Could MI6 have it all wrong? What if Thomas wasn’t involved at all? What if he was exactly what he appeared to be? Someone else could be the arms dealer or someone from outside could be using the UOF and no one knew.
She stood up. Maybe the evidence would exonerate her boss. She wouldn’t know until she found it. Once she did she could be out of the whole mess and out of Liam’s life. She pulled the spare key out of her desk and watched Thomas disappear into the elevator.
She was alone for the moment. She might not get a better chance. Hurrying to get to the door, she tripped, wrenching her knee. Pain flared, combining with frustration. Avery got to her feet. Patience. She needed some patience. Being calm and cool was the only way to be. It was perfectly normal for an administrative assistant to be in her boss’s office.
Calm down, girl. Take it slow and easy.
She could hear Liam’s voice. He’d lectured her all the way to the building. He’d spoken in her ear while they rode the Tube, his breath warm on her skin.
Act like you own the place. Wait for the right time. It doesn’t have to happen today. This thing happens when you make it happen and not a minute sooner.
She wanted him to be here. If she called him, would he come rushing over? Thomas was going to be gone all afternoon. Would he leave his assignment behind and rush to her side? Would he hold her hand and promise her everything would be all right?
With shaking hands, she got the key in the door and straightened up. She didn’t need Liam. He had his job to do and she had hers. They couldn’t really figure anything out until this operation was over. Deep in the night, she’d decided that if Liam felt anything for her it was likely temporary, an effect of being undercover. It would go away when he wasn’t living with her, and she had to prepare herself for that eventuality.
She was in. Thomas’s office was pin perfect. There wasn’t a file out of place. His desk was clean of the debris that regularly littered hers.
She strode across the room. Thomas had the corner office. A spectacular view of St. James’s Park in the distance greeted her when she turned to the windows. He always kept them open. He claimed to love the view of the park. The windows ran from almost the ceiling to the floor, giving the whole office the illusion of being up in the air, the world spreading out in front of her. It was sensational.
It was something that would make an agoraphobic man think twice.
Could someone really get over a deep-seated fear so completely that he would love an expansive view?
Avery turned away and decided to start with his desk. He didn’t have filing cabinets. He preferred neatness and minimalism. The files had to be in his desk.
Avery opened the side drawer. Sure enough there were a few files there, but they looked like employment files. Nothing but names and addresses and compensation packages. She dug deeper, but only came up with some proposals and plans for events to benefit the charity and Thomas’s most recent stock portfolio.
Where the hell was that file? She’d given him the Lachlan Bates file herself. Was it possible he’d taken it home?
She opened the drawer on the other side and sighed. Nothing but some breath mints and a white bottle of saline and what looked like a case for contacts.
“What are you doing, Avery?”
It took everything Avery had to slowly close the desk. Monica stood in the doorway, her lovely face frowning.
“I’m looking for a list of the donors attending the Black and White Ball. I can’t find mine, and I have to finalize the seating chart.” Her voice was steady, but she could feel her skin flushing. “What are you doing here? Is there something I can help you with?”
“I was looking for Thomas.” It seemed like it was Monica’s turn to blush. Her pale skin went pink.
“He’s at lunch, but he’s not coming back.”
Monica nodded. “Fine. I guess I’ll just have to talk to him later.”
She turned on her heels and left.
Avery drew a long breath. The files weren’t here. He had to have them at his place or he’d given them to someone. She needed to get into his town house and search his office there. It was the only answer.
But she could do a little research before then. She had the names of the donors. She could see if she could find them and try to connect them. There had to be connections.
But now she had another question to answer. If Thomas didn’t need contacts to see, whose contacts did he have? Why would he lie about not needing contacts?
Avery went back to her desk to start looking for answers. She could only hope that Liam was having better luck than she’d had.
Liam looked out from his perch across the Thames. He’d rented the room hoping it would offer the best view of the meeting spot. He’d been right. Through the powerful scope he held in his hands, he had a perfect view of the restaurant. He also had a high-powered rifle, but he probably wouldn’t be allowed to use it.