Kiss Lonely Goodbye

by Lynn Emery

  “So, basically we did a security survey at his stores.” Nicole jotted notes.

  “Right. Andre did the final report and I reviewed it. We recommended he change the layout. The aisles are angled with large mirrors positioned on the walls.”

  “And we installed the cameras.”

  “Like I said, we’ve got a security guard who reviews the tapes. A determined thief will find a way to steal even with the best system.” Marcus muttered a curse when a red light caught them.

  “Take it easy. Spreading us all over the pavement won’t help,” Nicole said as she darted a glance at him.

  “Relax, I haven’t killed a passenger in a whole month,” he deadpanned.

  “I feel better,” Nicole quipped. She frowned. “Phoung didn’t implement all of your recommendations.”

  “Right,” Marcus said and looked at her in surprise.

  “In between getting my nails done and shopping I managed to actually read the files.” Nicole didn’t look back at him but kept writing.

  Marcus looked ahead just as the light changed. He drove on. “Phoung went with a cheaper camera model than we suggested. After three robberies, the police told him those pictures weren’t helpful at all. Too fuzzy.”

  Ten minutes later they arrived at a large store. The offices were on the third floor above it. Marcus opened the door for Nicole. She strode in with confidence, her head up. This woman acts like she’s used to being in charge, he mused. Fine, she could do the talking. Her chance to deal with the crisis appeared within seconds. Tameka Grant, their employee, stormed toward them in her olive green uniform. She walked right past Nicole to Marcus.

  Tameka stabbed a forefinger in Marcus’s chest. “I’ve been tryin’ to keep cool, but if he calls me a shoplifter one more time—”

  “Take it easy, Tameka. Let us handle this,” Nicole said before he could speak. She blinked when the husky woman glared at her.

  “All I’m sayin’ is he better watch his mouth. I been in security for six years and ain’t nobody ever accused me of nothin’.”

  “I understand you’re upset,” Nicole said in a calm but firm tone. “If he doesn’t have any evidence…”

  Tameka turned sharply to face Nicole. “You tryin’ to say I’m a suspect or somethin’?” she said loudly.

  “Tameka, Ms. Benoit is—” Marcus began but stopped when Nicole raised a palm.

  “I can handle this,” Nicole said in a tight voice.

  Marcus cleared his throat and stepped back. He decided not to go far in case Nicole needed to be rescued. Tameka glowered at her with both hands on her wide hips. Marcus shook his head mentally. The sorority girl was about to learn a hard lesson.

  “I don’t know who you are or who you think I am, but lemme get you straight.” Tameka waved her finger in the air under Nicole’s nose.

  Nicole looked the angry woman in the eye. “As CEO of this company I expect all of our employees to stand up under pressure. We’ll back you all the way, but making a scene isn’t going to help.”

  “Say what?” Tameka looked at Marcus.

  “She’s your new boss,” he said with a nod.

  “I don’t have to take this mess,” Tameka grumbled with less heat.

  “Fine. Turn in your equipment. We’re going to investigate no matter what,” Nicole replied.

  “Well, I just don’t think it’s right the way he talked to me,” Tameka grumbled. Still, she lowered her hand.

  “Take a few days off,” Nicole added when Tameka’s hand came up again. “Jesse will be in touch with you.”

  “Yeah, all right. I need to give my nerves a rest.” Tameka glared at three store employees who stood watching the scene, then she stomped out of the store.

  Marcus nodded to a door marked Employees Only. “This way. That was a smooth move, boss lady. I had to suspend her pending the results of an internal investigation anyway.”

  “I know. I’ve been reading company policy and the state regs.” Nicole fell in step beside him as they went down a hallway.

  “When did you have time to get your nails done?” Marcus punched the button to summon the elevator.

  Nicole glanced at her fingernails with a frown. “I haven’t lately, damn it. Another reason I don’t feel like putting up with back talk from anybody these days.”

  “Life is so hard,” Marcus murmured. They got on the elevator.

