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“She’s actually living in Miami Beach, in an apartment right now. Specifically because she wanted to get away.”
She whistled low. “I’ll cross it off. Well, don’t we look the fools now for having her cross over from Miami Beach specifically to take a yacht back over there?”
“Hey, it was a surprise to me too. I think she stays there to keep quiet. Er—” I cleared my throat awkwardly. “Well, you know. She probably attracts the wrong kind of attention sometimes. So keep it between us.”
“Entendido. Ruth, you heard that?”
Ruth put her hands up. “Not a word.”
“Good. That’s what we like to hear. Let’s try the one in South Beach next, if you want to get in touch with Khalid.”
“Will do. Was that the request you wanted to talk about?”
“Not exactly.” She leaned in closer, studying me. “There’s a conference I want you to attend.”
“Er. Now?”
“No, we’re in the office right now.”
“Ha, ha. I mean,” I said, shifting up taller in my seat, “with the way things are here now—you want me attending a conference?”
“As a speaker.”
“You… could have led with that.”
She smiled. “It’s not for the pay, admittedly. It’s a bit paltry for what it is. But it’ll be good for our reputation.”
“Well, all right… you know best, Mother Goose.”
Ruth pursed her lips. “London’s a genius, but you don’t think securing Cameron Mercier is a higher priority?”
I waved her off. “I can walk and chew gum, Ruth.”
“I know you can.”
María stood up. “Truth be told? No matter how confident I am about Cameron, I want London to have something to fall back on if it doesn’t work. And us, too. I was hoping you could help her out while she’s juggling both of them.”
Ruth still gave her a skeptical look as we left the room, a few minutes of discussing the logistics later, and then staring after María walking down the hallway ahead of us. I put a hand on her shoulder.
“Relax, Ruth. María knows what she’s doing.”
“She sure as hell does…” She shook her head, dropping her voice. “Just remember what I said, okay? Jessica Schafer. Talk to her.”
I smiled politely. “Thank you.”
“I know how you operate. No just thank you and putting it aside. I mean it. Talk to her.”
“I will,” I said, even though I wasn’t sure if I would. I’d find a way to make it technically true. “Well, I guess I’m off to research a conference.”
“Right… watch yourself.”
“Definitely. I don’t need Miguel stirring up trouble while I’m presenting.”
She shook her head, sighing, but she didn’t say anything else. I couldn’t read what was eating her, but I didn’t like it.
I didn’t need to, though. Ruth had her own business, and I had mine. And if that meant Ruth was going to find work elsewhere while I got Queen Pearl back on track—well, so be it.
∞∞∞
