Midnight Diamonds (23 page)

“If I give you my prized possession, you’ll sign?”

“In a Las Vegas minute.”

“Lady, you drive a hard bargain. But a deal is a deal.”

Justin walked around the end of the table until he stood beside her. Reaching into his jeans pocket, he pulled out his gold guitar keychain and took off the set of keys. “Robert, this is the only gold guitar I own. You are a witness that I am handing it over to Dani Bailey of my own free will. You and these two police officers as well as the other associates are also witnesses that she stipulated this was all she wanted.” He dropped the keychain with a loud clatter. “There ya go…sugar.”

The woman stared at the small gold guitar lying on the table in front of her. “But this is the baby. Where’s the daddy?”

Justin started walking backward, his hands in the air. Suddenly she launched herself at him, only to be stopped by the two police officers.

“You whoreson! You filthy, lowdown, good-for-nothing liar! Just wait until I tell the press about how you tricked me. You wait, Justin Rivers! The day will come when everyone will know exactly what kind of man you are. I’m telling everyone how you led me on, just like you did that Silver person.” She struggled against the officers, ranting at the top of her lungs. After being told to stop or be arrested, she sat down with a huff.

Robert cleared his throat. “There is the matter of your signature on these pages.” He held out a silver pen to her. She glared at him. “If you refuse, these officers will take you into custody on the charges of fraud and conspiracy to extort money from my client. Now, this first page states that you are not nor have you ever been married to Justin Rivers.”

He went on to explain each page, including the restriction of disclosure which forbade her to ever speak of the legal proceedings in the conference room or any association with Justin Rivers. She also had to allow one of the law firm associates to delete all pictures of Justin from her phone. Dani was spitting mad by the time he finished. When she finally reached for the pen, he pulled it back.

“It must be a legal signature, not one of your aliases. Otherwise, the deal is null and void.”

Her shoulders slumped in defeat. “I hate my real name.” Taking the pen, she signed the papers ‘Essie Finkle
.
’
The officers signed each page as witnesses, as did the associates. She began to stand up but Robert put a hand on her shoulder. “There is one more thing, Dani.”

“Oh, for the love of God and country, what is it now?” she demanded.

Justin smiled at Robert. The attorney reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew an envelope, which he handed to her. Dani opened it and her mouth dropped open in shock.

“That check for $50,000 is Mr. Rivers’ way of saying thank you for your cooperation…after signing one more form, accepting the money as a one-time payment, and promising to never contact him again.”

Dani looked wide-eyed at Justin. “Thank you? For what?”

“For never pulling this kind of scam again on any other unsuspecting man,” he answered softly.

Tears fell down her cheeks. “I can’t believe this. No one ever did anything this nice for me, especially after I did something so underhanded.” Walking over to Justin, she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks, sugar. Giving me a fresh start might do the trick.”

He shook a finger at her. “No more tricks, Dani.”

“No more tricks, Justin. I guess you’re not a whoreson after all.”

“Gee, thanks. My mother will be happy to know that.”

Patting his cheek, she turned and walked past the officers, talking to them over her shoulder. “Well, let’s go, boys. I’m not using this money to get back home, so I figure I’ll hitch a ride with you.” Then as if she remembered something, she snapped her fingers and walked back to the table, picked up the keychain then tossed it to him. “This belongs to you.”

With that done, she pointed to the door and lifted her head, walking out like she was royalty when one of the officers opened it. They followed her with hangdog looks, and Justin couldn’t blame them. The thought of being in a car with her that long made him shudder.

He spread his arms and bowed to the room. “Well played, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for your help.”

Robert stepped forward to shake his hand. “You’re not so bad yourself, Justin. Brilliant bit with the keychain.”

Justin shook his head. “She was right about that. I obviously did promise her a solid gold guitar, but I never told her it was a keychain. Funny how some things work out, isn’t it, Bobby?”

“Not funny.” Robert grinned at him then became serious again. “Do you think she’ll try this again with someone else?”

“I hope not, but who knows,” Justin replied with a shrug.

The attorney picked up the pages Dani had signed and handed them to one of the associates. “Let me see that marriage certificate,” he said to Kamber. After a few seconds, Robert began laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Justin asked.

