fact that most companies, particularly banks that endure a lot of this sort of thing, don't want the bad publicity. They figure if people start worrying about the security of automated systems, they'll start worrying about the security of their money."
"So the offender is quietly dismissed?"
"Frequently that's how it's handled," Locke agreed. "People rarely take the same view of this sort of white-collar crime as they do of other types of crime. The use of the computer makes it all seem so impersonal."
"Any idea how much longer until you can pin down our problem?" Kelly pressed, helping herself to several clams.
And how much longer I'll have to fence with you? she added silently.
He hesitated and then shrugged. "A day or two."
Kelly frowned, not liking the indefinite sound of the response.
"But I may be staying on longer than that," he went on smoothly.
She glanced up quickly. "Why?"
"Helen said something about sticking around a while and offering some advice on tightening up the security of the system in general so this sort of thing isn't likely to happen again."
"That's news to me," she retorted suspiciously. "Helen didn't mention contracting for your services beyond the present assignment."
"Don't worry, you'll get used to having me around," he promised silkily.
"Once you've solved my problem, I'll see to it that
you're handed off to another department," Kelly said with an outward calm she was far from feeling. She did not want Locke Channing hanging around Forrester Stereo any longer than was absolutely necessary. He was too smart, too observant, and he knew a hell of a lot more about computers than she did. She wished she could guess the likelihood of his stumbling across her secret. Well, it had been a calculated risk bringing an expert into the picture. All she could do now was defend and feint.
"Coward," he drawled, jade eyes mocking.
"Not at all," she contradicted politely, digging a clam from its shell. "But I do have other things to do at Forrester besides supervise outside consultants."
"Does it give you a feeling of self-confidence to think of us in an employer-employee relationship?" Locke inquired casually.
"Perhaps."
"You're too smart to waste time fooling yourself like that. Why not accept the inevitable?"
"I see nothing inevitable in the situation," Kelly shot back stonily. Dangerous,yes, but not inevitable.
"And even if you did, you'd still go on fighting, wouldn't you?" Locke said with sudden perception as he buttered a slice of sourdough bread. "You're so accustomed to winning, you can't conceive of the alternative."
"You're wrong," she said quietly with great depth of feeling. "I can conceive of losing."
"But not to me?"
"Not to you," she agreed.
"Or to any other man?"
"I'm a big girl now, Locke. At my age a woman with any sense doesn't want a win-or-lose situation. She wants an intelligent, mature relationship."
"So does a man my age who has any sense. Having the one doesn't preclude having the other, though. Your surrender as a woman doesn't imply your intellectual surrender, you know." His eyes narrowed. "Or don't you know how to separate the two?"
"You do, I suppose?" Kelly demanded with a little more sharpness than she had planned. She needed to play this very carefully, issuing her invitation to the attack with just enough realism to keep him from looking for the underlying duel.
"It will be my pleasure to teach you the difference," he promised softly.
Kelly stiffened slightly. "Have you spent the past three days planning my seduction?" she asked evenly, her silvery blue gaze focused on the dwindling pile of clams as she searched out another likely bite.
"No, I've spent the past three days working on the problem for which I was hired. It's the past two nights I've spent working on your seduction!"
"Your ego is most impressive. Does playing God with a computer give people like you the notion that you're invincible?"
"No, being aman who has discovered a need for a
"So the offender is quietly dismissed?"
"Frequently that's how it's handled," Locke agreed. "People rarely take the same view of this sort of white-collar crime as they do of other types of crime. The use of the computer makes it all seem so impersonal."
"Any idea how much longer until you can pin down our problem?" Kelly pressed, helping herself to several clams.
And how much longer I'll have to fence with you? she added silently.
He hesitated and then shrugged. "A day or two."
Kelly frowned, not liking the indefinite sound of the response.
"But I may be staying on longer than that," he went on smoothly.
She glanced up quickly. "Why?"
"Helen said something about sticking around a while and offering some advice on tightening up the security of the system in general so this sort of thing isn't likely to happen again."
"That's news to me," she retorted suspiciously. "Helen didn't mention contracting for your services beyond the present assignment."
"Don't worry, you'll get used to having me around," he promised silkily.
"Once you've solved my problem, I'll see to it that
you're handed off to another department," Kelly said with an outward calm she was far from feeling. She did not want Locke Channing hanging around Forrester Stereo any longer than was absolutely necessary. He was too smart, too observant, and he knew a hell of a lot more about computers than she did. She wished she could guess the likelihood of his stumbling across her secret. Well, it had been a calculated risk bringing an expert into the picture. All she could do now was defend and feint.
"Coward," he drawled, jade eyes mocking.
"Not at all," she contradicted politely, digging a clam from its shell. "But I do have other things to do at Forrester besides supervise outside consultants."
"Does it give you a feeling of self-confidence to think of us in an employer-employee relationship?" Locke inquired casually.
"Perhaps."
"You're too smart to waste time fooling yourself like that. Why not accept the inevitable?"
"I see nothing inevitable in the situation," Kelly shot back stonily. Dangerous,yes, but not inevitable.
"And even if you did, you'd still go on fighting, wouldn't you?" Locke said with sudden perception as he buttered a slice of sourdough bread. "You're so accustomed to winning, you can't conceive of the alternative."
"You're wrong," she said quietly with great depth of feeling. "I can conceive of losing."
"But not to me?"
"Not to you," she agreed.
"Or to any other man?"
"I'm a big girl now, Locke. At my age a woman with any sense doesn't want a win-or-lose situation. She wants an intelligent, mature relationship."
"So does a man my age who has any sense. Having the one doesn't preclude having the other, though. Your surrender as a woman doesn't imply your intellectual surrender, you know." His eyes narrowed. "Or don't you know how to separate the two?"
"You do, I suppose?" Kelly demanded with a little more sharpness than she had planned. She needed to play this very carefully, issuing her invitation to the attack with just enough realism to keep him from looking for the underlying duel.
"It will be my pleasure to teach you the difference," he promised softly.
Kelly stiffened slightly. "Have you spent the past three days planning my seduction?" she asked evenly, her silvery blue gaze focused on the dwindling pile of clams as she searched out another likely bite.
"No, I've spent the past three days working on the problem for which I was hired. It's the past two nights I've spent working on your seduction!"
"Your ego is most impressive. Does playing God with a computer give people like you the notion that you're invincible?"
"No, being aman who has discovered a need for a
Similar Books
White Wolf
David Gemmell
OnlyYou
Laura Glenn
Nebulon Horror
Hugh Cave
Hidden Desires
T.J. Vertigo
The Empath (The Above and Beyond Series Book 1)
Jody Klaire
Joan Smith
True Lady
Stumptown Kid
Carol Gorman and Ron J. Findley
Red Jade
Henry Chang
Trackers
Deon Meyer
Kings and Emperors
Dewey Lambdin