Scandalous (15 page)

“I expect progress, gentlemen,” Lucus concluded, as he stood. “We'll meet again next week.” He pushed his chair back and strode out.

 

Elliott Hamilton returned to his chambers after the morning recess. He sat down heavily in an overstuffed leather chair. His clerk had placed a copy of the
Richmond Herald
on his desk and circled the glowing article about Vaughn.

Elliott glanced at the article and then out the window. At the moment, Vaughn was rallying well. But for how long?
If she continued to act like some silly schoolgirl in love, there was bound to be some nosy news hound who'd pick up the scent and begin digging—maybe too deeply into her personal life. Although he'd taken every precaution over the years, there was always the possibility that some shred of damaging information could be unearthed.

A thin line of perspiration spread across his upper lip. If anyone ever found out what he'd done, he'd be ruined, his family name would be ridiculed, Vaughn's career would come to a halt. The only one who knew the truth was Sheila. He should never have confessed to her. But he'd needed her help. He'd convinced her that what he'd done was for the best. That was years ago when he was certain of his wife's love for him. Now…well, now he was no longer sure.

He had to be certain that the past was never resurrected. The best of men and women had been destroyed, their lives and careers ruined, when one dark element was brought to light. He could not allow that to happen. Justin Montgomery was the one who could ensure that.

Everything would be fine. He sighed heavily. The wheels were in motion. All he could do now was wait. And he'd be there for his daughter—as he'd always been—when she came running to him, crying, telling him that he'd been right. As always.

S
imone was in seventh heaven. The hotel Justin had selected for her was exquisite. Her room overlooked the river and she had a view of Richmond that spanned miles.

She lay across the queen-sized bed and mentally mapped out her day. She'd received an early morning call from Mr. Montgomery, inviting her to dinner before she returned to school the following afternoon. She'd have to go out and find something appropriate to wear. Her one hope was that he'd also invited Chad to come along.

Oooh, just thinking about him made her stomach knot up. He was absolutely wonderful. And it was pretty obvious that Mr. Montgomery was going to let her do her internship with his firm. She supposed this was a dinner to finalize the details. If so, then she could see Chad every day and maybe, just maybe, something could happen between them.

She slid her hands beneath her head and closed her eyes. She broke into a smile. Immediately she thought of
the wonderful afternoon and early evening she'd spent with Chad. They'd gotten along so well, one would have thought they'd known each other all their lives. He was funny, charming, intelligent, and sexy. She giggled and wondered what he thought of her. She knew that he was in his twenties. She hoped he didn't think that she was some silly kid. After all, she would be nineteen soon.

Mr. Montgomery was pretty cool, too. He really seemed interested in her and in her life, not just about what she wanted to be when she grew up. He really made her feel as though he was listening to what she had to say. She'd found herself telling him about her life, about the emptiness of being a foster child, the insecurity of not knowing who her real parents were. While she talked, she knew that somehow he truly understood. She'd almost told him about Child-Link. She knew he was one of the founders, but she didn't want him to think she'd be so involved in finding her parents that she wouldn't be able to do her job.

Simone knew she would like working for him. There was something about him that touched her, almost a sense of the familiar. He was the type of man she'd want her real father to be.

She forced her eyes open and peered at the bedside clock. It was one in the afternoon. She'd better get a move on. But first she'd call Jean and tell her about all the wonderful things that were happening to her. She had a sense that they were going to get even better.

 

“Are you ready?” Crystal asked, breezing into Vaughn's office, looking radiant, Vaughn noted.

“Just stuffing the last piece of paper into my briefcase.” She looked speculatively at Crystal. “And what—or should I say who—has you looking so bubbly? As if I didn't know.”

Crystal grinned shyly. “David. Vaughn,” she breathed airily, “he's the best thing to happen to me in so long. I've never been so happy.”

“Well, there seems to be a lot of that going around lately,” Vaughn teased, thinking immediately of Justin. “So when am I going to meet Mr. Wonderful?” she asked, slipping into her suit jacket. She looked across at Crystal and saw the momentary hesitation. Vaughn frowned. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” Crystal replied a bit too quickly, Vaughn thought. “It's just that we have so little time to spend together, well…” she grinned and shrugged. “David doesn't want to share our time together until we get to know each other better. He travels a lot,” she added hastily, realizing for the first time how odd that explanation sounded.

