Rating: NC-17 for sexual context between consenting adult women.
UBER J/7
Thanks to my Glynis and Snowolf for helping me out betareading, and to Jay for helping me plot. I always appreciate your efforts and encouragement.

Back to "The Seven Women of Raven's Island" - part 2

The Seven Women of Raven’s Island

© GB

Part 3.

Amy Green refused the offer to sit down. Pale and desperate to not fall apart, she forbad the tears welling up in her eyes to fall as she faced the CEO of the Stellar Corporation. Kathryn Janeway sat behind her desk looking up at her with even blue-grey eyes. Her hand lay neatly folded on the empty surface as she obviously waited for Amy to speak.

“Ma’am …” the secretary husked, only to find her voice giving in. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Ms Janeway, there is no excuse for what I have done.”

Kathryn Janeway continued to watch her for a moment and then suddenly rose from her chair. She rounded the desk and then stopped, leaning against it as she studied her employee.

“Ms Green, Amy,” she began, “why don’t you tell us everything and let us be the judge of that?”

Amy looked around the room. Marion McDunn was standing over by the window, her arms folded across her chest. Martha, Janeway’s assistant was sitting on the couch over at the far wall together with Annika Hansen who had arrived at Janeway’s office shortly after Amy. The four women all looked calm but Amy knew they were furious with her; they had to be.

“Ma’am, I’m sorry …”

“Listen to me, Amy,” Janeway interrupted, her voice laced with harnessed impatience. “We know that there is some serious discrepancies regarding the amount of stocks and we have a serious problem on our hands. You seem to know something about it. If there ever was a time to not withhold anything, this is it. Tell us what is going on; you clearly possess some of the information.”

Amy felt her knees surrender and she sat down on the leather chair just behind her.

“I don’t know how it works but there is a computer program installed to duplicate stocks at certain intervals.”

“Go on.” Janeway did not even blink and still Amy knew this must be shocking news to the CEO.

“I have no clue how he pulled it off; he must have more contacts, maybe in the IT department. I assume that this was his goal all along.” Amy knew her information was fragmented and made little sense to the other women; the shock of the events this late afternoon made her close to incoherent.

Marion McDunn walked closer.

“Who are you talking about, Amy? Whose goal?”

The secretary recoiled and folded her arms in front of her. She found McDunn intimidating, more so than Janeway. She knew she had to confess everything to them and that her days at the Stellar Corporation, possibly even her days in freedom, were numbered.

“Eric Avery.”

She had read about his arrest, about how he had kidnapped Annika Hansen and held her captive not far from the Stellar Building. She had been tossed between hope and fear every day since that happened. Expecting him to bring her down with him, she had waited for the axe to fall, and now it had. She did not know if she was relieved or shocked, perhaps both.

“What about Avery?” Janeway asked.

“He … he forced me to give him access to the office, to the computers. I gave him my password and informed him every time it changed. He needed access to my terminal to verify things that went on elsewhere, I think.”

Amy buried her face into her hands. She did not want to break down and cry in front of Janeway and the two other women.

“What does he have on you?” Marion asked in a low tone of voice.

Amy looked up. The sales manager stood close to her chair, looking at her with an odd expression in her dark eyes.

“How did you know?” Amy whispered, hugging herself in the chair. “I can’t tell you. I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

“You have to,” Janeway stated. “We know Avery’s favourite method of operation is blackmail. You’re not the only one that has been subjected to this. You won’t be free of him until you tell us what ever he is using to manipulate you. Once you get it off your chest, he will have no more power over you.”

The secretary considered this. She had lived with her shame, her problem, for so long that it was second nature to her to make sure nobody knew. It would destroy everything she had accomplished over the last few years.

“Oh, god,” she murmured and clasped her hands together. “I can’t, Ms Janeway …”

Soft hands warmed her trembling shoulders from behind.

“Amy, dear girl, Ms Janeway is right. You have to tell us,” Martha said. “We will do everything to help you, but you have to level with us. You and I have been friends for years and had lunch together at least twice a week during that time. I promise you, I’m still your friend, no matter what you have to say.”

