Mourning Dove (11 page)

“You think she could
include Sara?”

“She already has you and
Sara on the guest list. She held off with your invitations until after
tonight.”

Jonathon nodded his
understanding. “I would like Elaina to include our federal contact, if it’s not
too inconvenient.”

“Mr. Farrell?”

“He just might make a
perfect second team in our efforts to get Sara to open up. He doesn’t work for
Starr Shine, but we can make him a government liaison to our new communications
project. Think you can get him on the guest list?”

“Consider it done. My
wife loves one thing more than spending my money; she loves to play matchmaker.
That’s how I sold her on the idea of using Sara tonight. Of course you know
Elaina was fully capable of handling the hostess role this evening.”

Jonathon watched the
woman in question as she leaned in to hear a whispered comment from the senior
senator from Maine, “I haven’t given up yet. But, I would still like to bring
Farrell in next week. What day is Elaina planning this dinner?”

“On Monday, cocktails at
six. You mentioned a possible change in tactics. Did Mr. Farrell tell you what
he meant by that?”

“I’m afraid it might be
something less pleasant. He tells me there’s been a lot of pressure on the
case.”

“That little lady over
there, spending her free evening as a gracious hostess for a boss she hardly
knows, doesn’t deserve this. I don’t like it, Jon. I don’t like it at all.”

***

Elaina finally wound down
in her replay of the night’s success. The regulator clock on the far wall in
Jonathon’s living room bonged eleven. “Jonathon, I can’t thank you enough for
hosting this party. My goodness, I don’t know what I would have done.
Everything I’ve planned hinges on this evening. And, Sara dear, you were
wonderful. I had no idea you knew Senator Hale.”

“He was a friend of my
father’s when Dad worked in Washington. He stays in touch from time to time.”

“Well, you certainly were
a hit tonight. I didn’t hear a snicker from the opposing side when Rufus
brought up his latest pet project to tighten the federal budget. I was sure
that was going to start a political war right here between Jonathon’s longhorns
mounted above our heads.”

Elaina turned toward him.
“Jonathon, you know I love the stories you tell about your family’s ranch, but
do you have to have the sorry creatures staring down at us? Wouldn’t they feel
more at home in your den?”

“My dear, you shouldn’t
criticize Jonathon’s taste in décor after he hosted this evening for your
benefit. No one noticed his trophies, or if they did, they did not interfere
with your festivities.”

Jonathon laughed at their
squabbling, “Elaina, Robert, stop. It’s okay. I can take a little teasing.
Unfortunately I have nowhere else to put them. My African trophy collection
fills the walls in the den. I’m sorry if the long horns offend you, Elaina.
Next time, I’ll try to disguise them.”

Jonathon ran his hand
over Sara’s shoulders as they waved goodbye to Robert and Elaina from his front
door.

“That feels far better
than it should, a sign I’m overly tired.” She turned back to him, “Will you
drive me back to the office now? My feet are throbbing from standing in these
heels all night and we both have an early day tomorrow.”

“What about a nightcap
before we leave? While you’re mellowing I’ll see what I can do about your feet.
Then I promise to drive you home.”

“I really shouldn’t. I
don’t want to be placed in an uncomfortable position.”

“Come on, Sara. No
pressure.” He pulled her back to the sofa and pushed her gently into the brown
buckskin cushions.

“Stay put, I’ll be right
back with a glass of wine. You’ve been drinking lemon water all evening and
it’s time you unwound.”

Jonathon walked back to
the kitchen and over her shoulder she called out, “You noticed that?”

“I try to notice
everything. Just close your eyes and rest.”

Sara’s thoughts drifted
off; she closed her eyes for a moment...

***

 “Jonathon?”

“Shush, it’s okay. I’m
just rubbing the soles of your feet. Feel good?”

“Yes, but that’s not the
point. I must have dozed off.” Sara looked up and realized she’d slid into the
overstuffed arm of the couch with her feet in his lap at the other end.

“Just enjoy the moment
and relax.”

“I don’t think I need the
wine,” she whispered. She could feel the gentle touch of his fingertips when he
pressed them into the arch of her right foot. “God, that feels good.”

