Tic Tac Toe (A Suspense Novel)

by Kel E. Mitchell

  “You certainly have no reason to trust me, and if I were in your position, I’d probably say the same thing.” He paused and then continued, “I can only hope that you’ll help me in spite of the pain I’ve caused.”

  Phyllis pondered to herself for a moment what Irene’s reaction would be if Max showed up in Prague, where she was currently performing with her ballet company. Would Irene be angry with her for revealing her location? Max stood to leave, believing that she did not intend to help him. “I’m sorry for taking so much of your time, Ms. Duncan. I’ll show myself out.”

  She took a long look at his tortured face and realized that he had also experienced considerable distress during the past several years. She stood and took a deep breath, knowing that once she’d spoken, there would be no turning back. “Irene’s in Prague.”

  He looked taken back as if he couldn’t believe that she was helping him. “Prague?”

  “Yes, she’s there performing.”

  “I don’t know what to say.” He cleared his throat. “Thank you, Ms. Duncan.”

  “Thank me after you see Irene. When she finds out that I told you where to find her, it’s possible that she won’t be pleased with either one of us.”

  Phyllis wrote down the address of the theatre where Irene was dancing in Prague and handed it to Max. She walked him to the front door and stood on the porch while he got into the waiting taxi. Phyllis waved goodbye to Max. He waved back, and she watched as the cab moved down the street and vanished around a corner. Max was on his way to Prague. He’d finally see Irene.

  Chapter 27

  Prague

  Max arrived at the theatre where Irene was performing after the ballet had already begun. It was dark inside except for the stage, so he didn’t bother with the playbill. After a few minutes, Irene appeared on stage. She looked stunning. He was astounded. Her dancing was breathtaking. He’d never seen her before in her element, and now that he had, it made him more nervous than ever to see her. At intermission, Max glanced through his program and found Irene’s picture and biography. He was surprised to see that Irene was listed in the playbill as Irene Seville. Irene wasn’t simply talented, she was extraordinary. When the ballet ended and it was time for Irene’s bow for the curtain call, she moved to the center of the stage, looked up, and closed her eyes for a moment. She then looked back and smiled beautifully at the audience as she took a graceful bow. Max suddenly remembered the conversation that Irene and her mother had had as Seville lay dying. He recalled how accurate Seville’s last words had been to Irene. She had indeed danced like an angel. He thought it was very fitting that she had taken her mother’s name. She really had created a brand new life for herself in Europe. He stood and joined the rest of the audience as they gave the performers a standing ovation.

  After the curtain fell, the spectators slowly trickled out of the theatre. Max stopped an usher who was passing by. “Excuse me, Sir, do you speak English?”

  “Yes, I do,” replied the usher. His wrinkled face was kind and his white hair shiny and smooth.

  “Excellent. I actually need to see one of the performers.” Max wondered for a moment the best strategy to ensure the usher’s cooperation. “She actually doesn’t know that I’m here. I’m a friend of hers from America, and I wanted to surprise her.” Max knew that when Irene saw him she would be very surprised.

  Not knowing the situation, the usher thought the gesture very sweet. “I suppose that you can wait in the green room while I get your friend. Who is she?”

  “Irene Seville.”

  The usher smiled and took a dramatic breath. “Ah, Ms. Seville – she is lovely.”

  “Yes, she is.”

  He followed the usher to the green room. “If you’ll wait here, I’ll find Ms. Seville.”

  “Thank you.”

  With that, the usher went to the ladies dressing room and knocked on the door. “Ladies, I need to speak with Ms. Irene Seville.”

  Just then, Irene came out of the dressing room. She was no longer in her costume, but her hair was still pulled back in a bun. “Hello, I’m Irene Seville. What can I do for you?”

  “Ms. Seville, there is a friend of yours waiting to see you in the green room.”

  Irene was surprised. Who would be coming to see her here? It must be her aunt she thought. Phyllis had surprised Irene on a few occasions when she’d shown up at her performances without telling her she was coming. Irene smiled at the usher and said amiably, “Would you please tell my friend that I’ll be there in just a few minutes?”

  The usher nodded. “Certainly.”

  She walked back into the dressing room, which had already cleared out, picked up her handbag, and walked toward the green room as she said goodnight to several of her colleagues on the way. Irene opened the door to the green room – suddenly stopped in her tracks – the “friend” waiting for her was none other than Maxwell Frost.

  Chapter 28

  Irene’s heart was racing. When she spoke, her voice was faint. “Max?”

  “Yes,” Max responded.

  “What are you doing here?”

  Max tried to lighten the mood, “We did have a deal, remember?”

  “You didn’t answer my question. Why are you here?”

  “Isn’t it obvious?”

  Irene shook her head. “Not really. How did you find me?”

  “Your aunt told me where you were.”

  “She did?” Irene was silent for a moment. “And why did you come all the way to Prague to see me?”

  “I didn’t get a chance to speak with you when you were home, and I needed to see you again . . . I needed to tell you how sorry I am about your dad.”

  “Thank you, Max. That means a lot to me – but for you to come all this way? I mean we haven’t spoken to each other in years. I would have thought you’d forgotten all about me by now.”