Vaughn's senses went on immediate alert. She didn't like the sound of this. It just didn't seem right that someone who was this important in a person's life wouldn't want to meet their friends. He sounded like someone who had something to hide. Although she realized the parallels in her own life with Justin, their initial reasons for discretion were entirely different.

Vaughn didn't bother to disguise her concern. “Are you sure everything is up front with this guy? I mean, I can understand comfy-cozy and all that, but don't you think this is taking it a bit too far?”

Crystal knew that Vaughn was right, but she would never admit it. Though in the still hours of the night, she wondered why David wanted to be so secretive. Most nights, when they did see each other, it was at her apartment. They generally went to out-of-the-way restaurants—when they did go out—David said it was so they wouldn't be disturbed by the tons of friends and politicians she was sure to run into.

“Why can't you just be happy for me?” Crystal snapped. “When you get all gooey over Justin, do I tell
you
that something funny must be going on?” She knew she was screeching, but she couldn't seem to stop. “No. I tell you to go for it. Be happy. But no, not you. Not cynical, suspicious-about-every-man Vaughn Hamilton,” she railed. “Every guy is guilty until proved innocent in your book.” Crystal's nostrils flared and she knew that she'd gone over the limits.

Vaughn swallowed hard. Her eyes burned. Her face remained unreadable. “I think we'd better be going,” Vaughn said in a tight voice, barely under control. She snatched up her briefcase and tossed her trenchcoat over her arm. “Please shut the door on your way out,” she said over her shoulder. “I'll be taking my own car. You can meet me there in yours.”

Crystal squeezed her eyes shut as Vaughn stepped out of her office. She expelled a tremulous breath. What had she done? She'd hurt her friend for the sake of a man. She'd said horrible things, things Vaughn did not deserve.

She walked out of the office. This whole relationship thing was making her crazy. But she couldn't jeopardize her job and her best friend because of it. She'd apologize as soon as she and Vaughn had a moment together.

That moment never came. Vaughn kept an icy distance from Crystal for the balance of the day. She steered clear of her during the meeting with the city council, addressing her only when necessary. She pointedly told Crystal that she didn't have time to talk when they returned to the office. “Quite frankly, I don't give a damn what you have to say,” she'd said, as calmly as if she were ordering lunch.

The only relief from the tension that coiled between them was that Vaughn left two hours early. She barely
looked in Crystal's direction as she waved her goodbyes to her staff. The slight, noticed only by Crystal, set her teeth on edge. If that's the way she wanted it, then that's the way it would be, Crystal concluded, as she packed up for the day. If Vaughn didn't want to hear it, then she had nothing else to say.

 

Vaughn finally released the breath that she seemed to have held the entire day. She was still reeling from Crystal's stinging comments. How could Crystal say those things about her? she fretted, as she drove toward Justin's office. Didn't she realize that she had her best interests at heart? She and Crystal had been friends for so long, more like sisters. Nothing could have hurt her more.

She sighed heavily as she made her turn onto the highway. What she needed to concentrate on now was her evening with Justin and meeting Simone. Maybe when she calmed down and put things into perspective she'd be willing to listen to Crystal's explanation. Whatever that might be, she thought angrily. In the meantime, she needed to get home and change before meeting her dinner date.

 

“The forensic evidence is beginning to come in,” Khendra said to the group sitting at the table. “I'm going to need your help here, Rush,” she continued. “I'll sound like a babbling idiot if you can't turn this medicalese into layman's language.”

Chad laughed heartily. “No problem, Khen, all that scientific stuff is right up my alley. Makes me feel like Quincy.” He turned toward Simone and grinned. He spoke low enough so that only she could hear. “This is the kind of stuff you'll be working on while you're interning. I hope you have the stomach for it. It can get kind of grisly. But it's really fascinating.”

Simone swallowed and gave a good imitation of a smile. “I'm sure it is.”

“What have you turned up, Sean?” Justin asked his partner.

Sean leaned back in his seat and visualized the volumes of notes that he'd compiled over the past few weeks. “You know my specialty is appeals.” He looked around the table and his eyes settled on his wife. “And although I have the greatest confidence in Khen's abilities, we have to be prepared for the possibility of a conviction.”

Justin nodded in agreement and the trial team concurred.

“So what I've done is made a thorough search of every trial that was even remotely similar to the Harrison case.” He passed out folders containing the information. “Just to summarize,” he continued, “there have been thirty-six capital murders tried in Virginia. Only two have won on appeal.”

Groans filled the room. “But, we could very well be number three.”

