Jack stepped up to the three of them. “Why don’t the two of you go up and get ready for bed.” He ruffled Kevin’s hair, while keeping his eyes on Lainey. “Let your mom get settled in. Then, we’ll both be up to tuck you in.”
“Yes, sir,” the boys said in unison. Giving their mom one last hug and kiss, they hurdled up the stairs.
“Did you mean what you said?” Jack asked her. “Are you going to try not to work so much?”
“Yes, I meant it.” She tried to pull her hand away, but he held on.
“Are you going to divorce me, Lainey?”
“What?” His question took her completely by surprise. “No! Why would you ask that?”
“When you came in, you said you couldn’t do this anymore. If you’re not divorcing me, then what did that mean?”
“I – I just meant that I don’t like being away from the boys so much.”
“I told you not to go back to work,” Jack began.
“Stop it. Please. I don’t want to go through this every time we’re together. I want to work. I enjoy it, and I hate it when you make me feel guilty about it.”
“You’re the one who...” Jack stopped. He could see that Lainey was tired and irritable, and the last thing he wanted to do is fight with her. Her words had scared him enough to want to try harder in their marriage. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
His apology surprised her almost as much as his question about divorce. She was prepared for a fight, as it happened almost every day. But, she didn’t quite know how to handle his apology.
“We should go tuck the boys in,” she said.
Jack pulled her to him when she began to move away. “What about me?”
“What about you, Jack?” she asked warily.
“Do you dislike being away from me as much as the boys?”
She looked into his eyes, saw the concern, the fear, the love, and melted because in those eyes, she could also see the young man she had once fallen so deeply in love with. Lainey lifted her hand to Jack’s face. “Let’s put the boys to bed,” she told him. “Then, we can put each other to bed.”
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Jack lightly on the lips before silently leading him up the stairs.
She pushed open the door of the police station and breezed her way through the bullpen full of officers with suspects, victims or family members looking for help. She had an agenda and she was not stopping for anyone. In the back of her mind she could mourn for those who were there reporting their lost children, or reproach those who were there because of their own lack of common sense. But, these people and their problems were not her concern today. Today, she was armed and dangerous, with information and determination.
“Can I help you, ma’am?” Sweat stained the officer’s collar and armpits, and he had a gun holstered at his side.
“I’m looking for Detective Harris,” she said keeping her voice light and friendly. “Could you tell me where I can find him?”
“He’s down the hall, first office on the right, Miss. I can show you if you want.”
“That’s okay. I’ll find it. Thank you.”
A plastic nameplate adorned the glass door, dingy, white blinds the only thing allowing any kind of privacy. Out of courtesy, Eve knocked lightly before entering the office. Detective Harris was just finishing a phone conversation which, judging by what she heard, Eve assumed was about her.
“Eve,” he said amicably after hanging up the phone. “I have to say that I’m surprised to see you here.”
“Are you? Where’s your partner?” She asked the question even though she knew the answer. Eve had made sure that Detective Carter would not be here for this particular meeting. But, Detective Harris didn’t need to know that.
“He took some personal time today.” He paused for a moment, his fingertips tapping together at his lips. “What can I do for you, Ms. Sumptor?”
“Why do you do that?” she asked curiously.
“I’m sorry?”
“You call me Ms. Sumptor whenever you’re scrutinizing me, waiting for me to make some mistake. Or perhaps waiting for me to confess all my sins. Then, you turn completely around. Your face changes and you look at me as though I could do no wrong, and all you want to do is protect me. That’s when you call me Eve. So, which is it, Detective? Am I guilty or innocent?”
“You tell me.”
Eve smiled. “Would you believe me?” Her smile faded then. “I’m no angel, Detective, but I’m not a murderer either. That’s not my style.”
“My partner thinks you had something to do with the recent murders in Paris.”
Eve’s lips curved, again. “Predictable. And, what do you think, Detective?” she asked.
“He has good reason to believe that,” he told her. “You were in Paris. These men were associated with your father.”
“I was here, in beautiful New York City, when those men were murdered,” Eve countered. “They were not ‘associated’ with my father. My father owed them money. Money he can’t pay back. Your partner would know that if he stopped this obsession he has with trying to find me guilty of something, and investigated a little more closely. And, you didn’t answer my question. Do you think I murdered these men, or had anything to do with their deaths - Detective?”
“No, and I’ve bought you some time.”
Eve glanced at the phone. “So I heard. How much time do I have?”
“Not long. The press is biting at our heels wanting a suspect. I’ve done my best to keep your name out of this, Eve, but I don’t know how much longer I can do that.”
“You’ve done your best, and so has your partner – probably against his will because the Commissioner told you to. I’m a big contributor to the Police Fund,” she said with a shrug. “He’s also aware that you have no real evidence, and that I could sue the city for wrongful accusation and, of course, mental anguish.” She tilted her head, and turned up the heat in her stare. “Not to mention, you could lose your job.”
Satisfied by the faint film of sweat on his brow, Eve sat back in her chair and crossed her legs, the small slit of her pale pink skirt revealing her smooth thigh. “How is the investigation on my father going?”
