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“What are you talking about?”
“I found out yesterday, then confirmed it this morning. Got over here as soon as I could. Tried to call, too, but of course, she wouldn’t put me through. She probably knows I’m onto something.”
“Man, you’re not making sense.”
“I talked to rock-solid sources over at Fit For Life, Brock. That took some doing, believe me, finding sources. Those employees, they didn’t want to open up. But I put in my time, got to know ‘em. Finally got one to talk, then another. And they said the same thing. Confirmed with a third this morning.”
The doors glide open.
Now I see the Shipping Department up ahead. I can’t catch sight of Gwen’s desk, because of a little knot of people standing and talking in the corridor.
“What you got is a rat,” Brian Campbell says, his voice hushed.
I step out of the elevator.
He follows. “See, Clarice set you up. I talked to one gal over there, part of Fit For Life, who overheard Clarice plotting it out, how she’d get you romantically involved with a spy. ‘Course, I don’t take one person’s word and call it truth. I questioned another fella, got the same scoop: Gwen Temple’s been meeting with Clarice, on the down low.”
My teeth are now on edge.
I grind them together.
My eyes dart toward Gwen’s desk again. She’s there, head bowed over some paperwork at her desk.
As I catch sight of her, I wonder: Am I an idiot?
Have I been duped?
This is hardly making sense. What was happening with Gwen felt so real.
Then again, I knew I was under some sort of spell. Not thinking straight. Did I let my guard down because of her innocence and let her take advantage of me?
I feel sick.
“Lemme ask you this,” Brian says. His teeth are stained yellow, and I don’t like the smell of his breath. “That Gwen. Did you have something going on with her? Something romantic, like folks over at Fit For Life, are saying?”
“Yes… but?—”
“Did you let her into your home?”
“She has a house key, Brian.”
“Ever unsupervised? Times when she could sneak around, get into your computer, that sort of thing?”
“Yes.”
“Well, there you have it. She was working for Clarice. I bet there was money changing hands. If she’s like so many folks these days, she’s got bills piling up, and she needs the extra income.”
I think of the bills I saw last night stacked on Gwen’s kitchen counter.
Everything she’s ever said to me about money indicates she doesn’t have enough of it.
How far was she willing to go to get more?
Did she let me believe she was into me so she could steal information from me and make a side income from Clarice?
The sick feeling churns my gut. I clench my jaw tighter.
“Seduction is a spy’s best tool, Brock,” Brian says, his voice now dripping with pity.
