We last read Chapter 22, in which Beth and Conner meet with Conner’s bosses to update them on their investigation into the sale of the nuclear plant to StarPrime. Olivia Lockheed, Conner’s immediate supervisor, gives them a tongue lashing for the way they handled their meeting with Chief Biggins. She is not pleased that they accused Biggins of wrongdoing. Beth puts Lockheed in her place by sharing evidence of the Chief’s lying, in the form of the suspension notice that shows how the chief suspended the officer who was investigating the shooting on Xavier Wheldon’s land. Lockheed is furious when Beth stands up to her, but she is also intrigued.
This is the second story, so if you want to start from the very beginning, you can jump over to book 1, and begin with the Prologue of Sapphire Angel, Superheroine. Or to start at the beginning of book 2 (this story), click over to the Prologue of Power Play.
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"That was worth it just to see Olivia's reaction," Beth said as Conner closed the door to the small conference room.
"You don't have to work with her every day," Conner smirked.
Beth laughed, and they sat at the table.
"What now?" Conner asked. "Now that we've been shot at, I doubt we'll find anything else out driving around up there again today. Unless we want to be shot at again, of course."
"Let's work with what we have for now," Beth said. "How about you use those phone numbers on the paper from Sapphire Angel and try to get in touch with the officer? I think that might be the most useful now. And —"
Beth stopped herself. She had almost asked Conner to look into the building in the woods, where Sapphire Angel had fought Wheldon's bodyguard. But she hadn't told him about the building yet, since she couldn't get those photographs off her device prior to Sapphire Angel's visit to his home. She made a mental note to talk to Stanley about equipping Sapphire Angel's car with a mobile photo printer.
"And what?" Conner asked.
"And maybe you can have one of the higher-ups here try to get us a meeting with Wheldon. We should talk to him."
"I'll take care of it," Conner nodded. "What are you going to do?"
"There has to be a reason someone has been shooting at people on Wheldon's land. I want to keep looking to see what I can find. The satellite photos only show treetops there, but there's got to be something. And I'll also follow up with my Pentagon contact, to find out if he's learned anything about Wheldon's military service."
"Let me know right away if you find something," Conner said. "And I'll do the same."
Conner tiled back, biting his lip and looking past Beth.
"What?" Beth asked.
"Oh, just thinking about Sapphire Angel. You know, I don't normally fawn over women, but she was amazing. She was stunning, but it was more than that. There was an aura about her."
Beth had enjoyed her surprise visit to his home as Sapphire Angel, and she loved how smitten he had become with her. Normally she wasn't such a flirt, even in her superheroine guise, but she had wanted to turn the tables on Conner and his unbridled confidence. Her flirtation as Sapphire Angel was nothing more than a desire to see him not be in control around a woman, for once. At least that's what she told herself. There was no way he could actually be growing on her.
"Sounds like you're in love," she teased.
"Pffft," Conner said, with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Girls fall for me. I don't fall for them. I could have Sapphire Angel wrapped around my finger if I wanted to."
Beth rolled her eyes. "Oh, really?" she asked, her voice incredulous.
"Really." His answer was short and matter-of-fact. Beth just shook her head, biting her lip. She had seen the way his jaw had dropped and his eyes had scanned her body during Sapphire Angel's visit with him last night. Conner Bennett was all bluster.
"Okay, stud," Beth said. "I'm getting out of here and getting to work. You do the same. And don't forget to have someone set up a meeting with Wheldon."
Xavier Wheldon sat before a massive video screen, identical to the one in his main office. This one, though, hung on the office wall at his rural lodge, the Pegasus Club. The StarPrime CEO had spared no expense in replicating his office environment, so he could escape when the mood suited him.
He now questioned the expense. The money wasn't an issue, but two video conferences in two days was two too many. If Wheldon hated anything, it was having people look over his shoulder. His partners had been eager to learn what had transpired last night with the tests, but their curiosity was an annoyance. And this meeting had been going on for almost an hour.
"So, no progress?" asked Mark Bishop, the U.S. Senator with movie-star looks. Wheldon thought he detected a hint of disdain in the man's voice.
"That's not what I said," Wheldon answered, forcing his voice to remain calm. "I said we hadn't achieved measurable success yet. But every shortcoming gets us closer. We are fine tuning things."
"You had better fine tune faster."
"Mark, all will be fine." Wheldon replied, clenching his fists under the table. Bishop was the pushiest of the bunch. "And while I know you all want and deserve updates, every one of these chats takes me away from more productive work that could bring this to a conclusion."
Before the men on the screen could even grumble in protest, MacGregor Lockheed, the older man in the top left of the screen, cut in.
