Flash (17 page)

It was almost as if he had gotten some good news since she had talked to him on the phone a few minutes earlier.

“Don't pull the offended act with me, Sloan. You went home to Bainbridge and did some conspiracy theory work, yourself. You actually believed that I hired someone to search your study? Thanks a lot.”

To her astonishment, Jasper grinned fleetingly. “Great working relationship we've got here, Chantry. Lot of trust.”

His unwarranted amusement acted like a goad on her caffeine-strained nerves. “For the record, Sloan, if I had wanted to have your study searched, I might, just possibly, have agreed to have dinner with you while someone else did the dirty work.”

“Yeah?”

“But I would never,
not in a million years
, have gone so far as to kiss you.”

He gazed at her very thoughtfully for a long moment. Then he inclined his head once in grave acknowledgment. “I'll remember that.”

She suddenly felt much too warm. She knew she
was blushing, and the fact infuriated her. She rushed to get the subject back on track.

“It must have been the blackmailer who searched our offices,” she said briskly.

“I'd say that's a safe bet.” He munched biscotti with apparent unconcern. “Probably looking for something to use to carry out his threats against us.”

Olivia heard a soft tapping sound. She glanced down and saw that her fingers were doing a nervous little dance on the rim of her espresso cup. With a monumental act of will she forced herself to cease the nervous staccato.

“One thing's certain,” she said. “Whoever he is, he wouldn't have found anything in my office that would make me pay blackmail.”

“There was nothing for him to find in mine, either. But in the process he may have told us a little more about himself.”

She shot him a swift glance. “Such as?”

“First, if you're right about the footprint, the gender question is resolved. It probably is a man we're after, not a woman.”

“Right.” Olivia thought about it. “We also know that he's someone who feels very comfortable around computers.”

“And,” Jasper added quietly, “we know that he must have followed me to your condo last night and figured I'd be there for a while.”

A chill zapped the length of Olivia's spine. “Gives me the creeps to think that someone is following us around.”

“Yes.” Jasper finished his coffee. “And when we
catch the sonofabitch, I'm going to make certain that he pays for that.”

The sudden shift to the dangerously neutral tone in Jasper's voice sent an entirely different kind of frisson across Olivia's nerve endings.

She watched with fascination as he finished his coffee and picked up the used napkins, the stirring sticks, and the biscotti wrapper. He folded everything into a tidy bundle and tucked the little package into one of the empty cups. He then stacked the two cups neatly, one inside the other.

When he was finished with the small construction project, he got to his feet and dropped the lot very neatly into a nearby trash can.

He turned his head and saw Olivia watching him. One dark brow rose. “What is it?”

“Have you always had this unnatural tendency toward order and neatness?”

“You'll get used to it.”

“Yes, Nina, I got your messages.” Olivia did not look at the wastebasket, where she had tossed the last message shortly after discovering it on the floor. She smiled politely at her cousin. “I'm sorry I haven't been able to give you a call. As you can see, we're going a hundred miles an hour around here today. It's been like this for weeks.”

“I understand.”

Olivia sighed inwardly. She shouldn't have been surprised to find Nina waiting in her office when she returned from the Market a few minutes ago. She had been ducking Nina's calls for a week. It had been only a matter of time before her cousin confronted her in person.

“What with all the changes going on at Glow,” Olivia continued weakly, “I just haven't had a chance to give you a ring.”

“I know that Uncle Rollie's death has put a lot of pressure on you.” Nina's smile was laced with a knowing look.

Olivia opened her mouth to elaborate on her excuse, but she closed it again very quickly. Damn it, she hated excuses, her own more than anyone else's.

“All right. What did you want to talk to me about?” she asked quietly.

Nina clasped her hands together very tightly in her lap. She had fragile, delicate hands. Everything about Nina appeared fragile and delicate, Olivia thought. The polar opposite of herself.

Nina was five years younger than Olivia, petite and pretty. With her dark hair, big eyes, and ethereal air, she made Olivia think of a Regency-era portrait.

Nina was the sort of woman who brought out the protective instincts, not only in men but in everyone around her.

She regarded Olivia with pleading eyes. “I want you to come to the opening night reception at the Kesgrove Museum.”

All the muscles in Olivia's shoulders tightened painfully. Absently she reached up to massage the back of her neck.

She had been afraid of this. The reception to launch the retrospective exhibition of Logan's art was scheduled to be held at the end of the month. Everyone in the Dane family, including Sean, would be there. The last time she had seen any of them, Olivia reflected, was at the funeral.

She had no desire to subject herself to another round of the silent reproach and accusations that had filled their eyes on that occasion.

“I really don't think that would be such a good idea, Nina.”

“Please. It would mean so much to Sean and his family.”

“I doubt it.”

“I know you think they still blame you for what happened to Logan in Pamplona,” Nina said. “They were consumed by their grief. That's why they turned on you. But Sean has gotten past it, and I think his parents have, too.”

Olivia seriously doubted that. “Even if that's true, it doesn't mean that it would be comfortable for all of us to be in the same room together.”

“I'm asking you to come as a favor to me, Olivia. I'm sure you know that Sean and I have been seeing a great deal of each other?”

“Yes.”

Nina took a shaky breath. “We've talked about marriage.”

“I see.”

Nina's hands twisted together. Her eyes misted. “I love him so much, but I just don't know if I can marry him after what happened. It doesn't feel right.”