  She shot a heated glance at him but said nothing. They rode up to the third floor in silence. When they got off the elevator, a wiry man hurried down the long hall toward them. David Phoung wore a starched white Tommy Hilfiger shirt tucked into khaki pants. He stood a good two inches shorter than Nicole. Still, the size of his temper made up for his small stature. He started shouting when he was still fifteen feet away.

  “I want something done!” he blurted out. “That woman, your employee.” Mr. Phoung pointed at them. “She’s responsible!”

  “I’m getting real tired of fingers in my face,” Nicole whispered. Nevertheless, her expression remained composed. “Hello, Mr. Phoung. I’m Nicole Benoit, the—”

  “I want something done, Mr. Reed. I can’t stay in business losing valuable merchandise. My assistant manager tells me there may have been thefts for at least three months.” Mr. Phoung’s words came out rapid fire. He took a deep breath and put both hands on his slender hips. “Well?”

  “What kind of inventory controls do you have in place? Have you questioned your employees?” Nicole assumed an air of quiet efficiency. She took the notepad from a pocket in her green blazer.

  “Well, I-I don’t know.” Mr. Phoung blinked at her behind his black frame eyeglasses.

  Another man, slightly taller than Mr. Phoung, emerged from an office nearby. “Excuse me. I’m Phan Tran, Mr. Phoung’s assistant. I deal with the managers of all three stores.”

  “Hello. We’ll need as much information as you can give. Right, Marcus?” Nicole glanced at him.

  Marcus nodded. “Right. Hi, Phan. Why don’t we pull up data on inventory reports and employee background checks.”

  Nicole turned to Mr. Phoung again. “You’ve called the police?”

  “Of course I called the police. I’ve been robbed!” Mr. Phoung took a deep breath in preparation for another rant.

  “Then it’s even more important to give them details quickly. The faster they can start their investigation the better.”

  Marcus admired the cool way she talked the agitated man down. She neatly maneuvered him down the hall to his office. Marcus spent the next hour with Tran gathering printouts. Nicole came back twice to ask Marcus questions she couldn’t answer for Mr. Phoung. Then they both spent another thirty minutes with Mr. Phoung. By the time they walked out the door, Nicole had a pad filled with notes.

  Marcus opened the doors to the Dodge Durango with the remote. Nicole put on her sunglasses, took off her jacket, and tossed it onto the backseat. Marcus gazed at the white fitted dress shirt that molded to her breasts. Her curvaceous body dressed up the business outfit she wore. The crisp blouse was tucked into the green skirt, which wasn’t short. Still, her long, lovely legs made what would have been a prim look on another woman into a spine-tingling distraction. Marcus felt a chill run up his arms despite the hot sunlight that bounced off the pavement.

  “I’ll drive,” Nicole said. She frowned when Marcus hesitated. “What?”

  “Nothing. It’s just…” He mentally shook himself.

  Nicole walked past him to the driver’s side and got in. She held out her hand for the keys. “Don’t make a crack about women drivers. I’m not in the mood.”

  “I wasn’t going to,” Marcus replied mildly. “We always drove Mr. Summers, that’s all. Boss’s privilege.”

  “Well, I like to drive. My uncle was too proud to admit he’d gotten too old to brave this wild Houston traffic. Besides, you’ve got more experience with security procedures than I do. You want to make phone calls even before we get to the office. Right?” Nicole gazed at him with an unreadable expr
ession behind the dark glasses.

  “Yes,” he admitted.

  “Then it’s safer. I don’t want us whizzing through red lights because you’re concentrating on missing jelly beans.” She pulled the driver’s seat closer to the controls to accommodate her height.

  Marcus laughed in spite of the situation. He handed her the keys and climbed into the passenger side. “You’ve got a point. And I don’t mind being driven by a woman at all,” he said as he fastened his seat belt.

  “I’ll just bet you don’t,” she tossed back.

  He glanced at her sharply. Nicole shifted into reverse and deftly wheeled the SUV out of the parking lot. Marcus took the slim cell phone from his inner pocket. “That didn’t come out the way I intended.”

  “Yeah, well, the truth has a way of sliding out.” Nicole checked traffic, then turned left onto FM 60. She grinned but continued to look ahead at the road.

