Read Online Soft Focus by Jayne Ann Krentz - Free Book Online Page A

idea was it for you to go to Mirror Springs with Fairfax? His or yours?”
    â€œAre you joking? Mine, of course. He told me he wanted to handle this thing alone, but I told him to forget it. I’m going with him whether he likes it or not.”
    Louise concentrated hard on her address file. “I was afraid of that.”
    â€œARE YOU CRAZY?” Milo bounced and twitched his way back and forth across Jack’s living room. “You can’t take off now. We’ve got a disaster on our hands.”
    â€œThe only way to avert disaster is to find Page and that damned crystal.” Jack walked out of the bedroom, fastening his cuff links. “Mirror Springs is our best shot.”
    â€œI don’t like this, Jack. I don’t like it one damn bit.”
    â€œNeither do I, but it’s not like we have much choice. Remember, while I’m gone your job is to keep a lid on rumors and gossip. Officially, everything is under control at Excalibur. Got that?”
    â€œYeah, yeah, I got it.” Milo’s face tightened. “Cousin Angela’s going to be the tough one. I think she went to see Ms. Cabot again yesterday.”
    Jack glanced at him sharply. “Any particular reason?”
    â€œHow should I know?” Milo spread his hands. “Probably just her regular bimonthly attempt to convince Ms. Cabot to stop backing your every move as CEO. Angela figures if she can get Elizabeth Cabot to turn on you, she’ll have enough votes on the board to get rid of you.”
    So far Elizabeth had backed him at every turn, Jack thought. But an alliance between Angela and Elizabeth was a grim possibility.
    Milo stared at him, eyes widening. “You’re in a tux.”
    â€œVery observant.” Jack glanced out the window as he picked up his jacket and shrugged into it.
    From here he had a good view of Queen Anne Hill. If he squinted, he could just barely make out the lights of Elizabeth’s castle. He had spent more than one night during the past six months sitting alone here in his living room with a glass of scotch, staring at the distant glow. He had told himself that it would be tacky to get a telescope.
    And pointless.
    A purely scientific experiment with a set of binoculars had confirmed that there were too many plants and bushes on the balcony outside Elizabeth’s bedroom to allow for a clear view of the interior.
    He wondered if she was dressing for the reception at that very moment.
    For the past few days, right up until the disappearance of Soft Focus had distracted him, the business charity function had been the high point on his calendar. Typically he avoided such events whenever possible, but he had been looking forward to this one with the same mix of perverseanticipation and foreboding that he got in the days before an Excalibur board meeting. Another chance to see Elizabeth. Another chance to torment himself with all the might-have-been possibilities. Another chance to fantasize about second chances.
    And now fate had dropped a ticking bomb in his lap. The good news was that he was going to spend the next few days working very closely with Elizabeth. It was also the bad news, because they would be working together under the worst possible sort of pressure. He figured he would be lucky to survive with his sanity intact.
    â€œWhy the hell are you in a tux?” Milo demanded. “You’re not going to a party tonight, are you? You’re supposed to leave for Mirror Springs tomorrow morning.”
    â€œI told you about the charity reception.”
    Milo’s jaw dropped. “You’re still going to attend? After everything else that’s happened?”
    â€œI don’t think it would be a good idea to skip it.” Jack glanced at his watch. “Failing to show up would add fuel to the rumors that are already circulating. We can’t afford that. In business, perception is all. Never forget that, Milo.”
    â€œHuh.”