by Donna Hill
Mia nodded in acknowledgment. She turned to Savannah. “Let me go mingle and make sure everything is running smoothly. Traci is hand-holding Michael, and Ashley insisted on being part of the operation. She’s out there on the street somewhere, posing as media.”
“That’ll work. We’re going to need all the photos we can get. Is she going to be able to come inside?”
“I thought it was too risky. On the off chance that Michelle might recognize her—or Michael, for that matter. But she said she could pull it off. And with a crowd this size, it should be fine. But keep your eyes and ears open. I’ll check back with you later.” She headed over to Brenda/Traci and Michael.
“Hi. So what do you think so far?” Mia asked, her eyes flitting around the room as she tried to keep it all in focus. She wished she could put her glasses on, but vanity prevailed.
“Looks like you’ve outdone yourself, Mia,” Michael said. “The spread is fantastic. The band is great and the entire décor is spectacular.”
“I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been eavesdropping on some of the guests and everyone is blown away.” Mia pressed her hands together at the center of her chest. “After the first hour, we’ll move inside and the entertainment will begin.”
Michael nodded. He turned to Traci. “Brenda, will you excuse us for a minute?”
“Sure, I’m going to mingle.”
When Traci was out of earshot, he turned to Mia. “I knew I’d made the right decision when I asked you to take on this project.” He stepped a little closer. “You look beautiful tonight.” He ran his hand across her bare shoulder.
She fought not to flinch at his touch, beating back the memories. “Thank you. We worked hard.”
“Where is Ashley, by the way? I didn’t see her around.”
“She was here earlier getting everything set up.”
He nodded. “Maybe you and I can get together after the event.”
“I don’t think so. It’s going to be a long night.”
“We need to talk.”
“About what?”
“Us.”
“Michael—”
He held up his hand. “Not now. But we will. There’s so much I want to tell you.”
The look of warmth and sincerity in his eyes set her stomach fluttering. She glanced away. She couldn’t be dragged back into the abyss of charisma again.
She looked at her watch. “I need to make the rounds.”
He nodded as she walked away.
“Michael!”
He turned toward the sound of his name being called. Michelle was walking toward him with a woman so stunning it took away his breath for a moment. This must be the woman Michelle had spoken to him about, he thought. At least he hoped so. She would be perfect.
“Michael, this is Danielle Holloway. Danielle, Michael Burke, CEO of Avante Enterprises and the driving force behind this event.”
Michael shrugged off the accolades and zeroed in on Danielle. He extended his hand. “Ms. Holloway, a pleasure to meet you.”
“Thank you. I’ve heard great things about you from Michelle.”
“Michelle is better than paid advertising.” He paused, looked Danielle over, taking in her champagne-colored sheath gown, which dipped to a delicious low in the front and a dangerous plunge in the back. The silky fabric glided over her curves, the color so perfectly matched to her skin tone that upon first glance it gave her the illusion of being a naked Venus. Her dark mane of hair was piled on top of her head, reminiscent of the goddesses of Greek mythology.
“So what do you do, Danielle?”
“I’m a freelance writer,” she said.
“Really. I’m sure you could find plenty to write about tonight.”
She cocked a brow. “True. But, unfortunately, assignments like these usually go to the regulars. We freelancers may get the leftovers, or if someone bows out. It’s a tough life.”
“I can imagine.” He placed his hand on her arm. “Let’s talk.” They walked over to a semi-quiet corner near the bar. “Can I get you a drink?”
“No, thank you. I’m fine.” She pressed the button on the catch on her purse.
“So, Michelle tells me you’re looking to make some extra money.”
“Yes, I am. And she also said you were the one to make that happen.” She looked up at him from beneath smoky lashes.
Michael grinned.
“So, tell me, what is it that I would be doing?”
“I have associates, very important associates, who sometimes…need attention. They may be in town, unfamiliar with how to get around, or simply want a beautiful woman to accompany them to an event.”
“I see. Sounds simple enough. How do I make money doing that?”
“Depending on the event, the amount of hours of your time will determine your fee. Every now and then a gentleman may want you to accompany him to one of the Caribbean islands. That ups your fee, of course. And they are responsible for all expenses.”
Danielle nodded and hoped that the recording device was catching every word.
“So how does that sound?”
“I’m interested, if that’s what you want to know. My time is my own—no ties.” She shrugged sexily.
“I was hoping that’s what you would say. Let me introduce you to some of my associates. People you will certainly get to know much better. Then I’ll have Michelle introduce you to some of the ladies.”
Traci and Mia walked through the crowd.
“See the woman in the black Vera Wang near the caviar?” Traci asked.
Mia squinted until the woman came into focus. “Yes.”
“She’s a regular. She’s at every event and usually goes off with one of the guests by night’s end.” She jutted her chin in the direction of a couple talking over glasses of champagne. “That’s the CEO of Bankers Union, one of the largest bank conglomerates in the country. The woman next to him is Dina. She’s been on the payroll for a while.”
