by Loyd, Sandy
“Weren’t you worried about being caught?”
“Not really. I was very careful, and judging from what I knew about Carl, I figured it was worth the risk.” She laughed again. “I had him. I made it well known that I was Crystal Grayson, not Claire Carter. Stupid bastard didn’t even have the brains to check with the desk to see what name or credit card I used when I checked in. He just assumed I’d follow his lead. By the end of the evening, I had plenty of evidence to make sure Carl got what was coming to him. Of course, my plans for revenge shattered when the news didn’t go over so well with Claire. She called me a few days later, saying they were going to work things out.”
His gaze remained on Crystal as he worked to keep all emotion off his face. It all sounded too incredible to absorb. He had no reason to doubt Crystal’s word. No one could make up such a story.
“Carl Carter doesn’t seem to be a model citizen now, does he?” he said after digesting the information.
“That’s a mild way of saying he’s a complete asshole.” Crystal’s lips curled into a sneer. “He’s a user. Always has been and always will be.”
“If that’s how you feel about him, why’d you visit him the other day?”
“To gloat,” she admitted, smiling slyly and almost gloating now. “To look him in the eye and tell him why he was going to lose it all. He’d wiggled his way out of my trap once. I’d waited too long not to relish seeing the look of horror on his face when he realized he wouldn’t be able to do it twice.”
“Revenge is a strong motivator,” Jason murmured, observing Crystal’s satisfied expression. He almost wished he could see Carl’s face, except he knew if he got within ten feet of him, he’d smash his face into a wall.
“He sucked Claire in, using her vulnerability and lack of experience to hold her, making her doubt herself. I’m only glad she’s finally wised up and has stopped making excuses for him.”
“I know about making excuses, Crystal. I made a few of my own for Elise, as you’re well aware.”
“Yes, but you had kids to worry about.”
“An easy excuse to exploit for accepting less than perfect. The kids suffered just as much. Both are happier now that the home front isn’t a battleground.”
For too many years he’d used the girls as a means to hold on to his dream of having it all. What a waste of time, especially when he’d picked the wrong person to share his dream in the first place.
“Now can you understand why I didn’t tell you or Claire the entire truth?”
“Yeah. I do. It seems the actions of people like Elise and Carl inflict a lot of damage on innocent bystanders who get caught up in the fallout.” But like Claire, he allowed it to happen and had his own regrets, as well as his own stupidity to overcome.
“Carl Carter doesn’t deserve to live the charmed life he’s lived,” Crystal declared as she slammed a fist on the counter, making the spoon dance. Hatred glinted in her eyes. “He’ll probably land on his feet, even after Claire’s through with him. But someday he’ll get his. You just wait and see.”
Jason focused on his mug before he drank, absorbing the hot liquid as warmth slid down his throat. The thought of Carl and Elise getting what they deserved consumed his thoughts. Such an appealing idea, but he wasn’t holding his breath. Life didn’t make sense at times, seeming unfair to those who deserved it, whether good or bad.
He’d seen examples all too often in his job. Clients got off on technicalities or errors, basically getting away with their crimes because the system wasn’t foolproof and he did his job too well. He thought of those clients as having get-out-of-jail-free cards. At times he found them difficult to stomach.
Then there was the other side of the coin. Others he knew were innocent felt the full fury of the law because of that same system. A DA out to make a name for himself or witnesses who lied could sometimes sway a jury to go against true justice.
His mom had a saying she’d always offer whenever he’d lament about the injustices of the world. What goes around, comes around.
Jason could hear her voice in his head right now telling him not to worry about others. That he should worry more about what he did and what he had to offer the world.
Such simple words, only not so simple to follow.
Chapter 18
Claire breezed off the elevator with a light step on Monday morning. Over the weekend, she’d begun a new chapter in her life, one that didn’t include her husband. Although it was scary to view her future alone, a weekend of solitude without worrying about him had done wonders.
