Killjoy by Julie Garwood Read Free Book Online

withdrawal from that little branch of First National at three-forty-five in the morning. All of these names—Cassius, Brutus, Casca, Ligarius—they were conspirators against Caesar. I didn’t have time to run a check on the people who owned these cards, but I did find out that the cards were issued from banks in Arlington. It added up. Ligarius made a withdrawal from The First National Bank. So, The First National Bank was the next target.
    “I thought that time was critical, and my superior, Mr. Douglas, wasn’t available. He had already left to catch a four-hour flight, and it wasn’t possible for me to talk to him. I used initiative,” she stressed. “And I would rather have been wrong and lose my job than keep silent and find out after the fact that I was right. Sir, my conclusions and subsequent actions will be in the report I’m typing up, and when you read it, you will note that I take full responsibility for my actions. My coworkers had nothing to do with my decision to call Andrews. But in my defense,” she hastened to add, “I, like the others in my department, have a master’s degree, and we’re all very good at what we do. We aren’t simply typists transferring agents’ notes into the database. We analyze the information we’re given.”
    “So does the computer program.”
    “Yes, but the computer doesn’t have heart or instincts. We do. And, sir, now that we’re on the subject of job descriptions, I would like to mention that the minimum wage has gone up, but our salaries have not.”
    He blinked. “Are you hitting me up for a raise?”
    She winced. Maybe she had said too much, but at least if she was going to lose her job, Lou and Mel and Margo might benefit. She felt a sudden burst of anger because she and her coworkers were so undervalued. She folded her arms and looked directly into his eyes. “As I’ve reviewed the facts for you, I’ve become more convinced than ever that I was right. I had no other choice than to notify Andrews, and he wouldn’t move until I used your name. I know I overstepped my authority, but there simply was no time and I had to—”
    “They got them, Avery.”
    She stopped short and then said, “Excuse me, sir?”
    “I said Andrews and his men got them.”
    She didn’t know why she was so shocked by the news, but she was. “All of them?” she asked.
    He nodded. “Andrews and his team were waiting, and at precisely three minutes after ten, the three men stormed the bank.”
    “Was anyone hurt?”
    “No.”
    She sighed. “Thank heavens.”
    Carter nodded. “They were wearing white. Did you figure out the significance of the color?”
    “Sure. The Roman senators wore white robes.”
    “The three men are being interrogated now, but I imagine you have already figured out what their game was.”
    “They probably consider themselves anarchists trying to bring down the government. They’ll tell you they’re trying to kill Caesar and probably even hail themselves as martyrs for the cause, but you know what? When you cut through all the phony baloney, it’s the same old same old. Greed was the real motivator. They were trying to be clever about it. That’s all.”
    She was smiling, feeling quite pleased with herself, when a sudden thought occurred to her. “Sir, you said my morning was going to get worse,” she reminded him. “What did you mean?”
    “There’s going to be a press conference in . . .” He paused to glance at the clock. “. . . ten minutes, and you’re the star attraction. I understand you have an aversion to being in the spotlight. I don’t like press conferences either, but we do what we have to do.”
    Avery could feel the panic building. “Mike Andrews and his team should do the press conference. They apprehended the suspects. I was simply doing my job.”
    “Are you being modest, or—”
    She leaned forward as she interrupted him. “Sir, I’d rather have a root canal.”
    He caught himself before he smiled, but the