The Switch

18

Will Abbott was on the phone arguing with the chief of staff to the senator from Indiana when another call came in. He noticed the 619 area code on the caller ID. The call was from San Diego. The only person he knew who lived in San Diego was...

He got off the line with Caitlin, the chief of staff, and picked up line two.

“Hello?”

“Mort Nathanson.” That gruff voice.

“Oh, Morty, nice to hear from you. Susan’s in a vote, but I’ll have her call you back the instant she gets off the floor.”

“No, actually, I called for you.”

“Oh. Well, what can I do for you, Morty?”

“Man-to-man. Tell me. Do I have anything to worry about?”

“Worry...?”

“Level with me. Is she still investment grade?”

“Susan, you mean? Of course, why would you—?”

“Yevgeniy told me something interesting.”

Will gulped. “Oh yeah?”

“Little slipups in her line of work can be fatal.”

“I don’t think I understand—” Will felt his face grow hot. Had Yevgeniy told his boss, Morty Nathanson, about the missing laptop? Did Morty know more than that, know what was going on? Jesus Christ.

“See, when a company seems to be in trouble, I don’t just talk to the CEO. I reach down a layer. I’ll call the CFO, or the COO, directly. Know why? They’re never as good at lying.”

“There’s nothing going on, to the best of my knowledge—”

“Listen to me,” Nathanson barked. “I’ve put a lot of money into Susan Robbins, and I want to know if my investment’s in trouble. I’m hearing things that concern me. Don’t let me be surprised by any bad news, you get me?”