Deciding to continue on, he arrived at a long hallway with floor to ceiling glass offices on either side.That’s ballsy for a private dick. I guess he’s not afraid of retribution via gunfire.
Finally, he located the office withJoseph Murphy LLC.inscribed on the door. Heading inside toward the receptionist, he took in the trappings of the small, but neat office. It offered comfortable contemporary furniture in the waiting area, tables, magazines, and a newspaper. Great, if he had to wait, at least he’d have something to read.
“I’m Jason Falco. I have an appointment with Mr. Murphy,” he told the receptionist.
She stopped filing her nails and lifted her bleached blonde head. “Joe will be right with you, Mr. Falco.” Then she scowled at him and went back to her manicure.
Hmmm… Not even a smile. Not very friendly, although she calls her boss ‘Joe.’
Jason found a seat on the white leather couch and reached for the paper. It was folded open to one of the inside pages. And there he discovered his picture! Actually, three pictures of him. One with Merry, kissing in the parking lot at the bachelor auction; one with his “date” on her doorstep the following night. And one with a fan who stopped him on the street for his autograph. To his horror, the headline read—Three-timing Falco!
Oh my God!No wonder Merry gave him the cold shoulder! He glanced up and saw the receptionist glaring at him.Oh, crap.
Anxiously, he scanned the article to see what kind of details they may have divulged.Please don’t have my address in there.
Under the picture of Merry, the story read, “Live-in girlfriend, Allison Flores, no longer lovey-dovey.”
He held up the newspaper to show the receptionist. “This whole article was completely fabricated.”
“Sure it was…” she said, with a sarcastic smirk.
“It was! First of all, I’m living alone, and I don’t know anyone named Allison Flores. This is my girlfriend, Merry. Then, I had to take out the second woman as an obligation because she paidfor me in a bachelor auction. And this third one—”
“Yeah, yeah. Save it for someone who cares. I’ll see if Joe’s ready to see you.” She buzzed her boss and announced Jason’s presence.
“You know what? Maybe I will talk to him about it. I want the hide of the reporter who wrote this.”
“He’ll find her, but he won’t skin her for you. You’ll have to do that yourself.”
Jason’s lips thinned into a hard line and his nostrils flared. “I just might.”
Merry’s best friend Roz sat across the kitchen table from her and handed her a tissue.
“Merry, open this door!” Jason pounded again. “I know you’re in there.”
Merry blew her nose and yelled. “Go away!”
Roz gave her that pathetic smile. The one that says, “I know what you’re going through, and thank God it’s not happening to me.”
“Please! I need to talk to you.” Jason yelled.
“Give him a chance, Merry. You said yourself he didn’t seem like the two-timing type. And what about the woman using a made-up name for you? Chances are the whole story was made up.”
Merry thought about it for another minute. It was very possible that a good explanation existed, so why didn’t she want to hear it?
Maybe he’d lie and just break her heart again later. Maybe she wanted to show him what would happen if he did cheat on her… if she let him live.
Roz grasped her hand and squeezed. “Merry, just open thedoor and talk to him. I’m right here if you need me.”
It was harder to say no to two people than one, so she heaved a sigh and shuffled to the door. For some reason, she decided to look through the peephole, even though she knew full well who stood on the opposite side.
Jason’s posture slumped and he stuck his hands in his pockets. He turned toward the elevator and started to leave.
She opened the door quickly and said, “Wait. I’ll talk to you.”
Jason spun and strode back to her. “Merry, the newspaper article is a lie.” He stood before her, but thankfully didn’t reach for her. She would have backed away. She wasn’t ready to forgive him—or the reporter. Not yet.
“Someone set me up, Merry.”
