Thicker Than Water - DK5 Read Online Free PDF Page A

client you’d take them to dinner again? You know it’s just because of your reputation.”
    “She promised a prospective client I’d give him free bandwidth if he signed a multiyear contract,” Dar replied with a dour look.
    “Oh. What a bitch.” Kerry sat up and reached for her keyboard. “Let me go tell her what she can do with her promise of free—”
    Dar covered Kerry’s hands with her own. “I told her. But I know she’s going to come to you with a sob story to get you to try to change my mind.”
    “Hah!”
    Dar gave her a kiss on the top of the head. “She’ll learn, one of these days.” She stepped away as Kerry sat back and swiveled around to face her. “Meeting go all right?”
    “Eh.” Kerry exhaled. “It gave me a headache. I’m waiting on the Advil.”
    Dar sat down on the desk, and brushed Kerry’s hair back and then stroked her cheek.
    It brought a smile to Kerry’s face and banished some of the tension. “Quiet by you? Maybe we can get out of here a couple minutes early. If they’re going to talk anyway, I might as well just take advantage of it.”
    “Sure.” Dar saw Kerry’s line light up. “I’ll let you get back to work.”
    Kerry circled Dar’s leg with one arm as she answered the phone. “Operations, Stuart.”
    “Ms. Stuart, this is Ramon in the ops center,” a tense voice responded. “I think something’s going on.”
    Kerry felt Dar lean forward to listen. “Something? Like what?”
    “There’s a huge file transfer going on from the banking T1’s, nothing like I’ve ever seen before. Can you take a look? I was trying to get hold of Ms. Roberts, but she’s not in her office.”
    “We’re on our way.” Dar hit the button and popped up off the desk, with Kerry right behind her. “Well, one thing—at least—”
    “We don’t have to answer our mail?”

    Thicker Than Water 19
    “You got it.”
    The door slammed after them, leaving the room in somber silence.
    “DID YOU HAVE to do that?” Angie asked, as she walked her brother out to his car. “I mean, good grief, Mike.”
    “Yes, I did,” Michael replied stubbornly. “God damn it, Angie, she’s our sister. I don’t care if our parents wish she wasn’t, she is.”
    Angie walked a few steps, glancing up at the clear, star filled sky. “I know.”
    “You don’t know. You don’t give a piss, Angie. You went right along with them when they wanted to give her the cold shoulder at the trial, and you could give a rat’s—”
    “That’s not true!” Angie grabbed his arm and swung him around. “I love Kerry. Don’t you take that high and mighty attitude with me. You went right along with it, too.”
    “I didn’t. I went over there where she was sitting.” Mike jerked his arm free. “You didn’t.”
    “For crying out loud, Mike! I was nine months pregnant,”
    Angie shouted. “What in the hell did you expect me to do, make a scene?”
    “Yeah,” Michael replied. “You could have stood up for her.”
    “Oh, you’re just impossible.” Angie turned and started back for the house. “All you want to do is start trouble about her to keep him from taking pot shots at you .” She slammed the front door, leaving Michael out in the chill of the fall night.
    “Yeah.” Michael exhaled. “Maybe.” He gave his head a half shake and went to his car. Several men walked towards the house and he stepped aside to let them pass. They spared him a glance, then continued on without acknowledging him.
    “Does he know what he has? Is he sure?” one asked in a doubtful tone.
    “He’s sure,” a second answered. “What I want to know is, where’d he get the dirt from? I thought the guy he had inside turned on him?”
    “Dunno. Guess we’ll find out shortly.”
    They passed out of earshot, leaving Michael standing there.
    He shook his head and sighed. “What now, I wonder? Did he get those pictures of old what’s-his-name and the hooker? Anything to make a scandal and take the heat off, I