The Secret Heiress by Judith Gould

Author:Judith Gould
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin USA, Inc.

Chapter Eighteen

New York City

Steaming water spilled from a gold swan’s head into the large onyx bathtub in Nikoletta’s master bathroom. Nelly, her personal maid, poured in three capfuls—no more, no less—of a foaming mineral muscle soak of sea salts and aloe vera. She tested the water with her hand to make certain that it was the temperature Nikoletta liked. Nelly didn’t want to think about the possible repercussions otherwise. Nikoletta might turn on her like a virago, giving her a tongue-lashing of epic proportions and threatening to fire her, or she might brush it off with a flick of a wrist. Nelly never knew what to expect.

Nikoletta came into the bathroom, her body sheathed in the sheen of sweat. She had just spent an hour with her personal trainer, a young Russian with chiseled features who had guided her through a grueling workout. “Is my bath ready, Nelly?”

“Just about, ma’am,” Nelly said. “Another inch or so of water, and it will be.”

One of the cell phones on the onyx vanity bleated, and Nikoletta looked over at them. It was the one with her most private number. “You can go, Nelly,” she said. “I’ll take care of the rest.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Nelly said. She left the bathroom in a rush, knowing that Nikoletta would want privacy. She always did when that particular cell phone rang.

“Hello,” Nikoletta said, stepping into the steaming bathtub.

“I have some information for you, Ms. Papadaki,” the man’s voice said.

Nikoletta quickly twirled the tap shut to reduce the noise and settled back in the bubble-filled tub to hear what he had to say. “What is it?”

“I’ve been following Single,” he said, “and he came up to his estate in Dutchess County this afternoon.”

“That’s hardly news,” Nikoletta replied derisively. “He goes there nearly every weekend.” She stroked one leg with a sponge.

“I know that,” the man said, “but this is different. There’s been a whole lot of activity at the Single estate tonight.”

Nikoletta’s ears perked up, and she dropped the sponge. “What kind of activity?”

“It’s very interesting,” the man drawled. He enjoyed toying with Nikoletta, drawing out the suspense. He’d never worked for anyone as unpleasant as Nikoletta Papadaki, and he’d worked for some real monsters.

“What?” she demanded. “What’s interesting?” The man was beginning to get on her nerves. “Get to the point.”

“I haven’t been inside,” he said. “The area around the compound is fenced, you know. Quite a security system this Single has.”

Nikoletta tapped her foot against the bottom of the tub. “I said, get to the point.”

“I’m getting there,” the man said. “I hid the car close by, and I’ve been watching the place from across the road with binoculars. Remember those pictures you gave me of the big shots at PPHL?”

“Yes, of course,” Nikoletta said, exasperated. She began brushing the sponge up and down her other leg, using quick, unnecessarily firm strokes.

“First I saw this woman, Sugar Rosebury, drive in. She had that old man with her, ah, Angelo Coveri.”

“Really?” Nikoletta said excitedly. Why were Sugar and Angelo going to visit Adrian in the country? she wondered.

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