“Just close your eyes
again and let yourself go. Elaina would like us to join a foundation board
they’re putting together. She’s going to call you to invite you to a dinner
she’s having next Monday. I’d like it very much if you said yes. It’s a good
political move.” He put her right foot down and picked up the left.

“What kind of
foundation?” Sara was trying to focus but her brain seemed to have shut off.

“The Starr Foundation for
the Performing Arts, I think that’s what Robert called it.”

“Mmm, that’s good.”

“Coffee, sleepy head;
time to rise and shine.”

“What?” Sara’s eyes
opened and reality crept in. She sprung upright in an unfamiliar bed. Jonathon
Pierce was standing at the foot of it, wrapped in a burgundy terrycloth robe
that ended at his knees. He was holding two black mugs, with a huge grin
plastered beneath his mustache.

“Oh my God! What have
you
done?”

“What do you think I’ve
done?”

“This time, Jonathon,
you’ve gone too far. Where are my clothes? I’m leaving now.” She tried to sit
up without dropping the sheet. On the other side of the bed, she saw the
imprint on a second pillow.

“Calm yourself, Sara. It
isn’t what you think.”

“Calm myself! Calm
myself? You have got to be kidding. I didn’t think you were the kind of pervert
who would take advantage of an exhausted woman, but I was wrong. I knew it was
a mistake to let you talk me into coming out here in one car. Now, look at
this!”

“I’m looking and it sure
looks good from my point of view. There’s a beautiful woman in my bed, spunky,
and starved for…”

“I am not starved for
anything, damn you! Now I’m going to have to find another job, I’ll probably
lose that cute little house I’m about to close on, and my reputation is shot
because of your juvenile maneuvering to get me into your bed. How could you?!
Jesus, where are my clothes?”

“Calm down! Damn it! And,
listen.”

“All right I’m
listening.” She glared at him trying to spew her anger by telepathy.

“I was about to say, a
beautiful woman in my bed, spunky, and starved for a strong cup of coffee I
just happen to have in my hands.”

“No, you weren’t. But I
will take the cup if you’re still offering. What the hell happened last night?
And I want a straight answer, not any of your suggestive comments.”

“What makes you think
something didn’t happen between us?”

“Because I wouldn’t have
been willing!”

“All right, no more
teasing. You fell asleep on my couch. Unlike you, I had more alcohol than I
should. While I was massaging your sore feet, I got sleepy, too. When I found
myself drifting off, I knew I had to get us more comfortable. We’d have woken
this morning, stiff and sore. I carried you to bed. Don’t look at me like that.
Nothing happened.”

“Continue.”

“I didn’t think you
wanted your dress ruined, so I removed it.”

“And?”

“There isn’t anything
more. I slept beside you because this is my room and the bed in the guest room
has been removed to allow for more of my art and trophy collection. There
really is no other place to put the long horns and no other bed where we both
could get a good night sleep. Here’s your coffee. I’ve called the office and
told them you’re working from home this morning.”

“And, how do we explain
my car in the lot?”

“I drove you home after a
late night with the Starrs.”

“It might work, but there
will still be those who think I’m sleeping with you to climb to the top.”

“You’re better than that.
I don’t give a tinker’s damn what others think.
And
, for the record, we
did sleep together.”

Sara threw the pillow at
him. It landed at his feet. Unfortunately, he didn’t spill his coffee. “Get out
of here while I dress. Then,
please
take me to the hotel so that I can
change. I need to get to the office so we don’t lose the whole day at work.”

“Yes, ma’am, I’m at your
service.” He reached up to tip an imaginary Stetson.

***

“Hullo,” Ron whispered
into the phone.

“It’s Sara. I’m sorry to
wake you at this hour but I need help.”

“Sara, what’s wrong?”

“My arm is inflamed by
some kind of bite or allergic reaction. I’ve looked through all the medicines I
brought with me from the house and can’t find the prescription cream I use for
it. Can you check the medicine cabinet and see if I left it there?”

In the rumpled covers of
his bed, he pulled up the sheet and scooted toward the headboard. He adjusted
the covers over the naked body beside him and squinted at the alarm clock
beside his bed, “Sara, it’s almost one in the morning, just put a tea bag on it
and go back to sleep.”

