Myles studied his expression in the mirror, assuming what he hoped was nonchalance and then hurried downstairs to the dining room. Moira had called as promised and their meeting was arranged; drinks in an exclusive hotel bar was not what Myles expected but thoroughly endorsed.

Miriam looked up from her chair and gave him a sugary smile, offering her cheek for his kissed greeting.

"It's lemon glazed salmon tonight, dear, with asparagus and pilaf."

"Wonderful." He groaned inwardly at the recipe recital, a ritual he'd endured since their first meal.

"You look chipper tonight." She passed a serving tray of the vegetable to him, watching his face.

Myles jumped inside, remembering to compose his expression. "I guess I do. I think Moira finally wants to engage my blessing for her to join the merger."

"She called then?"

"Yes, to confirm. Actually she mentioned it at the rally. I'm meeting her, uhm... tomorrow."

"And will you, put it all to bed, as they say?"

"Uhh- ah, I uh certainly hope to finalize the legalities, yes. Of course I'll have to meet with her a few times to get all the details correct, assuming she agrees that is." He added hastily.

"Of course you will." Miriam tasted a sliver of the salmon and expressed her delight with a series of warbles and moans. "Brilliant execution. We really are lucky to have a cook like Abatha."

"Uh huh."

"Myles, does Moira think- I mean does she tell you how she feels about doing this to Barton? Like somehow she's being disloyal...committing a fraud? You know, going behind his back?"

"Fraud? There's nothing fraudulent in assigning shares in this case. The move is good for the shareholders and the majority wants it to happen. Barton is just having trouble letting go of his baby. What puts such silly thoughts in your head?"

She ate another forkful of salmon and smiled down at the plate. "Oh, you know. In books, and I watch these plays on the TV and they remind me sometimes of what you tell me about your work, complicated plots of double and triple crosses and people running around creating false alibis and things... hiring gangsters and such. Things like that are always in the papers." She laughed and touched her cheek. "Look at me, blushing about such nonsense."

Myles chewed slowly, studying his wife while she blathered on. He had to admit; Miriam was hardly a mine of fresh thinking. "The thing about plays and movies," he said dismissively, "is that the people always seem to know so easily how to get in touch with that particular element in society that perform the necessary criminal deeds."

"That's true, Myles. That's very true. It's never like that in real life, is it?" She sipped some wine and continued eating. "You know, speaking of that one of the ladies at the club was actually bragging about her husband's company using fake testimonials for sales promotions. Can you imagine? Apparently they can put together tapes and film of almost anything these days and a person can't even tell the difference. Everybody, it seems, is selling lies."

"What company?" He asked, restraining his boredom.

"Oh, I don't know. One of those advertising places... like the places you deal with I suppose," she added frivolously. "I can ask tonight if you wish, I'll be at Rita's for the Arts Foundation meeting."

"Whatever you wish, dear." He mentally rolled his eyes.

•••

Peter opened the door and stepped back as Miriam swept into the room, turning a pirouette and laughing giddily.

"I take it you have some good news to report." He accepted her coat and hung it carefully on the rack inside the door.

"A drink first, please." She went to the window and sighed aloud. "What a spectacular view you have here. I've always admired it."

He came up behind her and passed the glass around in front, pulling her back and nuzzling her neck. "The news, Miriam."

"Myles is meeting Moira tonight at some hotel bar to discuss the disposition of her shares." She turned in his arms and draped hers over his shoulders. "If Mother Nature takes the course I believe our friends intend to follow, there will be a new coalition in the merger stakes." She leaned up and bit his lower lip.

"So tell me again how this is good for us." He walked her backwards to the daybed beneath the window and settled them both comfortably.

"We need Moira to get Brian's shares along with hers, my husband's and of course, yours. That will give us forty-five percent. We can be sure that at least ten of the other shareholders will accept Arnold's offer and that will give us the majority. You will then make his arrangements to sell the stock through your overseas connections as soon as the merger is announced, converting the money to bearer bonds, which will be held in the trust account outside of the country for pickup. This will give us time to leave before the markets open here." She set her glass aside. "So is that news worth something?"

