Read Online Chasing the Dime by Michael Connelly - Free Book Online

until either I hear from her or the end of the month comes and I don’t. That’s the policy.’
    â€˜I understand. Thanks for trying.’
    Curt started running his finger down the columns in the binder again.
    â€˜You want to leave a number where I can reach you if I hear from her?’
    â€˜I’ll just check with you tomorrow.’
    Pierce took a business card off a plastic rack on the counter and headed toward the door. Curt called after him.
    â€˜What about twenty-seven?’
    Pierce turned back.
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜Twenty-seven. Isn’t that what three cubed is?’
    Pierce slowly nodded. Curt was smarter than he looked.
    â€˜I’ve got that box open if you want it.’
    â€˜I’ll think about it.’
    He waved and returned to the door. Behind him he heard the woman telling Curt that he shouldn’t make paying customers wait.
    In the car Pierce put the business card in his shirt pocket and checked his watch. It was almost noon. He had to get back to his apartment to meet Monica Purl, his assistant. She’d agreed to wait at his apartment for the shipment of furniture he had ordered. The delivery window was noon until four and Pierce had decided Friday morning that he’d rather pay someone else to wait while he used the time in the lab preparing the next week’s presentation for Goddard. Now he doubted he was going to go to the lab, but he would still use Monica to wait for the delivery. He also now had another plan for her as well.
    When he got to the Sands he found her waiting in the lobby. The security officer on the door would not let her go up to the twelfth floor without approval of the resident she was going to visit.
    â€˜Sorry about that,’ Pierce said. ‘Were you waiting long?’
    She was carrying a stack of magazines for reading while she waited for the delivery.
    â€˜Just a few minutes,’ Monica said.
    They went into the elevator alcove and had to wait. Monica Purl was a tall, thin blonde with the kind of skin that was so pale that just touching it might leave a mark. She was about twenty-five and had been with the company since she was twenty. She had been Pierce’s personal assistant for only six months, getting the promotion from Charlie Condon for her five years of service. In that time Pierce had learned that the aura of fragility her build and coloring projected was false. Monica was organized and opinionated and got things done.
    The elevator opened and they got on. Pierce hit the twelve button and they started to ascend, the elevator moving quickly.
    â€˜You sure you want to be in this place when the big one hits?’ Monica asked.
    â€˜This building was engineered to take an eight point oh,’ he replied. ‘I checked before I rented. I trust the science.’
    â€˜Because you’re a scientist?’
    â€˜I guess.’
    â€˜But do you trust the builders who carry out the science?’
    It was a good point. He didn’t have anything to say to that. The door slid open on twelve and they walked down the hall to his apartment.
    â€˜Where am I going to tell them to put everything?’ Monica asked. ‘Do you have like a design plan or a layout in mind?’
    â€˜Not really. Just tell them to put stuff where you think it will look good. I also need you to do a favor for me before I leave.’
    He opened the door.
    â€˜What kind of favor?’ Monica said suspiciously.
    Pierce realized that she thought he might be making a move on her. Now that he and Nicole were no more. He had a theory that all attractive women thought that all men were out to make a move on them. He almost laughed but didn’t.
    â€˜Just a phone call. I’ll write it down.’
    In the living room he picked up the phone. There was a broken dial tone and when he checked messages there was only one and it was for Lilly. But it was not from Curt at All American Mail. It was just another potential client