‘Let’s do that,’ urged Jordan. ‘Tell each other things at the risk of repetition.’ He had to know everything.
‘I…’ started Alyce but abruptly stopped.
‘What?’ demanded Jordan.
‘Nothing,’ refused Alyce. ‘Newspapers – the media in general – are chasing me. That’s another reason – the main reason, I suppose – for my not going back to Raleigh. They’re watching the estate: virtually camped outside.’
‘But not here in Manhattan?’
‘This is a new address, since I got back from France. What about
…?’ Alyce trailed to a halt again.
‘What?’
‘My arm’s getting tired, holding the phone up for so long.’
He needed the continuing conduit, Jordan reminded himself again. ‘Your guy – and mine – insisted we shouldn’t meet unchaperoned.’
‘Which I think is bullshit.’
‘That’s what we’re employing them for – advice.’
‘I still think it’s bullshit. We’re adults, for Christ’s sake!’
‘Looking at a lot of potential problems we don’t want to make any worse.’
‘I shouldn’t have started this.’ The smile had gone from her voice.
‘Nothing’s started.’ He needed her, Jordan recognized. Needed her as a source of information and needed her support if she had to be a witness at the dismissal hearing. And he knew from accessing the Watchdog computer less than an hour ago that neither he nor Alyce remained under any surveillance.
‘Let’s forget it,’ she said, tightly.
‘What were you thinking of?’
‘I don’t know what I was thinking of. It’s not important.’
‘We’re each of us too dependent upon the other to fall out.’
‘Who’s falling out?’
‘It sounds to me like we could be. The first time I made the mistake and I apologized, twice.’
‘It just seems so… I don’t know… childish I guess, that we can’t talk to each other properly.’ Now the impatience had gone.
‘It would be better if you came here, somewhere public, and we had dinner very publicly in the restaurant, rather than me coming to your apartment.’
‘I wasn’t inviting you to my apartment.’
‘Then my suggestion works. I’ll make a reservation and be waiting for you in the lobby… say seven, seven thirty.’
There was a brief silence from the other end of the line before Alyce said, ‘I’ll be there at seven.’
There’d be a minimal insurance in telling Daniel Beckwith, Jordan supposed. But not tonight. Afterwards.
Alyce Appleton came into the hotel lobby precisely at seven with the self-assurance of someone who knew her rightful place in such moneyed surroundings; an impression that had come to Jordan in France but which he had forgotten until now. She saw him at once – which he’d intended, unlike the initial subterfuge at the Carlton – and continued on without pause, her face opening into a smile as she reached him. The blonde hair was loose and he saw at once that the diamond ring had been discarded, as well as the wedding ring. The shawl over one shoulder matched the blue of her skirt and made the perfect contrast against the paler sweater and Jordan was conscious of the looks that followed her, from women as well as men.
She said, ‘Hi. Quite like old times, meeting in hotels again!’
‘Not quite the same, though,’ qualified Jordan, surprised by the lightness.
‘Perhaps not,’ she agreed, falling into step as he led towards the bar. She chose mineral water to his martini. As they touched glasses she said, ‘You want to know a secret?’
‘As many as there are to know,’ Jordan said, meaning it.
‘I almost chickened out at the last minute, about coming tonight. I actually went back from the corridor into my apartment, to think.’
‘Why didn’t you?’
Alyce shrugged. ‘This is my call, isn’t it, us meeting like grown-ups? I thought about what we discussed on the phone, about Alfred and Leanne still being together.’
‘Are they?’ pounced Jordan, at once. ‘Have Bob’s enquiry people come up with something?’
She shrugged again. ‘I mean about what you said, about their both being represented by the same firm. Bob hasn’t told me anything of what his detectives have discovered. That’s what they are, aren’t they? Detectives?’
‘I guess,’ dismissed Jordan, disinterested in an immaterial definition; he knew from his earlier exploration of Reid’s computer that there had been no email contact from any enquiry agency. ‘But you changed your mind again and now you’re here.’
‘And I’m glad. What happened in France was wonderful and what’s happened since is total, awful shit and I like the idea of our being able to behave for a couple of hours as normal people – as friends, most definitely not lovers – and now we’ve got it out of the way I want to stop talking about it. There!’
‘Very positive,’ judged Jordan.
‘I used to be once, before I married Alfred. He took me over. Mr Svengali.’
‘I didn’t get the impression of you being beaten into submission in France.’
‘In France I’d escaped. I was free. It was a good feeling. One I hadn’t known for far too long. Not since…’
Jordan waited and when she didn’t continue said, ‘Not since when?’
Alyce shook her head. ‘France really was wonderful. Immediately before that, back here, I’d actually tried therapy, imagining it was my fault everything had gone wrong with the marriage. This is beginning to sound just like one of those therapy sessions, without the couch and with more noise. I don’t want to talk
about it any more, OK?’
No it’s not OK, thought Jordan, disappointed. He said, ‘OK. Why don’t we eat?’
He’d personally chosen a corner banquette table at which they could sit side by side but separated at its apex, looking out over the dining room. She deferred to him choosing the wine, as he had in France, and restricted herself to two glasses, again as she had in France. He accepted her suggestion of the Chesapeake soft shelled crabs and they shared a Chateaubriand. Jordan cut short Alyce’s renewed apology for him becoming involved in the divorce action and they agreed that neither was looking forward to the following week’s court hearings.
‘Who’s ever heard of an affair being described as a criminal conversation, for Christ’s sake!’ exclaimed Alyce. ‘It must date from the time we burned witches.’
‘Everyone in North Carolina has heard of it, apparently,’ replied Jordan, ignoring the rhetoric. ‘And I agree it’s unbelievable that laws like it still exist in the United States of America… exist anywhere that imagines itself to be halfway civilized. Our problem is that there’s nothing we can do about it except go with the system, as half-assed as it is.’
‘Does Dan really think he can get you dismissed from the case?’
‘I guess he wouldn’t be trying if he thought it would be a total waste of time.’
‘When are you going down to Raleigh?’
‘Somewhen over the weekend, I suppose. I’ve agreed to Dan making the arrangements. You?’
‘The same, I guess. You know where you’re staying?’
Jordan shook his head. ‘Dan says there isn’t a wide choice.’
‘There isn’t. I’m glad I changed my mind tonight and came after all. It reminds me a lot of France.’
‘But for the differences we’ve already agreed.’
‘But for the differences we’ve already agreed,’ she echoed, smiling. ‘That reminds me of France, too. Saying the same things to each other.’
‘No doubt whatsoever?’ queried Jordan, although he accepted there couldn’t be from what Daniel Beckwith had just told him.
‘Read it for yourself,’ suggested Beckwith, pushing the venerealogist’s report across the desk.