“Morning, Amy,” she said, smiling warmly after spying her assistant at her desk. She grabbed a cup of coffee and strode toward her office.
“Wow! Is that a new outfit?” Amy jumped up to follow.
“As a matter of fact, it is.” She pivoted, feeling the soft fabric swirl with her. “Like it?”
“Great color.” Amy placed a stack of messages on her desk.
“I did some shopping this weekend. Haven’t been in ages. Realized it was time to make some changes.”
That had been part of her transformation, one that included tossing out her husband. At the same time, she tossed out the old Claire, complete with her staid clothes and predictable ways.
“What’d you do? Have a makeover too?”
Nodding, Claire sat and took a sip of the hot brew. She heaved a satisfied sigh and leaned back in her chair.
“I feel as if a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders. This is the new me.” She peered at her assistant, finally noticing the stylishly cut dark brown hair. “Looks like someone else got a makeover.”
“Got tired of dealing with a sauna on my head every time I went out in the heat.” She shrugged. “It feels so free having it off my shoulders.”
“I like the color. It looks good on you.”
“You really like it?” Amy beamed and patted her head when Claire nodded. “It’s my natural color. I told Charlie to do something that would be easy to keep up. I got tired auburn.”
“I’ve been thinking of doing something drastic with mine.” It would complete her transformation from married to single.
“Something drastic about what,” Gwen asked, peeking around the door.
“Come on in.” Claire grinned and nodded to her assistant. “I’ve been thinking of a new do to change my image. Like Amy’s. Her cut really adds to her appearance. What do you think? Should I whack it off?”
“It’d definitely be a new look.” Amy laughed.
“I just might join you.” Gwen stepped inside and plopped into the chair next to Amy. “I’m due for a new look. We could go together.”
“That would be great,” Amy said. “Then you can tell yourself the same thing I did as I sat in the chair. It always grows back.” Her smile died and she cleared her throat. “Have you heard any more about Carl?”
“Yeah, what’d he do after you confronted him?” Gwen asked, her gaze narrowing.
Claire had filled both women in on her plans for divorce. “I haven’t actually spoken to him since our talk. I changed the locks on the house last Thursday, and left some of his things on the front stoop. When I arrived home after work, they were gone. I packed the rest of his stuff this weekend and called the hotel yesterday, left a message asking him where he wants me to ship it. Crystal says everything can be handled through attorneys. I never have to set eyes on him again.”
“What about the business?” Amy asked. “I don’t mean to be nosy. I’m just curious.”
“Don’t worry. The company will remain intact.” Claire smiled. Seemed too many around the office knew of her plight, but none knew of her trump card. “Carl won’t be coming back to the office, not that anyone will notice.” She’d made that perfectly clear during their little chat when she’d confronted him. “As far as I’m concerned, nothing will change. Your jobs are secure.”
“I wasn’t worried. I have the utmost faith in my boss.” Amy sighed and a soft smile settled on her face. “Well, I
should get back to work.” She jumped up and closed the door on her way out of the office.
“So a divorce won’t affect the business?” Gwen stood, leaned against the desk, and picked up a paperweight, tossing it from one hand to the other.
“No, thanks to Crystal’s cunning and a small morality clause she added to our agreement at the last minute. In the fine print. I didn’t even know it existed until Crystal came to me a few months ago and pointed it out.”
Claire took another sip before setting her cup on the desk. She reached for the stack of messages and flipped through them. “Seems my sister was quite thorough back then. She obviously saw Carl for what he was a lot sooner than I did. Can’t say I’m not relieved.”
“That’s great news.”
“Yes. I’m having lunch with her today to plan the strategy for getting Carl out of my life forever. Only a matter of formalities, from what she says. Filing the necessary paperwork and such stuff. She told me over the phone, but my eyes glazed over at all the legalese.”
“There’s no chance you two will ever get back together?”
