Running Hot

scream. But that was not good for the Voice.
    She crushed the tissue and tossed it aside. Her fingers closed around the hairbrush. Before she could even think about it, she had hurled the brush straight into the mirror. The wooden handle struck the glass and bounced off without leaving so much as a chip. She grabbed a bottle of makeup and threw it at the same target. This time there was a sharp splintering sound. A very satisfying crack appeared.
    Newlin winced and took a step back, looking more uneasy than ever. What a wimp. It was all too much. Callas had Onassis for a lover, a worldly shipping magnate, one of the legendary tycoons of the last century. What did La Sirène have to work with? Not a rich Greek but a rich geek. It was not right. This was not her true destiny.
    She had to admit, however, that, in addition to his adoration and his billions, Newlin had one immensely useful attribute. He knew his way around cyberspace. After Craigmore had turned up dead, Damaris had been unable to monitor J&J and thus lost track of Grace Renquist. But dear Newlin had hacked into the agency’s confidential, highly encrypted database with ease. It was not terribly surprising since his company had designed the software.
    She pulled herself together with sheer willpower and forced herself to think.
    “We’ve been through this. You know why she’s here.” She turned around on the stool and looked straight at Newlin. “She is stalking me.”
    “Dearest, are you absolutely certain of that?”
    She leaped to her feet, tightened the tie of her dressing gown and began to pace the lush room. “I told you, Grace Renquist has been haunting me for weeks.”
    The stalking scenario had started out as a minor fib intended to explain the situation to Newlin. But somewhere along the line it had become a reality. There was no doubt in her mind that Renquist, driven by jealousy, was stalking her.
    “Perhaps it’s time to call in the police,” Newlin suggested.
    “The police are useless in situations like this. Believe me, I know. This is not the first time I’ve had to deal with this kind of thing.”
    “Then at least allow me to hire around-the-clock security to protect you.”
    She was pushing too hard. The last thing she wanted was a security detail.
    “I told you, that would only cause rumors and scandal,” she said quickly. “I can’t afford that, not at this delicate point in my career.”
    That certainly ranked as one of the most outrageous lies of the twenty-first century. Generally speaking, there was nothing like a juicy scandal to perk up a career in the world of opera.
    Newlin was almost wringing his hands now. “But your safety is paramount. I can afford the best in security. They’ll be very discreet, I swear.”
    She waved that away. “No, no, now that I think about it, you may be right. I do have to consider the possibility that Renquist is simply a devoted fan who admires my art so much that she flew in from Hawaii to catch my performance tonight,” she said soothingly.
    Fat chance. There was only one reason Renquist was in Acacia Bay. She was pursuing her. While it was deeply gratifying to know that the woman comprehended La Sirène’s power, she simply could not be allowed to live.
    She stopped at the wardrobe and spun around to face Newlin. The practiced motion sent the skirt of her blue satin dressing gown sweeping out in a dramatic fashion.
    “I have an idea,” she said, “but I will need your help, my love.”
    “Of course, my dear. Anything.”
    “I can see only one course of action.” She eased compelling energy into her voice. The result was a delicate, melodic singsong effect. There was some natural power in her speaking voice but the full strength of her talent could only be accessed when she moved into the higher ranges. “I must meet with Grace Renquist face-to-face, woman-to-woman. If I talk to her, perhaps I can find out the basis for her obsession with me.”
    Newlin glowed with admiration. “That’s a wonderful idea.”
    “I’ll record the conversation.” The words came out in a light, lilting, sparkling pulse of energy. “With luck I’ll be able to find out whether she’s a fan or a dangerous person. If she is a stalker, I’ll have proof that I can take to the police.”
    “Brilliant, my love, absolutely brilliant.”
    He was already helplessly enthralled. She could see the longing in his eyes.
    She began to thread more energy into each word. The Voice took on strength,