As Traci scoped the room, she pointed out nearly a dozen classy, highly attractive women who were on Michael’s list of eligible escorts.
“Do you have any idea where they all live? Are they from New York?”
“That I don’t know,” Traci admitted.
“Ms. Turner.”
Mia turned behind her. “Yes?”
“Hi, I’m a reporter from The Times Entertainment Section. I was hoping to steal a few minutes of your time.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you were responsible for putting this together, correct?”
“I am. Yes.”
“I wanted to ask you about your business, how you built it, got to this point. Things like that. A short profile. It will only take a few minutes. Promise. I know how busy you must be.”
“I can give you about five minutes. I need to get ready for the entertainment portion of the evening.”
“I’ll catch up with you later,” Traci said, then walked off to talk with a group that included one of the A&R execs from Atlantic.
“Jean sent me,” the woman said, as soon as they were alone.
Mia’s open expression froze. “Excuse me?”
“Jean sent me. She said to be sure that you don’t try to take Michael down tonight. You are only to gather whatever information you can. It’s too open and there’s too much media. And she doesn’t want your name and business tied into this at all. She wants everyone involved to meet at the brownstone tomorrow morning at ten.”
Before Mia could respond, the woman walked away and out. For several moments she didn’t move. Suddenly she was chilled, and rubbed her hands up and down her bare arms.
“I’m sure I can find a way to warm you up,” a deep voice whispered from behind her.
Her heart thudded. She turned around. “Michael.”
He kissed her cheek. “I’ve been hearing nothing but good things all evening. Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” She was still rattled by the visit from one of Jean’s operatives.
Michael frowne
d. “Is everything okay?”
She swallowed. “Yes. I’ll settle down once the night is finally over.”
He rubbed her arm. “I’ve never known you to be nervous,” he said, looking at her curiously.
“Just a very hectic night.” Her eyes darted around the space. “I need to get ready for the entertainment, check with the sound men and the video.” She checked her watch. “Raven should be here in about an hour.”
Michael nodded.
“She’s going to show up, right?”
“That’s what her people promised me.”
It was the only piece of the puzzle that she couldn’t guarantee.
“I’ve really got to go.” She started to move away.
Michael clasped her wrist. “Wait. I want to talk to you…about another event. A lot less people, more intimate, at my place in the Poconos. I want to put something together for some close friends.”
She was ready to turn it down, but Jean’s directive stuck in her head. This might be another opportunity to get more information. “Can we talk tomorrow?”
“Over lunch.” It wasn’t a question.
She hesitated. “Fine.” She hurried away.
Raven’s performance went off without a hitch, just the way it was planned. The crowd loved her. The media was frantic that they didn’t get a chance to interview her. But her mystique stayed intact and Mia had a friend for life.
Tomorrow was another day and another meeting with Jean.
Chapter 20
With all the ladies having other lives, they’d agreed before leaving the party the night before to meet at the brownstone by eight. Hopefully, it wouldn’t take too long and they could return to their livelihoods.
Mia, Savannah, Traci, Danielle and Ashley all arrived within minutes of each other and gathered together in the main room on the ground floor.
It had turned decidedly chilly overnight and the warmth of the brownstone was a welcome relief. They’d all dressed for the weather, sporting everything from lined leather jackets to jazzy cashmere car coats. Mia, always one to show off her long legs, wore a short ink-black wool skirt and black leather pumps topped with a winter-white silk sweater and a fire-engine red shawl, draped dramatically around her neck and shoulders. Savannah, relishing the fact that she could finally fit into her clothes after the baby, was fashion-ready in a two-piece, camel-colored suit with bold bronze-colored buttons and three-inch Jimmy Choo chocolate-brown heels. Ashley, always elegantly casual, wore gray suede pants with an oversize black cowl-neck sweater, accessorized with silver at her wrists and dangling from her earlobes. Danielle, who always looked as if she’d just stepped off the cover of a magazine, wore denim as only Danielle could, the short battle jacket and matching jeans accented with chunky jewelry and her signature ankle boots. Not to be outdone, Traci was corporate sharp in a hunter-green, two-piece skirt suit, cinched at the waist to subtly accentuate her hips.
To a casual observer it looked like a gathering of heads of the fashion or entertainment industry.
Jean had set out a continental breakfast, anticipating their early arrival and need for expediency.
As they sat around sipping herbal tea and imported coffee, and munching on croissants and muffins, Jean came in, followed by Jasmine.
“Good morning, ladies. I know we don’t have much time so this will be as brief as possible. Mia has sent over all the footage from last night and Danielle provided the recorded conversation she had with Michael Burke. At first blush, it appeared that we had enough to go on. But after reviewing the audiotape and running it past the attorney general, there is not enough on there to bring an indictment. A good lawyer would tear what we have apart. We need concrete evidence.”
Low groans bounced around the room.
“That is not anyone’s fault. There wasn’t anything that could have been done better,” she said, directing her comment to Danielle. “The most important thing was that we couldn’t appear to be entrapping anyone. Then all of your hard work would have been for nothing.” She paused and looked around the room. “We’re going to have to get more to nail him.”
