Chapter 4

The Oakland Business Network mixer was held in the ballroom of the Marriott downtown—a far cry from the exclusive country club gatherings I'd once attended, but respectable enough for my current purposes. I adjusted my navy blazer, a carefully chosen piece that projected competence without screaming desperation, and scanned the room of middle managers, small business owners, and corporate climbers.

Three years of night school had taught me more than financial analysis and strategic planning. I'd learned to read a room, to identify the players and the pretenders, to spot opportunity in the most unlikely places. Tonight, I was hunting.