The Secret Keeping (27 page)

Robert laughed. “Probably only gets the financials. That way she doesn’t have to read about her dad.”

“You don’t know that Edward Beaumont is her father,” Kay objected.

“I know he’s got a daughter. She’d be in her mid-thirties. A son, too. Just like his old man, I hear.”

“Where do you know this from?” Kay asked.

Helaine listened quietly. Someone had to tell Lydia the news. Soon.

“From the club.”

“The club!” Kay mocked. “You’re all a bunch of women. Gossips, I swear.”

“Is she in her mid-thirties, Helaine?”

“Early, I’d say. Maybe mid.”

“It’s her. I just have a feeling.”

“What difference does that make?” Kay asked.

“It’s a small world, that’s all. And it means she definitely has what Sharon’s after.”

“Yes,” Helaine interrupted. “She certainly does.”

They mulled that in silence for a few minutes.

“Helaine’s right, Robert. Sharon’s not really after money here. She’s trying to control Helaine, chase her Jane Doe off in the process. Why should Sharon want to settle? She’s not afraid of bad publicity.”

The ladies waited for him to respond.

“Look, lawyers change everything. Her lawyers–and I know these guys–they’re not going to let their client make them work harder than they have to. It just isn’t done like that. We make a decent offer right now and that’ll be end of it. Goodbye Sharon Chambers riffraff, hello Lydia Beaumont straight lace.” He put his hand over the papers and waited on Helaine’s reaction.

“No more than a few months?” she asked. “Are you sure?”

“I do this for a living, Helaine. You think you’re the only victim of this kind of scam? Happens every week in our fair city. Everyday all over our great land people are parting with cold hard cash for a little bit of privacy with something warm and soft. Facts of life. And some of those defendants are no more guilty of the allegations against them than you are.”

She considered his words with a sullen expression.

“Lawyers, Helaine. We know what we’re doing when we write stuff like this. Edward Beaumont sent his little girl to all the best universities he could instituting lawsuits no different than the one we got right here.

Be sure of that. It’s the name of the game. Sharon’s not in charge of it. The lawyers are. We call all the shots.”

She nodded grimly. “Lydia needs to know about this, Robert. I don’t know how to tell her, but she needs to know tonight. Right now.”

“I’ll tell her. I wouldn’t mind speaking with her, see what she’s made of, you know. Just in case.”

“Call her,” Kay urged. “It’s almost eleven. She must know something’s wrong, anyway.”

“What’s the number, Helaine?”

She rattled it off.

“You know it by heart?” he asked suspiciously.

“By heart. Lest she be discovered otherwise.”

“Helaine, I sincerely hope you’ve told me everything. I’m trying to defend your interests.”

“I know and I thank you, Robert.” She repeated the number as he dialed. “I want to hear how she reacts,”

she quickly added.

“I can talk on speaker. Willing to take that risk?”

Have her friends hear Lydia tell her to go jump in a lake? It was nothing she looked forward to, but… “I guess so,” she said.

He put the call through on intercom and Helaine held her breath.

_____

“Hello?”

It was a pretty voice. Expectant. Robert Keagan hated to disappoint it.

“I’d like to speak to Lydia Beaumont, please. It’s very important.”

There was silence on the other line as the woman sized up the caller’s voice. “This is she,” she answered in a controlled voice. “To whom am I speaking?”

Robert turned to Kay and Helaine, then smiled. “I am Robert Keagan, Esquire. I represent Dr. Helaine Kristenson. You know her, I understand.”

Silence. Crackling. “Doctor–yes, I know her, Mr. Keagan.” Quiet again while she tried to guess at the nature of the call. “My number’s unlisted. How did you get it?”

Helaine pointed at herself and he nodded. “Dr. Kristenson has asked me to call.”

“Indeed? What is this about Mr. Keagan? I’m in suspense.”

He cocked his head at the ladies. “Ms. Beaumont, do you know Sharon Chambers?”

“Sharon Chambers? No.”

“The super-model? You–”

“Oh, the one in the news? Yes, I’ve heard of her…what is this about, please?”

Robert coughed. The color drained from Helaine’s face. Kay signaled for him to get it over with.

“Mr. Keagan?”

“Ms. Chambers is Helaine Kristenson’s lover.”

The line fell silent once more.

“Was,” Helaine whispered.

“Was,” Kay whispered.

He held up his finger to his lips.

“I see. She was, Mr. Keagan. Past tense, I believe.”

