AlTonya Washington - Seductive Memory

“I get it, Professor B. You need someone in your corner who can’t be disputed.” Paula stood then, considering the situation as she paced the broad area flooded with natural lighting from the bay windows lining that end of the room.

“Professor B, why do you think Joss might be one of your nephew’s clients? Do you have any signed documents or—”

Miranda Bormann was already shaking her head. “Hayden was always a smart kid. I’d hoped he’d go into the law profession when he was younger, but I soon realized that he was lacking in character and would do nothing for the field except add to the heap of lawyer jokes we all know and loathe. He’s too smart to go and leave signed documents lying around, but Joss is the only client I can suspect him of having. He hasn’t even been seen meeting with anyone who could fit the bill.” She blew out a laugh. “He hasn’t even been seen meeting with Joss.”

“Then how do you know about them?”

“Paula, I may live in Boston, but I’ve still got a lot of friends and former colleagues in Philly. Some of those friends have known Hayden since he was a baby. He was seen going into Joss. Of course he could’ve been there to use their restroom, but something tells me his visit was about more than that.”

She nodded toward the folder Paula still held. “If you take a closer look, you’ll see that Joss has never handled a job for my husband or his family. But as I said, Joss is a pretty impressive outfit. There was talk of moving some projects there a few years ago. I recall Hank saying something, but so far the family business hasn’t broken ranks with Kincaid, which has been their contractor for decades. The company’s founder, Weaver Kincaid, is married to my husband’s cousin Doreen.”

“So your nephew wouldn’t have a reason to be there otherwise?”

Bormann nodded. “Not on family business, and I can think of only one other purpose. If I’m right, chances are strong that he was there to see Linus Brooks, and it’s widely known that no deals are greenlit for Joss without Linus’s approval. If you want in with Joss, you’ve got to go through Linus Brooks first. From what I hear, he’s a hard man to go through.”

Don’t I know it. Paula kept her agreement silent.

“I’m sorry, hon.” It was obvious that Bormann saw the despair shadowing Paula’s honey-toned face. She pushed to her feet. “I believe we could use that coffee now. You’re gonna have to bring more of that soon if it tastes as good as it smells!”

While Bormann returned to her kitchen, Paula’s attention remained fixed on the folder. She sat there trying to figure out which was worse—talking to Linus about their past or about this present upset? Everything in her said he’d done all completely on the up-and-up.

Almost everything in her said that. There was a time she’d have leaped to his defense at the slightest hint of someone questioning his integrity. But now...it was as she’d told him on that beach in Mexico—the girl who would’ve killed for him if he’d asked her to was gone.

“It’s got such a fabulous color and the fragrance is so rich!” Bormann called as she poured out the coffee.

Paula was searching her phone contacts. Linus wasn’t among them, but Joss Construction had been programmed in when she and Santigo Rodriguez were finalizing the many surprises he had in store for his wife during their honeymoon.

The line was answered. “Joss Construction. How may I direct your call?”

Paula debated half a second longer and then sighed. “Linus Brooks, please.”

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