great deal of time on the phone. It’s highly unlikely that he could have so many meetings with a person without ever talking with them on the phone. There are over fifteen hundred calls to sort through. This is real tedious work. We don’t want to overlook anything.”
“Well let me know when you have something concrete. I realize that it was a long time ago, but my father was well known. Somebody has to know something.”
“It might help if I knew why you want to locate this woman.”
Adam put his beer down and glared at Chuck.“You know all that you have to know,” He snapped. “This is a very personal matter. I thought I made that clear when we started this search. If I thought you needed something more, I’d provide it. You have plenty enough to work with already.”
“I’m sorry, Mister Hampton. I didn’t mean to pry. It’s just that the more information we have the less money this search will cost you.”
Adam calmed down, “Chuck, don’t think I don’t appreciate that. I’m sure you are not the only one who wonders what is behind this investigation, but don’t forget that I use your company because I know I can depend on your discretion. I expect you to be pro-active in squelching any speculation by the people you hired to go through those records. If you ever need more, I’ll provide it. For now, work with what you have. Understood?”
“Perfectly, Mister Hampton. I ’m taking every precaution. That’s why I have people working at only one level. Once the sorting and matching is done, the students involved will be released. The correlating is being done by my junior people and only my most trusted operatives will be assigned to work on the individual investigations.”
“Okay, then. Call me day or night when you have something concrete.” Adam swallowed the last of his beer and left the tavern.
Chapter 22
“I don’t know why we keep meeting like this. I can’t see any future in it for either of us. Two married people meeting on the sly is so cliche.”
“Come on now, we’re like Adam and Eve after the apple episode. What could be more natural? It’s biblical, right?” He propped himself up on his elbows and gazed into her eyes. “Have I ever told you that you have such beautiful green eyes?”
“Don’t change the subject. I know the sex is great, but I hate sneaking around on Peter, even though I know he’s banging that waitress at the club. I still feel very uncomfortable doing it my own house and in our own bed.”
“Hell, if it wasn’t for me there wouldn’t be any action on this mattress. How long did you say it was since you two got it on? Four months, I think you said.
“That’s beside the point. There’s also your wife to consider. I know Peter wouldn’t care, but your wife is a different story. What if she finds out about us, Adam?”
Evelyn got up and slipped on a robe. She had just turned thirty-five. Her measurements were the same as when she was twenty-one, her weight a constant one hundred and twenty five pounds. Peter was her second husband; a rebound mistake if there ever was one. It didn’t take her too long to discover that he wasn’t the faithful kind, so when the opportunity to sleep with Adam Hampton II, the richest man in town, came around, she jumped at it. He was attentive, good looking, a damn good lover and there were no strings attached. Then there was the fascination of the “Adam and Eve” thing.
“How’s she going to find out? She’s so busy spending my money, she has no time to think about what I‘m up to. She thinks I’m busy at the office. Anyway, she seems to have lost her interest in sex. It’s been at least five months since I boinked her.”
“Don’t be so crude, Adam.”
He reached out and tried to grab her robe, but she gathered it tight and evaded his reach. “I’ll show you what crude is. Come on, you know you want it. Spread ‘em”
She gave in and she wasn’t disappointed with the results. She never was. Adam Hampton II had many faults, but his lovemaking was the best she had ever had.
“How could you let this happen? I thought you were on the pill.”
“I started the day after our first time. I guess it happened then.”
“You should have told me,” he shouted, “I would have used something if I had known.”
“Don’t yell. When I met you, I didn’t know we were going to land up in bed. We were all over each other before I knew what happened.”
“Get rid of it.”
“You know I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know for sure. It just doesn’t seem right to me.”
“How long have you known that you were knocked up?”
“About two weeks.”
“Why didn’t you tell me then?”
“Because I was afraid you’d act like this.”
Adam glowered at her. “Let me tell you something, Evelyn. I want nothing to do with this mistake of yours. That was never a part of our arrangement. I don’t care what you do, just leave me out of it. When I leave here today, it’s over. I don’t ever want to see you again. As far as I’m concerned the last six weeks never happened. If you try to involve me in any way, I’ll destroy you and your reputation. Do you understand?”
“How can you be so cold. This is your own flesh and blood we’re talking about.”
He ignored her question. “I’ll have my lawyer contact you about your expenses. If you insist on having that baby, you will have to take full responsibility. My conscience is clear about this. Goodbye, Evelyn.”
Adam walked out of her house and out of her life.
Eight months later, on October 6, 1974, Evelyn had a baby boy. She named him Kane. A nurse came to her while she was in a semi-sleep state and asked if the baby’s father was Peter Masterson. She said yes without giving it any thought. Peter had fled the scene months earlier with his waitress friend. That was the last time she heard from him.
Chapter 23
Adam returned to Hampton Industries at one o’clock. He immediately called Marcia into his office, but before he could confront her, she handed him her resignation. He read it quickly, folded it in half and tossed it on his desk.
“I won’t accept this,” he said calmly. “You have too much work yet to do on this merger to be so cavalier about your responsibilities to Hampton Industries.”
“You don’t have any choice. I delivered a signed copy to Personnel before I came here. I am not going to quibble with you, Adam. My decision is final.”
“What’s wrong with you, Marcia? Why such bitterness all of a sudden? I thought we had a much better relationship than that. Doesn’t our personal time together mean anything to you?”
“You know what’s wrong. Did you think you could have someone spy on me and I wouldn’t find out? You have no right to pry into my personal life. What I do away from this office is strictly my business. You’ve stepped way over the line and if you try to stop me from resigning, I’ll file a harassment suit against you before you know what hit you.”
Adam started to deny her accusation, but thought the better of it. For him a small embellishment of the truth would suffice. “I never had anyone follow you. It was Masterson who I had followed, not you. I’ve had his
