Red Hourglass by Scarlet Risqué

like a sunrise, but to me it was the dull, yucky color of vomit. I hated yellow so much that I usually closed my eyes until everything yellow disappeared. I wanted to rush out of the store, but I forced myself to go to the counter and pay for my groceries.
    Memories of my mother flooded over me as I walked back to the apartment. I couldn’t get the image of her walking away from me out of my mind. Her white dress was flowing behind her as she walked through the sunflower field, toward the setting sun.
    I’d tried to find her for so long that I hated to be reminded of her out of the blue. I no longer remembered what she looked like. I detested her. Did she ever look for me ? Maybe she’s dead . I could put my search to rest if the White Queen handed me her death certificate, or if I found her grave. Until then, I’d be haunted by my fading memories.
    I climbed the stairs to my apartment and put away my groceries. Then I warmed up a can of soup and ate it out of the pot.
    A black and white cat appeared on the fire escape outside my kitchen window. I figured it was a stray. I opened a can of tuna and put it on the window ledge before I unpacked my suitcases.
    I got the envelope and my laptop and sat down on the floor. I looked at my instructions written in agent code. I had to apply to be the secretary for Wilmar’s chief security officer. Easy enough . The cat was still sitting in the window as I destroyed my instructions in the kitchen sink by running water over the page—all our agent communications were written in code with a fountain pen.
    According to Wilmar’s website, Conan W. Casey was the chief security officer. His photo on the site was only a headshot, so I googled him. The first result was a picture from a magazine. I clicked to enlarge the photo. He looked handsome and sophisticated—but tough—in his designer suit. Nice . He had a slender build and his gray eyes gave him a wolf-like quality. I guessed he was in his thirties. There was a short blurb under the photo.

    Conan W. Casey, chief security officer at Wilmar said,
    “We’re currently engaged in a hiring drive across the organization. As CSO, my focus is on hiring more security guards to watch over our newly acquired properties. ”

    I was suddenly much more interested in starting this new job. Working for a suave, sexy, powerful boss might not be so bad after all . The White Queen hadn’t mentioned anything about killing on this mission, so as long as Mr. Casey’s security guards didn’t turn on me, I figured it would be a piece of cake. I just had to get into the company, get the information the White Queen wanted, and then return home. Easy . The spies should have more information about Matilda Ann Summers by then .
    * * *
    The next morning, I wrote my cover letter to apply for the position. Once I was satisfied, I emailed the letter and résumé to Wilmar. One of my sisters was posted in HR and I knew I’d at least get an interview, but the wait was still torturous.
    The White Queen sent over some furniture and a bunch of boxes with stuff for the apartment. I spent the next few days organizing the place, shopping for my new work wardrobe, and preparing myself to go undercover as Scarlet Walters. The black and white cat came to the kitchen window most nights. I started feeding it regular cat food and calling it Milky, but it never stuck around for too long. All in all, I was kept busy enough, but I still checked my phone for missed calls every half hour.
    The call from Wilmar finally came. I was to go in for my interview in two days. I reviewed my books and practiced answering potential interview questions in the mirror. I was as ready as I could be for Mr. Conan W. Casey.

Interview
    I wore a knee-length skirt, a white blouse, and blazer for my interview. To complete the new look, I put on a pair of brown, square-rimmed glasses.
    I took the subway to the Upper West Side and exited at Eighty-sixth Street and Broadway just after eight. The