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supposed to think? He did a Houdini, strange suits showed up at his apartment and the Speaker shut the door on her. One more time she tried all of Dan’s numbers with the same depressing results. She didn’t need flash cards to tell her this was more than an appointment he forgot to tell her about. Oh, Dan. What have you gotten yourself into? She had one last trump card to play, one she hesitated to use except in emergencies. But that’s what this seemed to be. Because the later it got, the more worried she became. Reluctantly, she opened her cell phone and dialed a number she knew by heart. “Ambassador Sommers’ office.” Maddie was startled when the phone was answered by an unfamiliar female voice. Who the hell was this? “This is Madison Sommers. I called my father’s private line, expecting him to answer. May I speak to him, please?” “I’m sorry. He’s not available at the moment. May I help you with something?” Maddie resisted the urge to throw the phone across the room. “Who am I speaking to?” “Caroline London. His personal assistant.” Personal assistant? Since when? “You must be new. I don’t remember hearing about you.” Maddie knew her voice had a nasty tone but she didn’t care. “I’ve actually been with the ambassador for some time now.” The frost in the woman’s voice shot through the connection. “May I take a message?” For some time now? Dad, what the hell is going on? 34 Until the Dawn “Yes. You can tell him I’m on my way over and I need to see him.” “Oh, I’m afraid that’s impossible. He’s—” “Make it possible. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” Maddie slammed the phone shut, grabbed her purse and made a beeline to the elevators. The day that should have started with warm feelings and erotic sex was deteriorating into something that made fear skitter like a feather down her spine. She fidgeted in the cab during the ride to Ambassador Sommers’ offices and was ready to take someone apart when she stormed into the building. In the foyer she took a moment to calm herself. Screaming never got her anywhere with her father, and she really needed to find out if he knew anything that could help her. Arthur Sommers was plugged into nearly everything in Washington. If something weird was going on and Dan was involved in it, there was a good chance he’d know about it. Maddie was sure the woman who came forward to meet her was the unknown assistant. Tall and thin, Caroline had perfectly toned blonde hair swept up in a chignon and makeup that looked as if an artist had applied it. Maddie wondered where her father had found her and how long she’d been around. In the two years since her mother died, he’d pretty much avoided a personal life. Or maybe he hadn’t, and just had not bothered to confide in her. Miss Thin and Tall held out a slim hand. “I’m Caroline. You must be Madison.” Maddie shook her hand unenthusiastically. “I’d like to see—” “No problem.” Caroline moved her lips in a brittle smile. “He has a very tight schedule today but he said to show you in as soon as you arrived.” Maddie and her father had never been demonstrative with each other, and had grown further apart in the past two years. Their hello kiss was perfunctory, their greeting lukewarm. “I know you wouldn’t come here if it weren’t something out of the ordinary,” he began. “What is it you think I can do for you?” 35 Desiree Holt & Cerise DeLand “Right to the point, aren’t you?” She snorted. “All right. I won’t waste time. Dan Foreman, the planning consultant in the Speaker’s office, seems to have disappeared. You have your finger on the pulse of everything in this city. I want to know what you’ve heard.” “Are you sleeping with him?” Sommers asked bluntly. Maddie felt her face flush but she didn’t look away. “That isn’t important. We work together in Trask’s office and it isn’t like him to just vanish.” “So you’re not just chasing a fleeing lover?” She turned, disgusted and angry, wild to ask if her father knew she had slept with Dan last night. But that was a little too miraculous a feat, even for omniscient former CIA operative Arthur Sommers. Oh, god. She should have known better than to come here. “Never mind. Thanks for all your help.” She rose to go toward the door. “I met him several times,” Arthur said, matter-of-factly. Maddie stopped cold and turned around. “Did you, now. And?” “I don’t like him. There’s something very shady about him. Whatever’s happened to him, good riddance. Don’t get your skirts dirty looking for him.” Insulted and appalled at her father’s bald words, she bit off a curse. “What’s that supposed to mean?” “It means exactly what I said. Now please excuse me. I have a meeting to prepare for.” Standing on the sidewalk outside, Maddie had to stifle the urge to sit down on the steps and give in to tears. She shouldn’t have expected anything except what she got. She and her father shared equally low opinions of each other. Even if he knew something, she should have realized he’d never tell her anything. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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