A Matter of Trust Read Online Free Page B

had never truly shared—an intimacy that until now she hadn’t been fully aware of missing. She forced a smile and waved good night, waiting only a moment before turning down the lights and closing her eyes in the welcoming darkness.

    *

    “Damn, I’m sorry,” Sloan exclaimed, watching Michael jerk awake and blink in confusion.
    She automatically brushed the dimmer switch, muting the lights she had turned up full when she walked into the room. It was nine o’clock at night, and she hadn’t expected anyone to be in the office. Certainly not the CEO of the company, alone in a darkened room on the deserted floor of her office building. Sloan couldn’t help but see the fatigue, merely hinted at the day before, much more apparent now in her client’s face. Faint purplish shadows bruised the perfect skin under her eyes, and there was a weariness in the way she pushed herself upright in her chair.
    “It’s okay,” Michael assured her, rubbing her eyes and trying to orient herself. She glanced out the window. Dark. Nighttime. She sat up straight, brushing her hair back with both hands. “What are you doing here?”
    Sloan grinned her trademark grin. “Working. When we spoke on the phone this afternoon, we agreed I’d get started by running a preliminary systems review, remember?”
    “I didn’t realize you meant tonight,” Michael said, firmly in control again.
    “No point in waiting. By the way, computer security isn’t your only loose end around here. The guard downstairs let me in at the mere mention of your name and kindly directed me to your office. Never even asked for ID.”
    “I’ll speak to him about that.”
    “Good.” Sloan set a large leather briefcase down on the floor. “So...I figured I could get an idea of what I’m up against when most of your staff was absent—less traffic on the network, fewer people around. That way I can cover some of my tracks when I need to start pulling the system apart.”
    “I understand that,” Michael said a touch impatiently, “but what are you doing in my office? The IT center is at the other end of the hall.”
    Sloan leaned one jeans-clad hip against the arm of an expensive leather couch and took inventory. A low glass coffee table occupied the space in front of the sofa with other butter-colored leather furniture flanking it. Directly across from the seating area, Michael sat behind a huge pedestal desk that held the usual array of phones, folders, and stacks of papers. She looked sleek and stylish in an ocean green silk pantsuit and low-heeled pale leather shoes, her blond hair looking slightly disarrayed as if from recent finger combing. The momentary disorientation Sloan had glimpsed upon startling her had been replaced with a calm expression, but for an instant, she had appeared vulnerable, and very young.
    Ignoring a slight pulse of attraction, Sloan hastily averted her gaze. The room was huge, windowed on three sides, with a small alcove kitchenette/bar arrangement to her left and to the right, beyond the seating area, an impressive workstation with several computers, large flat-screen monitors, and drafting boards. Impressive. The corner office, indeed .
    She realized that Michael was still waiting for a further explanation. “Your computers are the logical and easiest place to start. I need to see how secure you are. Plus, I can’t very well look for tampering if I don’t look here. It’s where the money is...so to speak.”
    “Of course.” Michael watched Sloan grin that damnable grin again. Irritated to find herself smiling back, she rose to gather her papers into a small portfolio. “You’ll need the passwords.”
    “I’ll find them. It’s a good way to test how adequate your current safeguards are.”
    Michael looked up sharply. “No one knows mine. Not even my executive assistant.”
    “How often do you change them?” Sloan asked mildly, crossing to the console.
    “I have no idea.” Michael shrugged dismissively. “Whenever