Olivia surged to her feet, grabbed a tissue, and shoved it into Nina's hand. “I've told you before, and I'll tell you again. Forget what happened three years ago. There's no point dredging up the past. If you're sure about your feelings for Sean …”

“Very sure.” The pain in Nina's eyes disappeared
for a moment. A warm glow took its place. “I've never been more certain of anything in my life.”

Must be a nice feeling, Olivia reflected as she sat down. “Then go for it.”

Nina's expression turned resolute. “I love him too much to hurt him, and if he finds out about Logan …”

Olivia looked at her very steadily. “Sean will never find out. Don't let the past ruin your future. Don't give Logan the final victory.”

Nina looked down at her hands. “I owe you so much. I don't know how to thank you.”

“You don't owe me a damn thing.” Olivia glanced at her watch. “Look, I really do have to get back to work.”

“I know.” Nina rose from the chair. “Olivia, about the reception. I realize I have no right to ask you to attend. But I promise you that Sean no longer blames you for what happened to Logan. He wants to mend the breach because he loves me.”

“Nina…”

“Think about it, please,” Nina begged. “For Sean's sake, if not for mine.”

“Okay, okay. I'll think about it.”

The wife of the president and CEO of Silver Galaxy Foods, Madeline Silverthorne, had made one thing very clear to Olivia. She wanted silver to figure predominately in the theme and decor for the firm's annual Silver Galaxy Foods Night event.

Olivia believed in giving the client, or the client's wife, in this case, what she wanted and a bit more. The interior of the dining room of the
Private Island
gleamed, glistened, and glowed with silver.

Deep in the bowels of the vessel the engines throbbed at half speed. The
Private Island
was on a cruise to nowhere, meandering its way through the islands of Puget Sound.

Olivia knew that few of the guests on board intended to sleep tonight, although cabins had been assigned to everyone. The point of Silver Galaxy Night was to eat as much of the host's free food and sample as many fine wines as possible and then party the night away until the free buffet breakfast was served.

It was a grueling contract for an event design and production company, but a lucrative one.

Olivia cast a critical eye across the dazzling scene that her staff had created.

The heavily laden buffet tables displaying Silver Galaxy's gourmet food products were covered with silver-foiled cloths trimmed with tinsel fringe. Guests chose caviar and canapés from silver serving dishes. Silver candles stood tall in elegant silver candelabra.

The walls were covered in shimmering foiled paper. Mirrored spheres reminiscent of those that hung in swing-era ballrooms dangled from the ceiling. Their glittering surfaces reflected the silvery light.

Madeline Silverthorne, her opera diva figure resplendent in a silver lamé gown that accented her silvergray hair, joined Olivia. Her gaze rested approvingly on the massive silver vase filled with foil flowers in the center of the room.

“Fabulous,” she said. “And so elegant. Just right for our company image.”

There was nothing like a satisfied client, Olivia thought.

“The event firm I hired last year refused to pay any attention to my requests,” Madeline continued. “The person I dealt with actually had the nerve to tell me that so much silver foil and tinsel would be tacky. Can you imagine?”

Olivia suppressed the memory of the day her entire staff had lined up in front of her desk to tell her the same thing.

“
It's going to look like the inside of an aluminum foil factory
,”
Matty announced
.

Bolivar frowned. “Kinda bright, don't you think? The guests will need shades
.”

“It will be a bit, er, bright, dear
,”
Zara said
.

“
I doubt that there's enough aluminum foil in all of Seattle to pull this off,” Bernie said. “Probably have to import some from Bellevue.”

“I can't imagine why the other firm had a problem with your silver concept,” Olivia murmured. “My staff very much enjoyed working on this project. They felt that it allowed them to release their creative energies.”

Madeline looked pleased. “I can see that. What a difference between this year's Silver Galaxy Foods Night and last year's. I intend to tell Charlie that we will definitely use Light Fantastic again next year.”

It would definitely be tacky to pump one fist in the air and holler
yes
in a very loud voice, Olivia decided. She restrained herself. She gave Madeline a smile that held, she hoped, just the right degree of businesslike warmth.

“I'm glad that you're happy with the final result, Mrs. Silverthorne. Light Fantastic's goal is always a satisfied client.”

Madeline studied the array of servers lined up behind the buffet table. “It was a stroke of genius to put all the waiters in silver lamé jackets and ties. Whose idea was that?”

“I believe it was Bolivar who came up with the suggestion.” Olivia decided not to mention that Bolivar had intended it as a joke. As soon as Bolivar had said it, however, she had instantly implemented it. “I'll tell him you appreciated it.”

“We must remember to do it again next year. I also like what you did in the dance lounge with those intertwining silver ropes—” Madeline broke off to smile at someone who had come up behind Olivia. “Jasper, dear. How good to see you. So glad you could make it.”

“Thanks for letting me crash your party at the last minute, Maddy.”

“Now, Jasper, you know perfectly well that you're always welcome. I'm delighted you could make it this year.”

Olivia whirled around to stare at Jasper. She did not bother to conceal her astonishment.

“I didn't know you would be here tonight.” She realized that she sounded less than gracious. She could not help it. She was irritated that he had not mentioned he planned to attend.

She had to admit that he looked remarkably at ease and wonderfully sexy in the classic power suit, a tuxedo. The black jacket hugged the strong line of his shoulders. He looked amused by the frosty expression Olivia knew was in her eyes.

“I told you I had an invitation.”

“Yes, but I thought you said—” Belatedly Olivia recalled Madeline's presence. She hurriedly swallowed the rest of her words. No need to let her client know that Jasper had told her only a few days ago that he did not plan to be here this evening. She wondered what had changed his mind. She had a feeling that he did not do anything without a clear-cut reason.