Robert handed him the piece of paper. It took Justin a moment to see it then he joined in the laughter. At the bottom of the paper were the words: Not valid in all 50 states.

* * *

Silver blasted Buddy’s horn at the pickup truck that cut her off in traffic. “There’s a new invention. It’s called a signal,” she mumbled wearily.

Amelia had called bright and early this morning, requesting her presence at dinner this evening. “Jefferson, not Jeffrey” would be joining them, so she’d been instructed to dress appropriately. Silver didn’t feel up for a Madison dinner tonight, but her mother had insisted.

Yippee.

Silver drove slowly, dreading the inevitable mention of her failings as a daughter. The last thing Silver needed right now was another emotional scene of any kind.

“She probably had an epiphany during bridge club that I should move to India and take Mother Teresa’s place to redeem myself,” she grumbled. “And now she wants Jefferson to spread the word that I’ve become self-sacrificing. All for the greater reputation of Amelia Madison.”

She eased into the upper class neighborhood. Though not quite as ostentatious as where the Rivers family lived, it was still highly prized by Tulsa society as one of the proper places to live. Whatever that meant.

Within five minutes, she pulled onto the drive near her mother’s front door and parked next to an unfamiliar BMW sedan. Silver reached up and popped down the visor to check her makeup and hair, then flipped it back up. Nothing would help the puffy dark circles under her eyes. Justin might be out of her life, but he certainly wasn’t gone from her dreams.

“Screw it,” she mumbled. Not her usual expletive, but it fit her mood perfectly. She didn’t ring the bell, which would annoy Amelia, and walked into the living room unannounced.

“Hello, Mother.”

Amelia rose from the rose-colored, damask silk loveseat and air kissed her daughter. Heaven forbid that her mother’s makeup would be mussed even a fraction. “Good evening, dear. I didn’t hear the bell.”

“That’s right, you didn’t.”

Ignoring the sarcasm, her mother sat back down and picked up her usual cocktail, a cosmopolitan. “Jefferson is taking a call in the study, so he’ll be back shortly.” Amelia frowned. “Have a seat, dear, so my neck doesn’t hurt when I talk to you.”

Oh joy, happy hour at the Madison house. Instead of sitting, she walked to the tastefully crafted wet bar and splashed some white wine into a glass. Jeffrey walked into the room in time to see Silver take a sip. She smiled a greeting.

“Hi, Jeffrey.”

“Good to see you again, Silver.” He waited until she sat down on a chair then lowered himself into one next to hers.

Amelia looked at the two of them with her nose in the air.

“I’m so glad we’re all here now. This makes it easier to plan the weekend.”

Silver’s hand paused in bringing the glass to her lips. She glanced at Jeffrey who shrugged slightly. “The weekend?”

“Yes, dear, I’ve arranged for you and Jefferson to hear the symphony on Friday evening. The tickets are at the Will Call window in my name.”

Setting down her glass, Silver crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m sorry, but I have plans on Friday night.”

Amelia continued as if Silver hadn’t spoken. “Then on Saturday, we’ll be attending opening night for the new Egyptian exhibit at the Philbrook Museum of Art.” She took a small sip of her drink.

Jeffrey spoke up this time. “I’m very sorry, Mrs. Madison, but I have plans with family since it’s Thanksgiving weekend. Then I’m meeting with a client.”

Waving a hand in dismissal, Amelia replied, “Cancel them.”

With mild shock, Jeffrey shook his head. “That’s not possible. These clients are extremely prominent and, frankly, family comes before business.”

Amelia pursed her lips and Silver groaned inwardly. “Mother, Jeffrey and I…”

“His name is Jefferson.” Her mother’s sharp voice was meant to silence her daughter and regain control. “What possible plans could you have this Friday night, Silver?”

“Auditioning to be an exotic dancer in my spare time. I’m told the pay is excellent.”

Jeffrey coughed to cover a laugh when her mother gasped.

“Don’t be insolent,” her mother said, glaring at her.

Silver smiled innocently.

“Mrs. Madison, I truly am sorry about this weekend, but there’s nothing I can do.”

