Then, speaking of the devil, Erica walked into the office.
“Oh good, you’re here,” she said walking up to Sinclair. “I was wondering if I could get a statement from you on the fact that Simon Stark is backing your rival for the mayor’s position.”
Sinclair’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve got a comment—”
I shot up from my chair. “The deputy mayor will send her comments to you in writing, Ms. Edmonds.” Sinclair and I might be on the outs at the moment, but I wasn’t going to let this man-stealing viper hurt my friend. And Sinclair, with her own temper snapping about was likely to say something that could hurt her campaign.
Sinclair’s mouth snapped shut. I hoped that meant she understood I was trying to protect her.
“But I’m here right now,” Erica said.
“Mr. Jones is on the phone for you,” I said to Sinclair. Of course, Wyatt wasn’t on the phone, but thankfully, Sinclair took my meaning.
“Yes, I’ll take it in my office.” She turned to leave without a word to Erica.
Erica started to call after her, but I interrupted. “Listen, I get that gossip sells especially if it hurts people—”
She recoiled. “I resent that.”
“Then you understand that the deputy mayor doesn’t need you in her face demanding a statement before she’s prepared to make one.”
She studied me for a minute. “Or maybe she’s more upset at her brother supporting the competition.”
Oh lord, here we go, I thought. “You’re the one who seems to want to cover Ryder.” I said the word “cover” in a way that suggested she wanted to get naked with him.
Her eyes narrowed, clearly not liking what I was saying. “Ryder is a handsome, single man. But I am a professional.”
I wanted to tell her that Ryder was mine, but of course, I couldn’t. “You accosted me in a bathroom wanting to know his eligibility status. How is that professional?”
She pursed her lips. “One, I wasn’t working then. And two, if I was, I’d have printed something about your fake marriage deal. What is it about the Simms family that they all get fake married?”
“So, you are a gossip columnist and not a real journalist after all?”
Her eyes flashed with heat. “Like I said, I didn’t print that because I wasn’t working.”
“And your giving Ryder your personal phone number when you were questioning him about Stark? That was professional?”
She studied me and then laughed. “Okay. I get it. He’s taken—”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You don’t have to. Do I think Ryder is handsome? Yes. Would I enjoy seeing him? Yes. But I see what’s going on. I’m not a woman to poach another woman’s man. He’s off limits. I get it.”
“It’s not like that—”
“Look. My main interest is in writing a story about Simon Stark. He and the deputy mayor have a history and I’d be remiss if I didn’t include this latest situation in which he’s backing her rival. That’s why I’m here. When the deputy mayor has a statement, have her call me.” Erica handed me her card.
I took it and nodded. When Erica left, I made my way to Sinclair’s office.
“I love you too,” she said and hung up the phone, waving me in.
“Was that Ryder?” I asked, thinking she’d called him to find out what he’d been thinking to play at Stark’s event.
“No. I took your advice and called Wyatt. I’m not ready to talk to Ryder.”
“I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation.”
She pursed her lips at me and I expected her to again point out my hypocrisy since I tended to judge people quickly and harshly.
“I’ll be curious to hear what it is that makes it okay for him to not only play for my nemesis but betray me by supporting my rival.” She shook her head. “I wish he’d grow up sometimes.”
I shrugged, because I often thought the same. “I guess that’s part of his charm.”
“Yeah, well, thanks for not letting me say something stupid to the reporter. That’s just what I need at this time.”
“It’s part of my job.” I nearly added, “that I still have,” but decided not to harp on the fact that so much of my work had been re-delegated.
“Do you think Stark is after me specifically or am I just another person in his way?” she asked.
“Maybe a little of both. He doesn’t strike me as a man who takes losing well. But he also seems pragmatic. He’ll focus on the big picture, and if the road to his goals can include getting back at you, he will,” I said.
“What do you think the big picture is? I mean, he’s already rich. Why is he here in Salvation when he could be in New York or someplace where he could more easily fit in and get richer?”
“I don’t know. Maybe when Erica’s article comes out, she’ll tell us the answer.”
“Do you think she realized it was Ryder?” Sinclair asked, looking at the picture of Ryder in the paper again.
I nodded. “Yes. She mentioned it.”
“Oh hell.”
“She has a thing for him though, so maybe she won’t bring it up.”
Sinclair’s head jerked back a bit. “A thing?”
“Yes.” I tried to act nonchalant.
“Is Ryder receptive?”
I remembered how he denied being interested in her when I found the business card. “He says he isn’t.”
Sinclair arched a brow. “So, you’ve had this discussion?”
“It wasn’t a discussion as much as it was me accusing him of moving on to her before he’d finished with me.” Crap, maybe I shouldn’t have said that.
She sighed. “Ryder is a lot of things, but a cheater and liar isn’t one of them.” She looked at the newspaper again and I got the feeling that she was thinking he had to have a good reason for being at Stark’s event.
She looked up