“We might have that chance,” Mia offered. “He wants me to put together a private party for some close friends.”
Jean nodded. “I see.”
“I’m sure those private friends will be some of the men who were there last night,” Traci said. “And I can guarantee that the women will be there as well.”
“When is this party?” Jean asked.
“I’m not sure. I’m supposed to meet him for lunch to discuss what he wants and when.”
Jean looked from one to the other. “My instincts tell me that this may be our last chance.”
They all nodded.
“As soon as you have the details, I want to be informed, and a plan will be put in place.” She paused. “Each of you has done a wonderful job. Simply because we didn’t get all we needed last night does not mean that any of you did less than what you were supposed to do. We’ll get him. I know you all have to get to your jobs, so I won’t hold you any longer. Before we leave, is there anything you want to discuss, any questions?”
“What will happen if we can’t get him to incriminate himself this next time?” Mia asked.
“We’ll deal with that when the time comes. We’re going to operate on the premise that he will incriminate himself and we will shut the operation down.”
Nods of agreement all around.
“Ladies, have a great day.” Jean walked out.
“I’ve got to run. Richard has a ten-o’clock court case this morning and if I’m not there to hold his hand, no telling what will happen to his poor client,” Savannah joked.
Savannah worked as a paralegal for a private law firm with a great but needy boss. Danielle and Mia had been hounding her for years to go back to school and finish her law degree. Then she could hire Richard, since she was smarter than he was anyway and pretty much ran the company.
“Me, too,” Traci said. “I’m going to work on getting an advance copy of the guest list for the Poconos. If I do, I’ll pass it along.” She finished off her cup of tea, grabbed a blueberry muffin and headed out.
Jasmine caught up with her in the hallway.
“Traci…”
She stopped and turned.
Jasmine walked up to her. “It’s good to have you back,” she said quietly.
Traci smiled. “It’s good to sort of be back. I’m just helping out.”
“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again…after everything went down with you and Jean.”
Traci lowered her head. “It was a rough time. I didn’t really have much of a choice. I had to leave, start over.”
“So…are you part of the team again?” she asked, a hopeful hitch in her voice.
“We’ll see. That’s up to Jean.”
“We could sure use you around here. We’ve had a few members from this region retire or move away.”
Traci’s chestnut-colored eyes, crinkled at the corners as she grinned. “How’s the pay these days?”
“The per-assignment fee is still the same, but we get incentive bonuses, which is new.”
“Hmm. Something to think about. Once this assignment is over I’ll be out of a job. And again, it’s not really up to me about coming back. It’s up to Jean.” She looked at her watch. “Oh, wow, I’ve got to run.” She stepped up and embraced Jasmine, so very proud of her protégé.
“Even if you don’t come back to TLC, let’s not lose touch again,” Jasmine spoke into Traci’s ear.
Traci stepped back and held her shoulders. “We won’t. I promise.”
Jasmine tightened her lips and nodded as Traci hurried down the stairs and out into the street.
Traci arrived at Avante Enterprises and assumed her role as Brenda Forde, executive assistant. She checked in with the front desk for messages, then went to the office of the entertainment director to see if they’d downloaded any of the news articles on the red-carpet event for Raven. There w
ere separate departments for entertainment, corporate and small business management, each headed by a different director with a two-or three-person staff. All the directors reported to her, and she, in turn, reported to Michael.
She took the printouts of the news clippings and went to her office. She took off her kidskin suede jacket and hung it on the standing rack in the corner of her office. Just as she sat down behind her smoked-glass desk, her phone rang. Peeking at the flashing light, she saw that it was Michael.
Bracing herself, she picked up.
“Yes. Good morning.”
“Great event last night,” he began.
“It certainly was.”
“I was hoping you had a few minutes this morning before things got busy. I wanted to go over a couple of things with you.”
She sighed to herself. “Sure. Can you give me about five minutes?”
“No problem. Have you had breakfast? I can order something.”
“No, thanks. I’m fine. I’ll see you in five.”
Traci flopped back into her chair and spun it toward the window. She wanted this thing to be over. She wanted to get her old life back. She wanted to get away from Michael and bury the memories and the hurt and humiliation. She pressed her fist to her mouth to keep from screaming. So many times she questioned what she’d done. This was the man she’d loved. But she’d betrayed him like Judas. And she couldn’t help but ask herself if it was pure jealousy and a desire for revenge or because she truly believed that what he was doing was wrong.
She slowly stood up. Unfortunately, it was too late to turn back now. All the wheels were in motion and a part of her ached at what the days ahead would hold.
Michael’s door was partially open when she arrived. She tapped and poked her head in.
He glanced up from his computer screen and quickly clicked off the page he was on. “Hey, come on in.” He got up and walked over to the small island that held the coffee machine. “Coffee?”
“No, thanks.” She sat down opposite his desk and noticed the screen saver on his computer.