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His words barely registered. Instead, she saw the rain-slicked road east of London, brakes screeching. Wooden guardrails breaking. Kyle’s European sedan plunging over the high cliff, crashing into the water below. Icy water, then nothing. A sudden chill crept up her spine. She swallowed the lump in her throat and tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear before meeting his overt stare. “Sorry, I’ve got a flight to catch.”
Chapter Two
A Party Begins
The Timberline Ventures welcome party had already started by the time Tess’s chauffeured sedan reached the final stretch of highway leading to the Cedarcliff retreat center, north of Vancouver. Harsh weather had delayed her flight from London, and her triple espresso wasn't working fast enough. Sitting in the back seat, her body cradled by the contoured, deep leather seats, she steeled herself for the meetings ahead. She hoped tonight’s party and the weekend negotiations would engage her full attention, and, if not, at least offer an open bar.
After Kingsley Tech’s new encryption technology skyrocketed in popularity last year, David often relied upon her to represent him at executive events around the globe. Canada marked the seventh country she visited this month, and she hadn’t seen the condo she recently purchased in Seattle for weeks. Born into nomadism as a US State Department brat, she’d grown up in a series of embassy communities around the world. Now, a postmodern road warrior, she sped across continents, languages, and currencies with grace—comfortable everywhere, but belonging nowhere.
Memories of Kyle invaded her consciousness, but she resisted getting sidetracked. She double-checked her jacket pocket, grazing her fingers over the fine-woven wool, reassured she transferred her security kit from her suitcase. A paranoid precaution, but one she required for every trip she took.
The Cedarcliff event venue came into view. Fishing through the conference packet a courier had hand delivered before her flight, she glanced at the identification badge and cursed. The organizers had given her David’s. She threw it around her neck anyhow, annoyed she’d need to waste time getting it fixed. With one hand, she buttoned her Italian wool suit jacket and swept her hair off her face. Jet-lagged, she forced a smile and hoped her mouth’s upturned corners suggested enough positivity to veil her sadness.
The sedan hurtled to a stop on the gravel road. Stepping out of the car into the crisp evening, she stole a few extra seconds outside to marvel at the moonlit mountains as a chilly wind nipped at her cheeks. Constellations burned like fire above her in the late autumn sky. She relished the fresh outdoor air and savored her last moments of freedom before jumping into the executive meet-and-greet.
George Bouchard, chairperson of Timberline Ventures, was the decision maker whose blessing she needed to secure more funding in David’s absence. Schmooze or lose. Smoothing the wrinkles from her trim pantsuit, she counted the hours until she could trade the suit for fuzzy sweatpants. An inexplicable flash of foreboding washed over her, which she wrote off as fatigue. Determined to shake off her sleeping-pill haze, she straightened her shoulders and stretched her toes against the tips of her black suede boots. “Please let this be entertaining.”
Tess followed the lights leading to the entrance of the wood-clad building, an architectural showcase of Northwestern flair. Floor-to-ceiling windows graced the spacious foyer, and she passed an imposing fountain built into an Asian sculpture cast in bronze. Streaming water gurgled down its smooth sides like a forest creek. The door opened, warm air flowed against her face, and peppy jazz piped through the speaker system, creating a festive vibe.
Cocktail glasses clinked and voices buzzed, reflecting the upbeat mood of the room. Groups of men in their thirties and forties led spirited conversations. Venture capitalists decked out in crisp suits and designer shirts mingled with engineering execs, who skewed younger and preferred uniforms of cashmere hoodies and expensive sneakers. She chose a glass of chardonnay from the bar and lifted it to sniff the bouquet of apples mixed with fresh-cut oak. With luck, the drink would wash away the remnants of last night’s excesses and give her a clean slate. She shifted into work mode and prioritized which execs to chat up before she approached Bouchard.
The drinks flowed, and the chatter grew livelier in equal measure. Catering servers garbed in black offered salmon rillettes and beef satays on silver platters seeming to float above their hands. Executive perks. She accepted a shrimp canapé and savored the tangy mango sauce as it hit her tongue.
Her colleague Kavita Chakyar, dressed in a colorful orange and yellow sari, sauntered her way, and the women touched wine glasses.
“About time a vice president showed up. Cutting it close, aren’t you?” Over the rim of her glass, Kavita admonished her with a smirk.
“David’s keynote in Berlin got delayed, so I raced across the pond to lead this.” Despite having little patience for her underling’s attitude, Tess suppressed her annoyance. As she scanned the perimeter of the room, she detected something missing. “Pretty light on security tonight, aren’t they? No guards at the entry here.”
“Now you mention it, you’re right. Then again, this retreat building is remote, many kilometers from the main hotel. Besides, we’re in Canada, and nothing happens here.” Kavita sipped her drink.
“Right.” Tess refocused on the meetings ahead. “Let’s be clear about the stakes this weekend. If Bouchard approves our security strategy for this health care network he’s acquiring, we could net substantial funding. You ready?”
“When am I not?” Kavita pursed her lips.
Tess stepped closer and lowered her voice. “Remember, it’s not just this deal. If we expand our software market from banks into healthcare, our company could double or triple in size. Our stock could go public.”
“I’m prepared, Tess, so get on with it.”
“Since you’re presenting our encryption technology to the investors first thing tomorrow, I convinced Riku to endorse your plan as the best one available. You’re welcome.” She leaned back, satisfied to have surprised Kavita. The tech industry touted Riku Yamashita as the father of cybersecurity and a pinnacle of integrity. Companies he endorsed often entered the stock market with stratospheric initial public offerings.
“Well done. I owe you one. How many millions are we talking?” Kavita’s criticism abated several notches.
“Twenty to thirty. Enough to fund our expansion into the US.” Restless, she bounced her foot, alert now her airport caffeine binge had kicked in.
Already perched on stilettos, Kavita straightened up even taller, and her gaze widened. “Wow, so that’s why all the heavy hitters are here. Kieran Hughes from Timberline is attending, too. We’ll see if the bloke codes as well as he used to play pro rugby. Hey, what’s on your arm?”
The Torque ink stamp smudged Tess’s pale wrist like a blurry tattoo. She adjusted her silk blouse cuff to cover it, the fabric cool against her skin. “Nothing.”
Smiling through bared teeth, Kavita shook her head as she edged closer to Tess. “Millions at stake and you spent the night clubbing? Given you were too busy to prepare, David should have asked me to lead this.”
“No time to bicker. I need to sync with Riku before I meet Bouchard.” Biting her tongue, she chose to ignore Kavita’s insubordination, for now.
As Tess stepped away to check her text messages, a No Service alert buzzed on her phone. The building’s remote location meant they were stuck in a cellular dead zone. Searching the room, she found Riku strolling away from the bar, full glass in hand. She waved hello to catch his attention, and his face lit up with recognition. She bowed. “Riku-san, pleasure to see you.”
He welcomed her by grasping her hand with both of his. “I understand you’re David’s acting CEO this weekend. He’s lucky you’re his number two.”
Riku had invested years coaching Tess and David on bolstering Kingsley Tech’s rapid expansion, providing strategic industry insights and, when needed, infusions of cash to accelerate their growth. “Thanks. We’ll develop a solid security strategy for George Bouchard, and he’ll be able to complete his medical network acquisition. David hinted Timberline might offer us more funding.” She offered him a sincere smile.
