Page 27 of Beginning at the End
Den blinked.“You do?Can I meet her?It is a her, right?”
“It’s a her.She’s not as overtly fit as Serena, but she can do what she needs to do when she needs to do it.She has four siblings who all have kids, and she spends her days running around with nieces and nephews.I met her when I was volunteering at the afterschool program.”
“Where you met Likon?”
“Correct.”She nodded.She smiled.“She’s a caretaker, but she doesn’t have time for her own family.She’s busy with everyone else’s.”
“I see.What’s her name?”
“Delia Montrose.”
Den frowned.“Why do I know that name?”
She brought her friend’s picture up on her phone and turned it toward Den.The woman looked soft, elegant, and wealthy, wearing a shimmering gown and jewels.Eudora was standing next to her in the picture.
“She doesn’t look like a warrior.”
“Looks are deceiving.She used to look like this.”She brought up a much younger version of Delia, wraith-thin in a wheelchair.“She’s a warrior, just not what you are looking for.”
She removed the images and looked at him.“Thanks for the lunch.It’s going to make the rest of the day fly by.”
He looked like he was doing some thinking.
Eudora grinned.“You saw something when you looked at her.”
“How can you tell?”
“You look like you are doing a factory reset.If you want to know about her, ask Sern.She does the charity circuit for her family.Occasionally, she needs an escort, but you aren’t into that sort of thing, so it doesn’t matter.”
He looked at her with narrowed eyes.“That’s just mean.”
“I know.Toodles.Thanks again for lunch.”She got up and walked back to her desk, humming happily as she got back to work.
Her hands moved fast, and she knew what clips went where.She put them together with astonishing speed.When she finished for the day, she looked around and realized that she was done.She shouldn’t have been, but she was.“Yay!”She shot her arms into the air and twirled on her chair until the headphones jammed her.She took them off and did another triumphant spin.
She saved the files in four different places, watching the video through one more time before sending it to her boss and the Women’s Day committee in the Meksoren Group.She exhaled.Tomorrow, she could get back to normal activities.She really needed a few hours at the gym.
She checked her phone, and it wasn’t too late.There was a message from Sern, and she winced but answered,I need to spend some time at the gym tonight.
There was a pause, and three dots danced.Which gym?
She blinkedFitness Den.
I will pick you up in seven minutes.You have your gear?
I do.
On my way.
She blinked and grabbed her workout bag.Keeping it in her desk had never been a bad idea.
She got her purse, shut everything down, and tidied her desk.Eudora headed downstairs and signed out on the late sheet as well as scanning out.
There was a car outside, but it wasn’t the one she was expecting.She started recording and walked outside.
Nelson got out of his car and was furious.“You fucking bitch!How dare you!”
She blinked.“I am going to need more information than that.Why are you here, Nelson?”
