A large hand settled on her shoulder, then Newman appeared at her side.
“Introduce me to your friend.”
“She’s not a friend.”
“Actually, I got that, but I was being polite.”
Hope looked up at Newman. He wasn’t smiling, but sending death rays at Casey, who was looking him over like he was stripped naked and posing for a centerfold. Hope didn’t like that look.
“Don’t be. This is Casey Rae Linear, my old boss.”
“The one who fired you?”
Hoped nodded. Newman had seen what was left of Hope in that bar. Seen the mess she’d allowed herself to become after Casey and Jay were done with her.
“Well now. The gentleman in me wants to shake your hand, Miss Linear, but seeing as Hope’s important to me, I’ll leave that pleasantry.”
“Oh, well, Hope deserved it,” Casey got out. “She fooled us all, so I’m sure she may be fooling—”
“I’d keep that thought in your head, if I were you, Miss Linear. Hope’s special to me and this town. I’ve known her since she was a child, and added to that is the fact that I’ve never had a reason to not trust her. You, however, I do.”
“You don’t know me, why would you mistrust me?” Casey spoke in a soft, sultry voice now. She flung back her curls and stuck out her chest. Hope had seen this particular movement plenty of times when there was a man around and Casey wanted to get him on her side.
“I’ve had business dealings with your father, Miss Linear.”
Hope swallowed her smile at Newman’s words. She didn’t need him to stand up for her, but had to admit it felt good.
“How dare you accuse my father of anything!”
“I don’t believe I said a word against him,” Newman drawled.
His hand had moved to Hope’s neck, fingers wrapping around the back. It was a gesture that was more than simple familiarity, and she should nudge him away, but the look in Casey’s eyes stopped her. The woman was shocked that someone seemed to want to be near Hope, and not her. Especially a handsome someone.
“Y-you inferred my father’s reputation was less than stellar!”
Casey had always had a flair for the theatrical.
“But I would never make such a rash accusation without first having all the facts, Miss Linear.”
Clever devil, Hope thought. She’d never been very good at thinking on her feet, but he’d managed to convey in a few words that Casey had fired Hope without first knowing all the facts.
The fingers on her neck moved, stroking her skin. Hope refused to react; instead she kept her eyes on Casey. The woman was uncomfortable, and the suspicion that Hope had always had about her and Jay reared its head.
“Perhaps if you hadn’t been sleeping with him, you may not have believed him so readily.”
The shock was not outrage at Hope’s insinuation, it was that she’d guessed accurately.
“Tut tut, Miss Linear. Perhaps the apple did not fall far from the tree.”
Color filled Casey’s cheeks as she struggled to regain some ground.
“How dare you insult my father! Hope was seen drinking, and using drugs, and she stole someone’s work. Her dismissal was justified.”
“But who saw her, and whose work did she steal, Miss Linear? It is Jay Herald’s word against Hope’s. She wished not to pursue legal action against you. But I think in light of what we’ve now learned, she should.”
“Legal action.” Casey looked like she’d sucked on a lemon. “She has no case, as I have proof of what she is capable of.”
“Proof supplied by Jay, Casey,” Hope said. “False proof because he drugged my drink and set me up. But seeing as he was sleeping with you and me, it seems your opinion of him is clouded.