"Xavier is right. We've been going in circles for the last 45 minutes. If there is no news to report, Xavier's time is better spent working on this problem. And as I mentioned before, he'll be here in Florida in a couple days and I'll go over every detail with him. So let's let him get back to work."
No protests came from the men, in a show of deference to Lockheed.
"That's fine," Senator Bishop answered. "But does Bud Tanner understand the consequences if he doesn't get us to the finish line?"
"Oh, he understands," Wheldon answered.
"Good. And what are you doing about this Beth Harper girl, who is sticking her nose into things?"
"Beth Harper?" the mousy man with glasses interjected.
Wheldon took a deep breath. On one hand, their questioning bothered him. On the other hand, if they asked about Harper first, it meant they didn't know of Sapphire Angel's latest interference.
"Beth Harper is a writer for a webzine," Wheldon explained. "She's weaseled her way into working with Pennsylvania's Office of Corporate Oversight. The OCO can voice objections to the sale of the plant, if they find anything wrong. We had things streamlined to avoid objections, but Harper has been pushing harder than a state employee might push."
"MacGregor, your daughter works for the OCO," a bald man stated. "Can't she keep Harper away from the investigation?"
MacGregor Lockheed gave a calm smile. "Yes," the older man said. "Olivia could have slammed the door on Harper. But we decided it wouldn't be prudent. We don't want Harper out there on her own. We want to know what she's doing."
"But she wouldn't be in a position on her own to influence the OCO's approval of the sale," the bald man observed.
"Not directly, no," MacGregor replied. "But she has a public platform, or at least as much as her trivial little website gives her. So if she finds something, and makes a big deal of it, the OCO approval will be the least of our concerns. Now, at least, we'll know if she finds something. And then we can deal with it. And her."
"Let's cut to the chase, Xavier," the mousy man said in his shaky voice. "Will she be a problem?"
"I have it covered. The police chief, Biggins, has lodged a complaint with the OCO concerning her tactics, to give Olivia some cover with her boss. The whole point for letting Harper partner with the OCO was so Olivia could slow her down if needed, which we couldn't do if she was on her own. I also have my best person finding information to use as leverage with Harper if it comes to that."
On the screen, Mark Bishop, the blond senator, chuckled. "Xavier, I've done some digging of my own into this girl. A tongue lashing by Olivia won't get her to back off."
Wheldon agreed, which is why he had Raven Tristan on the case, and why he had wanted Harper as far away from this deal as possible. But he didn't want to cross MacGregor Lockheed, so he remained silent.
"Don't get me wrong, Xavier," Bishop continued. "I agree with your idea of keeping the girl close. I like knowing what she's up to. In fact, I'd like to keep her closer. I think you should invite Beth Harper to our little gala the night before the big event. Then we can really keep her under wraps."
Wheldon studied Bishop. The senator was known for his womanizing ways. Had he checked out Harper on his own and found her to his liking?
"I want her as far away as possible that night." Wheldon said, his voice incredulous. His eyes traveled across the screen to steal a glance at Lockheed.
Voices broke out in argument. Some of the men agreed with Wheldon, while others agreed with Bishop. It was MacGregor who settled the issue.
"Mark has a point," the grey-haired man said. "We don't want to start things and find out the noose was tightening around our necks the whole time. So I like the idea of keeping an eye on her that night. Plus, you can cut off all communications to the outside up there, can't you, Xavier? Even if she discovers something, we can make her impotent. I'd rather have her somewhere she can do no harm."
Wheldon clenched his jaw before answering. The old man usually sided with him. Not this time.
"I have a plan for Harper," Wheldon said, ice in his voice.
"I'm sure you do," MacGregor replied. "But consider this to be a backup plan. If she's still in the picture, I'd like her to attend the event. I'm sure you can come up with a plausible reason for the invitation."
Wheldon stared for several moments before answering.
"I'll arrange it," Wheldon growled. He had just received a call from the OCO, pushing for him to meet with Harper and Conner Bennett. He would set up the meeting, but just with Harper, and then use that meeting to invite her to the gala.
The men nodded their approval, while Wheldon held back his frustration. Even Lockheed, his biggest ally, didn't trust him completely. Wheldon would be flying to Florida to see him in two days to change that, under the pretext of attending an energy conference. Wheldon's handling of Beth Harper would affect Lockheed's confidence in him, and in his ability to handle the entire project.
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“Her flirtation as Sapphire Angel was nothing more than a desire to see him not be in control around a woman, for once.”
What an interesting way of explaining the intimate, close behavior.
Wonder what’s going to happen at this gala.....