“I think if something were to happen to her, everyone in the world would blame me. But honestly, she’d probably rise from the grave and haunt me as well. She has no scruples. None whatsoever. If you ever get some good ideas, shoot them my way, please. Until then, we just have to do it straight up because if we make a wrong move, she’ll pounce on me.”
“Just so surprising she would turn on you that way.”
“Bob, I did nothing except ask her to leave. Maybe she thought I’d one day come crawling back to her. Ain’t ever gonna happen, Bob.”
“Yeah, and all of us have to keep our distance too.”
I thought about Shannon. Maybe I’d have to adjust my standards if she tried to go after her. But hopefully, not.
“So, call me tomorrow after you get this banking thing set. Let me know who can give me those records, or I’ll have to ask for an extension.”
“Get the extension. I’ve got to go to D.C. Tuesday, then I’m off to the Indian Ocean for a few days, including travel time.”
“The sultan?”
“Yup.”
“You should ask his advice. How many wives does he have?”
“I think he’s going on thirteen. And yes, I’ve admired how he can seem to keep his household in shape.”
“Well, unlike Rebecca, they don’t have much of an alternative.”
“I think you’re right, Bob. Rebecca has lots of options now that she’s gotten the settlement. I’m going to try to get it all back, and then some. But I’m going to do it legally.”
“Music to my ears, Marco. You did it once, you can do it again. I’m keeping my ear to the pavement for wind of anything and I’ll let you know. You just go out there trying to patch everything up and I’ll fight your battles in court.”
I was glad I’d never taken anything out on him personally and still felt bad for how I’d treated Frank. I deserved that one big time. And I really missed having him at my side.
My cell rang. Harry’s familiar voice tried to charm me. He wanted to put the sultan on the line.
I was okay with that.
I was going to ask his advice. I embraced the inevitable that my future was somehow linked with his purely because he was probably the only person on the planet Rebecca couldn’t get to.
Maybe that was his secret.
Chapter 14
Shannon
I found Jared as soon as I walked into the station.
“I have a problem with the Rebecca Gambini interview.”
He was crisply dressed in a white shirt, tie askew. His sleeves were rolled up. He’d been writing something, and, as usual, he’d been dunking wads of discarded drafts, mostly hitting the garbage can in the corner.
He sat forward, elbows on the desk, checking his cell phone.
“The interview that’s supposed to start in twenty minutes? That what you’re talking about?” He eyed me closely, squinting, as if he suspected some change had come over me. Or, maybe I was just feeling like I had a big sign on my back, “I slept with Marco Gambini.”
“She’s already here, Shannon. She brought you a coffee. She told me she’d promised it to you.”
“Oh God.” I mashed my face with my palm.
“That bad? She have a disease of some kind, Shannon?” He wasn’t getting any of what I was feeling.
Of course he wasn’t!
I looked down on him. “I slept with her husband, Jared.”
He scratched his chin and fingered his lips, checking down the hallway to make sure no one was listening.
“Tell me why you thought that was a good idea?”
“I didn’t think. I’m not sorry, but I didn’t think.”
“Let me see if I have this straight. You’re the young lady who wants a career in broadcasting, is that right?”
I nodded.
“You ask for special favors, which I give you. Did you do this after or before I helped you get the interview all set up?”
“Both.”
He cocked his head to the side as if he was going to knock water out of his ears. “I don’t believe I’m hearing this. I once worked for an editor of a small-town newspaper who told me never to hire women. Work only with men. I’m beginning to understand why he told me that.”
“Jared, I can’t interview her. It would be unethical of me.”
Jared stood up, walked behind me and closed his door. He stood no more than a foot away. “No, Shannon, that would be what you already did!” He calmed himself and whispered, “I don’t give a flying fuck how you manage to justify this little viper’s nest of sex, lies and video tape, but I won’t be a part of it. And I’ll not save your bacon, either. You’re on your own. Get your little buns down to makeup so she can remove that disgusting peachy glow off your face, and paint your lips red. Bright red. You Jezebel!”
Him raising his voice knocked some sense into me. He was right. It was all my problem. Why had I even told him? With my back still turned to him, I mumbled an apology and opened his door. As I was leaving, I heard his stinging rebuke, controlled and softly spoken.
“You should have had the drink with me. That was the choice you should have made.”
I carefully closed the door behind me and heard the crash of something hitting the wall in his tiny office.
Sandy, our makeup gal, took a look at my hair, still wet from the very steamy and soap lathering love licking, and kissing tickle fest in the shower and rolled her eyes. Her Cuban accent was always stronger when she was annoyed.
“Why didn’t you just come in soaking? You got parts here that stick straight up, and parts here that are limp. I
