totally defeated. “I’m glad to hear you finally say that. It was reckless, not to mention potentially dangerous. So what about now? Do you still believe the Weathermen are in bed with rogue members of HCS?”
“I don’t know. You haven’t really told me anything.”
Touché. “You know I can’t.” And she had no right to ask, but he didn’t think it was necessary to add that now.
“I know.”
“Let’s pretend for the sake of argument that what you overheard is true and I actually told you something that confirmed your suspicions. What would you have done with the information? Whom would you have gone to?”
She gave him a cautious look. “That would have depended on what you told me.”
“What if it was something that got Ralph fired?”
She frowned. “It was never my intention to get him fired.”
“Why not? Doesn’t he deserve to be? I’ve already confirmed that HCS knows what we’re doing, and they know about the warehouse. With me so far?”
“There’s no need to take that tone. I’m not a child.”
He ignored her comment. “You’ve told me Ralph was talking to someone who didn’t work for HCS, correct?”
“I don’t honestly know.”
“Okay. Let’s assume he was.”
“All right.”
“Now tell me what would happen if his boss found out?”
She sighed. “Ralph would lose his job.”
“Yes. He would. Had you thought that far ahead?”
“No.”
“Do you want your boss to lose his job?”
“I don’t want anyone to lose their job.”
“But you had hoped that by coming here and confronting me, you’d uncover a scandal about the people you work for.”
“Not hoping I would. Only wanting to know what the hell was going on.”
“You said you thought you could blow the lid off a scandal.”
She blew out a puff of air again. “I know I said that. I was naïve. It was a stupid thing to do. I’m sorry. I really am.”
Was she saying that so he wouldn’t call Ralph, or was she truly contrite? “So you didn’t come here with the express intention of getting Ralph fired.”
“No. Not at all. I needed to know who I was really working for. I needed to know I hadn’t made a huge mistake in taking this job.”
“It’s not a marketing job. Hadn’t you already thought you’d made a mistake?”
“No. I thought I could work my way up.”
“But now that you think they’re all a bunch of liars, you’re not sure you want to be there.”
She lifted her hands and then dropped them back onto the bag. “I’m confused.”
“About what?”
“About everything. About what I overheard, and about what is really going with the hackers.”
He nodded. He was confused, too, by what she’d overheard. But unlike her, he had a general idea of what was going on, and Ralph was smack dab in the middle of it. He had little respect for Ralph, but he had wanted to make sure she wasn’t out to hang her boss. That was territory he’d rather not venture into.
The silence grew awkward while Viggo debated. Something in her called to him, but considering he’d just deflated every balloon she’d walked in here with, he doubted she felt anything but disdain toward him.
She stood. “I think it’s time for me to leave. I’ve made a mistake in coming here, and I apologize for wasting your time.”
He stood. “You haven’t wasted my time.”
“What are you going to do?”
He watched her face for a few seconds. This was too easy, but he’d never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth. “I’m going to invite you to my apartment tonight for dinner.”
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
He cut his gaze to her left hand. No ring, but that meant nothing. “Unless of course you’re seeing someone or attached in some way.”
“Neither.”
Perfect. “Then I’ll see you at six.” He reached for his phone. “Give me your number. I’ll text you directions.”
“I’m not coming to your place for dinner.”
“Yes, you are.”
She put her hands on her hips. The gesture made him want to kiss her in the worst way. “And if I refuse?”
“I call Ralph’s supervisor in Central.”
She stared at him like he’d just told her he intended to kill her puppy. “Why? I told you why I did this. I admitted it was a terrible thing to do, and I apologized.”
“I have more questions for you, and this way you can relax and divulge your secrets in a more comfortable atmosphere.”
“Bullshit. You’re trying to seduce me.”
Oh, he liked this girl. Her confidence was very sexy. “Would that be so disagreeable?”
“You don’t need to sleep with me to find out who I am, or prove what I’ve told you is true.”