  “Never.”

  Taken back slightly, Irene changed the subject. “So, how long will you be in town?”

  “Not long at all. I’m leaving in the morning.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. It was good to see you again – really it was.”

  “Irene . . . can we have dinner together before I leave? It would be nice to catch up and to hear all about what you’ve been doing.”

  Irene smiled slightly and nodded. “I’d like that.”

  “I can’t tell you what a relief it is to hear you say that. I was sure you might not even talk to me.”

  Irene’s smile grew larger. “Oh, Max, I thought you knew me better than that.”

  Chapter 29

  Boston

  Luke was growing irritated. Max wanted him to look for something that didn’t add up at work – something suspicious. He sat at his desk weeding through piles of information thinking that it would have been easier if Max had asked him to find something that actually did add up. So far, his search had gone nowhere. His fellow legal clerk, Tom Robinson, was sick and had left a little early for the day, so Luke had their small office to himself. He had left the door to the office open as he often did and had been trying to work for some time despite the raised voices coming from the room just around the corner that belonged to the late Judge Duncan’s law clerks. Luke didn’t give their intense conversation much thought because it seemed that the two of them were always arguing. Bryson Walker and Adam Higgs had been Duncan’s legal clerks and were now slated to work for the new Supreme Court justice who had just been appointed by the governor. Bryson and Adam’s exchange soon escalated to the point that Luke had no choice but to notice.

  Luke threw down his pen in exasperation and stood, walking determinedly out of his office toward theirs. It was time he told them to shut up. He’d put up with their whining long enough, and he couldn’t take it anymore. Luke rounded the corner and ran smack into the back of another legal clerk, Sarah Jane Stephens. He grabbed Sarah Jane by the shoulders in an attempt to steady the two
of them and said loudly, “What the . . .”

  Before he could continue, Sarah Jane whipped around to face him and placed her hand over his mouth to prevent his speaking any further. He was confused by her strange behavior but didn’t question it. The two of them backed silently away from Bryson and Adam’s closed office door and made it around the corner toward Luke’s just in time. The door to Bryson and Adam’s office opened, and one of them spoke, “I thought I heard something.”

  Luke didn’t wait for the two men to investigate further whether or not someone had been listening to their private conversation. He led Sarah Jane into his office and shut the door quietly behind them. They were both silent for several seconds, listening to make sure they hadn’t been discovered. When Luke didn’t hear anything coming from the hall for some time, he opened the door cautiously and glanced out. The hall was empty. He re-shut the door and turned around to face Sarah Jane. “What was that all about?”

  She looked at Luke with an innocent face in an attempt to cover her guilt. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Pretty sure you do. Hasn’t anyone ever told you that coy doesn’t become you, darling?” He walked over to her until he stood close in front of her. His voice was slightly agitated. “Sweetie, don’t try lying to me. I’m not stupid like most of the men you know. What were you doing eavesdropping outside their office?”

  “I hate to break it to you, darling, but men don’t get to judge their own stupidity. If they did, then they would never be guilty of doing anything stupid, which I can personally attest is decidedly not the case.” She looked at him shrewdly and then continued. “You know, I don’t think my eavesdropping is what’s really bothering you.”

  “No? Then what is? By all means enlighten me since I apparently don’t know what I’m thinking,” he said sarcastically.

  “I think that you’re all bent out of shape because instead of standing outside Bryson and Adam’s office door, you’d prefer it if I was waiting outside yours!” Luke couldn’t bring himself to respond, and then she persisted, “Am I getting warm?”

  He wasn’t about to admit that she’d hit close to home with that last comment. He had been interested in her ever since she’d started clerking for Judge Jewkes a few months prior, but he didn’t understand her. Most women found him more than appealing, but Sarah Jane wouldn’t give him the time of day. He couldn’t quite decide what it was that he liked about her so much. Maybe it was how intelligent she was, or maybe it was her appearance. She was tall and had long, wavy blonde hair. Despite her fair hair, she had olive skin and dark brown eyes. She was something of an enigma. When he had first met her, she seemed timid. Yet he soon realized that in actuality, she was more fiery than any woman he’d known. Maybe that’s what he liked about her – he’d finally met a woman whose wit was quick enough to match his own.

  “Sarah Jane, do you seriously think that I’d be bothered by your being outside another man’s door?” he questioned. “Trust me, that’s the last thing I’d be worried about. Why would I need to beg for your attention when I’m sure that there are plenty of other women who would be more than happy to oblige?”

  His comment about all the other women who were interested in him disappointed her, and she couldn’t prevent her feelings from showing for a moment. Her voice lacked its usual sassiness. “I’m sure there are.”

  With that, Sarah Jane moved past him and was just about to open the door when he put his hand on it to prevent her from leaving. She turned around and found him standing close in front of her. She took a step back and felt the door directly behind her, not allowing her to retreat any farther. He placed a hand on either side of her.

  Luke grinned, his tone of voice teasing. “You know from that last comment, I’d almost think you’re jealous.”

