“I didn’t think this elevator went to the penthouse,” said Devine. “Only Mr. Cowl has access.”
Paulson shot him a glance. “We’ll get off at the floor below and someone will meet you and take you to Mr. Cowl.”
As they approached the fifty-first floor, Devine eyed Paulson, who was looking at his phone. Devine leaned against the wall and used his elbow to nudge the button for that floor. It didn’t light up, and they whizzed right past it.
That’s interesting. Not even the inner circle can get in there.
The doors opened and Devine got off, where he was met by her smiling face.
“Hello, Mr. Devine,” said Michelle Montgomery.
CHAPTER
38
THE DOORS CLOSED BEHIND PAULSON, leaving Devine and Montgomery all alone. She was dressed for the office, not the pool. Dark pinstriped jacket and slacks, white blouse, no hint of cleavage, two-inch pumps, hair parted and a little slicked back on the sides. Her tan wasn’t as vivid under artificial light.
He followed her down a long hall.
“So, why did you get picked for this assignment?” he asked.
“Because I don’t think Brad trusts anyone who works here.”
“By the way, I loved your act this morning. Both finger barrels to the whole train.”
She smiled. “Did you also like the view?”
He involuntarily glanced at her bottom.
“I thought so,” she said impishly.
When they arrived at another elevator, she held a phone up in front of a reader there.
Cowl’s phone?
The doors opened, they entered, and she hit the button.
“So, can I be allowed to hold a billionaire’s phone for a second?” She looked over at him, smiled, and passed it across.
The phone was one of those new, big Apples. The cover was gold and shiny. And the screen saver was a Bugatti Chiron.
Of course it is.
He took out his phone and snapped a photo of Cowl’s screen.
“Why’d you do that?” she asked.
He laughed. “For posterity.”
She laughed, too.
He handed back the phone.
She said, “So, how did a billionaire’s phone feel?”
“Heavy as a ball and chain. I’m actually surprised Cowl trusts anyone with it.”
She shrugged. “What am I going to do with it, make a long-distance call?”
She obviously doesn’t know the possibilities, thought Devine. But I do. “I ran into your family friend last night.”
“Christian told me.”
“And what else did Christian tell you?”
“That you kicked his ass and the asses of his two large friends.”
“And did he tell you why?”
“It was over a girl. He didn’t say he was in the right, just in case you were wondering. He’s actually a nice guy—a little full of himself, but I’ve seen far worse from guys with money.”
The doors opened directly into the foyer of the large penthouse.
“Nice place,” said Devine.
“Yeah, if you like stuffy, overfurnished, and mundane. I like the other house a lot better. Minimalism is my thing.” She called out, “Brad? He’s here.”
“Do you know why I am here?”
“I don’t get involved in his business. I told you that already. You coming by my place like I asked you to?”
“How late are you up?”
“As late as it takes. I’ll text you my address. It’s not far from here.”
Maybe farther than you think, at least from my perspective, he thought.
“Devine,” called out Cowl as he rounded a corner. He held out his hand, and Montgomery placed the phone directly in it. “This way. Thanks, Michelle.”
Montgomery smiled inscrutably at Devine and disappeared somewhere.
Cowl said, “Follow me.”
They entered what looked like a study. Cowl closed the double doors and said, “What do you want to drink?”
“Beer?”
“No. We’ll drink brandy.”
“Okay.” So much for having a choice with this guy.
Cowl poured out two snifters from a bar set against a wall and handed one to Devine. Then he took out an electronic wand from inside a cabinet and ran it over Devine.
“Just checking for wires and stuff. Can never be too careful these days. Take out your phone and turn it off.”
As Devine turned his phone off Cowl said, “Everybody—and I mean everybody—is spying on everybody else with this electronic shit. I don’t like using email or texts. I don’t even like calling people, because you never know who’s listening. The important stuff? I do it the old-fashioned way. Analog. Face-to-face.”