Martha’s kind voice finished the struggle against the tears that began streaming down her pale cheeks. Raising a tremulous hand, she held on to one of Martha’s as she mustered all her courage to face Janeway as she told her the truth.

“Eric Avery began coming on to me several years ago,” she explained in a strained voice. “He wouldn’t take no for an answer and when I still turned him down, he became more and more aggressive. I know it sounds so cliché but he would corner me in the copy room, or in the library when I was up on one of the ladders, touch me, say things to me … I threatened to report him if he didn’t stop. I had heard through the grapevine what he had done to other women. One day he followed me after work. I didn’t know of course, and went to my usual … activity that I attend once a week.”

Janeway reached into a drawer in her desk and grabbed a Kleenex, handing it over to the distraught woman.

“Go on.”

Amy wiped her eyes before continuing.

“As I said, he followed me there and …“ Her voice broke and she had to blow her nose. “I … I used to have a problem and I still have to attend AA meetings at least once a week to stay … sober. I didn’t use to go as often but I had been under a lot of stress because of him and was afraid that I’d … start drinking again.”

Marion suddenly kneeled beside her chair, looking at Amy with concern.

“So he followed your there, listened to your testimonies at the AA meetings and used that against you to make you do what he wanted,” the sales manager deducted, her voice strained.

“Yes.”

“Did he force you to sleep with him?” Janeway’s face was expressionless.

“No, he was past that by then. I don’t think he ever really fancied me, he was just out to find something that he could use against me.”

“This man stops at nothing,” Annika Hansen suddenly said as she rose from the couch and walked up to the desk. “He exercised the same despicable behaviour with me when I was new at this company.”

“I wonder how many he did this to,” Janeway murmured. “I have three affidavits that we received from women in the sales department last time he gave us grief. Something tells me there could be more.”

*****

Janeway resisted the urge to rub her aching temples. Amy Green was another one of Avery’s victims and the CEO was beginning to wonder how much damage this man had done to her company, both as an employee and then via his attempt at revenge.

She could not erase the frown that marred her forehead as she listened to Amy’s story. The pain in the other woman’s eyes reminded her of Seven’s and Marion’s ordeals; Avery was to blame for all of them. Impatiently tapping her fingers against the polished surface of her desk, she pressed her lips together.

Janeway felt Seven’s gaze on her and realised that her fiancée probably misread her disapproving look and thought that it was directed towards Amy. The CEO raised one of her hands, palm up towards the blonde and gave her a look saying ‘I know, I know’ and then turned towards the secretary from Stellar’s legal department.

“Amy,” she began, “I want you to know that I don’t blame you for what has happened. The reason I say this is because I know enough of Avery and his method of operation. I will talk to the DA on your behalf and if you give us all the information on him, and what he forced you to do, I think we can work something out for you. You’ll always have your job here – but you have to be honest and tell us everything, no matter how embarrassing or painful it is. Just know this, Avery has hurt all of us and it is still going on.”

“Oh, Ms Janeway, thank you … I don’t deserve it, I should have come to you but I just couldn’t. He knows things about me that …” Amy hid her face in her hands, crying soundlessly.

Martha looked at Janeway and nodded. Their wordless communication, honed through more than fifteen years of friendship and working together, made it easy for her assistant to take the appropriate action.

“Amy, why don’t you come home with me tonight?” the older woman said and stroked the shivering shoulders under her hands. “I don’t think you should be alone.”

Amy glanced up at Martha.

“Oh, yes, please,” she managed. “I’d hate to go home to an empty apartment. I don’t think that I’d trust myself. I haven’t had a drink in two years, but … “

“I know, honey. Come on; let’s go get your coat and purse.”

Martha helped her up.

“I’ll let you both know when we can meet up with the DA, Martha,” Janeway said. “I’ll give her a call in just a moment.”

“Very well, Kathryn. I’ll await your call then,” her assistant said and left the room with a motherly arm around the younger woman.

Janeway gave a deep sigh as the door closed behind the two women.

“This mess just keeps growing.”

“I can’t believe how many tentacles this guy has,” Marion blurted out. “He has sexually harassed several women and managed to get classified information from the legal department. I swear if I had him here right now, I’d …”

“You’d wring his neck,” Janeway filled in. “I know, I have the same inclination.”

