Dynasties: The Elliotts

“You have to get me out of this!” Lucy Miller hissed into her encrypted cell phone, the one that had been delivered to her home a few weeks ago. The phone had rung just as she’d left a staff meeting. She’d ducked into the ladies’ rest room, where she’d checked every stall to make sure she was alone.

“Relax, Lucy,” said the soothing voice Lucy had come to know so well. She had often fantasized about what the man who owned that deep, sexy voice might look like, but not today. Today she was too terrified to fantasize about anything but getting out of this situation with her skin intact.

“Don’t you tell me to relax,” she whispered back. “You aren’t the one stuck in this bank trying to act normal when she knows she’s about to get liquidated.”

“Liquidated? You must be watching too much Get Smart. No one is trying to kill you.”

“You didn’t see the man who was following me. I know a hit man when I see one.

He was wearing a coat, and it’s like ninety degrees outside.”

“It’s also raining in D.C. today. He probably had on a raincoat.”

“Casanova, you’re not listening! My cover has been blown. Someone has been in my apartment. Either you get me out of here, or I’ll hop the first plane I can find to South America and I’ll take all my data with me!”

“No! Lucy, be reasonable-”

“I’m done being reasonable. I’ve done everything you asked without question.

I’ve trusted you implicitly, though I’ve never met you and don’t even know your name. Now it’s your turn to trust me. I’m not stupid. If you don’t get me out, this very expensive little cell phone is going into the nearest sewer, and you’ll never hear from me again.”

“All right! I’ll be there by five-thirty, six at the latest. Can you hang tight till then? Can you make it home?”