"V" is for Vengeance (18 page)

“Doesn't that seem like a conflict of interest when I was responsible for her arrest? You'd think I'd be the last person in the world you'd hire to do anything.”

“But at least you were there and know part of the story. I'd hate to have to sit down and explain it all to someone else. Besides, you can't do any worse than me finding out what's going on.”

“You have a point.” I turned the subject over in my mind, looking for a starting place. “It would help if we knew what she was charged with and if she had a history of prior arrests.”

Incredulously, he said, “You can't be serious! You think she might have been picked up before?”

“It's entirely possible.”

He hung his head in despair. “This is just going to get worse and worse, isn't it?”

“That would be my guess.”

Wednesday morning, Nora stopped at the downtown branch of Wells Fargo Bank, where she kept a safe-deposit box. She signed in and showed her identification, then waited while the teller compared her signature to the one kept on file. She followed the woman into the vault. She and the teller each used their keys to unlock the compartment. The teller removed the box and placed it on the table. As soon as the teller stepped out, Nora opened the box. In addition to her passport, vital documents, gold coins, and the jewelry she'd inherited from her mother, she kept five thousand dollars in cash.

She spread it all out on the table. In her handbag, she had the check for seven thousand dollars Maurice Berman had given her for the earrings and bracelet he'd bought. In the past, she'd sold minor pieces of jewelry in order to have money to play the market. She'd opened a Schwab account and in the previous three years she'd made close to sixty thousand dollars in profit, ten of which she kept for emergency purposes, five at home and the other five at the bank. The rest of the money she reinvested. It was not a sum most traders would brag about, but she took a secret satisfaction knowing the proceeds were the result of her acumen. She tucked her passport in her handbag and returned the rest of the items to the box.

Her portfolio was solid and diverse, weighted toward mutual funds. She had a few income-producing stocks and a handful of options she toyed with according to her mood. She'd avoided anything too risky, but maybe it was time to venture outside of her comfort zone. She wasn't a financial whiz, by any means, but she was a devoted reader of the
Wall Street Journal
and an avid student of the ups and downs of the New York Stock Exchange. Since both she and Channing had been married before, they'd elected to keep their finances separate. Their pre-nup was straightforward: what was his was his, what was hers was hers. She used the same accounting firm, the same tax attorney, and the same financial planner she'd brought on board when her first marriage ended.

Channing was aware she had investments, but the particulars were none of his business as far as she was concerned. She'd been foolish to approach him for the eight thousand, but she'd spotted an opportunity at a time when she didn't have access to sufficient cash. While she'd been furious at Thelma's interference, in hindsight she knew the woman had saved her from a hideous mistake. Nora regarded her capital as her sole and separate property. The courts might disagree. That was an issue for another day and one she might never have to face. Legal niceties aside, comingling funds could be disastrous.

She left the bank and walked over to the Schwab offices, where she deposited the seven thousand dollars into her account.

Money matters carried a sexual charge that lifted her spirits and gave her a jolt of self-confidence. She thought about the heft and feel of the seventy-five thousand that had fallen into her hands and out again in a matter of minutes on Monday. She'd given Dante the impression she was morally scrupulous when she was really afraid. Withholding information from Channing was fine in small doses. Playing the market made her feel secure, especially when it came to the cash she was stashing away. If she had to, she'd sell everything and add that money to the money she had on hand. Seventy-five thousand was too tempting a sum, as damning in its own way as her husband's affair. When it came to keeping secrets, what was the difference between his taking a mistress and her hiding substantial assets? In truth, she was putting together funds in case she decided to leave. Seventy-five thousand in cash represented a door that had opened a crack. What she saw frightened her and she'd backed away.

Home again, she changed into her sweats and went for a four-mile walk. She'd been walking four miles a day, five days a week for the past seventeen years. Over time, the consistent low-key exercise had changed the shape of her body and reduced her weight by a pound a year where other women her age were picking up three annually. Ordinarily, she set out at 6:00 A.M. but she'd wakened to just enough early morning drizzle to make the outdoors look grim. She'd postponed the walk and now the sun was out.

Twice that week, she'd had occasion to run errands downtown. Crossing State, she couldn't help glancing up at the three circular second-floor windows that marked Dante's office, wondering if he was looking down at her. She still blushed when she thought about the man Maurice had referred her to. Dante looked respectable at first, but he was clearly accustomed to bending the rules—if he recognized the rules at all. And what was it he'd said to her? “Your husband's a fool if he's giving you grief.” There was something sweet about that. He'd been protective of her, a gallantry that brought tears to her eyes when she thought of it. Once upon a time, Channing had protected her from pain. Now he was the source.

The walk dispelled some of the free-floating anxiety she'd flirted with over the past few days. Turning to Maurice Berman had helped. At least, she felt she was doing something for herself. Her conversation with Dante was disturbing in ways she couldn't identify. Staying busy was her only hope of diminishing her uneasiness. She showered and washed her hair, then wrapped herself in a robe while she considered what to wear. She was having a late lunch at the club with a woman she'd met through the friend of a friend. They'd talked about tennis afterward, but that was still up in the air. Late afternoon she had an appointment at a local spa where she was scheduled for a complimentary beauty package, whatever that consisted of. Probably not much. The masseuse in Beverly Hills had raised her rates, and Nora had lost interest in the round-trip drive through heavy traffic for something that was meant to soothe and relax. That evening, of course, she and Belinda and Belinda's younger sister had tickets for the symphony. Sorting through the hangers in her closet, she decided on a pair of close-fitting wool slacks and a cropped wool jacket—not a suit, but separates that worked well together.

