Going For Broke Read Online Free

that’s how Mike found himself working in Financial Fraud and ultimately standing in Victoria Vernon’s mahogany-paneled elevator.  Get me out of this gilded prison and back to the real world, he thought as the elevator operator let them out into the luxurious lobby.
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                  Victoria threw the phone against the wall, narrowly missing the Damien Hirst painting that she had fallen in love with at Young British Artists exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in North London in the early 90s.  Lumi picked up the phone and tenderly straightened the painting. 
                  “Where the fuck is he?” She demanded of Lumi.  Lumi had been afraid of her boss before, now she was terrorized.  She shrugged her shoulders and scurried out of the room.  Victoria picked up the phone again and dialed.  She listened to the voicemail message.  Trip’s cheerful voice asking her to leave a message with the promise that he’d get back to her as soon as he could.
                  “Trip Vernon!  Where the hell are you?” She was on the verge of tears, and fought to keep control.  She took a deep breath before she continued.  “Call me the minute you get this message.”  She then walked to her desk and sat down.  She sat for a minute, deciding what to do next.  Hysteria was replaced by a strange calmness.  She picked up the various directories to the clubs and organizations to which she and Trip belonged and began to dial.  No, Mrs. Vernon, we haven’t seen Mr. Vernon.  No, Mrs. Vernon, Mr. Vernon hasn’t been in today.  Again and again.  She picked up her personal phone book, then hesitated.  Instinct told her now wasn’t the time to call friends.
                  She did, however, call their attorney, who technically was a friend.  Jack Taggert had been Trip’s roommate at Williams and the best man at their wedding.  Trip and Victoria vacationed with Jack and Judy a half dozen times.  They had done everything from renting a yacht in the Bahamas to taking a crazy chalet ski trip in Corcheval.  Victoria had the feeling that today she didn’t need a friend, she needed a lawyer.
                  Jack wasn’t in.   His secretary said he was at a conference out of town.  She knew enough to know that meant that the last place Jack was was at a conference.  She tried his cell, just to be sure, but got his voicemail as expected.  Her message to Jack was more civil than the one to Trip, though no less urgent.  She didn’t expect a return call any time soon. 
                  She sat at her desk without moving for quite some time.  She jumped when the phone in her hand rang.
                  “Where in the hell have you been?” she demanded? 
                  “Getting the most fabulous massage,” purred the silky voice of Jeanine Larkin.   “Viktor is a magician with his hands.”
                    The last person with whom Victoria wanted to talk at this particular moment with was Jeanine Larkin.  She made Lucy Pearson seem like a newborn kitten.   If Jeanine got her fangs into what Victoria feared was happening in her house right now, Victoria wouldn’t have the chance to do any damage control.  The question was: What was she trying to control?
                  “Jeanine!  That massage sounds good on you.  You really have to share that Viktor with the rest of us.” Victoria couldn’t let any of her anxiety show.  “You’ve been at the top of my list to call.  You must be psychic.”
                  “You must have known that I’ve got the most incredible piece of dirt,” she said it like she had just won the lottery.  “You’re never going to believe it.”
                  Try