“I haven’t been to sleep,
and I can’t get to sleep, until I stop the pain in my arm! I’ve gone through
three tea bags since I got in, and I used another two at Cass’s this evening.
It’s not working. Please, just check the medicine cabinet for me. If it’s
there, I’ll drive down and pick it up. If not, I’m going to have to find an
emergency room and wait all night ‘til they get around to treating it.
Please
,
just check the cabinet.”

The woman beside him
stirred awake and looked up at him with questioning eyes. She began to run a
manicured hand with white tipped nails over his abdomen, swirling the dark hair
below his waist, bringing his body’s interest to attention again. 

“Okay, Sara,” he said
with a distracted voice. “I’ll look and call you back.”

“No, don’t hang up, just
go check. I’ll wait on the line.”

He slid out of bed and
turned back to Nancy Lynn putting a finger to his lips. She raised her arms
above her head grabbing the top of the headboard, exposing a lush set of
breasts God didn’t make. First time in months he finally got some action, and
his errant wife splashed cold water on the event.

In the bathroom, holding
the cordless to his ear, he checked the cabinet. “Sara, the only tube of
anything in the medicine cabinet is Preparation H. You’re going to have to use
the emergency room, or put up with the itch ‘til morning.”

“Did you check the linen
shelves behind the bathroom door?”

“I’ll look.” He closed
the door and sifted through a plastic storage container on the shelf above the
empty space where Sara always stacked the towels.  He was going to have to do
laundry soon.

“I’ve got a small white
tube of steroid cream here. Is that the one?”

“Does it have a
prescription label with my name on it or is it the over-the-counter cream you
got from CVS?”

“The label would have
been on the box, Sara. There’s no box, just the tube.” His patience was
thinning.

“Well, what is the name
of the product listed on the tube?”

“It says triammo
something. You know, I can’t pronounce those drug names. Wait; on the bottom of
the tube it says Rx only. It’s got to be the one.”

“Good, I’ll be there in
forty minutes.”

“Wait, Sara . . .” He was
talking to a dial tone. “Shit.”

***

On Thursday morning,
Matthew Farrell picked up his phone and hit redial. “What’s going on, JT?”

“Is that any way to start
a conversation?”

“What did you do to Sara
Stafford?”

“I don’t know what you’re
talking about. The Mourning Dove is fine. She’s getting ready to party again
next Monday.”

“What do you mean party?”

“The Starrs want the
honor of her presence at a formal dinner. For that matter they want your
presence there, too.”

“What the hell are you
talking about?”

“I’ve pushed as hard as I
dare without losing my cover. I hesitate to admit this but the chemistry just
isn’t there. I want to bring in the second team. Get close. Get her to warm up
to you. When it breaks, it’s going to happen quickly.”

“I’m talking about what
happened Tuesday night.”

“She was with me at the
Starrs’ cocktail party at my place. Nothing happened. She was a regular social
butterfly, nurturing friendships, old and new.”

“What happened after?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I tapped into a
conversation she had with her friend, Cass. What did you do to her after the
party?”

“What did she say?”

“She said she fell asleep
on your couch and woke up in your bed. Did you get her drunk? Did you drug her?
What else did you do to her?”

“Whoa, you’re acting like
a jealous lover. What the hell do you care as long as we get the information we
need?  And you still haven’t told me what she said?”

“I want to know what you
did to her. Then, I’ll tell you what she said.”

“Are you questioning my
methods?”

“JT!”

“The last time I looked
I
was in charge of this project!”

Farrell let dead silence
fill the moment.

“I slipped a sedative
into her drink at the end of the party but she barely had a sip. It was enough,
though, to do what I needed. I injected a little compliance into her while she
drifted out. It made no difference. She knows nothing. I think her husband does
though. I have another team player checking him out. Now tell me what she
shared with her friend.”

“If that’s all you did,
why did she wake up in your bed?”

“Not that it’s any of
your business but I thought I’d give the attraction angle one more try.”

“Backfired on you, didn’t
it.”

“Okay Farrell, spill.”