“Was,” he repeated. “I stand corrected, Ms. Beaumont. So you do know her?”

“No I don’t–I didn’t know she was Sharon Chambers. I don’t know her. Personally, I mean. Look, Mr. Keagan, you’ll have to forgive me. It’s late and I’m tired. Please cut to the chase.”

“Ms. Chambers is apparently unhappy to be a past tense. She has filed a lawsuit against Dr. Kristenson.

Palimony. You understand such things?”

A pensive moment elapsed before Lydia spoke again. “And when did this happen?”

“Tonight.”

“Oh. I see. Was that before or after Helaine’s speech?”

“After.”

“Wasn’t that good of Ms. Chambers? To let Helaine finish her speech.”

“She has named you a Jane Doe defendant in the action.”

He waited as she measured her response to that information. Behind him Helaine and Kay had seated themselves around the table. Helaine rested her head in her hands.

“That’s obscene, Mr. Keagan. Is Helaine there? I need to talk to her.”

Helaine motioned for the phone and he held his hand out to stop her. “Ms. Beaumont, is your father Edward Beaumont, the attorney?” He heard her scoff.

“Please. Has she named my father, too?”

He grimaced then smiled victoriously at his audience. “I only wondered if you understood the seriousness of the matter, having your name dragged into this? But I guess Edward Beaumont’s daughter would know about those kinds of things.”

“Mister Keagan, I would prefer my father’s name be kept out of this, for reasons I suspect I don’t have to list. What is Sharon Chambers suing me for, I’d like to know?”

“A half a million.” There was the sound of a throat clearing then nothing. “Ms. Beaumont?”

“Thank you. I meant why? What does she allege Jane Doe has done to her?”

“You have emotionally distressed her.”

“Emo–may I speak with Helaine please?”

“I have advised my client to lay low for awhile. I would appreciate your cooperation with that.”

“Robert, please let me talk to her. We’ll be brief.”

“Helaine?”

“Robert, please…let me talk to her.”

“Mr. Keagan? Please. Put her on for just a second.”

_____

“How did your speech go?”

“My speech? Very well, thank you. Lydia, I–”

“Standing room only?”

“Actually, yes. How did you know?”

“So, my celebrated friend. You’re famous, too?”

Helaine laughed. “I didn’t expect it would impress you very much.” She watched Kay and Robert out of the corner of her eye.

“Looks like I’ve made some trouble for you, Dr. Kristenson.”

“You?”

“What’s your plan?”

Helaine hesitated. “What would you think if I settled the matter?”

“I’d say that seems prudent. Of course, I’m only a humble investment strategist. Are you going to do that, Helaine?”

“That is our strategy. You know…I’m so sorry–”

“Don’t worry about me. The worst has happened, that’s all. We’ll get it over with.”

We–Helaine sat in the nearest chair, kicked off her shoes.

“Okay?”

“Okay. But what about you, Jane Doe?”

“I’ve been called worse.”

There was light laughter from the table. Helaine chuckled, too.

“Really, I’ll be fine. You should get over here though. Make certain you’re getting your money’s worth.”

Kay grinned and Helaine sent Robert a pleading expression. He smiled but shook his head, rising from the table with the complaint tucked under his arm.

“Better get her a private line, Kay. Where’s that cordless?”

Kay left the kitchen to help search for it.

“Helaine?”

“Lydia, wait, please. I’m going to switch phones.”

“Okay.”

“Here, Helaine. It’s running low, though. He always forgets to recharge it.” Kay handed her the cordless phone.

“Kay. Thank you. Where?”

“You can take it to the guest room. That’s where you’re sleeping tonight. Go on. I’ll hang this up for you.”

The guest room was cozy and private. She stood in the doorway and exhaled. “Can you hear me?”

“Loud and clear.”

“You know I’m not coming tonight?”

“Is that what you want?”

“No.”

“Come then.”

“Lydia…I can’t.”

“Can’t. Lots of can’ts.”

“I’m sorry.” There was static on the line. Helaine went to the bed and sat down. It cleared.

“I want to make love to you.”

Helaine lay back on the pillows, cradled the phone, turned the lights off. “I know.”

“I want you to show–” Static. Nothing but static. “Helaine?”

“I don’t know what to do. It could make things worse for us. For you.” She paused. “They’re looking for you.”

“It isn’t going to scare me off. That’s all it’s supposed to do.”

