The Beast on Her Leash novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: The File

Crowe Industrial had its headquarters in a glass box on Neville Island, with a lobby full of tow-truck photographs.

Bram walked through it.

I had my good black blazer on and my braid pinned up, and a plain smile that I hoped looked professional.

On the way up in the elevator, he stood so close to the wall that I thought he might dent it.

"You don't have to say anything," I said. "I'll talk."

"I'd rather you didn't."

"Why?"

"Because he'll like it."

The top floor was one open room, with desks on both sides and Lyle's office at the end behind a wall of glass.

Thirty people looked up as we came in.

Lyle stood in the doorway, grinning, in shirtsleeves with his cuffs rolled.

"Everybody, this is Willa McCabe," he said, in the voice of a man introducing a magician. "She's the trainer. She's here for Bram."

Somebody tittered.

Bram stopped walking.

"Isn't she wonderful? She's already got him in a jacket."

"Mr. Crowe," I said.

"Lyle."

"Could I see your office?"

"Of course." He swept an arm. "Pauline, would you?"

His office had a long walnut desk and a view of the river.

On one shelf, between a golf trophy and a framed newspaper profile, stood a small die-cast model of a red tow truck.

There was a white 9 painted on the cab door.

I looked at it for exactly as long as it would take to admire a toy.

Then I turned my back on it and sat down.

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