She answered on the third ring. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you’re calling me,” she said, voice amused.
He guessed he shouldn’t have been either. “I’ve got no doubt you’re already listening to their conversation. Get me ears too.”
Penny laughed in a way that told Archer she’d read right through him. “Hot and smart. Oh, Elise is a lucky girl. Gimme a sec here.” Archer had a moment to wonder if Elise had talked to Penny about him before she added, “Switching you over now.”
A click followed by static filled the speakers of his truck before Elise’s voice came through clearly. “I’m a new investor, as you know, but I’ve got old money I’d like to stretch a little.”
Damn, she was a good liar. Archer made a mental note not to forget that.
Isaac sipped his Bloody Mary, then set it back onto the table. “We’re always looking for new investors.”
Elise studied him intently before leaning back in her seat. “I’ve heard good things about you from a friend in California.”
“Who might that friend be?”
“Gwen Michaelson.”
“Ah,” Isaac drawled. “We have done some business together before.”
Of course, Elise had likely researched all his ties before coming to this meeting. Archer liked watching her smart mind manipulate and outsmart her opponent. Especially when that smart mind of hers was aimed on someone who’d pissed him off.
Elise finished taking a sip of her mimosa before lowering her glass back to the table. “I do, however, have some concerns before we proceed.”
“Which are?”
“Your brother.”
Archer held his breath, waiting…watching. Isaac was obviously thrown off, if the straightening of his spine was any indication.
“My brother?” he asked, clearing his throat and shifting in his seat.
Elise didn’t look rattled, her chin lifted, gaze narrowed on Isaac across the table. “I’ve been hearing you and he are having personal troubles that may affect anyone doing business with you. Is this true?”
“This is the first I’m hearing of it,” Isaac said, the portrait of calm. “Can I ask what it is you’ve heard?”
“Rumblings about his wife.”
At that, Isaac froze unnaturally. Archer saw it, and by the way Elise cocked her head, he knew she’d seen it too.
Again, Isaac cleared his throat. “I’m afraid, Ms. Norton”—the alias Elise had given him—“I have no idea what you’re talking about. My brother and his wife are very happily married. In fact, did you know he’s recently been nominated for the U.S. Attorney position?”
“No, I had not heard,” Elise said before she folded her arms on the table, leaning in. “Let me make myself perfectly clear. I’m about making money. As long as I have your reassurance that whatever is going on in your personal life doesn’t affect your business, I have no doubt we can make this work.”
“There is no trouble in my personal life, of that I am certain,” Isaac said firmly.
“Excellent,” Elise said with a light voice, rising. She offered her hand. “Then I’ll be in touch soon to discuss plans for our future.”
Isaac returned the handshake. “I look forward to it.”
Archer kept his focus on Isaac as Elise strode away. He waited for Isaac to pick up the phone, make a call, do something. All he did was pay the bill, leave through the front door, and wait only a short time until his driver drove up in a black Mercedes.
Before Archer could even move, the passenger side of his truck opened, and Elise jumped in, slamming the door behind her. “Go.”
Archer didn’t think twice. He hit the gas, moving into traffic. “Where are we going?”
“Follow Isaac, three cars up.” She fastened her seat belt. “You heard all that, I presume?”
Damn, he was becoming predictable. “I did.” He kept his attention on the Mercedes. “I take it you have a plan?”
“Just planted a seed,” Elise said. “Now, let’s see what he does with it.”
Archer stayed a few cars back during the drive, but he sank back farther when they entered the Upper East Side. The Mercedes slowed, then came to a stop next to a row of fancy town houses lining the street. The massive, four-story homes were steps away from Central Park, and the building’s façade was limestone with wrought-iron gates around each porch.
When Isaac got out and began climbing the porch steps, Archer pulled into a parking spot a few cars back.
Next to him, Elise stayed silent and alert, ready.
Until she said, “Well, shit, that’s not who I was expecting him to go to.”
Archer understood as the front door opened. The person on the porch was Connie, wearing a white T-shirt and jogging pants, with her hair up in a ponytail. They talked for a minute and then Isaac went into the house, and the door shut behind him. “I’m trying to wrap my head around this,” Archer admitted. “Every time I’ve seen Connie at the club or at a fundraiser and such, she is dressed to the nines with a full face of makeup. Seeing her so casual tells me she’s obviously staying here.”
“Yeah, she obviously is.” Elise reached for her phone and began snapping pics. “And this isn’t the house she shares with her husband.” She hit a few buttons on her phone.
The phone line rang once. “Whatcha got for me?” Penny asked.
“We’re currently looking at Isaac and Connie, but I’ve got no clue whose house we’re at. Can you check?”
“Yeah, okay, one sec…” The clicking of Penny’s fingers hitting her keyboard filled the phone line. “It’s a rental property,” she eventually said. “Rented by Isaac’s company.”
Elise slowly shook her head like she was having as hard of a time processing this as Archer was. “Okay, let me get this straight,” Elise finally said. “Connie is staying in a rental property owned by her husband’s brother, even though she and her husband are still happily married?”
“Even weirder,” Penny drawled. “I learned a little bit ago that she and her husband are going to a fundraiser together tonight.”
“None of this makes any sense,” Archer grumbled. “What the fuck are these two up to?”
Elise slowly shook her head. “We need to figure out what that is and hear what they’re saying. How do we make that happen?”
“We bug them,” Archer said.
“Agreed,” Penny said, then paused. “I know someone who can handle that for us, but they’re not cheap.”
“I actually know someone who’s very cheap,” Archer said. He grinned at Elise. “This is in my wheelhouse.”
“Sounds good to me,” Penny said, even though Elise seemed to have reservations. “I’ll get the tech ready.”
“That works,” Archer said. “You’ll be in touch when we’re good to go?”
“You know it,” Penny replied.
The phone line went dead.
Archer smiled at the pursing of Elise’s lips. “You don’t think I’m capable of installing a bug?” The thought was almost laughable, but he realized Elise didn’t know the soldier. She only knew Phoenix’s Head of Security.