Chapter 36
At ten a.m., Emma texted Ronan to confirm he was ready for her to initiate his plan.
His response:
Absolutely. Six-minute countdown starts now.
She picked up her desk phone and made a call.
“Marty Lundstrom,” Marty answered.
“Come to my office,” she said, then hung up.
—
Marty frowned as he set the phone back on its cradle.
Since his conversation with Emma early that morning, he’d been keeping his head down in hopes of avoiding her for the rest of the day.
So much for that.
“Sit,” she said when he entered her office.
“Sure,” he said and slipped into the guest chair. “What’s up?”
“I need you to check turbine A-four,” she said, her tone brusque.
“Is it having problems again?”
“No, and I’d like to keep it that way,” she said.
Turbine A-four had experienced a software glitch not long ago.
“Uh, sure. I’ll check it.” He started to stand.
“Hold on. I’m not done.”
He lowered himself back into the chair.
“Since you’ll be there, do a full diagnostic on the rest of group A.”
“A full diagnostic?” That would take him all morning.
Her eyes locked on his. “Do you have a problem with that?”
“Me? No problem. Happy to do it. Anything else?”
“Let me think.” She glanced at her watch as if it might have the answer. “Um, when was the last time you—”
Her cell phone rang, cutting her off.
“One sec,” she said to Marty, then answered the call. “Hi, Ronan…A little busy. What do you need?…Tonight? Sure, but Ari’s with me, so we’ll have to go someplace he can go…Spencer’s is perfect…Okay. See you there at six-thirty.”
She hung up.
“Sorry about that,” she said.
“No worries.”
“Where was I?” She paused, thinking. “Never mind. Just get out to A-four and see what’s going on.”
“Consider me on the way,” he said and left, barely able to keep the grin off his face.
She was going out after work, with her dog. That would mean Marty would have at least an hour if not more to search her place. That would be plenty of time to learn her secret.
Things were finally starting to look up.
—
Emma waited until she confirmed that Marty had left for the wind turbines before calling Ronan back.
“Well?” he asked.
“I have no idea if that worked or not.”
“Did he hear everything?”
“Yes.”
“Was he happier when he left your office than when he came in?”
She thought for a moment. “Actually, yes.”
“Then I think it’s safe to say he took the bait.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“We’ll know for sure this evening.”
—
At the same time Marty left the office, Teddy returned to the Centurion house, once more in the guise of Billy Barnett.
“You’re back,” Tessa said as he entered the kitchen where she and Ben were sitting at the central island, drinking coffee.
“You’re most observant,” he said.
“How did your secret mission go?”
“What mission?”
“That good, huh?”
“My dear Tessa, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Perhaps it’s an assignation,” she said.
Billy raised an eyebrow. “You’d expect me to confirm it if it was?”
She groaned dramatically. “You’re not giving me anything to work with here.”
“Which I believe is his intent,” Ben said.
She whirled on her husband, her eyes narrowed to slits. “Ben Bacchetti, are you taking his side?”
“Uh, no?”
“Perhaps we need to discuss the subject of spousal support,” she suggested.
Ben blinked. “As in divorce? I was only—”
“You think I’d let you divorce me?” she cut in. “As in supporting your spouse in whatever she says no matter what random person she’s dealing with.”
“I’m a random person now?” Billy asked.
“I am using you merely as an example.”
“Gee, that makes me feel so much better.” He took a backward step in the direction he’d come. “I think I’ll put on my trunks and go for a swim.”
He’d nearly made it out of the kitchen when Ben called out, “Billy! Before you go.”
“Oh, no,” Billy said. “I am not rescuing you.”
“See,” Tessa said. “That’s how you support your spouse.”
“He’s not your spouse,” Ben argued.
“He’s an example.”
Billy tiptoed toward the exit, hoping to get away before they noticed.
“Wait,” Ben said. “Damian called and invited you, Peter, and me over for a drink at six-thirty. I told him we’d be there. I hope that’s all right.”
“All right by me,” Billy said, then ducked out before Ben or Tessa said anything else.
He was almost back to his bedroom when he remembered he’d told Tina he’d meet her and Pike for dinner at eight. While their meeting with Damian might be done by then, he couldn’t guarantee it.
He made a quick call to Copley’s, the restaurant he’d chosen for the meeting, and pushed the reservation back an hour. He then sent Tina a text informing her of the change.