Tempest - Kris Michaels Page 0,32

side of the house."

"What a mental picture. Send the information."

"Yes ma'am." She disconnected the call and step-heeled it to the door. She might not be able to click on anything but the email server, without Regina knowing what she was doing, but she could get screenshots with her phone of what she was able to see in her mother's email.

The trip to her quarters and back left her sweaty and breathless and more than a little achy. The heel-step-hop-hip swivel she had going on jarred her poor toe with every step. She ground her teeth together and sucked it up. Lord, it was a little toe! How much more had Luke gone through? She shivered at the memory of the battered man on the cot. A broken little toe was nothing.

The captain had called her this morning. He gave her concise information which included a website with beautiful pictures of a one-hundred-foot yacht and the testimonials of several satisfied customers.

Sitting down in her mother's chair, she woke the machine. Casually, she held her phone, pretending to check the website address as her thumb depressed the camera button and took a picture of every screen that appeared on the monitor. The desktop, the internet browser, the email icon. She clicked on the icon and took a picture of the web address. She'd never seen an email server act like this one. Whatever, it was an email, how hard could it be? She hit compose and typed in her mother's name. An address appeared. She checked the name she'd typed into the search bar again to make sure she'd typed it correctly. Yes, her mother's name was spelled correctly. Just like her mother using an email address that couldn't be associated with her. Regina was one of the original cyber security supporters and having any footprint was unacceptable to her mother. Her social media accounts drove Regina crazy and her mother had forbidden any until college. What idiocy. She added a subject line and then entered the information the captain had given her this morning. Nothing more, nothing less, as she'd been instructed. She took a picture of the email screen before she sent it, backed out of the program, and logged out. In and out in less than a minute.

Now to pack and await Regina's official blessing. She stood and slid her phone into her pocket before she hobbled from the office and shut the office door behind her. Stopping outside the door, she drew a deep breath and waited for guilt or any feelings of remorse. There were none. Even the lingering fear of being disbarred and jailed for her knowledge of the crimes her mother could have committed, seemed less life-altering since Luke had come into her rooms last night.

Swimsuits, as in all of the ones she owned, almost filled one side of the suitcase. She had to come back with a tan so her mother didn't become suspicious. Her day planner with the printed speeches she was to memorize and the political talking points her campaign manager had emailed to her office went in next. Then several sundresses, shorts, tank tops, jeans and a couple nice tops along with assorted unmentionables filled the other side of the case. She left it open and took a small bag into the bathroom where she added her makeup, lotions, perfume, brushes, combs, scrunchies and other bits and pieces.

She hobbled from her bathroom and stilled. The butler waited at her bed, beside her suitcase. "What are you doing in my private rooms?" Her heart thundered in her chest. She narrowed her eyes at the man to keep herself from looking at her suitcase. Was there anything in there that could compromise the story she'd told her mother?

"Madam wanted to inform you your vacation has been approved."

"You could have called. The next time I find you in my private area without my permission, I will speak with my mother. Perhaps we'll discover who is more valuable to her future plans."

The man bowed, but his sneer wasn't concealed. He left quietly and shut the door behind him. She was certain Regina had sent him into the room to spy on her. Good Lord, the woman was paranoid. For good reason. She went to the bed and stared at her suitcase. The clothes didn't appear to have been shifted. She checked her bathroom bag and refolded a few items before she checked her day planner. Everything was there. Nothing unusual. She snapped the case closed