Amelia slammed down her glass in a very un-Madison like way, sloshing ruby-colored liquid onto the glass-topped coffee table. “You will do what I’m paying you to do, and that is to escort my daughter around town. She needs to be seen on the arm of a handsome, successful man to reestablish her reputation as an acceptable young woman.”

Silver’s world went very still as if time slowed down. Her brain didn’t want to accept what had been said. Jeffrey leaned forward in his chair.

“That’s not exactly correct. You asked me to advise Silver on how to enhance her appearance and to prove that she’s moved beyond the events associated with Justin Rivers. Obviously—” He paused and gave her a grin. “—her appearance needs no altering, and she has assured me that she is quite happy right now. Spending time with your daughter is a choice, not a job.”

Not entirely accurate about being happy, Silver thought, but that wasn't her main concern at the moment. “Mother, I can’t imagine anything more demeaning to either Jeffrey or me. How dare you do such a thing!”

Jeffrey stood and straightened his suit jacket. “I believe I should catch up on some work at home tonight. Thank you for the invitation, Mrs. Madison. Have a good evening.” He started to the door then stopped and turned. “By the way, I won’t be offering my services to you as an image consultant any longer. Silver knows exactly who she is.” With a slight bow, he was out the door.

Silver admired the man. He had style and wasn’t afraid of Amelia.

Well, neither was she. Not anymore.

Anger creased her mother’s face. “That young man will never work with anyone in my circle of friends again,” she declared in a harsh tone. “He’ll have to leave this part of the country before I’m through with him.”

“Mother, don’t you ever get tired of the iron corset and stiff upper lip? You’re angry because he defied you. Guess what? Make that two for the evening, because I’m not staying either.” Silver stood to leave, but her mother rose and walked in front of her.

“Stop right there. You will not leave until you tell me what these oh-so-important plans are for this weekend. And don’t bother with the sarcasm again.”

Silver nearly cringed under the Madison Stare, but she lifted her chin and held on to her inner strength. She’d decided to not attend Connie’s watch party after last night, but she reversed that decision again.

“I’ll be at Connie Rivers’ house to watch the Thanksgiving program in Nashville. Since Justin is part of the show, she’s having some friends over for a party.” She braced herself for Hurricane Amelia to blow in and was not disappointed.

“You cannot be serious about going back into that woman’s house after what happened. Are you trying to irrevocably destroy what little standing we have in the community?” Amelia put a hand over her heart and, with a dramatic moan, sank down onto the loveseat. “It’s too much to bear. Simply too much.”

Silver shook her head with sadness. “I’ve always been an unwanted reminder of Dad, something to ignore as much as possible.”

Amelia gasped and shook her head. “That’s not true. Thanks to the grandmother you’ve never met—and if all goes right, you never will—I didn’t know how to be the mother you needed. I still don’t. You have so much intelligence and compassion for people, something I never had. You reach out to others when they have a need, and you’re dedicated to your teaching. I’ve always been proud of you.”

Stunned, Silver wiped away the tears that spilled out of her eyes. “Proud? You’re constantly correcting me, criticizing everything I do, and telling me I’m an embarrassment. You never miss a chance to say how much Dad is disappointed in me even though he denies it when we talk. How does that show you’re proud?”

“You know that old saying that the things we find fault with in others are the things we dislike about ourselves? It’s easier to criticize and find fault in you than to admit my own shortcomings. I wanted the perfect image that society demanded of me, Silver, so I expected you to be perfect, too.”

“All I ever wanted was a mom,” Silver confided in a strained voice. “I didn’t care if you were perfect or not. I wanted you to be there for me.”

“I didn’t know how to be there for your father or you. I couldn’t even be there for myself. All I’ve done for years is survive each day, trying to maintain my status and to be in control of my life. Unfinished business caught up with me and I couldn’t run anymore.”

“You mean Connie Rivers.”

Silver rubbed her hands over her face when her mother nodded. This was the kind of emotional confrontation she’d wanted to avoid tonight, but maybe some good could come out of it. “I don’t even know what to say.”

Amelia drew in a shaky breath. “I’m sorry, Silver. Sorry for not being the mother you needed. Sorry for being so critical of the one thing in my life that made me proud every day.” Amelia let out a ragged laugh. “I despise weepy emotions. It must be the cosmopolitan.”