“If we work it right, we won't have to worry about an appeal,” Khendra cut in confidently.

Sean grinned. “Touché.”

“Well, troops, we still have a lot of work to do,” Justin concluded. “So dig in. We'll meet again next week, and I'll expect updates from everyone.” He rose and everyone at the table began collecting his notes.

Sean eased up beside Justin. “So we finally get to meet your mystery woman, eh?” He nudged Justin in the ribs.

Justin chuckled. “Yeah, finally. Are you happy now? And I know your wife is about ready to burst.” He winked in Khendra's direction.

“We've just been kind of worried about you lately. Especially after you said you wanted to sell the practice.”

“I know. I know,” Justin conceded, as they walked toward the door. “But I really want to devote more of my time to my own life now. I want to have time to pursue my investments and put more of a personal touch into the foundations that I've set up.” They strolled down the hallway in the direction of Sean's office.

“And how does the mystery lady fit into all this?”

Justin slanted him a look. “Right next to me…all the way.”

“This is getting better by the minute. You're really that serious?”

Justin nodded. “I can't believe it myself. I thought after Janice, it was over for me in that department. I mean, there have been women in my life, but no one important enough for me to look past tomorrow with.”

“She must be some kind of lady,” Sean hedged.

“And more.” He checked his watch. It was twenty to six. Vaughn would be arriving shortly. He wanted to change his shirt and tie before they left for dinner. “Hey, why don't you and Khendra join us? It was just supposed to be my lady, myself, and Simone, but I've already invited Rush so that Simone wouldn't get bored. Two more at the table shouldn't be a problem.”

“Sounds good to me. Let me check with Khen, and see if she feels like going. But I'm sure, knowing my wife, she wouldn't miss a chance to get your lady up close and personal, for a little interrogation in the powder room.”

Both men laughed heartily, knowing that the ever-vigilant Khendra would never let anything get past her. She'd been just short of ruthless when it had come to the women that flitted in and out of Justin's life. No area of their lives was sacred to Khendra. But Justin's humor ran
deeper. Just wait until Khen sees who the mystery lady is, he thought. He wondered how many test questions Khendra would be willing to spring on Vaughn.

 

“So…what do you think so far?” Chad asked Simone, as he opened the door to the lounge.

“I think I'm going to love working here. Except maybe for the forensic part.”

Chad smiled. “Believe me, that's a small part of it. There's just so much more that goes into putting a case together.”

Simone took a deep breath. “It's definitely not like television,” she remarked.

They stepped into the lounge and sat on a long sofa. “I wonder where Mr. Montgomery is taking us to dinner tonight,” Simone asked.

“Your guess is as good as mine. He said it was a surprise. I'm just glad he asked me to tag along.”

Simone looked at him for a long moment. “So am I,” she said softly.

Chad felt his chest tighten. “I was glad because…I could spend more time with you,” he replied, not knowing where the words had come from.

Simone's eyes widened. But before she could respond, Barbara poked her head in.

“There you are. Justin was looking for you both.”

 

Vaughn felt like a celebrity as she was introduced to Justin's staff. They rounded a corner.

“Here are Sean and Khendra's offices.”

Justin knocked once on the door and stepped in. Sean and Khendra were huddled over a stack of briefs. They both looked up simultaneously when Justin and Vaughn entered. Vaughn was momentarily stunned by the intense
power that was projected from their gaze. They would definitely make a formidable team.

Justin stretched out his hand toward Sean and Khendra as he made introductions. “Khendra, Sean, I'd like you to meet the Honorable Assembly woman Vaughn Hamilton, the next congresswoman from the state of Virginia,” he said in grandiose tones. He gave a sweeping bow to Vaughn and she felt as if she should be hearing trumpets.

Vaughn rolled her eyes to the ceiling and playfully pushed Justin to the side so she could walk around him. “Ignore him,” she said, stepping into the room. “Sometimes he just has no control over his behavior.” She gave him a conspiratorial wink.

Sean and Khendra gave each other a quick look. His was one of surprise; hers said, “I told you there was a woman behind his behavior.”

Vaughn extended her hand to Khendra and then to Sean. “Please call me Vaughn,” she said. “I get enough of ‘Ms. this' and ‘Honorable that' to send me into sugar shock.” She smiled warmly.

“Now, that's more like it,” Khendra stated, hopping down off the edge of the desk.

“Whatever the lady says,” Sean added.

All three turned toward Justin, who stood innocently by the door.