“Alex… I’m pretty sure she’s the one leaking the information.”
“Having lunch together is hardly damning.”
Ethan nodded. “You know Murchison, in security? Used to be a private investigator? No? Well, I had some suspicions about Natalie, so I had him follow her. Put him in a suit and he blends in pretty well with the business crowd.”
Alex held up a hand. “When did you start the surveillance?”
“Last Wednesday.”
Alex looked steadily at his friend. So Ethan knew. “Go on.”
“He saw Emily give Natalie an envelope at lunch today. He couldn’t see what was inside, but he said that Natalie seemed upset by it, whatever it was.”
“That’s your proof? It could have been anything.”
“Anything that could have upset her. A payment that wasn’t what had been agreed on earlier. Some sort of blackmail, maybe.” Ethan tapped his desk. “What’d you send her from Hong Kong?”
Alex started to deny it but then stopped. Ethan knew him too well. “A ruby necklace. But she didn’t like it. Threw it back in my face, actually. Would someone who wanted money do that?”
“Maybe not. Then again, maybe she’s getting enough from the Rodales that she can afford her own rubies now.”
Alex felt himself start to come to a boil. “If you’ve got proof, give it to me. If not, stop wasting my time.”
“Alex, I’m sure about this. All we’ve got is circumstantial evidence so far, but it’s starting to add up.”
“But you’re sure?”
Ethan nodded. “If I’m wrong, I’ll resign from the company.”
Alex swore. Had he missed something because he was too close to her? Was he making the mistake his father had made when he’d trusted the wrong woman?
“I thought you might feel this way,” Ethan continued. “So I had Natalie work on some numbers for the NSA contract. Only I didn’t give her the real numbers.” He paused a moment to let that sink in. “No one else has seen those numbers. I made sure of that.” Ethan paused again, giving Alex a sympathetic look that nonetheless was full of resolve. “When Rodale International makes its bid, you’ll have your proof.”
Chapter Fourteen
HOW COULD EMILY know about my biological parents?
Natalie asked herself the question for the thousandth time as she jogged down the neighborhood running trail. No matter how she looked at it, it made no sense. It was unthinkable that Brian—even if he knew something about Natalie’s biological parents—would have told Emily and not Louise. And if he really did have some information, and for some unimaginable reason couldn’t share it with Louise, why not just tell Natalie herself?
The easiest explanation was that Emily had simply been lying, that she really didn’t know anything except that Natalie might well be susceptible to the lure of finding out about her biological parents when she wouldn’t be tempted by money. But that didn’t ring true, either. She knew Emily well, and the older woman hadn’t seemed like she was lying.
You help me, Natalie, and I will help you. The look in Emily’s eyes had been absolutely steady.
One thing was for sure: lying or not, Emily had to be desperate. Otherwise she wouldn’t have come up with a proposition like that.
Natalie slowed to a walk two blocks away from her condo, inhaling deeply and trying to catch her breath. She was coming up the sidewalk when she saw a familiar figure.
“Charlie. What are you doing here?”
“Waiting for you. I figured you’d be back soon.” He pushed away from the tree he’d been leaning against. He was dressed in a dark blue silk shirt and a pair of khakis—a typical casual weekend outfit that set off his blond looks to good advantage.
“If Emily sent you…”
“Sent me? About what?”
The surprise in his tone was enough. She relaxed. “Want to come in?”
“Sure.”