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“He expects absolute loyalty,” Free guessed.
“Exactly. We need to stick with the plan. You go first, and then I’ll disappear at the travel conference when we meet up there in two months. He’ll blame one of the other entertainment planet representatives for my disappearance. It’s a cutthroat competition to get major corporations to sign contracts. It wouldn’t be the first time someone was assassinated at one of those events and their body never found.”
“Why would your grandfather put you in that kind of danger by sending you there?”
“Huge sums of revenue are involved when corporations agree to hold all their retreats here if I get them to sign. You know money always comes first with him.”
“What if your grandfather decides to send someone else to Barlish?”
“He won’t. I’ve landed six huge contracts in the past year alone. I’m the best. Greed is always his main motivation in the business decisions he makes.”
“I’m going to miss you very much. Two months will seem like forever.”
Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them back. “I love you too. I can’t wait to sleep in your ar—”
Voices sounded from outside the office, and they jerked apart. Marisol took a seat on the other side of the table and dragged her briefcase over, opening it. Free dropped into the chair next to where he’d stood and tapped the pad of his data device.
The door opened, and Manny leaned in. He was the guard assigned to her most of the time while she was working. “Is everything okay, Ms. Florigo?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”
He shot a glare at Free. “You know the rules. The door is supposed to be kept open.”
It angered her. “That’s the stupidest policy. I don’t want the entire office overhearing private financial records being discussed.”
“It’s for your safety.”
“Do you feel like lunging across the conference table to strangle me, Freak?”
“Not today, Ms. Florigo.”
Marisol chuckled, but the guard actually reached for his weapon.
“That was a joke, Manny. Lighten up.” She launched to her feet. “Freak wouldn’t hurt me.”
“I don’t trust those things. Neither does your grandfather. He’d prefer replacing the males with the female versions. They tend to cause less trouble.”
“Freak is the best clone for this position. Are you aware of why he got dubbed his name? The last female clone couldn’t instantly memorize everything she had read. He can, and the account manager dubbed him a freak for being able to calculate sums that large without a calculator.”
“Females are less dangerous. That’s a fact. I think your grandfather should stop having male clones made for office work.”
“I’ll be sure to tell him you said that, Manny.”
The guard paled. “It’s not meant as an insult to your grandfather or his decision-making skills. It’s just that males tend to be more aggressive than the females. I’m thinking of your safety, Ms. Florigo.”
“I’m fine, Manny. We’re just going over food sales. The small vendors had a drop, but our restaurants are doing fabulously. The new warmer weather menus seem to be a hit. The exciting topic of clothing is coming up next. T-shirts versus hats is always a real report page-turner.” She collapsed back into her seat. “Do you want to listen in? Otherwise, you’re disturbing my meeting, and I have a lot to do today.”
Manny spun around and left. The door remained wide open in his wake.
They stared at each other, and Free grinned. “The small food vendors did better than our restaurants. We had four pleasure cruisers that recently docked. Fine dining is something they get onboard those massive vessels. My guess is they craved the snack options.”
“As if Manny will remember any of what I said and discuss it with someone else. He’s a moron.”
“True.”
Marisol lowered her voice to a whisper. “In two months, no one will be watching us anymore.”
He stared into her eyes. “I can’t wait.”