  She looked disgusted. “I beg your pardon? Why would I care if you have other women shamelessly throwing themselves at you?”

  “Because you like me. Come on, Sarah Jane,” Luke goaded, “Just admit that you’re a little jealous because you like me.”

  Sarah Jane knew that Luke Tredsley had a long line of women in love with him, and she wasn’t about to admit that she liked him, even if it were true. She believed if he knew of her interest, he would string her along and then drop her the moment he became fascinated with someone else. She didn’t want to find out the hard way if her suspicions were true, and so she never acted even remotely interested in him. She thought quickly to herself, regained her footing, and patted him flirtatiously on the chest. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m afraid that I don’t dip my pen in company ink.”

  Luke dropped his hands away from the door, and she opened it swiftly and headed for her own office. He felt disappointed as he watched her walk away. Then a thought suddenly occurred to him. Sarah Jane had said that she didn’t dip her pen in company ink – she’d never said that she didn’t like him. He realized then that she thought he was a player, and that was the reason she had kept her distance. He smiled confidently to himself and thought about how surprised she was going to be when she learned that he was very much a player – just not when it came to women.

  Chapter 30

  Prague

  Irene and Max had walked across the Charles Bridge to the Old Town Square and decided to eat at one of Irene’s favorite restaurants adjacent to the Astronomical Clock located on the exterior wall of the historic Old Town Hall. Once seated, they exchanged small talk, glances, and uneasy smiles across the candlelit table covered with a crisp, white table linen – yet didn’t enter into a conversation until after their entrees had been served. After a moment of awkward silence, Irene said, “I saw your Uncle Blake when I was home. It was nice to see him again. We didn’t get much of a chance to talk. I hope that he’s doing well.”

  Max set down his drink as he nodded and said, “He is. He sure is something – I’ve never met anyone with as much drive as he has.” She smiled and then looked down at her hands nervously, not sure exactly what she should say next. She looked up as he spoke. “It looks like you’ve been keeping busy. So, tell me, Irene, what have you been up to since you arrived in Europe?”

  “A little bit of everything. I graduated a few years ago from a dance academy in Paris, and I’ve been performing with my company ever since.”

  “Do you like it?”

  “Yes. It’s been such a great experience.”

  “How much longer do you think you’ll stay with the company?”

  “I don’t know for sure. They’ve been so good to me, it’d be hard to go anywhere else, but you never know.” Max nodded his agreement. Before he could ask another question Irene said, “Enough about me, tell me about you. You finished at Columbia a while ago I’d imagine – right?”

  “Yes, I finished a few years ago.”

  “And did you enjoy it?”

  He paused as he looked intently at her. “Not as much as I did initially.”

  That statement made Irene feel uncomfortable, and she said hurriedly, “After you graduated, then what’d you do?”

  “I moved back to Boston and started managing my Uncle Blake’s newspaper – and that’s where I’ve been ever since.”

  “I bet you like it.”

  “Yeah, it’s what I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”

  Irene nodded and smiled. “I remember. You were always making up breaking news stories to write about.”

  He laughed. “I’d forgotten about that. Let’s hope I do a better job reporting the news now than I used to.”

  “No kidding,” she teased.

  There was another break in the conversation. Max cleared his throat, his voice hesitant. “So, do you have a boyfriend? I’m assuming you’re not married, since your father never mentioned it?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Which part?”

  “The I’m not married part.” Before he could ask more questions about her relationship status, she
turned the tables so that she was the one asking the questions. “So, do you have any kids?”

  “What?”

  Irene looked confused. “I was just curious whether or not you and Tweed had any children. I mean you’ve been married for a while now.”

  “No, we haven’t.”

  “No – you haven’t had kids?”

  “No – we haven’t been married. I broke off my engagement a long time ago.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t realize . . .”

  “I had just assumed that your dad told you about it.”

  “No, no he never mentioned it.”

  There was a long silence. Irene was trying to think of a safe topic of conversation. Finally, she drew a breath and asked, “So, how’s Luke?”

  “He’s fine – busy – but fine.”

  “Busy getting into trouble no doubt,” Irene joked.

  “That’s for sure,” he countered. Max thought to himself for a moment, wondering how to best approach the topic of her father. “You know Irene – speaking of Luke – did you know he worked with your dad?”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Well, he’s actually a legal clerk for another Massachusetts Supreme Court justice.”

  “Wow, I can’t believe that Luke clerks for the Supreme Court.” She paused reflectively. “It’s hard to believe how time flies. When we were kids, it seemed like we were going to stay young forever. Life changes fast when you’re not looking, doesn’t it?”

  “It’s amazing just how fast things can change.” They stared at one another for a moment. Max knew that this was the time to tell Irene about the conversation he’d had with her father before his death. “Luke’s actually helping me with some research that I’m working on right now.”

  “Really?”

  He nodded. “I guess you could call it an independent investigation of sorts. But I need someone else’s help in addition to Luke’s if I’m going to find out anything important.”

  “Really? Whose help do you need?”

  “Yours.”

  “Mine?” Irene questioned as she grew even more confused. “How could I possibly help you?”