The Secret Life of Lula Darling by Alex Dean

Author:Alex Dean
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Trebor & Taylor Publishing

Chapter 20

Randy Evans had bent as far back as his body allowed before his usual morning stretch at the office was quietly interrupted.

Tom Kazarich, Executive VP of Cullen Industries and Randy’s boss, came in the room and shut the door, his face uneasy.

“Randy, there are some pretty important folks here to speak with you…privately,” he said, pointing a thumb at the door. “Three are from the NSA, and two are from the CIA. Is there something I need to know about going on here?”

“No. Not at all, Tom. I can assure you whatever they’re here to talk about has absolutely nothing to do with Cullen Industries.”

Kazarich stepped forward and gave Randy a pat on the arm. “Good. Because the last thing we need is any negative publicity. Especially with the new merger looming. Whatever the hell they’re here about, it’s better you take the conference room to keep things under wraps. I’ll send them up.”

Kazarich left the workspace, made the ground floor and gave the okay for the group of feds to go upstairs. The four men and one woman took the ride up, got off the elevator and headed straight into the meeting space.

The two CIA agents entered first, followed by the three from the NSA. Evans’s face flushed. He could feel his heart pounding all the way to the ends of his extremities. He didn’t know for certain but had a gnawing, sneaking suspicion as to why they were here.

His gaze quickly swept all five, registering their clean-cut appearance, dark suits, lanyards nestled around their necks, and the black shades just beneath the stare of the woman to his immediate right.

“Randy Evans?”

“Yes?”

“Bill Haupht, Central Intelligence Agency. To my left is agent Cheryl Del Priore, along with these gentlemen from the National Security Agency. We’re here, collectively, to follow up on a lead which found its way into our office, and that of the NSA, concerning a young girl named Lula Darling, currently holed up at your residence.

“Now, obviously, under normal circumstances, neither the CIA nor NSA would intervene in such matters. But we’re confident that this particular situation could be a matter of national security.”

Randy protested. “How so? She’s just a child. She hasn’t broken any laws, hasn’t hurt anyone. She and my daughter, Ariel, are quite close and ordinary and—”

“Let’s stop right there, Mr. Evans,” Haupht scolded, putting a hand up. He reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a small photograph with his right hand, pointing at it with his left.

“This child, as you call her, is most definitely anything other than ordinary. Otherworldly, perhaps. But not ordinary.” Haupht put the photo away. “We’re not at liberty to tell you how we know. Only that we need to talk to her.”

“Look, she’s obviously been through a lot. She’s been through enough shock and trauma, and my family is all she’s got. What do you want to do with her?”

Del Priore interceded. “Bill, may I?”

“By all means,” said Haupht.

Del Priore walked over to Randy and stopped just inside of his personal space.

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