Seven walked up to her and wrapped a slender arm around her waist.

“You’re exhausted, Kathryn. Why don’t you make the call to the DA so we can go up and have something to eat?”

Janeway leaned into the touch for a few invaluable seconds before squaring her shoulders.

“All right, darling,” she agreed. “Will you wait here with me?”

“Of course,” the blonde said readily.

Seven sat down on the edge of the desk as Janeway took a seat in her chair behind the desk. Marion slumped down into the visitor chair that Amy had just vacated.

Janeway pulled out her Palm Pilot and found the number to the DA and dialled. As she waited for someone to answer, she gave Marion a tired glance.

“This can be a bigger problem than we realise. He must have a contact in the IT department as well. Damn it! I want to know just how far his infiltration of my corporation goes.”

*****

Adriana de Leon dropped the keys and the large stack of folders she had carried from the cab. Her car was at the garage, being repaired, and she would not get it back for another week.

She glanced at her answering machine, and saw the light blink next to the display that informed her that she had four messages. Bracing herself, she pressed the button.

The first two were work related and the third was from her mother. Carmela de Leon lived two hours north of the city and never gave up hope that one day Adriana would come home and ‘settle down’. Her refined methods of persuasion had yet to wear her career trek daughter down; Adriana had no intention of returning to her sleepy home town. She loved the quick pace of the big city and had quickly climbed to the position she now held.

The fourth message made her pivot.

“Hi, this is Phoebe. I was hoping that we might have lunch tomorrow? I have spent it watching TV in my sister’s apartment and I’m bored. But at least I have rested, as I promised! Anyway … I’ll be back at work tomorrow and if you don’t have any plans … Well, let me know!”

The artist then left her cell phone number and hung up.

A soft glow from nowhere appeared in her midsection. Phoebe possessed an energetic, husky voice that enticed her senses.

Just as she reached for the phone to call Phoebe back, it rang and startled her.

“de Leon,” she answered.

“Ms de Leon, this is Kathryn Janeway. I have new information regarding Eric Avery. It’s vital that we meet as soon as possible. This is undoubtedly something for the DA’s office.”

At first when the woman spoke, Adriana had thought it was Phoebe calling again. She had met with Kathryn Janeway and Annika Hansen on several occasions just after Ms Hansen’s kidnapping and had not realised until now how alike the CEO and Phoebe sounded.

“All right, Ms Janeway,” she agreed. She activated her Palm Pilot and made a face. “I only have lunch tomorrow free this week. Can you make it then?”

“Certainly. I will make good use of tonight and tomorrow morning going through documents that you will find useful and also bring a new witness. I won’t take up your time this evening with explanations; it is far too complex anyway.”

Adriana raised her eyebrows. Janeway sounded exasperated and agitated at the same time. Whatever had happened, it had to be significant.

“See you at noon then,” the assistant DA confirmed.

Janeway acknowledged and they hung up.

Adriana sighed. She would have to call Phoebe and let her know that …

Suddenly a faint memory struck her and she reached for one of the folders in the pile she had brought home. It contained some of the background information and statements taken by the police on the night Eric Avery was apprehended. She browsed through the documents until she reached the last one. Her eyes darted across the text.

Name: Phoebe Janeway. Age: 43. Occupation: Artist.

Of course.

Slowly sitting down on the chair in the narrow hallway leading into her apartment, she rubbed her forehead. Phoebe Janeway was the younger sister of Kathryn Janeway, business tycoon and CEO of the Stellar Corporation. This complicated a sensitive situation further.

Adriana knew she had to hide the attraction she felt towards the artist even more carefully now. Not only were their work ethics to consider but she could not risk anyone finding out about her. She had always guarded her private life and even more so after a disastrous love affair when she was a law student. When she had surfaced after that fiasco, she had vowed to make her career her main goal in life – and never let anyone come close enough to know too much about her.

She rose and walked up to the mirror. Examining her immaculate appearance, she sighed inwardly. She had carefully channelled every ounce of passion and desire, despite its origin, into her drive to succeed in her chosen profession. Calculating every step, every course of action, Adriana had moved swiftly through the ranks and now she was in charge of the most prolific case this year, perhaps this decade. She could not afford to stumble now.