“I’d say that’s a definite no in capital letters.” Claire grimaced. “Carl may think he can sway me with soft words and kisses, but I’ve got news for the bastard. I’ll never believe another word he says. My only regret is that I didn’t figure this out two years ago. I’d have saved myself a lot of grief. I can’t wait for the divorce to be final and I can be rid of him once and for all.”
“Well, I guess I’d better get back to work.” Gwen set the paperweight down. “I found a couple of typos in the last section of the catalog. I want to run through it again, just to make sure before it goes for final print.”
“Thanks.” Claire’s gaze fastened on Gwen’s exit, but her mind focused on her upcoming lunch with her sister.
So much had happened in the past ten days. One thing that kept playing over and over in her mind was the idea that for too long, she and Crystal had been estranged. A little twinge of regret nestled in the pit of her stomach told her she shared in part of the blame.
• • •
Claire wound her way through a restaurant filled with customers toward the table Crystal occupied. “Sorry I’m late. Had to take care of a few details before I could break away.”
“Nothing serious, I hope.”
“No. Merely dealing with deadlines. Things are always crazy right before a new catalog is released.”
Crystal nodded to what looked to be bourbon on the rocks. “I didn’t order your drink because I wasn’t sure what to order.”
Just then, a waitress appeared. “What can I get you to drink?”
“Water’s fine.” Delaying the inevitable, Claire picked up the glass of water in front of her, took a long swallow, and watched the waitress proceed to another table. She hadn’t seen Crystal in months, and this was harder than she imagined. How did one pretend her sister’s prior actions didn’t bother her?
“That’s a great look for you. It’s about time you showed off your assets.”
The genuine warmth in Crystal’s voice caught Claire off guard. In the middle of perusing her menu, she lowered it enough to make eye contact and smiled.
“You like it?” She refrained from patting her head.
“Yes, I do. Very chic.”
“I’m still getting used to it. You were always the chic one.”
“You just needed to bust out of that conservative shell and flaunt your sexuality a bit.”
“Is that what you do?” The minute the words were out, Claire wished she could take them back.
Crystal’s smile died and she sipped a long drink of bourbon, fiddling with the glass once it was back on the table. After a moment of silence, she cleared her throat and saved Claire from making more rash blunders by moving directly to the point.
“I’ve started proceedings. Carl should be notified within days. Once that happens, we can set up a preliminary hearing and go before the judge.”
“You’re sure this won’t affect the company?” Claire asked. “I’m perfectly willing to give him more if it means not hurting the company.”
“Don’t worry. Carl hasn’t got a prayer. Are you sure you want to buy him out? I mean, with the evidence of all he’s done to date, we stand a good chance of cutting him out entirely, thanks to that clause.”
“I won’t lower myself to his level. Pay him what he feels he has coming. He didn’t earn it, but he was my partner, after all.”
“I wouldn’t let him get away with it. I’d have his balls for breakfast.”
“Won’t change anything,” Claire replied, ignoring the bit of censure in her twin’s voice.
Crystal shrugged. “No. But it’d be a little revenge.”
“I’ll just have to make sure I pick better partners in the future.”
Claire’s focus returned to her menu. Mulling over what to order, she remained silent. Finally, she closed the plastic folder and looked expectantly at her sister, who appeared to be engrossed. When Crystal glanced up and noticed Claire’s attention, she sighed and pursed her lips before setting her menu on the table.
“We need to talk, Claire,” she said hesitantly. “Clear the air.”
Claire put up a hand. “Not now.” Her voice sounded caustic, but she couldn’t help it. “Maybe later. Once the divorce is behind me, we can talk. But not now. This whole thing is still too new, and I’d like to stay on track.” Then she added in a softer tone, “I can only take this one day at a time. Believe it or not, I really want to work out our problems.”
“I understand.” Crystal swallowed more bourbon and placed the glass on the table, fingering the rim before speaking again. “I never meant to hurt you.”
