Source One

met her gaze. “Thank you.”
    “Stephanie knows to be in at 8:30 a.m. on Monday.” Amber said. “Do you need anything else from us today?”
    Brian studied her. Her chin was tilted upward as if she dared him to give her a hard time.
    “No. I’m fine.”
    He exhaled a breath. “I guess this is goodbye then.”
    Amber nodded. “Goodbye,” she said flatly.
    Without another word, she turned around and left his office, shutting the door behind her.
    Brian closed his eyes and sighed.
    He’d blown it.
    Nice going, Brian.
    This time, it wasn’t Diana’s voice. It was his own.
    ***
    Amber let out the breath she’d been holding as she shut Mr. Nichols’ door.
    Never mind the fact that he’d seemed contrite this week. Like he was sorry to see her go.
    It was too little. Too little too late.
    She was making the right decision. She was.
    She thought back to the interview with Peter Sumner last week.
    He’s been friendly to her. Even smiled at her. Joked with her. Imagine that.
    Amber let Stephanie know she could go home for the day.
    Then she gathered her purse and the box she’d packed her things in and went to say goodbye to Michelle.

CHAPTER 9
     
    Abby Grover had assigned Nicole, a pretty woman with chocolate skin to train Amber.
    “I used to do this job,” Nicole told Amber.
    “What are you doing now?” Amber asked.
    “Accounting. I just started it.”
    “You’ve been promoted?”
    Nicole nodded.
    Interesting. That was the second time she’d replaced someone who’d just been promoted.
    Nicole worked with Amber throughout the morning. Before lunch, she showed Amber how to pull research Mr. Sumner had asked them for.
    Nicole gestured to Mr. Sumner, who was speaking on the phone. “Peter likes you. I can tell.”
    Amber stiffened.
    She’d wanted someone friendlier than Brian Nichols. But not someone too friendly.
    “Not that way,” Nicole said quickly. “He’s got a girlfriend.”
    Amber relaxed.
    “I’ve never met her,” Nicole continued. “But they’ve been together for as long as I’ve worked here.”
    “How long have you worked here?”
    “Two years. Since right after Mr. Sumner founded the company.”
    ***
    “Thank you, Amber.”
    “Sure.” Amber gave Mr. Sumner a smile and left his office.
    She set the papers down at her desk. It was the end of her second week at Sumner Systems. So far so good.
    Mr. Sumner seemed happy with her work. And he’d been friendly.
    So why in the world did her thoughts keep drifting back to Mr. Nichols?
    Amber sat down and sighed.
    It was probably because she’d failed. Failed at making any kind of connection with him.
    He’d been so puzzling. What had she done that had made him hate her so much?
    And then there’d been the sudden change the last week she’d been at Source One.
    Whatever. It was finished.
    No more looking back.
    It was time to focus on the job at hand. Amber turned back to her laptop.
    ***
    Max Chambers sat filling out paperwork for a patient's chart when one of the respiratory therapists walked in.
    "You have a good weekend?" Nancy asked.
    Max smirked. "I was here ninety-nine percent of it."
    Nancy shook her head. "Sorry."
    She opened a cabinet and turned around. "Hey. Guess who I saw the other night when my husband and I were out to eat?"
    Max tucked the file away and stood. "Who?"
    "Amber Clark."
    Max stared at Nancy. "Really?"
    Nancy nodded. "She told me her mother had passed away. Sad, huh?"
    Nancy found the box she needed and closed the cabinet. "You off soon?"
    Max cleared his throat. "In the morning."
    Nancy nodded and left the room.
    Max walked to the window and stared out into the darkness, mind churning.
    ***
    The man pulled up and stared into the early morning light. The young woman was walking into the office building carrying a stack of papers. Amber Clark. No one could have fit the plan better. Amber was the perfect person to use in getting revenge against Brian Nichols.
    ***
    Amber drove down her street. It was already dark out. Six p.m. on a December night. But the street was brightened by holiday lights. Hers was one of the few houses without any decorations.
    Until a couple of years ago, her house had been decorated every year. Even after her dad left, her mother had kept up the tradition, getting onto a ladder and threading colored lights through the hooks in the eaves.
    Amber swallowed against the tightness in her throat and pulled into the driveway. Got the bag of groceries from the front seat and walked to