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“You’re right about that.” Her voice was gravelly.
“Are Katie and Quinn okay? Ellis said you pulled them from school.”
“I was too worried after we were followed. The girls had security at the academy, but I’d rather have them home where I know we’re protected. It’s too much of a risk right now. And I’m staying right here with them—me, my mom, the girls, and a dozen security guards. It’s quite the setup.”
She laughed, but it sounded brittle. “What’s going on with him, anyway—the man who was following us? Ellis won’t tell me anything. He says it’s safer if I don’t know.”
“Ellis is smart.” His rabid protection of Fiona touched me. I tapped my pen against the desk, wondering if I could tell her anything without putting her in harm’s way.
But the risk was too great. “I don’t know what happened to the guy. Wes wants me out of the loop, too.”
Actually, the guy—Carey—had been set free on my direct order. I was paying his rent, I’d leased him a new car, and he was on an urgent fact-finding mission for me. If he delivered, I was giving him a rather large lump-sum payment, the size of which had Wes reeling.
But I considered it proper motivation.
“Well, keep me posted on the Shenzhen situation. I know Li Na made an announcement today, even if she didn’t name names. I don’t expect her to disclose the Protocol deal until she has government confirmation of all the necessary approvals.”
“Lauren said that this is going to move quickly. We have to keep an eye on things.”
Fiona exhaled deeply. “What’s done is done. Let’s just hope this works.”
I stared out the window, still nervously tapping. Most of this had been my idea. If we failed, it was on me. “We should probably come up with a Plan B.”
“I think we’re living Plan B—surrounded by security, our respective companies’ innovation stifled, scared of our own shadows. I like Plan A better.”
I sighed. “I like it better, too. If it works.”
* * *
WES
“If you think Biyu’s in danger, we need to do something.”
I lifted a dumbbell while I did a squat and cursed—getting back into shape was a bitch, even without my evil physical therapist around.
Hannah was in a fresh hell all her own, doing a sit-up that involved lifting her legs while simultaneously hoisting a dumbbell against her chest. “I don’t know what I can do for her. I don’t even know what the problem is.”
“Is she still going into work? Have you checked her bank account—has she withdrawn money?”
“She seems to be maintaining her routine. Leo checked on her.” Hannah pushed a sweaty lock of hair off her forehead. “It looks like she bought groceries last night, she paid the daycare this morning, went to a takeout place for lunch.”
“So she’s in Shenzhen, and she’s still at Jiàn. But she doesn’t want to talk to you.”
Hannah frowned. “And I don’t know why. She told me not to contact her, but I need to know the status of the prototype.”
“Give her a day or two. Things could be really intense, especially if Li Na’s overseeing the crazy production schedule. It could be an all-hands-on-deck situation.” I did another squat and forced my face to remain neutral so Hannah couldn’t see I that was actually about to die.
She dropped the barbell with a groan and sat up. “Can you ask Ellis to reach out to one of his contacts? I’d love it if someone could put eyes on Biyu, or maybe get her a message that’s not attached to a hackable account.”
“He was never a hundred percent that he’d be able to reach anybody,” I reminded her.
“I know it’s a long shot. But will you ask? I’m going crazy because I don’t know what’s happening—I don’t know if she’s in danger.”
I set my own barbell down, grateful that I had a valid excuse to quit. “I’ll see if he wants to grab a quick dinner, and I’ll ask him about it. Okay?”
“Thank you for everything that you do. I’ll never be able to say it enough.”
She smiled at me, stop-you-in-your-tracks gorgeous even as she wiped the sweat from her forehead.
