"Check, check, check. Can you hear me?" Alicia kept her voice a whisper.
Jacob pressed a finger to his ear. "Roger that. Comms are a go."
Kaya leaned closer to Ransom's ear. "What are these two doing in the backseat again?"
"From the sound of it? Pretending to be spies." Ransom chuckled. "They'll be fine once they get started."
Kaya didn't know if that worried her or gave her a heightened sense of relief. Historically speaking, having the two interns along had been helpful.
"What kind of party is this, anyway?" Kaya plucked at the skirt of her red dress. A color she usually hated, on a dress that hugged her shoulders and floated down to her calves. "We're dressed so formally."
"You know I have the names of Richard Aberdeen's partners in corruption."
Kaya nodded. "So?"
"We start with the easiest targets. The ones I know the best." Ransom grinned over at Kaya. "The rich."
Clearly. Normal people didn't throw parties that required formal attire anymore. Kaya brushed her hair behind one shoulder with a flick of her fingers.
"Who?"
"Golde Corporation."
Of all the choices listed in the file Ransom kept securely, Kaya least expected this one to be Ransom's first choice. A construction corporation, old money that went to all new heights in recent years. All because of the oldest son of the former chairman.
"Why this choice?" Kaya asked quietly.
Ransom reached to take her hand in his. "Trust me?"
"Of course I trust you." Kaya laced her fingers through his. "I'm just curious."
Click, click, click. Alicia's camera went crazy again.
Kaya turned to look over her shoulder. "For someone who hated this relationship, you're taking a lot of pictures of it."
"I know, right?" Jacob, who was trying to snatch the camera from Alicia's hands, agreed.
Alicia pushed him off. "Hey, Ran gave an order. I need something to work with if I'm going to do what he asked. And I would never let him down."
"The club elected a good president," Ransom encouraged.
Kaya made a face at him. "Good? Do you not remember how I met her?"
"I knew she would come around. No need to be afraid of her. She won't hurt you."
"Not now." Kaya pouted.
Jacob finally succeeded in getting his hands on Alicia's camera. "We're leaving this in the car and you can have it back when we're done here, okay?"
"No." Alicia tugged the camera, pulling both the device and Jacob's hand in her direction. "Let go."
"Absolutely not." Jacob tugged the opposite direction, moving Alicia an inch on the seat. "You let go. This is an obsession and it has to stop."
"Have you never read the definition of fangirl?" Alicia stuck her tongue out. "Obsession is listed in there."
"Both of you, unhand the camera." Ransom parked the SUV and reached a hand into the backseat. "Hand it over."
Both interns released the device as if it burned them.
Ransom reached over Kaya's knee to pull open the empty glove box. The camera fit inside. Barely.
"You'll get this back when we leave." Ransom shut the box. "No sooner."
"Sir, yes, sir!" Jacob saluted.
Alicia rolled her eyes, but she didn't protest. "Jacob and I will be off, then. See you inside."
"Dressed like that?" Kaya pointed to their dark clothes, then shot Ransom a look of disbelief. "Why?"
"They have their reasons." Ransom lifted Kaya's knuckles to kiss them. "Stick with me. You'll see soon enough."