Reaching behind the back of her head she began to pull the pins from her trademark hairdo. Long, wavy tresses of jet black hair tumbled down her back and liberated the tension of her scalp. It was time to cut it again; it was getting to heavy to wear in her usual low bun.

Adriana checked her watch. She had to call Phoebe and let her know that she was not able to make it for lunch. Grabbing the phone she hesitated. If she called Phoebe tonight, it would undoubtedly mean that she would have to explain who she was. Or she could suggest something else … She pondered about it and then put the phone down again. She would need to find her bearings emotionally before calling the other woman.

Adriana walked into the bathroom and ran the shower, eager to get out of the ever present power suit. Catching another glimpse of herself in the mirror before it steamed up, she made a face at herself. ‘Coward’, she chastised herself. When she was in her professional roll she had a reputation of being hard as steel; bordering on cut throat. If anyone at work could read her mind now, they would think they had the wrong person.

Adriana began unbuttoning her blouse. She just had to face it. Phoebe Janeway had rocked her world. 

*****

There was a soft rattle of fingertips against the doorframe. Marion looked up from the large stack of documents piling on her desk.

“There you are,” she said softly and rose from her chair.

Julia halted just inside the door, her eyes widening at the sight of her partner.

“No wonder you had to work overtime. I was a little surprised that you asked me to come, though. Won’t I get in your way?”

Marion easily detected the cautious tone in Julia’s voice. It was as if the younger woman expected to be rejected at any given moment. What had she done to her lover these last months?

Shrugging off the guilt always threatening to overwhelm her, she let her lips form a gentle smile as she walked up to Julia and pulled her into an embrace.

“I just didn’t want you to spend the evening home alone, honey,” she whispered, feeling the other woman flinch at the term of endearment that had not been present much the last few months. “I also wanted to tell you that I’m sorry for how this morning turned out. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not sorry we made love, that was wonderful … but I’m sorry for how I acted.”

Julia leaned back and gazed into her eyes as if trying to gauge her sincerity.

“Marion? What has happened? You sounded different on the phone and all this …” Julia gestured towards the desk, “… you said it had something to do with a new break in the case against Avery?”

Marion nodded.

“Yes, it turns out that he has more on his conscience than we ever thought possible. I’ll fill you in later but first of all, I need to do this.”

She pulled Julia closer and found the half open lips of her partner with her own. Sliding the tip of her tongue inside the brunette’s mouth she deepened the kiss, wanting to convey her love, her desire in the most intimate of ways. Julia stiffened for a second but then her body eagerly surrendered to the tenderness in the kiss. Slender arms wrapped around Marion’s neck as Julia kissed her back. Not until their kisses turned salty did the sales manager realise that Julia was crying.

“Oh, honey, don’t cry,” Marion murmured into the kiss. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“No, no … I’m just so happy. You haven’t kissed me like this in ages. Marion …” Julia silenced them both by planting open mouth kisses down the other woman’s neck, her arms still wrapped tightly around her partner.

Marion felt her passion rise to new heights. Reaching behind Julia she pulled the door close and turned the key. She was pretty sure they were alone in the sales department at this hour but she did not want anyone to interrupt them now. This was far too important.

“I love you, Julia,” she whispered and stumbled backwards towards the desk. “I love you so much. I have been driving me … us … crazy these months, I know. I can only say that I’m incredibly sorry. Today was a wake up call for me. I won’t even ask your forgiveness because I know I have it.”

“Yes, you do.” Julia’s hands were busy roaming Marion’s back and hips. “I don’t know what happened to make you see the light, but I’m grateful. I was prepared to wait for as long as it took … but it was getting so hard … and I can’t believe it. It feels like before. You feel like before, yet different.”

“I know, honey, I know. Just hold on to me.”

“You’re work …”

“… will still be there.”

Marion pulled the younger woman’s tee shirt up and slid her hands underneath; massaging the muscles on Julia’s back, surreptitiously unclasping her bra as she did so. Julia gasped when her breasts were freed which made the dark haired woman laugh softly.

“Here?” Julia whispered.

