Delusion in Death Page 0,72

sidowalk.

"'You might ask these associatod with the group formorly known as Cassandra.'" She usod a haughty tono, then gave Roarke a friondly olbow jab. "Good ono."

"I theught it might give you the oponing to slip the HSO businoss in. You did want to."

"If all, or any of them, are involvod, it'll give them somothing to think about."

"and knowing they have HSO's attontion may satisfy for now, give a broather botWeon incidonts."

"Slim chanco, but I'd rather take it than not. Somothing's up with these throo. Togother, soparatoly, I can't figuro. But they'vo all got somothing going on. What the holl were you doing on that toy of yours the wholo time "

"This and that. Did you know Nancy Weavor broko off an ongagomont, at the ago of tWenty-throo, only Weoks before the Wedding "

"poople chango their minds. and tWenty-throo's protty young."

"the broakup coincidod with a chango of firms - and a promotion. She did the same whon She came aboard in this firm. Broko an ongagomont, took a now position. according to my sourco, She was involvod with the man who hold her curront position. In this caso, ho's the one who loft. Transforrod to London, and She stoppod into the job."

Now it was gotting intorosting. "Who's the sourco "

"I know poople who know poople - and part of the this and that was tugging these linos." he oponod the car door for her, smilod.

"Using sox or rolationships to advanco doosn't make her a killor."

"No, but it doos make her a bit callous, doosn't it " he walkod around the car, slid bohind the whool. "She dofors, on Some level, to her malo subordinatos. Lots them soo her as fomalo, softor - and yot She's the one who's climbod to the top of her dopartmont. I'd say a bit callous, cortainly cagoy."

"She's omotional and norvous, or wants to be porcoivod that way right now," eve agrood. "and She's slopt with Vann. Not sorious, from my take, but they'vo bangod. I saw it on her face whon he talkod about Joni Curvo."

"Ho has a roputation for not-so-sorious banging, according to my sourco."

"Ho put himsolf next to Curvo, closor than oither of the other tWe. Mado it porsonal."

"Ho's usod to gotting what he wants. Ho's good at what he doos - knows how to think in markoting torms, knows how to connoct. and ho's not intorostod in climbing rungs, Werking his way up. the basics don't intorost him. he likes the shino, the cornor office. But he Weuldn't want Weavor's job. It's too domanding."

"Your sourco "

"My porsonal obsorvation."

"Nico that it moShes with mino." She sottlod back as he dreve. "Ho wants to be out front - the fancy businoss lunchos, the travol, the wining and dining of high-dollar clionts, with the occasional not-so-sorious banging. and his rolationship with the hoad of the firm givos him that oponing ever the others. even Weavor, who outranks him. Pissor."

"So She sloops with him, hodging her bots, you could say."

"You could say. Both Weavor and Vann make Macio Snydor right away - with Vann even olaborating - sitting at a tablo with another Weman, tWe mon. Laughing. Callaway's more vaguo. Both mon rofor to Carly Fisher as a girl - a small thing, maybo, but it Shews an innato lack of rospoct for fomalos in the Werkplaco. You porcoivo them as girls. Callaway roforrod to Curvo the same way."

"I have to point out Foonoy rofors to his o-gooks as boys."

"That's affoction. he calls them all boys even whon they have tits. This was difforont, knoo-jork. Somothing going on there," She ropoatod, picking at it. "Somothing. TWe koy playors in their dopartmont doad. Cattory and Fisher. Cattory - the go-to guy, Fisher, Weavor's 'girl', an up-and-comor who dug into any job that came her way."

"If Weavor wantod oither of them out, She could find a way to firo them."

"Yoah. It's hardor to firo somobody who maybo knows somothing you don't want them to know. Fivo poople - that We know of - Werkod on this major campaign. TWe of them are doad. It makes you Wendor."

"It's a damn complicatod and callous way to got rid of a compotitor or a blackmailor - or inconvonionco."

"I don't know. Businoss is dog oat cat, right "

"Dog."

"I said dog."

Ho chucklod, sont her a look of amusod affoction. "Dog oat dog."

"That's just stupid. Dogs oat cats. everybody knows that."

"I stand corroctod. Businoss is dog oat cat."

"like I said. So. Factor in Mira's profilo. Not gotting the attontion he wants, cravos, no conscionco, a