“Rob–my lawyer says he’ll take care of this quickly. No more than a few months.” She stopped there. Did she believe it? “Can you wait, Lydia? It isn’t that long if you think about it.” Her voice was out there, lost in the universe.

“No. Show me now, Helaine. Come here and show me.”

Helaine took a quick breath, let it go. “Robert feels sure they’ve been tailing me. I don’t think we can risk it.”

“They can’t have much, Helaine. Essentially we’ve just met.”

“Nothing substantial. Not yet, anyway.”

They silently pondered the implications together.

“Then tell me. Tell me how.”

Helaine turned over on her side. “Tell you?”

“Tell me.”

“Now?”

“Are you lying down?”

“Yes.”

“Dressed?”

“Yes.”

“Satin?”

“Satin…did you like that?”

“Love.”

“Love. I’m glad. Hoped you would.”

“Am I undoing it?”

Helaine reached behind her without speaking.

“Helaine?”

“Lydia…”

“Is it undone?”

Helaine fumbled with the catch and pulled the zipper down. “Undone,” she whispered, dropping her dress. The air of the apartment was cool and she had a sudden chill. Goose bumps. She pulled the pillows close to her, unfastened her bra. “Lydia?”

“Tell me, Helaine.”

“Hurry…”

“What should I–”

“Take it off.”

_____

“Good morning.”

Lydia recognized the voice on the other end of the phone. She rolled over and laughed nervously. “Good morning,” she mumbled, squinting at her clock. Ten. Saturday, she reminded herself, shaking the sleep away.

“May I speak with Helaine? I’m guessing she’s there since she’s not where I last left her.”

A shock of blond hair lay across the neighboring pillow. Its owner peeked out from under the sheets and smiled sleepily, green eyes watering in the sunlight.

“Good morning,” Helaine said to Lydia, as she wrapped herself around her.

“Morning,” Lydia repeated with a smile. “It’s your lawyer.”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“Ms. Beaumont?”

The ladies gathered the sheets and sat up.

“Yes, Mr. Keagan. One moment, please,” Lydia answered, passing the phone to Helaine.

“Robert,” Helaine sang in a morning voice, “I can explain everything.”

“Go ahead.”

“Uh-oh, I see you’re not amused. What’s wrong, besides the obvious?”

“Besides the obvious–that you won’t let me help you–there is a troubling new development I’d like to bring to your attention.

Are you prepared for this now or would you like to crawl back here in an hour?”

“Umm…tell me now.”

“Well, let’s see. We’ll start like this. Lydia Beaumont. Dark hair, blue eyes, about your height, drop-trow gorgeous. How do you think I know all that?”

“Good guess?”

“Good photo, Helaine. Of both of you. Together. Now isn’t that convenient for the bad guys?”

Lydia sent her a questioning look.

“Photo,” Helaine whispered. “Us.”

Lydia shrugged and slid Helaine’s hand between her legs.

Robert heard an unintelligible remark. “What?”

“I said, how do we look together?”

“Hand in glove, I’d say. That’s not really the point, is it?”

Hand in– “How did you come by it, Robert?”

“Messenger, I presume. Lawyers must have sent it as an anonymous heads-up. They want her name, Helaine. Clearly they mean business.”

She felt Lydia shudder. “They haven’t gotten it yet, Robert.”

“That won’t last, especially with your wanton–I’ve got another call. I’ll call you right back. Don’t go anywhere!”

Lydia was coaxing with her hips, with quick breaths. “I need you,” she murmured into the blond hair.

“Okay,” Helaine said, consenting to both of them.

_____

Riiiinng…riiiinng…riiiinng…

“Oh…for Pete’s sake…” Lydia groaned.

“Oh, no. That’s probably Robert calling back. Hello?”

Lydia rolled onto her side and put her face under the pillow.

“Hello?” Helaine repeated.

“Queenie, is that you?”

“I’m sorry. I suspect you have the wrong–”

“Is this Del? Put Queenie on.”

“Queenie?”

“Oh, my god, it’s my father–don’t hang up.”

Helaine handed Lydia the phone with a sly smile.

“Daddy?” Lydia said, her face crimson.

“Good morning, Queenie. Say, who’s that? Great voice.”

_____

Lydia was rounding up bathrobes when the phone rang again. “For you,” she laughed. “It’s got to be for you this time.”

Helaine answered it. “Hello?”

“Good morning! Liddy?”

Helaine shook her head. “Just a moment, please.”