"Mmmh... maybe."

"At least a kiss?"

Peter grinned and shifted upright on the bed. "Kiss this, darling." They broke into laughter together, joining with the creaking noise of tired springs.

•••

As a matter of course with Barton, all incoming calls to their home were recorded and generally deleted after review, even when someone was home to answer the telephone the recorder stayed on. Moira, fresh from the shower and dressed appropriately, rewound the tape she had used to record all her calls from Brian to the beginning and pushed play. When the tape was done, she removed it and replaced it with a new one, smiling happily. Slipping it into her purse she rang down to the garage, gathered her keys and coat and strode purposefully from the apartment. As she pushed aggressively through traffic in her silver Lexus she grinned at the world in front of her, excited and pleased that her choice of paramour would soon have to be made. She wondered what either of them was doing at that moment.

Moira cut across traffic, heedless of the honking horns and accelerated up the wide street of stone-fronted town homes whose boulevards were guarded by a parade of arrow straight, ornamental trees that shielded the front windows from accidental exposure to passing traffic. She maintained her speed right up to the drive and under the canopied entrance to the front doors of the Warren Arms Hotel. A buff, blonde attendant in white shirt and maroon pants, flashing new caps from his wide smile, helped her out and placed the parking tag in her long fingers. Moira nodded to the sharp-eyed doorman and strode across the lobby and into the hotel bar without a break.

"Moira, you look marvelous." Myles rose from a booth near the windows and extended a welcoming hand. He waited until she began to sit, tucking his Hermes tie neatly inside his jacket with his free hand, before releasing his grip.

"Thank you, Myles." She slid into the booth, taking up a position in the middle facing the room. Myles sat as well, finding himself almost teetering on the edge, and he shifted over until their legs touched.

"What would you like to drink?"

"A martini, please. Very dry." She placed her purse on the table and took out her cigarette case. Myles used one hand to flag the waiter and the other to fumble out his lighter.

Cigarette alight and tasted, Moira blew a soft cloud over his head and smiled. "How is Miriam?"

"Fine. Just fine. She's ah, very busy with her guild and volunteer work." He shrugged as though embarrassed.

"I hope she doesn't mind you meeting me outside your home... I suppose I could have come over but..."

"Nonsense! Miriam knows what my function is with the company. We uhm- we sort of agree that business should stay outside the home." His eyes darted about the lounge, examining each of the customers.

"I agree completely. That's why I suggested this." She rested a tentative hand on his arm. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing with these shares, Myles."

"Absolutely, Moira. Absolutely. I just wish Barton could see the advantages in such a move." He shifted slightly in the booth, watching her response carefully. "WesCat and the shareholders stand to do very, very well if it all goes through."

"If?"

He reached instinctively for her hand, holding it possessively. "No! No. Just a figure of speech. Everything is ready to go. Once you ah, make a decision the die is cast. You did tell Brian that you had agreed?"

Moira glanced down at his hand and turned hers over so that they clasped together. "Myles, there's something I'd like to discuss with you before I say a final yes to this share business."

Her hand tightened and his knee followed suit against hers. "Of course, my dear. What is it?"

"It's not something that I want to discuss in a public place." She looked pointedly at the people at the adjacent tables and smiled timidly. "I have a suite in this hotel that I use for- out of town friends and family... if you wouldn't be embarrassed about going up, we could talk there in privacy."

Myles licked his lips and glanced around the bar again, double-checking for any familiar faces. "I would never be embarrassed accompanying such a lovely companion anywhere, besides, business is business, right?" His eyes stayed neutral in spite of the leer in his voice.

Moira blushed and hid it with her drink glass. "Shall we then?" He slid out of the booth as though it was greased and hurried around to take her hand, helping her up and guiding her toward the lobby. Moira pushed the button and took a key from her purse, handing it to Myles as the doors opened. Checking her watch she nodded to herself, phase two of the plan wasn't her favourite but from a business perspective it would definitely be a worthwhile sacrifice. Tonight would be either the beginning or the end. She stepped into the elevator and pressed the floor number of the suite she had rented in the same name as the extra phone.