“If only what?” asked Lucas.
“She knows something. She can get Dixon back for me.”
“Who?”
“Amber.”
Lucas pulled back in his chair, a speculative expression coming over his face.
“Not like that,” said Tuck. “Not at all like that. She was his confidential assistant and he confided in her.”
“What did he tell her?”
“She’s not talking. I ordered her. Then I fired her. But she’s not talking.”
“Bribe?” asked Lucas.
“She just gave up her job over integrity.”
“Blackmail, then?”
“With what? She’s as straight up as they come. The only thing outrageous about her is her shoes.”
“Her shoes?”
“You’ve never noticed?”
Lucas shook his head. “Can’t say that I have.”
“I don’t see how I blackmail her over red glitter stilettoes.” Though Tuck would love to have pictures of them.
“Can’t believe I missed that.”
Tuck forced his mind back to the job. “Will you do it?”
Lucas curled his fingertips against the table. “Temporarily.”
Tuck felt a rush of relief. “I hope that’s all I’ll need. Even together, we can’t replace Dixon.”
“No, we can’t.”
“I’m going to find him.”
“You should definitely bribe her.”
“She’ll never go for it.”
“You don’t know that until you ask.”
“Yes, I do.”
If Amber was willing to trade ethics for money, she’d never have let him fire her.
* * *
Amber sat down at her kitchen table, taking up where she’d left off scrolling through an employment website. Jade was across from her, writing her way through a practice math exam. The coffeepot was between them and their breakfast dishes were piled in the sink.
Jade had offered to clean up later while Amber made the rounds of some more major companies in the city. Surprisingly, after three weeks in Chicago, Jade was still following her new life plan. She was rising every morning with her alarm, eating healthy and studying for the GED test she hoped to pass before the baby was born.
By contrast, Amber’s new life plan was completely falling apart. She’d applied for dozens of jobs, had landed only three interviews and had so far been beaten by other candidates on two of them. Every morning, she told herself not to lose hope. But she’d already dipped into her savings to make the month’s mortgage payment. Other bills were coming due, including Jade’s appointments at the community clinic.
“You look nice today,” said Jade. “Very professional.” She nodded approvingly at Amber’s blazer and skirt.
“Focus on the test,” said Amber.
“I bet you get an offer.”
“That would be nice.” Amber wasn’t going to let Jade see her worry.
“Ooh.” Jade’s hand went to her stomach. “That was a good one.”
“I bet it’s a boy,” said Amber. She copied and pasted a promising-looking job ad into her open spreadsheet.
“Girl,” said Jade. “But a soccer player.”
“Boy,” said Amber. “A placekicker for the Bears. Big money in that.”
“You think we’ll need Junior’s money?”
Amber was beginning to think they’d need it before Junior even started preschool.
“I doubt we will,” said Jade. “We’re both going to get jobs—good jobs, high-powered jobs. We’ll get promoted up the ladder and make fortunes.”
Amber couldn’t help but smile. She liked it when Jade was optimistic. “Dreamer.”
“I am,” said Jade. “For the first time in my— Ouch. I think that one went through the uprights.”
The phone rang. Amber couldn’t control the lurch of anticipation that hit her stomach. It could be another interview, or possibly a job offer from Pine Square Furniture. Please, let it be a job offer. Pine Square Furniture paid quite a bit less than what she’d made at Tucker Transportation, but she’d jump at anything right now.
As Amber started to rise, Jade leaned back and lifted the receiver.
“Hello?”
Amber held her breath.
“Oh, hi, Dr. Norris.”
Amber’s disappointment was acute. She turned to hide her expression from Jade, rising and pretending to check the printer for paper.