Page 79 of The Wild Side

“After last night? You could have run off down under with Mr. Australia.”

“Oh, stop. I was doing my job.” Melanie thought she’d heard a tinge of jealousy. That could be a good thing. Maybe. “I have to admit, nicking Torres’s passport was risky, but the phone was even trickier. I had to reach pretty close to his other jewels.”

Gilmour almost spit out his coffee. “You’re pretty funny in the morning.”

“Any idea when our next big caper will be coming up?”

Gilmour cleared his throat.

“Oh, I don’t like that sound.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t do such a good job,” Gilmour said.

“This one is a little more complicated.”

“How is that possible?”

“You have to go to New York. An overnighter.”

“Why?” Melanie looked concerned. “And what about my real job?”

“An international tech tycoon is flying in for a summit with a bunch of other tech millionaires . . . billionaires. Hard to keep track.”

“Probably billionaires. Millionaires was so last week,” Melanie said as she peered over her mug.

“His name is Sven Reinhardt.”

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding. There is someone who has the name Sven?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Gilmour continued. “He wants to have dinner with an elegant, sophisticated woman.”

“Where do you find these people?” Melanie asked earnestly.

“Come on, Mel. Big Brother is watching and interfering. Anyway, you’re supposed to meet him for dinner at Casa Cruz.”

“Whoa. Isn’t that the most expensive restaurant in New York?”

“Yes, but you will also be within meters of original works of art. Warhol. Haring.”

“Not a fan of Warhol. So pretentious.”

“Wear the gold lamé Dior.” Gilmour winked.

“Wait a sec. Did I tell you I bought a gold lamé Dior?”

“I did your expense account.” Gilmour raised his eyebrows.

“Okay, and then what?”

“A small gathering at his hotel suite for other tech giants.”

“What’s the scheme?”

“We think someone is selling a type of malware that can cut through most of the security walls protecting our major electric grids. If it gets into the wrong hands, someone can turn out all the lights. As in all of them. A total collapse.”

“But I thought there was a failsafe roll-out.”

“So did the NSA. Now there seems to be another tech genius who could hold the country hostage.”