Abducted:Reconnaissance Team (Texas Rangers: Special Ops) Read Online Free PDF Page B

waiter. “I understand you aren’t a professional model. You’re Head of Creative Designs for Nina Bruno. Isn’t it unusual for an executive to model? Aren’t you taking a risk?” 
    Liz wanted to thump the woman upside the head. Leave it to a lawyer to ask all the right—or wrong—questions. “Our model had a last minute conflict.” She resisted the urge to dart a glance at Tanya, who was surrounded by several older men. Without a doubt, Ms. Sheila D.A. Antonio would notice.
    “What brings you to the gala?” Liz asked, and instantly regretted the question. Young, male models could be what brought her to the gala.
    “I met Larissa a year ago. We share a mutual friend, Senator Ross Pierson.” 
    “Roos the Boos Pierson?” Liz asked.
    Sheila nodded. “You know him?” 
    “I do. He went to law school with my father. I didn’t realize he had a home here in El Paso. How do you know him?” 
    “One of the partners of the law firm I worked for in Houston is friends with the senator. I saw him at parties. We became fast friends. He’s a straight shooter.” 
    “He is,” Liz agreed, and grudgingly admitted that Sheila Antonio had some strong, good qualities to be close friends with Senator Pierson. Of course, there was always the chance Sheila overstated their friendship. She wouldn’t be the first woman to cozy up to Roos the Boos Pierson. At sixty, he was still an attractive man.
    Sheila reached into her clutch bag and pulled out a card and a pen. She set her drink on a nearby table, then jotted down a phone number and handed the card to Liz. “The senator has a party planned tomorrow for some of the local pro football players. I’m betting he would love to see you.” 
    “I’m returning to Dallas tomorrow,” Liz said. “But I’ll give him a call. It’s been too long since I’ve spoken with him. Thank you, Ms. Antonio.” 
    “Call me Sheila. We’re practically old friends ourselves.” 
    There it was. Sheila’s version of friendship.
    Liz laughed. “Sheila. Thanks.” 
    “Thank you,” Sheila said. 
    “For what?” 
    “For bringing him to the party.” 
    Liz looked in the direction Sheila nodded and watched Larissa slide her hand into the crook of Adam’s arm. They entered the crowd, headed toward the foyer.
    “It looks like Larissa knows a good thing when she sees it,” Sheila said. 
    Shock froze Liz’s gaze on the doorway Larissa and Adam had stepped through. Surely, Adam Billings wouldn’t fraternize with the woman hosting the fashion event of the season?

Chapter Five
    A minute later, To Liz’s relief, Sheila excused herself and Liz started for the foyer. Before she’d taken ten steps, a saleswoman who worked with exclusive boutiques in the south stopped her. Liz listened for a moment, then promised to call next week and broke away with the excuse of finding the ladies room. She hurried the final half dozen paces to the foyer.
    She slowed and scanned the guests milling about the room. From the corner of her eye she caught movement on the second floor and glanced up as Larissa disappeared through an arched opening behind a man. Was that Adam? Liz hesitated, then crossed the foyer and entered a small room. French doors opened onto the rear grounds. When she didn’t see Adam in the back garden, she searched the rear patio, but he wasn’t there either.
    Her heart pounded. In her wildest worst-case scenarios, she wouldn’t have imagined her escort slipping away for privacy with Larissa Remmey. Was that what had happened? When she thwarted his overtures, had he switched his attention to Larissa? If Larissa’s husband discovered his wife cavorting with Adam, not only would he never work in the fashion industry again, neither would Nina Bruno Designs. Goodbye LaRouche .
    Anger rammed through Liz. Anger at Adam, anger at Tanya, and anger at herself. Her judgment always had been impeccable—until now. And the worst part was, no matter which way she turned, Nina Bruno Designs