A Murderous Game Read Online Free

head and chuckled.
"Sorry, I can't give you the juicy headline you're looking for. I can tell you GFI has never given kickbacks. I believe it's against the law,"
he joked, and then addressed the assemblage. "My associate just signaled
me we're out of time. Thank you all for coming. I look forward to talking to
you again as we move forward." As he turned from the microphone he waved,
gave another heart-stopping smile, and headed toward the side of the makeshift
stage.
    "What about the probe by the
State's Attorney General's Office? Do you deny they're investigating you for
illegal business practices?" Abby's mouth dropped as Dick continued
spouting allegations.
    Gage kept walking, as if he hadn't
heard the question. When he stepped off the platform, a tall blond man and an
attractive woman in a black pantsuit flanked his sides. He leaned toward the
man's ear. The guy glanced toward Dick and nodded.
    A minute later Mayor Phillips
joined them and patted Gage on the back. He turned, spoke to the mayor, and
then the two of them strolled away, out of view of the camera which faded to a
scene of a lone jogger running along Penn's Landing.
    Nothing good could come of Dick's
presence there. He'd never been able to accept defeat graciously, and Abby had
a horrible premonition he'd try to stir up more trouble. Maybe she should warn
Gage.
    Yeah, right! Wouldn't that play out
great! She'd just call out of the blue. Hi Gage, you probably don't remember
me. Abby Sheridan, the gangly kid with the spiky hair? You don't remember? You know—the stalker. So listen, about the guy who kept
harassing you at the press conference. That was my husband.
    She dropped her head into her hands
and groaned. Maybe she was blowing things out of proportion. But how likely
would Gage be to trust positioning his company to the spouse of someone who had
accused him of corporate fraud?
    It wouldn't matter that they were
separated. She already had one strike against her with her past. If Gage knew
Dick was her husband, it would kill any chance she had of getting GFI's account. She'd be wise to keep that damaging tidbit a
secret.
     
    Gage leaned against the corner bar
in his office nursing a glass of Balvenie . He looked
out the large bank of windows that formed the back wall and framed incredible
views. In the distance, a tug boat chugged up the Delaware
River as the lights of the city began to flicker on and evening
descended in shades of pink and gray.
    He turned at the sound of a knock
and hiked a brow when he saw Grace, his long-time secretary, standing in the
doorway.
    "I thought you left
already."
    "I wanted to finish those
proposals you gave me this afternoon, but I'm leaving now. Need anything before
I go?"
    "No. Go home before Sam
wonders if we're having an affair."
    Grace laughed, her blue eyes
twinkling. "Sam knows he doesn't have to worry about that, even with a
charmer like you."
    Gage pushed away from the bar and
walked over to sit on the edge of his desk. "Thirty years with the same
woman." He blew out a low whistle. "I'm not sure whether to be
jealous or send Sam a sympathy card."
    Grace put her hands on her hips and
narrowed her eyes.
    He grinned. "You've known me
how long, and you're still not sure when I'm teasing? Go." He waved her
away. "And tell the lucky bastard I said hello."
    "I will." Partway out the
door she turned back. "Why don't you call it a night, too? You look tired,
and you've still got two weeks worth of work scheduled into the rest of this
one."
    "Yeah." He reached up and pushed a hand through his hair, knowing she was right and
feeling it to his bones.
    He never could have gotten this
office up and running without her. Not and stay on top of everything until
Brett could be brought up from Boca Raton to
handle things in Chicago
during the interim. Once things settled down he'd see about sending Grace and
Sam on an all expense paid vacation. Maybe a week in Hawaii, she always said she wanted to go
before one of them died or they