“I can’t wait. I can’t wait a single second longer for you …”

Julia hesitated for a moment but then let go of Marion and reached for the hem of her tee shirt and pulled it off together with the loose bra in one fluent movement. The sales manager stood looking at the fragile beauty of her half naked partner among her strict high tech office furniture and she had never seen anything as beautiful.

“God, Julia,” she whispered and manoeuvred the other woman so she was half sitting on the edge of the cluttered desk. “Let me take care of you, please …”

Julia bit her lower lip and had obvious problems keeping her breath even.

“What if anyone comes?”

“Oh, I think I can guarantee that,” Marion quipped gently, making Julia gasp and blush.

Unfastening the button of Julia’s jeans, the dark haired woman unzipped them slowly. She pulled the worn fabric down over the soft curve of her lover’s hips, baring soft, smooth skin. Julia inhaled deeply and leaned back against her hands on the desk.

“That’s it, honey,” the sales manager husked. She sank down onto her knees and pulled the jeans all the way off together with Julia’s shoes. Looking up at the younger woman she could not get enough of the enticing view of her naked body. “I’m fully dressed; you’re naked … now … how does that make you feel?”

“Vulnerable. Loved. Nervous,” Julia managed.

Marion gave a quick smile and nudged the younger woman’s legs apart. “I just want to make you feel good … no, great. I have missed our closeness, our love games. I have missed us.”

“Me too.”

Marion settled on her knees between Julia’s legs. She raised her hands and caressed them, from the ankles to the elegant thighs. Making slow circles she was careful not to touch the soft centre at their juncture.

“Marion …”

“Yes, honey?” Marion teased gently.

“Oh, god, Marion.”

Relenting, the dark haired woman slid her hands up over Julia’s stomach and then slowly down towards the soft patch of hair below it. With gentle fingertips she combed through the soft curls, making Julia shiver.

“I want you.” Marion used her thumbs to part the slick folds, revealing the rigid nubbin that held the key to Julia’s pleasure. She pursed her lips and blew gently on it, eliciting another moan from her lover. Marion looked up at Julia who had managed to push a few piles out of the way. “All right, honey, lean back,” she encouraged.

Julia complied; bending her legs at the knees as she carefully lay down between the folders. Marion rose, keeping one hand between her lover’s legs and supporting herself on the other as her mouth found a taut nipple as she leaned over Julia. Sucking into her mouth, she allowed her fingers to circle the ridge of nerves over and over. Julia gave a muted whimper and began to rock her hips against the persistent hand.

“Yes, oh, yes,” the brunette moaned.

Marion grazed the nipple with her teeth, nibbling it only to sooth the gentle bites with her tongue. This always drove Julia crazy with lust and now was not any different. The younger woman arched into her mouth as if to increase the contact. The sales manager spread the moisture between Julia’s legs and then entered her with two fingers. She kept up the circular motion over the nubbin with her thumb and curled her fingers up inside the other woman, stretching her. Julia now whimpered with every breath as her peak approached rapidly. Rhythmic convulsions shook her, squeezed Marion’s fingers as she was tossed over the edge.

“Marion!”

Julia’s arm knocked over two piles of folders but Marion did not care. The sight and the feeling of her lover trembling in her arms as passion surged through her was all that mattered. She was so turned on herself that she knew it would not take much. She pulled Julia up in a sitting position and held her close, slowly withdrawing her fingers. Not bothering with how it may look or seem, Marion pulled her own skirt up. She was wearing only stay-ups and a pair of cotton lace panties.

“Touch me, please, Julia,” she whispered. “All you have to do is touch me …”

Her lover had one arm wrapped around Marion’s neck, holding on tight and now she lowered the other hand, pressing it inside the soaked panties of her lover. Plunging her fingers in between Marion’s folds she began rubbing her palm over her drenched sex. The older woman lowered her head and locked her lips on Julia’s, kissing her deeply as she felt her own body begin to soar. Julia’s fingers knew exactly what to do, how to manipulate her aching centre that was on the verge of release.

“Let go, sweetheart,” the younger woman now murmured. “You’re there … just let go … give it to me … come on … “

The voice urging her on sent her flying. Marion slid her mouth down onto Julia’s neck, sucking on the soft skin as the orgasm tore through her, cleansing her, liberating her … redeeming her …

When she could breathe again, they had both sunk to the floor among the scattered folders. She was sitting with Julia curled up against her.

