Love and Brimstone

Chapter Nine

Murry took his time, settling himself on the desk before addressing them. “Well, one of the security men, I’m pretty sure he’s either possessed or a demon.”

“Which one?” Albert asked.

“The short one. Drayfield. Either way, this office has been infiltrated. I strongly suggest relocating to the Florida office as soon as possible. As in tomorrow.”

The men looked at each other. Murry was a reliable familiar. He had never been wrong before.

“Have there been plans?” Matthias asked.

“I don’t have all the details. They kick me out of the security office and close the door so I can’t hear. I told you to put the litter box in there, but no, you don’t listen to me—”

“All right, we get it,” Albert interrupted. He looked at them. “What’s the excuse?”

“Black mold?” Tim offered.

Even Murry shot him an exasperated look.

“I’ll immediately replace all the inner security personnel and get fresh staff, screen them,” Albert said.

Matthias looked at Tim. “Does she have a concealed carry permit?”

He nodded. “I insisted on it a couple of years ago, after she started trying cases. She could blow your balls off at a hundred yards.”

Matthias smiled. “All the more reason to love her.”

“I suppose,” Albert considered, “we could buy a large company down there. How about an insurance company? This is hurricane season in Florida, isn’t it? It would require an extensive amount of research for such a new acquisition.”

Matthias nodded. “Not the best excuse we can come up with, but that will have to do unless you can concoct something better. Just tell her there’s going to be a major acquisition and we need her there. Make the calls.”

Albert put it on speakerphone and reached her on her BlackBerry.

She took the news rather well, all things considered.

When they hung up, both men turned to Tim. He sighed. “I know, I know. Get packing.”

Forty-eight hours later, Robertson and Taz stood in the living room of their corporate rental house just north of Tampa. Taz still looked shell shocked.

“This is amazing.” She meant the whole situation. The house itself wasn’t bad, a little larger than their LA condo, which she assumed they’d be going back to in a few weeks. A few months, at the latest.

He patted her on the shoulder. “You’ll get through it. You’re flexible.”

She took his hand. “Thank you for coming with me.”

“Sweetheart, do you think I’d miss this for the world?”

Hawthorne International owned a thirty-story building in south downtown Tampa. Taz’s new office overlooked the Tampa Bay Times Forum hockey complex where the Tampa Bay Lightning played. Albert knocked on her door, picking his path through boxes. “Good, I’m glad you made it.” Murry strolled in behind him. Taz smiled and knelt so she could pet the cat.

“Hey, you brought him.”

“Mr. Hawthorne always has him at his base of operations. He says Murry’s good luck.”

The cat looked at Albert and meowed loudly. Taz laughed, picking him up and stroking him. “I’m glad to see you too, fella,” she said. “You make it a little less stressful.”

The cat glared at Albert.

So there.

Albert glared back at the cat, but she missed it. “Mr. Hawthorne will be here in a few hours,” Albert said. “I’m hoping I’ll have paperwork for you to look through by then. You’ll also need an assistant for the next few months.”

“Oh, I’ll manage. I can telecommute with Janice at the LA office.”

He shook his head. “Mr. Hawthorne wants you to have an assistant here, not just a secretary.”

She finally realized what he meant. “You mean I need a you for me?” She smiled.

He paused before laughing. “Quite. Yes, you need an Albert.”

“You’re a prince.”

He groaned. She felt comfortable enough with him now to joke around a little, even call him by his first name at his insistence. “No comments about what’s in my can, right? I’ve heard that one quite enough.” He smiled, belying his irritated tone.

“I’ll contact HR and get the ball rolling.”

He nodded, wishing he could push her to the conclusion he wanted, but it wasn’t forthcoming.

Albert knew Tim was having lunch with her, and five minutes before he was scheduled to arrive—already in the elevator—Albert sprang their trap.

“Want to grab some lunch, Anastazia?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. My dad’s meeting me.” She didn’t hesitate to call Tim that anymore, Albert noticed. “You know, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if you joined us, if that’s okay with you?”

Thank you, Lord. Finally. “That’s fine. I look forward to meeting him.”

And in Tim walked, perfectly timed.

They went downstairs to the restaurant, which served fantastic authentic Cuban food.

Matthias arrived, supposedly unexpected, and sat with them. She made the introductions. “Mr. Hawthorne, my dad, Tim Robertson.”

Albert noticed Tim puffed up a little at that title. He shook hands with Matthias as if they hadn’t known each other for centuries.

“Did Albert mention to you about getting an assistant?” Matthias queried.

Albert and Tim held their breath.

She nodded. “I’ll contact HR about it.”

They talked for a few more moments, business items. Then Matthias looked at Tim. “You look familiar, but I can’t place you.”

“I’ve worked for Anastazia’s family since she was a child. I was her parents’ business attorney and majordomo.”

Matthias feigned a gobsmacked expression. Albert mentally warned him to tone it down a notch, and he did. “Are you retired?”

“In a manner of speaking. I was thrilled when Anastazia asked me to make the trip with her.”

Matthias looked at Anastazia. “Can you work with him?”

She’d lost track of the conversation. Albert noticed her tendency toward distraction around Matthias.

But that was fair, since Matthias was just as bad. He frequently lost himself in her green eyes.

“Sorry?”

“Mister—Robertson? How is your working relationship with Ms. Proctor?”

“Oh, it’s fine—”

“Perfect!” Matthias stuck out his hand to Tim, who did a good job of looking genuinely surprised. “Welcome aboard, Mr. Robertson. Glad to have you.” Matthias looked at his buzzing BlackBerry. “Sorry, but I have to take this.”

Then he left. Taz was so surprised she never noticed Albert slip his own phone back into its holster.

Later, while Taz was in her office, Albert was “showing” Tim around. They’d ordered Matthias out of the building because of the silly grin he couldn’t control.

“We did it,” Tim practically crowed.

“About time, too. I don’t know how much longer I can rein Matthias in. He’s totally besotted by her.”

After lunch, Taz returned to her office to work. Murry sat in the chair and stared at her, twitching the end of his tail in an irritated fashion.

At one point she thought she heard someone say, “Silly girl,” but there was no one around. She stared at the cat.

Murry innocently blinked at her from his perch in the chair.