  Marcus decided to let that one pass. He made a series of phone calls, one of them to a buddy who worked in the burglary division of the Houston police force. By the time they would arrive at the office, he would have two of the staff on an internal investigation.

  “I want to look over every bit of information you get as soon as you get it,” Nicole said as she hit the brake. “I’d like us to solve this crime before the police. Our name is on the line.” Nicole scowled, but it wasn’t the traffic that worried her.

  “Tameka has her faults, but lifting merchandise doesn’t sound like her.” Marcus stretched out his legs. “Of course you never know.”

  “I’d like to review her personnel file. Let’s see if she’s had any conflicts with Jesse or Mr. Phoung’s staff,” Nicole said. Jesse hired, trained, and supervised the security guards.

  “The answer is yes and yes. Tameka has an attitude problem,” Marcus replied.

  “For real,” Nicole retorted.

  “She’s had minor problems at two other sites but does a good job otherwise. No allegations of theft, though,” he added when she looked at him.

  “Maybe she didn’t have an opportunity. Where was she before?” Nicole said.

  “She worked at Wisdom Ministries for eight months.”

  “You know where each guard works? Impressive.” Nicole glanced at him and back at the street.

  “I’d like to take the compliment, but Jesse told me when I called the office.”

  “You still deserve it for pulling together information so fast.” Nicole nodded.

  “Just doing my job.” Marcus felt a flush of pleasure despite his words.

  “No, it’s more than a job with you, even though you’re not thrilled to have me for a boss.” Nicole turned to him after she braked at a red light.

  “Like I said, change is always tough,” he said cautiously.

  She only nodded again. The light turned green, and she drove on without saying more. Nicole had seemed to seek some kind of reassurance from him. Marcus suddenly wanted to see her eyes behind the dark glasses. Why? She was a Summers, and that should have been all he needed to know. In fact, she was more dangerous than the old man had ever been. That body, those eyes, and that voice could lead most men astray.

  Marcus risked another look at her as Nicole adjusted the rearview mirror. He studied her profile. She lifted her chin and checked her lipstick. The bronze color was a perfect blend for her smooth complexion. When she pressed her lips together, Marcus blinked hard and looked away. The space between them didn’t seem wide enough. Marcus pressed his shoulder against the door as though trying to increase the inches.

  “Wisdom Ministries. Isn’t that Pastor Ike’s church? Yeah, that televangelist who claims he’s got the power of healing in his hands. He was busted last April with an expensive hooker in his limo,” Nicole said, answering her own question. “He was laying hands on her all right.”

  “Uh, yes, he founded Wisdom Ministries,” Marcus replied as he shifted in his seat.

  When Nicole turned the air conditioner up his mind turned to the fragrance she wore. The scent seemed to wrap itself around him. A blend of something sweet and piquant, it reminded him of every caution he’d ever heard about Louisiana women. His grandfather had told tales of Creole women who could cloud a man’s mind with voodoo. Marcus imagined Nicole seated in front of a vanity mirror dabbing perfume on her neck, then between her breasts. Without thinking he reached over and turned the fan on high. He jerked his hand back when he brushed against her sleeve.

  “I think—” Nicole broke off and glanced at him. Her dark brows drew together over the rim of her sunglasses. “Marcus, what is wrong with you?”

  Nothing a shower of ice wouldn’t cure. “I’m okay. Man, this traffic is horrible.”

  Nicole gazed at him a second longer before she looked ahead again. “This crazy traffic is just one of the reasons I don’t want to live here.” She turned into the parking garage of the office building that housed the company.

  “Houston isn’t all that bad,” Marcus said. “The city has all kinds of cultural events and recreational opportunities.”

  “So, you think I should stick around?” Nicole parked the vehicle on the fourth level in a reserved space marked Summers Security.

  “I was just saying, you know,” Marcus stammered. He unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the vehicle to cover his confusion.

  “I’m going to move into Uncle Hosea’s house, another reason for Russell to hate me. But he did leave that to me, too.” Nicole pressed a button on the keyless remote. The horn beeped once to signal that the Durango’s alarm system was armed.

  “Nice address.”