“Apparently, she’s
allergic to rubbing alcohol. You injected the drug into her arm and cleaned the
spot with an alcohol wipe, didn’t you?”

“Go on.”

“By the time she met her
friend for dinner, the rash was obvious and spreading. They started to put two
and two together. She’s already suspicious of your attentions. You have to back
off.”

“I’ve already figured
that out. You’re in as of this Monday night. I’ve cleared it with Robert. Put
on your charm. His wife loves to play cupid. Let her see your interest in Sara
and Elaina will keep the two of you together whenever she can.”

“Where will you be while
I’m romancing the dove?”

“I’ve got a bug in California to squash.”

***

“Good morning, little
lady.”

Jonathon Pierce was
standing in Sara’s doorway in a crisp business suit with a chipper grin beneath
his mustache. At least one of them got a good night’s sleep. She leaned back in
her chair and finished off a lukewarm cup of cocoa looking at him through tired
eyes recently doctored with the eye drops she’d been using far too often.

“You have a rough night?”
He was baiting her.

“Just a late one. What
can I do for you, Mr. Pierce?”

“That’s very formal and
the last I noticed we’re both here a full hour before the rest of the crew.
What happened to Jonathon, or Jon?” He raised his eyebrows in question.

“After Tuesday night, I
think we better make sure we know the positions we both hold here.”

“It will look strange to
the others if you suddenly start calling me
Mr
. Pierce.”

“Maybe I should just call
you,
sir
?”

“Pull back your claws,
Sara. We don’t have the time for it and I don’t have the patience.” The steel
was back in his voice.

“I apologize. Although
there is no excuse for rudeness, I’m working on two hours sleep.”

“Is anything wrong?”

“A minor medical
emergency had me up most of the night.” She placed her left hand over the still
tender but diminishing redness on her right arm.

“Something we can do to
help? We have a full commissary downstairs that may have whatever you need.”

“I took care of it.”

“You want me to get you a
fresh cup of tea?”

“No thanks, I’ve had
enough tea for awhile.”

“What’s that in your
cup?”

“Cocoa, and don’t ask.”

His hands up in the air,
he backed out of her office. “Staff meeting at ten, I’ll need everything you’ve
got on the San Francisco division.”

Great, he wanted the only
information she didn’t have. Sara swallowed her pride. “Jonathon?”

She heard his chuckle.
“Yes, Sara?”

From her doorway, she
could see his smug grin. He leaned on the door jam to his office with his arms
folded across his chest.

“Two things: neither
Steve nor I can get Ross to respond to our requests for information, therefore
the data on San Francisco will be minimal; and remember, I’ll be leaving for
the weekend at four today.”

“Today is Thursday.”

“Yes, my house closing is
at four-thirty, and you gave me the rest of the weekend to get moved into my
new place.  I’ll still be available through email and my cell.”

“I gave you that time
off?”

“Yep, you said: take
whatever time you need.”

“I’ll have to be careful
to define my statements better in the future, won’t I?”

“All kidding aside, it is
all right that I take this time, isn’t it?”

“Yes, of course. I’m just
trying to get a rise from you. Try using threats with Ross.”

“I believe when a person
threatens, she should be prepared to follow through with action.  Do I have the
authority to do that?”

“What do you want to
threaten him with?”

“Termination is justified
for flagrantly ignoring a direct order from a superior and thereby sabotaging
the company’s ability to function as dictated by company policy. Will you and
Robert back me on that if I have adequate documentation to support my action?”

“Wow! You read the whole
1,500 page tome we call the policy manual?”

 “Didn’t you?”

“I won’t answer that.
Threaten first and let me know how that works. You said Steve was also trying
to communicate with him?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Steve was gathering data
by region at my request. When he couldn’t get a response by email or phone, I
took over. So far we only have silence from Ross. He is intentionally ignoring
us.”

“Did you check to see if
your messages were getting through?”

“Of course, I also
communicated with the administrative assistant in the district office. And
before you ask, I left a message for the district manager to call me. His
secretary informs me he is out of the office on a business trip. Something
isn’t kosher in that division; in my gut it doesn’t feel good.”