If I could live your life Chapter 4
By Star

Paul couldn't help smiling despite the situation. The man 
beside him shook his head furiously, his voice in a deep 
growl. "If I ever found out who stole my painting I will 
kill them."

"Cam calm down." Paul said and Cameron Adams looked at Paul 
exasperated. "I just don't get it. Why didn't they take 
anything else? The only thing they took was the painting. 
There were paintings well worth more than the Monet. It 
doesn't make sense."

"A lot of things haven't made sense lately." Paul admitted 
and Cameron sighed "You're still thinking about that woman 
who impersonated Madelyne aren't you?"

Paul nodded "I know I shouldn't but there was just 
something about her."

"I bet." Cameron smirked, and Paul shook his head "No not 
that. Something else."

"Well Madelyne is spitting tacks that no one was able to 
tell the difference, especially you." Cameron said with a 
grin adding, "I think she's slightly put out that her own 
boyfriend couldn't tell the difference straight away."

Paul groaned inwardly, knowing that Madelyne was going to 
make him pay dearly for that mistake. It was something else 
she could use against him when they argued. And they did 
argue. Frequently. There were times when he wondered why on 
earth he was dating her. They were complete opposites but 
he was drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Maybe that was 
the reason he was so curious about her double. He wanted to 
know what she was like. Instinct told him that she was 
different to Madelyne. That she had just been playing a 
role when she impersonated Madelyne.

He told himself that he should be angry that she had taken 
advantage of him but then he remembered how she felt in his 
arms and became determined to find out who she was. Maybe 
she worked in the entertainment business impersonating 
Madelyne. He would put his feelers out, and see if he could 
find her. 

"Paul?" Cameron questioned and Paul shook his thoughts 
aside "So what do you make of this?" Cameron asked again 
and Paul grinned again at the caricature left in place of 
the painting. Someone had carefully removed the painting 
from the frame with an expertise that was impressive. In 
its place they had just as carefully and expertly placed a 
caricature of Ace Frehley holding a deck of cards in one 
hand and a guitar in another. Below were the words "You've 
just been kissed."

"It's certainly different." Paul said slowly, trying to 
hide his smile. Cameron shook his head "If this is Ace's 
idea of a joke I'm not laughing. This time he's gone too 
far."

Paul said slowly "I don't think that this is Ace's work. I 
admit he can pull some wild pranks but even he wouldn't go 
this far. No I think that this is your resident cat 
burglar's sense of humour."

"Great." Cameron grumbled "First he steals my painting and 
then he mocks me with his Machiavellian humour."

"It could be a woman." Paul said and Cameron laughed 
huskily "No woman is that clever."

Paul shook his head at his friend's sexism. For as long as 
he had known Cam, Cam had believed women were only good for 
two things. He hoped one-day Cam met a woman who would 
completely knock him off his feet.

"Maybe you should rethink your security." Paul commented 
and Cameron nodded. "I already have. There is a new company 
that has a steady reputation. Its called Mackenzie 
Securities Corporate. I've insisted the owner come here 
himself. There is a lot of mystery surrounding the owner. 
But if I want the best I want to know the person behind 
it."
***

Mac shook her head with a grin when Shandi whistled and 
said with a snicker "Define Ironic for me. When the house 
you burgle last night decide to use you to install their 
new security system. That's ironic baby."

"Shush you don't want people to hear you saying that." Mac 
said, as she smoothed a hand down her suit and rang the 
doorbell.

"Ooh baby one day I will live in a house like this." Shandi 
said, moving as if in rhythm to the doorbell ringing.

Mac watched, taking in the 18-year-old clad in a half top 
and leather-pants. "You know if you weren't a great burglar 
you could always be a stripper with those moves."

"Gee thanks you say the nicest things to me." Shandi said 
with a grin before adding, "Although I hear they make great 
money and I do like to dance."

Mac couldn't help quipping; "The way you're burning through 
your cash you might need a second job. Haven't you thought 
about your future?"