  Marcus had been to several company parties at the spacious home in River Oaks. The house sat on a corner lot and boasted over three thousand feet of living area, a pool with a spa, and a fireplace, among other things.

  “Big address. At least I’ve a housekeeper, if she doesn’t quit on me, that is.” Nicole led the way into the garage elevator and punched the button for their floor.

  “Rosaria is a gem. She could handle the most difficult task just to please her employer.”

  “Even me, huh?” Nicole didn’t look at him.

  “I meant your late uncle. You’re a sweetheart compared to Hosea Summers. I, uh…”

  Marcus found himself in deep water. He felt a rush of gratitude when the elevator stopped and the doors whisked open. He was about to make a hasty retreat to safety when her sexy voice stopped him cold.

  “Could you come to my office, please?” She headed off without waiting for an answer.

  “Let me make a few calls first. I might have more news on the Phoung situation.” Marcus backed up a few steps.

  “I won’t keep you long. In fact, make the calls from my desk.” Nicole waved him to follow.

  Marcus hesitated. When Nicole glanced over her shoulder with one eyebrow raised, he followed.

  “Was it bad?” Cat’s eyes were wide. She handed Nicole a stack of phone messages.

  “Bad enough,” Nicole replied. She took the blue slips of paper without even slowing down. “Marcus and I shouldn’t be disturbed unless it’s an emergency.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Cat stared at him with curiosity as he went by her desk. “I made sure you’ve got plenty of cola, chips, and sandwich fixings. Just in case you work late again.”

  “You’re more precious than gold,” Nicole quipped. Cat smiled with pleasure in response.

  “You two have become close.” Marcus closed the door to Nicole’s office.

  “Thank heavens not everyone around here loathes me.” Nicole dropped the notepad on her desk.

  “Not true. It’s just—”

  “I know, change is difficult,” she cut him off. “Now I have to deal with a customer who thinks our employee is a thief.” Nicole rolled her shoulders with a grimace.

  Marcus watched her closely. Lines of worry marred her lovely forehead. He had a crazy desire to be the one who could smooth them away. “It’s easier for an employer to blame outside staff, especially when most of his
employees are relatives or family friends.”

  “Good point. Still, that’s a good reason not to suspect them. They’ve all got a stake in the bottom line.” Nicole massaged her neck.

  “Relatives can’t always be trusted.” Marcus couldn’t take his eyes off the way she kneaded her flesh. He imagined the sensation of warm satin beneath his fingers instead.

  Nicole closed her eyes for a second, then looked at him. “Tell me about it. I’ve been dealing with mine since I walked through the front door.”

  “Inheriting a business under these circumstances does pose a challenge.” Marcus tried to keep his distance mentally, to see her as the opposition. Yet he couldn’t look away from her arresting eyes.

  Nicole sighed and sat down heavily. “Challenge is an understatement. I want to do right by the employees. At first I just wanted to dump the whole headache.”

  “Mr. Summers made that impossible.” Marcus heard the note of sympathy in his voice. Keep your head, man. His resolve weakened when she sighed softly again and rested her head on the chair.

  She shook her head. “Yeah, he did. I feel stuck, and I’m sure y’all consider yourselves stuck with me. Right, Marcus?”

  His pulse picked up at the way she said his name. “It’s not that bad, Nicole. Sure the staff is a little resistant—”

  “You included,” she broke in.

  “Okay, I’ve had my moments. But no matter what you might think, we really care about this company. They will come around.” Marcus sat down in one of the chairs facing her.

  “You will?” She gazed at him steadily.

  “I have a lot of sweat invested in this place.” Marcus sidestepped the real question in her eyes. He looked away to break the spell of the beautiful lady in distress. “Sometimes it’s good to get away.”

  “Is that an invitation?”

  “Excuse me?” Marcus blinked at her.

  “Don’t panic, I only meant a business lunch.” Nicole wore a crooked smile.

  “Oh, right. Maybe another day—”

  “Never mind, you’ve got a full day ahead.” Nicole patted his arm as though consoling a small child.

  “Yes, well.” Marcus blinked rapidly and scrambled to figure out just when he’d stepped off a cliff.