"ANOTHER ROUND!"
Samantha's voice exploded through the phone amid a storm of noise.
Catherine froze.
Laughter erupted in the background. Glasses clinked. Someone cheered loudly, while somewhere nearby, a woman appeared to be singing very badly and very enthusiastically.
"What?"
"ANOTHER ROUND!" Samantha shouted again. "IT'S ON ME! I GOT A JOB!"
There was a brief pause.
Then Samantha gasped.
"AUNT CATHY!"
Catherine closed her eyes.
Relief flooded through her so suddenly that her knees nearly gave out. Moments ago, she had been imagining kidnappings, corporate espionage, and Fitzgerald Rathbourne personally hunting her niece. Instead, Samantha was apparently drunk in the middle of the day.
"Are you in a bar?"
"Technically..." Samantha began.
The pause that followed told Catherine everything she needed to know.
What trouble was she getting into now?
