Hidden - Laura Griffin Page 0,53
over the weekend at Lady Bird Lake . . .
Tabitha’s breath caught and she reread the words: stabbed to death. She clicked to read the full article.
The photo that appeared hit her like a sucker punch. The woman in the picture had dark hair and sunglasses, but there was no mistaking that dazzling smile. Robin had a cat in her lap and her arm around someone outside the picture.
Tabitha clutched her stomach. She felt dizzy. She stared at the screen, and all her deepest, darkest fears stared back at her.
CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
BAILEY DROVE UP the curving driveway, catching glimpses of Granite Tech through the trees. The building perched atop a sheer limestone cliff facing the lake, a shiny glass fortress overlooking the city.
She curved around a giant water fountain at the top of the hill and parked in a visitor’s space near the building’s grand entrance. Tall glass doors silently slid open as she approached. A pair of spherical security cameras peered down at her like eyeballs as she stepped into the building. Taking off her sunglasses, Bailey looked up at the soaring atrium.
“Ms. Rhoads?”
She turned around, and a man fitting the description of Nico’s friend approached her. He had short brown hair and a muscular, compact build like a gymnast. Chunky black glasses added a touch of computer-geek to the look.
“Seth Cole,” he said, giving her a firm handshake. He wore dark jeans and a green polo with the Granite Tech logo on the front.
“Call me Bailey. And thanks for meeting me.”
“Let’s get you checked in.”
He ushered her to a round reception desk, where an auburn-haired woman wearing a headset glanced at Bailey’s ID and handed her a green visitor’s badge that resembled the badges she’d seen at Villa Paloma.
“I thought I’d show you around before we talk.” Seth led her across the atrium to a bank of elevators. “You ever been here before?”
“No.”
“You don’t usually cover tech, do you? I don’t recognize your byline.” He smiled sheepishly. “I mostly read the business section.”
“I’m on the metro desk. Tech is Nico’s domain.”
They stepped into a glass elevator that reminded her of her favorite Roald Dahl book. The doors slid shut and an awkward silence settled over them.
“How’s Nico doing?” Seth asked. “Tell him he owes me a pint.”
“He told me you’d say that. Nico’s good. Busy.”
“Yeah, I haven’t seen him in a while. Probably since the spring.”
“He’s been slammed. We all have.”
The elevator stopped, and they stepped into an open hallway overlooking the atrium. Bailey took a tentative step toward the long glass wall.
“What floor are we on?” she asked.
“Ten. All of our executive suites are up here.”
Music to Bailey’s ears.
“I was hoping to get some time with Lucinda Oberhoff. Do you know if she’s in today?”
He lifted an eyebrow. “She is, but she’s probably booked up.”
“I’d really like to talk to your CEO. Even just a few minutes would be great.”
“This way.” He held his hand out to usher her down a long hallway overlooking the atrium. “I’ll see what I can do. I’m in charge of operations, so I should be able to answer most of your questions.”
They reached an open space with three glass offices facing a seating area. A receptionist sat in the center at a wide glass desk. He had a shaved head and rimless glasses. Instead of a company polo he wore a lavender button-down and black slacks.
“Levon, this is Bailey Rhoads from the Herald.”
Levon’s face brightened in a way she wasn’t accustomed to, and he reached across the desk to shake her hand. “Delighted to meet you. Welcome to Granite Tech.”
“Thank you.”
“Any chance Lucinda has an opening?” Seth asked.
“Doubtful.” Levon lifted a pencil-thin eyebrow. “Board meeting Monday. You know what that means.”
“I would only need a few minutes,” Bailey said.
He winked at her. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Seth led her past the middle office, a huge room with glass on two sides. “That’s Lucinda’s. I’m next door.” He paused beside another spacious office, also with windows facing in and out. Bailey’s workplace had glass offices, too, but they all had cheap mini blinds that could be snapped shut for sensitive meetings. Or, more recently, for Friday afternoon firings.
“Tell you what, we don’t need to sit in there,” Seth said. “Let’s go to the Skydeck. You drink tea?”
“Coffee.”
He led her down a corridor to yet another hallway overlooking an atrium. A coffee bar stood off to one side beside a cluster of high-top tables. The ceiling was all skylights, and people perched on stools