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He blinked his dark eyes, the lusty gleam dimming. “I’m sorry. The palm reading really upset you.”
“It was a tarot card reading.”
“That’s what I meant.” He released her and returned to the window. “Fiona’s coming at noon?”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. She’d better prepare herself for Mike’s departure as soon as he single-handedly saved the White House. And if he couldn’t single-handedly save the White House? He’d be unbearable company anyway.
“A little after, I think.”
“Is Fiona a busty redhead with a little wiggle in her walk?”
She snorted. “I suppose a man would describe her that way.”
“She’s here in three...two...one.”
The bell on the door jingled and Fiona poked her head into the room. “Madam Rosalee?”
Claire plucked the hat from her head and shook out her hair. “It’s me, Fiona. It’s Claire Chadwick.”
“Claire?” Fiona covered her mouth. “What are you doing here? Are you okay?”
“Okay? Why wouldn’t I be okay? What story is Spencer floating around town about me?”
“Spencer.” Fiona spit out his name, which was all kinds of wonderful. “Is he spreading lies about you? I wouldn’t doubt that for a minute.”
“What’s he saying, Fiona?” Mike wedged a shoulder against the wall.
“Who’s this tall drink of water?” Fiona batted her lashes. “Oh, wait. Are you Mitch, the fiancé?”
“Sort of. What’s Senator Correll been saying about us?”
Fiona flipped back her red hair. “Am I here to meet you? Is Madam Rosalee even here?”
“She’s here.” Claire tugged on Fiona’s scarf. “I’m sorry, Fiona. She helped me get you here. I need your help.”
“The same way I helped you before?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know, Claire. I think Spencer found out about the last time.”
Claire’s heart skipped a beat. “How? You didn’t tell him?”
“Me?” Fiona’s voice squeaked. “I value my life too much. Trey figured something out. Spencer had him look at his office laptop because someone kept sending him emails with photos and videos. I think Trey figured out that Spencer was just dragging them into his trash can without doing a hard delete on them. While Trey was helping him, he figured out that someone had viewed a video from the trash.”
“That’s probably when he started tracking you, Claire.” Mike paced the small room. “Maybe that’s when he formed his plan against you, also.”
He landed in front of Fiona, towering over her petite frame. “You still didn’t tell us. What’s Spencer saying about Claire? How’s he explaining her disappearance?”
Fiona took a step back, and Claire tugged on Mike’s coat. “Don’t scare her. She’s not the enemy.”
“Enemy?” Fiona flipped up the lapels of her coat. “There’s an enemy here? I thought this was some kind of dispute between you and your stepfather over money.”
“It is, and other stuff.”
“Well...” Fiona glanced at Mike, who had returned to the window and stuffed his hand into his pocket. “Spencer is implying that you’ve had another breakdown.”
Claire cursed. “That’s almost worse than being wanted by the FBI.”
“Wanted by the FBI?” Fiona’s blue eyes got round as she shook her head. “He’s not saying that. He said Director Haywood’s murder in front of your house shook you up so much, you started making wild accusations and your fiancé had to take you away.”
“So, I can walk back into my own house right now without fear of being taken into custody?”
Fiona lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know anything about that, Claire. You know the man they suspected of putting the car bomb on the director’s car is dead?”
Claire and Mike exchanged a quick glance. “Hamid Khan.”
“That’s right. They’re calling him a lone wolf.”
Mike coughed. “A lone wolf who poisoned himself?”
“I don’t know all the details.” Fiona waved her hands. “I just know he’s dead and we’re supposedly out of danger, but I can’t wait to get out of this city. It’s Christmas Eve tomorrow, and I’m outta here.”
