Read Ghost Sudoku for Free Online Page A

glance. Sometimes Michael seemed to display an almost paranormal awareness of when she was with Kevin—he seemed to call just as his rival left or hung up.
    Looking at the caller ID screen, Liza let her breath hiss out from between her teeth. “Not Michael—Michelle,” she muttered. “This could get even worse.”
    She picked up the receiver, to hear her partner begin without preamble, “As you start your career in public service, I hope you’ll recall that this agency does not do political campaigns.”
    Forget about Michael’s ESP, Michelle’s information-gathering antennas rivaled the NSA’s—especially when it came to using celebrity. Liza’s quota of fame might just barely get her mentioned on a small-market radio station but Michelle had obviously heard about it.
    “I wish I could say it was a hoax,” Liza said. She could just imagine her partner on the other end of the connection, probably perched on the front of her desk, her delicate, almost elfin, features set somewhere between a frown and a pout.
    People sometimes described Michelle Markson as the fairy princess of Bad Attitude. They just never said that to her face, because Michelle didn’t need a magic wand to wreak havoc on people’s lives and careers. She used the power of the pen and a caustic tongue to shear huge chunks of ego and self-esteem off some of Hollywood’s biggest shots, carving out an impressive turf for herself as a leading warlord of publicity.
    Michelle didn’t pull her punches, even with friends. “So you’re taking another leave of absence from the agency—and your senses? It’s bad enough you apparently go underground for weeks, but then I start getting these outré reports—”
    “I took some time off to recharge my batteries,” Liza said. “I don’t think I have to defend that to someone who famously goes absolutely incommunicado from the office.”
    “I might do that for a relaxing weekend,” Michelle replied, “and besides, I have a staff to deal with any messes that might crop up.”
    Intimating that whatever Liza might be doing, she was creating a mess. “You still haven’t explained this sudden plunge into politics.”
    “I haven’t plunged.” Liza tried to keep the edge out of her voice. “Somebody dunked me.”
    As she explained the progress of her invented candidacy, Michelle became ominously silent. “As I said, the agency doesn’t do political campaigns. But this travesty affects your image—our image— my image. I wouldn’t be averse to taking a little constructive action against whoever is responsible.”
    Knowing Michelle, the operative word would be more “destructive” than “constructive.”
    “Better, I think, for me just to extricate myself and let this whole situation die a natural death,” Liza said.
    “In that case, you shouldn’t be talking to me, you should be talking to the media,” Michelle told her. “Maybe your newspaper friend can be of some help.”
    Her dismissive tone was directed partly at Liza, and partly at mere print media. “Better get started right away. It only becomes harder to get rid of rumors when they’ve been lying around for a while.”
    Liza had to bite her lip at that. Considering that she knew about the whole situation only a few hours longer than Michelle, being accused of dawdling felt grossly unfair.
    “Thanks for the advice,” she finally said. “I’ll get on to Ava directly.”
    “Excellent.” Brusque as ever, Michelle cut the connection.
    As she hung up, Liza’s finger went to the speed-dial button coded with Ava’s office number. Then she shook her head. Before spiking the story on this con-job candidacy, there was someone else she had to speak with. Heading around to the front door, she rooted out an umbrella and went next door to break the news to Mrs. Halvorsen.
    Actually, the visit with her neighbor had some benefit when Liza finally spoke with Ava sometime later. It allowed her to organize her thoughts beyond a bald