Shandi groaned "What is it with people wanting to know 
about my future. Stephanie said the same thing. I like 
spending money now. Besides I don't plan on quitting 
anytime soon. I like what I do too much. And as long as 
Stephanie keeps supplying me with jobs I'm going to do what 
I want."

Mac opened her mouth to reply and closed it when a butler 
opened the door. "Hi I'm from Mackenzie Securities 
Corporate. I'm here to see Cameron Adams." She said, 
smiling at the butler who didn't return the smile "Stay 
here. I will see if Mr Adams is expecting you."

Mac rolled her eyes "And this is why I don't live in B.H. 
Everyone is too snooty." She said and Shandi shrugged "It's 
all fine with me. I like snooty."

The butler returned "Please follow me, and try not to touch 
anything." He said and Shandi snickered "And I was hoping 
to get my hands on your hot body…"

"Shandi!" Mac admonished and Shandi shrugged "What? The guy 
has a hot poker right up his…"

"Shandi!" Mac warned again and Shandi grinned, "Okay I'll 
behave."

Mac and Shandi followed the butler into a living room and 
waited patiently to be announced. "From Mackenzie 
Securities Corporate Mr Adams." The butler said before 
discreetly leaving them alone.

Paul and Cameron turned from where their gazes were on the 
missing painting to greet the owner of Mackenzie 
Securities.

Cameron scowled at the two woman standing before him "I 
believe I asked to speak to the owner directly and not his 
secretary" Cameron said to Mac before looking at Shandi "Or 
anything else that he might have decided to send my way."

Shandi scowled at the obvious putdown, and before she could 
pounce Mac said coolly "You asked to meet the owner and 
here I am…or at least one of them. I'm Mac. "

"You're a woman." Cameron spluttered and Mac nodded "Last 
time I checked I was yes. Do you have a problem with my 
being a woman? If so tell me and Shandi and I will leave. 
But I will tell you this you will not find a better 
security company."

"Why don't you tell us something about the company." Paul 
interjected, and Cameron scowled at him. Mac smiled at Paul 
warmly "Very well. We're a fairly young company barely a 
year old. The company itself is run by myself, and I am 
also on the board of directors. As are the other two 
owners, who are silent partners." Mac paused and looked 
directly into Cameron's eyes "And in case you're wondering 
the board of directors are all women. Shandi here is one of 
them."

"And the silent partners…who are they?" Paul asked 
curiously and Mac shrugged "I don't think that's really 
important do you?"

"It might not be to you but I like to know who I am dealing 
with." Cameron said and Mac smiled "A businessman after my 
own heart. Of course you must know. Stephanie Carovella and 
Raven Catt are my silent partners. They're two very good 
friends of mine I have known for years, and were willing to 
believe in me when banks rejected my plans. They were like 
you someone who didn't believe a woman could ever be in 
this kind of business."

"And what do they do?" Cameron asked, wondering if he was 
going to have to eat his words and beginning to think this 
woman might make him.

"Raven and Stephanie dabble in anything. There isn't much 
they can't do when they put their minds to it." Mac said, 
before looking at Shandi with a smile "But then the same 
goes for all my friends."

"You've certainly got a good reputation." Paul said with a 
smile, and Mac nodded "We've done pretty good for 
ourselves. Maybe because we know what we're doing."

"So are you interested?" Shandi asked, tossing her auburn 
hair and tapping her foot impatiently. Cameron and Paul 
looked at Shandi in interest and shared a look. "And what 
do you do?" Cameron asked with a leer.

"Not what you think." Shandi said with a snort. 

Mac grinned at the expression on both males' faces as they 
looked at Shandi.  "Shandi is our resident expert. She'll 
be the one who tells you how bad your current system is, 
and what you can do to make your house so secure no one 
could ever get in unless you wanted him or her to. If 
you'll give Shandi your permission I am sure she's 
interested in looking around the house. 

Why she is doing that we can discuss the contract. I have 
one drawn up, and can leave it with you to look over with 
your lawyers." Mac said coolly.