Tears threatened. The sincerity in Crystal’s eyes as well as the genuine concern in her words affected Claire. She didn’t trust herself to speak, so she just nodded.
“Have you two decided?”
The waitress’s interruption saved Claire from having to say more. The brief distraction allowed her enough time to compose herself.
Once the waitress had plopped two salads in front of them, Claire asked nonchalantly as she picked up her fork, “Working on any interesting cases?”
“One big one, besides Jason’s,” Crystal answered. “A high-profile divorce. Can’t talk about it because we’re in the middle of negotiations.” She sighed, took another forkful of food, and chewed thoroughly before swallowing. “It’s amazing what people who promise to love, honor, and cherish till death will stoop to for money once they forget they made those vows.”
“We’re fools when we fall in love.” Claire’s smile turned rueful. “I’m a perfect example.”
“Maybe. But you’re also honoring him in a way he doesn’t deserve.”
Her laughter burst free. “That’s not for him. That’s for me. I want to be able to look back twenty years from now and be proud of the way I walked away. I may hate Carl, but I won’t let him change me.”
Crystal frowned. “You’re a better person than I could ever be. You always have been, even when we were younger.”
“Why do you say that?”
All humor died as thoughts of their childhood flitted through Claire’s brain. At one time, the two had been very similar in personalities. When had they taken such separate roads?
“I’ve always had the impression you were a bit contemptuous about my nice ways.”
“Jealousy?” Crystal shrugged. “Who knows?” Then she smiled and added in a cynical voice, “God, listen to me. I’m turning soft. I’ve got to get laid.”
Claire laughed again. Leave it to Crystal to say something so outrageous. Oh, how she had missed her sister over these last three years.
She took another sip of water before changing the subject. Maybe time did heal wounds of the past, after all.
Chapter 19
Jason charged into the racquet club Monday afternoon and headed for the locker room. Spying Jimbo already seated at a bench tying his shoes, he hurried up to him
.
“I have to pick up the girls from school by six, so I only have time to play a few games,” he said, opening a locker while unbuttoning his shirt. “We’re going to their favorite restaurant for dinner.”
“How can you eat that shit?”
“It’s not bad.”
“Sure it is. You’ve read about the guy who ate fast food every day for a month? Gained thirty pounds.”
“Yeah. But that was three meals a day, and he had to super-size the meal if the clerk suggested it.” Jason grinned. Jimbo always gave him grief about the girls’ choice. “A meal at Mickey D’s every two to four weeks isn’t gonna kill me, and I play enough tennis with you to stay fit,” he added.
He left out his thoughts about how Jimbo couldn’t understand because he didn’t have kids. Only someone with children could understand the draw of fast food toys with kids’ meals. Amelia was starting to outgrow it, but not enough to say no. Chloe was a romantic and still loved collecting anything to do with her favorite movies.
“It’s your body.”
“Your turn’s coming,” he said softly.
“What?”
“Nothing. Forget it.” He tucked in his shirt, slammed the locker shut, and grabbed his tennis racquet. “Let’s go.”
Jimbo trailed behind him, saying in his Texas drawl, “Nothing, my ass. Tell me.”
“You judge life as a single person. Priorities change when you have kids.”
“Good thing I plan on staying single.”
“That’s only talk. You were throwing out the L-word not so long ago.”
Jimbo snorted. “Won’t be making that mistake again.”
Even though he spoke in a jovial manner, Jason knew it was all an act. He’d spent too many nights listening to his friend rant and rave about Crystal’s actions three months ago, about the information he’d uncovered, and about how Crystal had tried to deny it all, saying she had an explanation. Maybe it was time to hear an explanation.
“She wasn’t having an affair with Carter,” Jason said as he opened the door to the courts.
“You on drugs?” Jimbo’s expression turned skeptical. “She was at the hotel last week visiting the bastard. Before that I saw pictures. Saw a report with details.” He pushed past him and started for the far court that was empty.
