Tia paced around her office, running her craned fingers through her long, curly red hair. “What was I thinking, Shin Lu?”

Shin Lu sat calmly, computer tablet in her lap. “I wish you’d told me sooner.”

“I’m sorry about that, Shin Lu, I-I’ve been a little distracted, I guess. But we’ve got bigger problems. How am I supposed to kidnap him? I don’t even know where he is! I figure he was staying at the Waldorf when he nailed me; there wouldn’t have been time for him and his Girl Friday to get a second room anywhere in the half hour they had me running around Manhattan. But I’m sure they’re not there anymore; he definitely would have moved to another hotel by now.”

Shin Lu nodded. “To catch a tiger, it’s best to stake a goat.”

“Stake a goat? You mean put myself out as bait?” Shin Lu didn’t need to answer. Tia shook her head and went on pacing around the office. “No, Shin Lu, it’s too risky. If he nails me again, we’re toast, the company’s done. He won’t be the one to pounce on me anyway; he’ll send his assistant. Who knows, he could be flying in his service providers from Europe.”

“You should probably think about doing the same thing.”

That rang a bell in Tia’s brain. “You’re right, Shin Lu! That’s the one advantage I’ve got over him: at least a dozen service providers on the East Coast alone.” Tia nodded as a plan took shape in her imagination. “Okay, he’s left the Waldorf, but for sure he’s still in town, which means he’s in another hotel, and a good one. He’s not the kind of man to slum it.”

“You want to plant spies at the better hotels?”

“Exactly. Neither Marcus or his gal pal will recognize any of them, but they’ll each know what both of them look like. Then at least I’ll know where they are. Once I know that, I can have them tailed, find out what they’re up to.”

“That will help,” Shin Lu said, “but will it be enough?”

Tia shook her head, still pacing. “Don’t know. I should probably follow his strategy anyway—take a room somewhere. He knows where I live, where I work; I’m too vulnerable.”

“I’ll make your reservation—”

“No,” Tia said too quickly, going on is a conciliatory tone, “no, I’ll do it, Shin Lu. I need you to run Longshadows until all this is over.” Shin Lu’s eyes sank to the computer tablet in her lap, and Tia felt compelled to say, “It’s not that I don’t trust you, Shin Lu.”

“No, that’s exactly what it is,” Shin Lu snapped back. “But I don’t blame you. If I were in your position, I would resist the impulse to trust anyone. But of course, then you’d be entirely alone.”

Tia turned to face the window, New York scrambling at her feet. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

* * *

Two hours later, Tia was in a room at the Wellington, one of New York’s better hotels, though it wasn’t exactly the Plaza. The other four-and five-star hotels were being watched by her service providers, both male and female, some pulled in from Boston and Philadelphia. Tia had bribed the desk clerk at her own hotel to report to her if Marcus or Denise checked in, so there was little to do besides pace the room and wait.

And think.

Maybe I should have brought Shin Lu in on this; she’s one of my most capable employees. But I just don’t know—something about her worries me. But she was upset, betrayed, and I don’t think she needs much more inspiration to do something drastic. She could call the Feds or the IRS; she might have been the one to alert them in the first place!

No, she’s right; at times like this, I have to play it safe.

Maybe teaming up with Marcus wouldn’t be so bad. If he could settle things with the government, strengthen both our companies.

But there was more temptation to be sorted through than just the company’s benefit.

It was nice being with Marcus again, more than nice. I felt like the old days, like…like being home. Why am I running away from that? When we broke up all those years ago, I just wasn’t mature enough to handle such a relationship. His moral integrity, his incredible work ethic, his compassion, and the way he made me feel so cared for. I have no intimacy in my life, no love. And what man is ever going to match Marcus? For intelligence, for sophistication, for raw animal passion and sexual mastery, he has no peer.

And he doesn’t love that woman Denise; it’s obvious. He fucks her, sure, but I’m sure he’s fucked a lot of women. I don’t have any right to expect anything else. I’ve had more than my share over the past ten years.

No, Tia’s inner self corrected her, that’s not who I am; it’s not the woman he knew or the woman he’s facing now. Marcus is a man who respects a capable adversary; giving in won’t be any way to impress him.

I’ve got to fight him.

I’ve got to beat him.

I’ve got to kidnap him.

Tia paced around, breath thin in her lungs.

No, take it easy. I’ve got a good plan, my soldiers in place. This could still work; I could still nail him. And when I do, oh, that’ll be sweet. Have them bring him back here, really show him who’s in control, let him see where I’ve been for the past ten years.

Then we’ll see.

Tia’s smartphone rang and she scooped it up from the coffee table, the name of one of her service providers written across the screen.

“Tia McBride,” she said.

“Tia, Robbie Michaels, in the lobby of the Michelangelo Hotel. I just spotted the woman, I think, coming out of the elevators and to the valet counter. She’s holding a sign.”

“A sign?”

“White poster board or something, name Pike written in black marker.”

“That’s her,” Tia said. “Sign like that, she must be headed to the airport. Probably picking up somebody, some service providers of their own.”

“I dunno,” Robbie said. “Whaddaya want me to do?”

Tia was already crossing the room to grab her purse. “Stay there. Our target has gotta be holed up in one of those rooms. I’ll have two other guys meet you there. John Tyler’s a big black guy, and, um, I think I’ll have Blake Connors come too; he’s a beefy, ginger-lookin’ guy, red hair and freckles.”

“Yeah, I worked with him once, on the Rosen thing.”

“Right, Jen Rosen, right. Okay, good. You’ve got the stun gun?”

“Lowest setting, as instructed.”

“Good, Robbie, very good. Make sure you don’t overdo it. I don’t wanna give him a heart attack.”

“We’ll do our best.”

“Hey, listen up,” Tia snapped. “This is no normal target. You’re going to have to do your best…and then some. Don’t fuck this up.” Tia swiped the screen, dropped her phone into her purse, and pulled the room door open in front of her.