Cameron nodded "By all means look all over." Shandi nodded, 
pausing briefly at the frame of the painting she had stolen 
the night before. She could not resist herself and said 
cheekily "Nice painting. So how much does one of those goes 
for these days?"

"That is the very reason I am getting a new security 
system. A very expensive painting was stolen from me, and 
that was put in its place. The man who stole it obviously 
has a warped sense of humour."

Shandi nodded before quipping; "It could have been a 
woman." She met Paul's thoughtful gaze when he said; "I 
said exactly the same thing."

Shandi smiled sweetly "I guess all great minds think alike 
then." Turning to Cameron she said "Show me this piece of 
crap you call a security system."

"Graham will show you." Cameron said calling the butler 
back into the room and instructing him to show Shandi where 
the security system was. He nodded, stiffly asking Shandi 
to follow him.

"Anywhere for you baby." Shandi said, slapping her hands 
against her thighs.

Paul and Cameron watched her sway out of the room. "Do all 
of your employees dress like that?" Paul asked with a raise 
of his eyebrow.

Mac smiled "No. Shandi is a one in a million. I admit she 
can be a wild card but she's good at what's she does. A 
real pro. Don't worry you're in good hands."

Cameron said, "I'll trust your judgment. Now did you 
mention a contract?"

Mac nodded, noticing Paul staring hard at her pendant 
necklace. "You like my necklace?" she asked and he nodded 

Mac played with the gold charm and smiled "It's a snake and 
dragon intertwined. Dragons represent good fortune and good 
luck, and I forget what Stephanie said the snake 
represented."

"Stephanie?" Paul asked and Mac smiled "One of my silent 
partners. She gives them to all her friends."

"It's certainly unique." Paul said slowly, before asking 
"If I was to buy one where would I find one?"

Mac shook her head "You won't. Stephanie designed the 
symbol and had them especially made up for herself and her 
friends."

"There's no chance that she would let anyone else wear 
them?" Paul questioned and Mac shifted, feeling slightly 
uncomfortable at Paul's questions.

"No. Stephanie has the copyright for the pattern, and only 
gets them made up when she becomes good friends with 
someone. It's her way of passing some of her own luck onto 
us I guess."

Paul nodded, his gaze slowly shifting from the pendant and 
he smiled at Mac "Well you must have a very nice friend to 
do something like that. It's a pretty pendant."

Mac smiled, feeling relieved that he wasn't going to ask 
any more questions about her pendant. She turned to 
Cameron, handing him the contract. "I will let you keep 
this to look over this with your lawyers."

Paul watched Mac cautiously, wondering who she was really. 
This hadn't been the first time he had seen that pendant. 
The woman impersonating Madelyne had been wearing exactly 
the same pendant. Now he knew that it was specially made 
for this Mac and her friends he didn't think it would be 
too hard to find his mystery lady.

Mac looked up and noticed Paul watching her strangely. She 
looked away when Shandi walked into the room. Paul followed 
her gaze, and she noticed his eyes falling to the pendant 
around Shandi's neck, his lips tightening.

"So how bad is the system?" she asked, hoping to get Paul's 
eyes off the pendant and his attention elsewhere.

"Child's play. A common thief could have easily broken into 
this place. I'm surprised the thief only took the painting. 
I guess he or she knew exactly what they were doing. You're 
going to need the whole place completely overhauled. I've 
made some notes, and Mac you should be able to work out a 
price once you've gone through them. But we're talking 
optical, laser…everything. I'm surprised you weren't 
burgled earlier."

Cameron glared at Shandi "I've never had a problem with the 
Security Company I've always used." Shandi interrupted him 
"No then why is a painting missing? You won't regret the 
changeover." Turning to Mac she yawned "Can we go now? I'm 
done."

Mac nodded and said softly to Cameron "Please give my 
offices a call when your lawyers have finished looking over 
the contract." Turning to Paul she said softly "It was nice 
to meet you Mr Stanley."

Paul nodded, watching Shandi nod her head towards them and 
walk out with Mac following. They were part of the puzzle 
towards his mystery lady. He was sure of it, and if he had 
been determined before to find out who she was he was even 
more determined now.