Caress by Grayson Cole Read Free Book Online

again. He couldn’t see a thing wrong. In fact, he thought it was one of the finest articles he’d ever written.
    But something had to be wrong. He couldn’t let this pass. He picked up his phone and called his sister anyway.
    Claudia didn’t answer right away. Unusual. His sister never let her phone ring. On the fourth ring, he heard her voice.
    “Mike!” she breathed, sounding startled and relieved all at once.
    “Yeah, Claudia, it’s me. I’m so sorry I didn’t answer before now. I didn’t know anything was going on. What’s happening?”
    “I was contacted by Hatsheput Industries yesterday. It would be an understatement to say that they were unhappy with your piece last week.”
    Michael lifted one shoulder though she couldn’t see it. Wouldn’t be the first time a company had been out for blood after he had published something it would have rather kept secret. “So?”
    “So, after their lawyers and the lead investigator on the Art Sentries case got done with me, I figured you might want to know what kind of hornet’s nest you’ve stirred up. Hatsheput Industries has been engaged in an ongoing investigation regarding the scholarship fund. They’ve been cooperating with the FBI for more than a year now. They refused to speak with you about this because they didn’t want to impede the investigation. Turns out they have an answer to the question in your article: ‘What more has Hatsheput Industries to hide?’ Nothing. Absolutely nothing, but that they are outstanding corporate citizens doing what the police asked them to do.”
    Michael’s stomach dropped, his throat closed up, and his pulse threatened to hammer through his skin. “I suppose Derrick confirmed that tonight.”
    “He did.”
    “Has he told you anything else?”
    Claudia sighed long and heavy. She sounded tired. “He has, but I can’t talk right now. You need to get on this tonight. Find out what you can. I’ll work it from this end. Be in my office first thing in the morning.”
    “Will do.”
    “And Michael?”
    “Yeah?”
    “Come with a plan.”
    She hung up.
    Michael didn’t sleep that night.

Chapter 3
    A towering figure dressed in shoes made of soft Italian leather, khaki slacks, and a deep blue button-down, Michael Harrison had an arresting effect on the women at the Harrison Tribune main office. Any one of the women in the administrative assistant pool would have loved to cry on his broad shoulders. His skin, a rich shade of coffee, was matched by thickly lashed eyes of the same color. Dimples framed his mouth in a heart-stopping smile.
    But he wasn’t smiling today, and he wasn’t up for any innocent flirtation with the ladies in the office. Today, Michael’s jaw was set in determination as he headed straight into Claudia’s office. He didn’t even bother to ask Sarah, her assistant, if his sister was free.
    Claudia glanced up briefly when she heard the door open. “Nice to know you had the decency to come in when I asked you to, though you didn’t have the decency to return any of my calls.”
    “Sorry, Claude. I didn’t know.”
    “Of course not. There’s apparently a lot you didn’t know.”
    Humiliation threatened to smother him as he sat down across from her. He grimaced at his sister. “Direct hit.”
    Her tone softened. “The Art Sentries Foundation piece, baby brother. You really messed it up.” She sat forward, resting her elbows on her desk. Michael said nothing, just waited. Claude continued, “Listen, when you were researching this who did you talk to on Hatsheput’s end?”
    “You know I do my research, Claude. Come on now. I met with an executive who wanted to keep things off the record. That guy led me to Marshall Ellis.”
    “Marshall Ellis, the criminal?” Her tone was incredulous.
    Michael felt his skin start to heat.
    “Yes, the criminal. I knew that going into the investigation. I just wanted to see what he would reveal. Ellis was a Hatsheput leader, and he’s on the board