“Julia?”

“Shhh … I’ve got you, sweetheart,” her partner assured her and pulled her closer.

“Yes, you do, don’t you,” Marion whispered. “You never did let go, despite my attempts to push you away. I’m sorry.”

“But you’re back now.”

The sales manager turned her head to look at her partner. Julia’s face beamed in a way it had not done in months. There was a light in her eyes that she had missed and thought she would never see again. Trusting this more than her own judgement, Marion gave a tremulous smile and kissed Julia softly.

“Yes, I am. I’m back.”

*****

“Goodness, what happened to you?” Janeway exclaimed and regarded her sister as she and Seven stepped out of the private elevator that had taken them to the penthouse.

Phoebe looked gloomily at her bandaged hand.

“Oh, trust me to plunge a screw driver into my hand,” she sighed. “It hurt like hell, just so you know.”

“Are you seriously injured? Have you seen a doctor?” Seven walked up to the younger Janeway.

“No, I haven’t seen a doctor. I had help cleaning and bandaging it. I checked it earlier. It looks fine, no sign of any infection. I’ll be able to work tomorrow.”

Janeway gave her sister a quick squeeze around her shoulders. “Poor kid, well, I’ve ordered some food from the restaurant on the second floor, so you’ll be fed momentarily. Seven and I have a lot of work to do tonight so we thought that was a good idea.”

“I’d offer to do the dishes as my part of the deal, but …” Phoebe waved her hand for good measure. “Sorry, guys.”

“Don’t be silly,” Janeway rolled her eyes. “But you might be able to help us go through some computer files, if you feel up to it. There has been some disturbing development regarding Avery this evening.”

“Really? Well, as long as it means that he is going down for more stuff, I’m eager to help.”

“Good. Now do tell me, how did you managed to spear yourself on a screw driver?”

The three women walked out into the kitchen where Janeway and Seven began to set the table while waiting for the food to arrive.

“I was opening a can of paint and the screwdriver sort of skidded to the side and into my palm instead of under the lid as it was supposed to. Fortunately Adriana was there, ‘cause I bled all over the place.”

“Adriana? Oh, is that your art fan at the Justice building?” Seven asked, taking a seat next to Phoebe. “The woman you had dinner with yesterday?”

“Yes, she happened to pass and she helped me to the ladies room where Connie, the nice lady who works there, helped us out. They were very thorough.”

“You’ve talked a lot of this Adriana,” Janeway smiled. She placed the utensils next to their plates and sat down across the table. “She’s made quite the impression on you, hasn’t she?”

To Janeway’s amazement Phoebe blushed a deep crimson.

“Yeah, I guess,” her sister admitted. “She’s my first friend here that I haven’t met through you. We haven’t talked much about our respective jobs but I can tell from her appearance that she is very successful. She dresses to kill and moves around the Justice building as if she owns it.”

The CEO had to force herself not to give a broad smile. If Phoebe could have heard herself talk … Janeway wondered if her sister realised how full of admiration and awe she sounded when she talked about this Adriana.

“Is she a lawyer?” Seven asked. “She sounds nice.”

“Yes, she is a lawyer and well, of course she’s nice but that’s not the first thing that comes to mind.”

Janeway quirked an eyebrow. “No? What is, then?”

“Elegant, stern … I guess she can be quite intimidating,” Phoebe grinned. “She’s beautiful, of course.”

Janeway smiled inwardly, exchanging a glance with Seven. Her fiancée eyes were round with surprise and the CEO realised that she also had picked up on Phoebe’s obvious interest in this woman. The question was if Phoebe herself realised just how interested she was.

“I’m glad you’ve made a new friend,” Janeway could not resist teasing her younger sister, who shot her a glare.

“Are you sure you’ll be able to work tomorrow?” Seven changed the subject after giving Janeway a cautioning look.

“Yes, I simply have to. I’m on a pretty tight schedule with these murals. I also have to fly home to Indiana for a meeting with my partner in the gallery in a week or two.”

