The Beautiful Thief (Stolen Hearts #2)(28)

“Okay,” said the woman. According to the nameplate on the desk, her name was Donna. “Who were you here to see?”

“Funny thing, I can’t remember his name. I know it started with a J, though. John or James maybe?”

Donna gave her a forced smile and Melody could only imagine the curses the receptionist was mentally throwing at her.

“J something? Do you know the last name?”

Melody let out a laugh. “Wouldn’t that make things easier? I’m so sorry.”

“Do you have an email address?”

“Well, you know, I tried to find it, but when I looked in my phone, I couldn’t see the email. But I’m very sure the meeting was today.”

“Let me see what I can do.”

Just then, the elevators behind her opened and Melody knew it was time to change tactics. She looked over her shoulder; three men in suits came toward her. They were walking casually and not paying any attention to the receptionist, which signaled them as employees. Employees who could walk her right in.

“Hey.” She walked up to the one closest to her. She purposefully got a tad too close, making sure to imply familiarity. “I was waiting downstairs forever. What happened to our lunch appointment?”

The poor guy’s eyes widened. “Umm...what appointment?”

“Come on....” She smiled up at him and ran her hand over his upper arm. “Please don’t tell me you forgot about me. My lawyer and assistant have been hounding me for weeks to get this over with.” Hopefully the subtle references to having money would be enough. Isobel would want her to be wearing some expensive jewelry to really sell the bit, but all she had were her words at the moment.

“We can head to my office and clear all this up.” The man set a hand on the small of her back and walked her past the desk.

“Thanks again for your help!” she called to the receptionist as she was led into the offices. Now she had to think of a way to ditch this guy, but before she could, the sound of glass shattering cut through the normally mundane office sounds.

“Whoa,” said the guy next to her. “Hold on.”

He headed toward the sound like everyone else, and Melody took the chance to slip away. Sometimes luck just went the right way, she supposed. If she went by the receptionist again, she might get suspicious, so Melody walked calmly and surely to the stairwell. The top floor was under the same security measures, but this time she had an extra ace up her sleeve. She’d lifted the wallet off the guy who she’d walked in with, and this one did have access to all levels of his employer.

So when Melody reached the top floor, the card she swiped over the lock turned the light green and she was able to walk right in. This was private access only, so there were no nosy receptionists to get by.

Hmm.... Nosy. That was what Isobel would always say. They were just doing their jobs, but it was hard not to get annoyed by the extra barriers.

This floor was quieter. More offices and fewer cubicles. Mostly executives, probably. And, although rich men were inherently suspicious, they were also self-absorbed. She could hang out here all day and as long as she looked confident, no one would be the wiser. She took out her phone and confirmed that Adam hadn’t called her yet. She hoped his meeting was going well, considering she was around to provide backup.

She tucked her phone back into her purse and followed the hallway that led around the edge of the big offices. Belli’s office would be on a corner, so if she followed this long enough she’d find him.

Just her luck, it was the second corner she hit and it was empty. After a quick glance to make sure no one was around, Melody tried the handle of the closed door and she was inside. She let out the breath she’d been holding as she shut the door behind her.

Jadon Belli’s office was huge, but that was to be expected. There was a massive dark oak desk and built-in bookshelves in the same color on the few walls that weren’t floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the Chicago skyline. The room next to his office was a conference room and she could tell that from the look-through window.

But the only thing she cared about sat right there on Jadon Belli’s desk. His laptop. The ticket to finding the other man on her list. Sterling.

Melody didn’t waste any time as she unplugged the cords from the computer, closed it and tucked it under her arm. Before she could make her escape, the sound of a door slamming had her ducking for cover behind the desk. Except it wasn’t the door to the office. She would hear someone coming in. She tentatively poked her head out and realized the conference room now had two people in it. Jadon Belli and... she didn’t know who the other person was. A woman, but she didn’t seem as if she worked there. She seemed young and tiny compared to Belli, but they seemed to be having an argument.

Melody could hear screaming but couldn’t make out any of the words. Chances were that after the fight, an angry Jadon Belli would come to his office to stew for a while. Which meant Melody needed to get out of there ASAP.

Jadon was facing away from her and Melody took her chance. But the second she started for the door, the woman who was currently standing sullenly while Jadon bellowed made eye contact with her.

Melody froze. It was stupid and the worst possible thing to do, but she panicked and for a split second, she just stood there like a moronic deer in the headlights. The woman in the other room and she just stared at each other. It was only for a second, but it stretched out and seemed to go on for an eternity. Then the woman went right back to yelling at Jadon, and Melody made her run for the door.