“Your word isn’t worth a thing.I know better than to trust it.”
“Stay away from Cutter, or I’ll destroy Patricia.”
“Destroy Patricia, and I’ll marry Cutter so quick you won’t know what hit you.Then we’ll both fight you.”
“Fat chance you’ll have of winning.”
“Try us.”
“There won’t be any need for that as long as we have an agreement.”
“Get out.”
He opened the door, then turned back to her and winked.“See you at work, hon.”When she slammed the door in his face, he grinned.
Chapter 22
New York, late June 1990
John wasn’t grinning when Hillary opened the door.Still she felt the same rise of excitement she always felt, a conditioned reflex deep inside, whenever she laid eyes on him.Three months had passed since his engagement announcement.She should still be angry.She was still angry.But the excitement was there, even when he strode in without a word of greeting and turned to glare at her.
“What in the hell are you up to?”He was wearing a dark summer suit and would have looked perfectly civilized had it not been for his eyes, which were dark and feral.
“Me?”Her heart was beating fast.That, too, always happened when he was close.
“You’ve been in Timiny Cove.”
She struggled to think straight.He wanted an explanation.“I come from Timiny Cove.My dad still lives there.I go up to visit him sometimes.You know that.”
“You’ve been visiting other people.You’ve been asking questions about me.What’s up, Hillary?”
She didn’t have to ask who had told on her.Half of the townsfolk were beneficiaries of John’s charity.Over the years he had helped this one with housing, that one with medical bills, the other one with education expenses.The repayment came in the form of loyalty—in this case, intelligence.
Given that he’d probably been in touch with more than one source, she saw no point in denying what he’d heard.“I’ve been thinking of doing a piece on you.My questions were by way of preliminary research.”
“Make them final.Dump the project.”
She felt a spark of annoyance.“Just like that?”
“Just like that.”
“Any special reason?”
“I don’t want you writing about me.”
“Why not?You’re important.There have been articles written in the past.There’ll be more in the future.Why shouldn’t mine be one of them?”
“Because I say no.”
She stared at him.Not even the pleasure of seeing him again blunted her frustration.She couldn’t believe that he had the gall to barge in and demand that she act simply on his wishes, particularly after the last few months.
“Don’t do it, Hillary.You know things no one else knows.I won’t be betrayed that way.”
“Youwon’t be betrayed?”she burst out.“What aboutme?After I’ve been here for you all these years, you turn around and make plans to marry someone else!”
“I never promised you a thing.I thought you understood that.”
“Oh, I understood it.But I’m not made of steel.What you’re doing hurts.”