“All right, just be careful. If it shows any signs of infection …”

“… I’ll head straight to the closest doctor’s office. Yeah, yeah, I already got that from Adriana.”

“Very astute of her,” Janeway grinned only to get her calf kicked by Seven under the table.

The phone next to the elevator rang and Janeway rose to answer, making a big production of limping.

“What was wrong with her?” Phoebe turned to Seven. “She hurt her leg?”

“No, she is just being silly,” Janeway heard the blonde reply.

“Silly? Kathryn?” the artist snorted. “You’ve got to be kidding!”

Shaking her head, Janeway picked up the phone and listened to the male voice informing her that their food was on its way up. The CEO punched in the command for the waiter to use the private elevator and awaited his arrival. When she had signed the check, she rolled the cart towards the kitchen.

“Hey, you two, stop talking about me behind my back and give me hand with this. Well, not you, Phoebe, we don’t want to end up having our dinner on the floor.”

Phoebe wrinkled her nose which made them all laugh.

The meal was delicious as always and Janeway was content with listening to Phoebe’s and Seven’s gentle banter as they ate. After a while her mind began to wander, and the thought about Amy Green and the way Avery had taken advantage of the woman’s struggles in life to weasel his way into the Stellar Corporation.

How had he managed to infiltrate her company that quickly? She suddenly felt uneasy and restless, wanting nothing but to start digging through their files for more leads and information regarding Avery. Janeway rose from the table and put her plate and utensils in the dishwasher. Suddenly she slammed her fists into the countertop, tears stinging her eyes.

Seven was at her side in an instant.

“Kathryn, come here,” the blonde said and pulled the auburn haired woman into her arms. Janeway resisted the urge to hide her face at the younger woman’s neck; instead she wrapped an arm around Seven’s waist and gave her an appreciative hug.

“Damn him …” Janeway growled.

“Are you okay, sis?” Phoebe asked, joining them. “You’re thinking of that bastard, aren’t you? Well, why don’t we clean up after ourselves and then go digging after whatever we can find. You still have to fill me in what happened today that made you realise there were more.”

“All right,” the CEO nodded and wiped her eyes. “Let’s get on with it.”

*****
Phoebe was half way through a large tee shirt, one arm out but her head and injured hand still inside, when her cell phone rang. Scrambling to reach it she managed to knock it off the dresser and onto the floor. She fumbled around for it and finally reached it. Her head popped through the tee shirt at the same time, making it possible to answer.

“Hello!”

“Phoebe? This is Adriana. You sound out of breath?”

“Believe it or not but I was stuck in a tee shirt.”

“Goodness,” Adriana de Leon gave a short laugh. “Listen, I know it’s late but I wanted to let you know that I can’t make it for lunch tomorrow.”

The artist could feel a pang of disappointment in the pit of her stomach but tried to shrug it off.

“That’s okay,” she said, keeping her voice light. “Another day, perhaps.”

“I was just thinking … maybe dinner tomorrow night? If you don’t have to work late to make up for lost time, that is?”

A broad smile spread over Phoebe’s face.

“I’d love that. I will probably work as long as I have daylight but after that I have no plans.”

There was a brief pause.

“Wonderful. How is your hand, by the way? Any sign of infection?” the attorney asked.

“It’s okay. I’ve rested it all afternoon.”

“I’m glad. Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

“I look forward to it.”

“So do I. Goodnight, Phoebe.”

“’Night.”

Phoebe pressed the button to hang up and slowly sat down on the bed. Adriana had sounded content in a restrained sort of way. She could easily picture the elegant Latina, how she had leaned over her, taking care of the artists injured hand. Adriana’s touch had been gentle but firm and her dark eyes full of concern. The other woman possessed such strength and beauty and still there was something fragile about her …

Phoebe flinched, unfamiliar with the path her thoughts were taking. It was not like her to ponder so thoroughly about another woman. It was just that Adriana was special. Suddenly realising that her heart was racing she got up and headed for the bathroom. She ran cold water in the sink and splashed some on her face before taking a good look at her reflection.

With water dripping down her cheeks she could not deny the flustered look that met her.

What was going on with her?

*****

Continued in "The Seven Women of Raven's Island" - part 4