Chapter 25

Ricardo entered hurriedly and slammed the door shut. His loud voice startled the deputy who was engrossed with the computer. "Vonda," Ricardo called as he walked towards his office door. "Call Mecca. Tell her to meet me right away." "Yes, Sir." Entering his workspace, Ricardo quickly grabbed a glass of water and downed it in an instant. Sandra's command left him breathless. A knock on the door caught Ricardo's attention. He hurriedly sat behind his desk and exclaimed, "Come in." The door opened, and Mecca entered. She smiled politely as Ricardo motioned for her to sit. "What's the matter, Sir?" Ricardo wiped the sweat off his forehead with a tissue and squeezed it. He tried to smile to suppress the escalating panic. "I want to ask something," Ricardo said, hoping not to raise suspicion. "How is Velia doing?" Out of the many reasons Ricardo could have called her, this possibility was unexpected for Mecca. Confusion immediately appeared on her face as she answered. "Velia seems