“You have three afternoon meetings. I’llreschedule.”
“Thanks. I need your help with something. Please order a bedroom suite and have it rush delivered. Use my personal credit card. You know the store I like. Henredon furniture or the equivalent. A display model wouldwork.”
“For the masterbedroom?”
“No, guest room. Room size is fourteen by sixteen. Something tasteful andneutral.”
“I’ve got to jot this down.” After a pause, she said, “Goon.”
“Queen bed, bureau, and two nighttables.”
“I’ll purchase a wall mirror for over the bureau. You’ll need lamps and bed linens. I’ll handleeverything.”
“I’ll be at my karate competition all day Saturday, but the concierge can let the deliverymenin.”
“ThisSaturday?” Ellen asked. “That’s gonna costyou.”
“Whatever ittakes.”
“Gotit.”
“Thanks, you’re an angel.” He ended thecall.
Since his parents were planning a spring visit, he needed furniture, but he wanted this expedited forAlexandra.
After his client meeting, he texted Maverick. “On my way.” He headed east, eventually jumping on Route 50 toward Maryland’s EasternShore.
His phone rang and he hit the speaker button. “Hey, Decker. Tell me you’ve isolated the reason for the random devicefailures.”
“Sure did,” Decker replied. “And since that only took me ten minutes, I used the extra time to solve global warmingandI’ve devised a plan to end world hungerand—”
“You pulled another all-nighter, didn’tyou?”
“No, but I’m holding it together with caffeine. I’ve got the QA team teed up and I’m overseeing the project going forward. Charlie’s downed craft will arrive in the next day or two. I need to go over a few things with you. You got timenow?”
An hour and a half later, Crockett pulled into Ashton Hott’s airpark. He and Decker had outlined a plan for analyzing the problem and a different one for freezing the sale of further UAVs until the issue had been sufficiently resolved. That major setback had knotted hisguts.
Exiting his truck, he slid on his shades, pulled on his parka and headed toward the lone hangar on Maverick’s private property. The front door flew open and Maverick stepped outside. Though the temperature hovered at forty-three degrees, the bright sun and lack of wind were the perfect weather conditions to test hiscrafts.
“You made great time.” He shook Crockett’s hand. “Who’s thechick?”
Crockett laughed. “Couldn’t wait, couldyou?”
“Hell, no. You’re a totalworkaholic.”
“With goodreason.”
“I know that.” Maverick’s expression softened. “So, who isshe?”
“An oldfriend.”
Grinning, Maverick added, “Withbenefits.”
“It’s complicated.” Crockett pulled on his leathergloves.
“Aren’t all women? So, does your gal have aname?”
“AlexandraReed.”