Mrs. Stumbo had put the issue of
Los Angeles Magazine
on her bed table. Nora thought she'd thrown it in the trash but perhaps she had not. She picked it up and carried it to the bench in front of her dressing table. Perversely, she turned to the back of the magazine and worked her way forward, page by page, until she found the two-inch-square photograph that had changed so many things. There was Thelma with her red hair and doting smile, smug in her role as Channing's consort for the evening. The term
zaftig
came to mind, meaning the sort of blowzy female sexuality men lusted after: big breasts, narrow waist, flaring hips. The tops of Thelma's breasts bulged upward, threatening to flop out of the strapless white evening gown. The bodice was so tight that when she'd zipped it up the back, two mounds of underarm fat were forced over the edge of the dress in puffy white rolls.

Nora squinted and looked more closely at the photo. The dress had to be a Gucci. She knew the care he took with every stitch, the tucks and darts, the beading.

Shit.

She got up, took the magazine to the window, and peered again. Details came into sharper focus as the sunlight streamed in. Was that
her
gown or was she seeing things? Thelma's diamond earrings looked like duplicates of hers as well. She'd noticed the similarities when she first saw the photo, but she'd been so taken aback by Thelma's transformation she hadn't registered the fine points. For a moment, she stood stock still, immobilized by indecision.

She tossed the magazine aside and crossed the hall to the study. Her day planner was open at today's date. In the square for each appointment, she'd written the telephone number of the individual she was scheduled to see. The lunch date and the spa visit were simply dealt with. She picked up the phone and in two calls cleared her afternoon. It was as though the real Nora had stepped aside and someone else had taken her place. She was clear-headed and single-minded. The symphony tickets would be trickier to finesse. She was on the verge of dialing Belinda's number when she stopped. The symphony was at 8:00. If she left now, she'd be back in plenty of time. She checked the clock. 12:15. The chances were good she'd catch Channing at his desk.

By habit, he was in his office by 7:00 A.M. and worked through until 1:00, when he went out for lunch. His driver would ferry him into Beverly Hills or over Benedict Canyon and into the Valley where he'd meet a client at any one of a number of restaurants. La Serre was his current favorite, with its soft pink walls, pink linens, and white trellising. Most of Channing's practice was what he described as “transaction based”: intellectual-property disputes, copyright and trademark infringements, contract negotiations, and talent agreements. Lunches out provided the opportunity to socialize, to see and be seen, cementing the relationships that were at the core of his success. He'd be back at his desk by 3:00 and put in another four hours before he called it a day.

She tried his number and when Thelma picked up the call, Nora used her cheeriest tone of voice. “Hello, Thelma. This is Nora. Could you put me through to my husband?”

She could almost feel the chill when Thelma realized who she was. “One moment please. I'll see if he's available,” Thelma said and put her on hold.

“You fucking do that,” Nora said to the empty phone line.

When Channing picked up, he'd turned on the charm. Obviously, Thelma had alerted him she was on the line. “This is a rare pleasure,” he said. “I can't think when you last called in the middle of the day.”

“Don't be sweet to me, Channing, or I'll never get this out. I owe you an apology. I honestly don't remember your mentioning the dinner dance. I'm not saying you didn't tell me. I'm sure you did, but the subject must have gone in one ear and out the other. I shouldn't have been so adamant.”

The brief tic of silence was one she might not have noticed if she hadn't anticipated his surprise. “I appreciate that. You were probably caught up in something else and didn't register the date. I take part of the blame myself. I should have verified that the lines of communication were open. Enough said?”

“Not quite. I've been thinking about it all week and I realize how far out of line I was. I shouldn't have ambushed you like that when you were heading out the door. You had enough on your mind.”

“I was anxious to hit the road,” he said, “and I didn't take the time to hear you out. I know these charity events can be tedious.”

“True, but I was exaggerating a tiny bit to make my case. That said, you can't use my confession as ammunition.”

He laughed. “Fair enough. I promise I won't beat you over the head with it the next time we get into an argument.”

“You're a love,” she said. “So how goes the quest to fill the empty seat?”

“I've put out feelers, but so far no luck.”

“Good. I'm glad. Because the real reason I was calling was to offer a change of plans. I can be down there by three with no problem at all. Truly, I don't mind. It's the least I can do after being such a bitch.”

Without missing a beat, he said, “No need for that. You go about your day. Sounds like you're busy enough as it is. If I can't find a tablemate, I'll do as you suggested and go on my own. It's no big deal.”

Nora smiled to herself. What a liar he was. Thelma had probably been tapped as his date since the invitation crossed her desk. No telling how many social engagements she'd redirected to her own personal use. Nora knew perfectly well Channing hadn't warned her in advance because he wanted to catch her flat-footed. He made a point of putting her in a bind so her refusal to go would be her fault instead of his.

“I don't want you to have to go by yourself,” she said. “You poor dear. I thought I'd put a call through to Meredith and see if she and Abner want to meet for drinks ahead of time. That way, we could all go in one car.”

Channing's response was smooth, but she knew him well enough to sense his desperation. By capitulating, she'd gained the upper hand and put the burden back on him. He was committed by now. Thelma fully expected to go as his date and he could hardly turn around and tell her he'd be attending with his wife. “I appreciate the offer. Really, it's more than generous, but why don't we take a rain check. Next time our schedules conflict, I'll call in my marker.”

“You promise?”

“Promise.”

“Good. Then we have a deal. Next time I swear I'll go without making a fuss.”

“Perfect. I'd like that.”

“Meanwhile, enjoy yourself.”

“I'll do my best. Full report afterward.”

“Love you.”

“You too,” he said. “I've got another call coming in.”

As soon as she was off the phone, Nora picked up her handbag and car keys. She stuck her head in the kitchen, where Mrs. Stumbo was down on her hands and knees scrubbing the floor.