“That’s correct. I don’t. It will take me less than ten minutes online to learn all there is to know about you. And then I’ll call Ralph’s supervisor.”
“Unless I come to your apartment and have dinner with you.”
He wouldn’t have put it exactly like that, but since she did, he decided to go with it. “I’m glad you see the logic in this. What’s your phone number?”
“This is blackmail.”
“No, it’s not. It’s a business proposition. Have an enjoyable evening with me, or risk losing your job.”
“What do I get out of it?”
“Lobster. Unless you prefer steak. Or better yet, let’s have both. Do you prefer white or red wine?”
She almost laughed. He saw it before she could rein it in, and he resisted the urge to pump his fist in the air. “I can’t decide if you’re insane or simply a very persistent man.”
“I’m both. What’s your number?”
She gave it to him, and he texted her his address and the code she’d need to get inside the building. “Do you know where this building is?” he asked, once her phone pinged with the incoming text.
“Yes.”
“I’ll let the security staff know you’re coming. Oh, do you own a red dress?”
“Excuse me?”
“Or royal blue. Either color would look stunning on you.”
“I’ll wear what I want.”
He shrugged. “Suit yourself. As long as you show up by six.”
She turned and headed for the door. He watched her round ass move under that skirt, and could barely contain the urge to cross the room and kiss her until neither of them could breathe.
She opened the door and turned around. “I might not be there.”
“Your choice, Madison.”
They eyed each other for long moments. Then she finally left.
Viggo slumped back in the chair and shook his head. Holy shit. He had some serious detective work to do before six o’clock. This girl was either every fantasy he’d ever had, all rolled up into one gorgeous package, or the devil in disguise. Either way, this was going to be one hell of an evening.
Chapter Three
Madison walked around town for two hours, vacillating between wanting to call Mr. Via Grim Gong and tell him to go to hell, and wanting to shop for a red or royal blue dress to wear that evening.
She stopped at the park in the center of the city and sat on a bench, listening to the fake seagulls in the distance and breathing in the fake scent of sea air. They’d done their best to make this city sound and feel like a coastal city in northern California, but anyone older than nine or ten would likely rem
ember what the ocean really smelled like, and what birds actually sounded like.
Madison understood what Viggo and the other Weathermen were trying to do, and she supported it wholeheartedly. She knew their companies made insane amounts of money but that the men also gave to charities, and they each supported the Storm Troopers. They either had the hackers or were actively looking for them, depending on which rumor you wanted to believe.
Being employed at HCS didn’t mean she was privy to everything going on, especially not in her role. She relied on Ralph to keep her informed of the latest gossip, but once more she wondered who he’d been talking to earlier this week, and what she’d actually overheard. Had she misinterpreted it? No. She was certain of what she’d heard, but now had no clue what it meant.
What if he and this unknown person were merely repeating gossip they’d heard about the Weathermen? What if Viggo was right, and Ralph was repeating inside information to someone he had no business telling it to?
Ralph had mentioned Dave Perry by name, and whoever he’d been speaking to either worked at HCS and hated it, or didn’t work there any longer but once had. Ralph had been commiserating with the person, and had said some very unflattering things about the company that employed him. Ralph had also specifically mentioned the article, the hackers, and the warehouse. She had not misinterpreted that. And she also realized she’d never told Viggo that part. Maybe she should? Then he might not be so high-handed about her perceived loyalty.
It had been easy enough for Madison to find the article Ralph had mentioned and read it for herself, but for all she knew it was nothing but speculation. She now realized what little information she’d had when she’d talked her way into Viggo’s office.
This had been a half-assed plan, even if her boss had to be the worst investigator HCS employed. She’d seen very little investigation in the month she’d worked for him, unless you counted him watching old sitcoms on his work laptop.
She’d been thrilled to be offered this job, thinking she’d get to eventually use her marketing background for a government agency, even though it was only a satellite office. The job was a joke, and Ralph was useless.