Harris looked away. “Not going as well as I expected. Every lead we get ends up at a dead end.”
“Of course it does,” Eve said quietly. Harris wouldn’t have been as surprised by her lack of concern if he had known what she did. Things were about to change. “Maybe if you would stop focusing your energy on trying to bring me down, things would be easier for you,” she added.
“We’re not focusing on you, Ms. Sumptor. But we do have to cover all angles. There’s been no harassment. Your business affairs are not suffering.”
“Do you think I care about business, Detective?” she interrupted heatedly. “The family of a young woman that worked for me actually thinks I killed her. Two other women in my employ are missing. One is safe, the other - I don’t know. Another woman employed by me has been hospitalized, having been severely beaten. My garage attendant at the gallery has been hospitalized and I don’t know if he’ll ever walk again. The people I care about the most are being threatened, and the only way I can keep them out of harm’s way is to get them away from me. All of this is because of my father’s hatred for me.” Eve sighed, feeling the weight of the guilt on her shoulders. “Money means absolutely nothing to me,” she continued. “I have more than I’ll ever need. But your focus on me is accomplishing nothing except letting people get killed or hurt. The longer this goes on, the more those around me will be in danger.”
“I admit that my partner is a little obsessed with pinning this on you,” he told her. “But more circumstantial evidence is piling up on your side than your father’s. I can’t simply ignore that.” He picked up a pen and tapped it on his desk. “I don’t think you killed Miss Sawyer, Eve. But, what am I supposed to do when my partner keeps digging up this evidence?”
“Have you ever wondered
why you keep going in circles? When it comes to Tony, he always comes out smelling like a rose, the perfect citizen, even though he’s a known murderer. Have you ever wondered how he could get out of prison so soon after being convicted of murder? And, yet, when it comes to me, ‘circumstantial’ evidence practically throws itself in your lap.” She leaned forward once again and laid the folder she had brought with her in front of the detective. “No. Don’t open it yet, wait until I’m gone. Things are not always as they appear to be, Detective. Your partner has it in for me. Why? And, is he turning you towards me to keep your attention off someone else? Sometimes, the answers could be right under your nose.”
She knew she was taking a gamble by giving Harris the information she had, but she had to trust him. She had no other choice. “I can help you, Charlie. Stop working against me, and maybe we can save another innocent person from getting in the line of fire. This started thirteen years ago when my mother was murdered. One way or another, it ends now.”
And with that, Eve took her departure, leaving Harris wary and confused. Turning his attention to the file, he opened it. He frowned, and started reading the information that accompanied a photo. “Son of a bitch!” he whispered with disbelief and picked up a folded piece of paper which had fallen onto his desk when he opened the file, a piece of paper which was to make all the difference.
The elevator doors opened, and Eve stepped into the gallery, her routine cup of coffee in hand. Her visit to Detective Harris had proven to be beneficial since she had subsequently been informed that he had made the phone call she had predicted he would make not ten minutes after she walked out of his office.
The wheels were now set in motion, and it was up to her to keep them on track. One of her next steps would be one of the hardest things she would have to do yet. When she had fallen asleep, eventually, the night before, her dreams had been filled with Adam and Lainey, with Lainey dominating the first half, angry with Eve, overcome with hatred, and unwilling to forgive, leaving Eve feeling vulnerable and miserable. Then Adam had crept in, and Eve’s heart had been filled with regret. She wanted him, needed him, and dreamt of making love with him. She could feel him moving inside her, loving her. Then, as abruptly as he had appeared, he disappeared, and she was left alone, cold and trembling with no one to turn to.
Lainey did not look up from what she was doing as Eve came into the gallery. After last night with her husband, she knew that facing Eve today would be difficult. She would have to deal with that later.
After telling Mikey that she would be spending most of the day in her office and expected to be left undisturbed except for a single visitor, she started down the hall, only to be greeted by the young couple Lainey was helping.
“Good morning, Ms. Sumptor.” The young, enthusiastic couple with Lainey greeted Eve as she walked by. They were regulars from when Eve first opened the gallery here in New York. He was a hot shot on Wall Street, she, beautiful and blonde, somewhat of a princess, liked spending his money on the art. It was a perfect arrangement for Eve.
“Mr. And Mrs. Cates, it’s always nice to see you. I trust you are being well taken care of.”
“Yes, of course. You always did have great judgment in the people you have around you.”
Eve simply smiled. “If you’ll excuse me, I have tons of work to do. I have no doubt you’ll choose something spectacular for your new apartment. Mrs. Stanton will take good care of you.”
Lainey tried to keep her composure, but all she wanted to do was sit down and cry. Why had Eve called her Mrs. Stanton? What did she know? With Eve, that answer could be everything. Lainey relied on her professionalism to make it through this sale, but her mind was on Eve. She determined that in her first free moment, she would make her way up to her office and find out what was going on.
Eve closed her office door softly behind her. She had seen the pain and shock in Lainey’s eyes when she had called her Mrs. Stanton, and it hurt. Still, Eve kept telling herself that she was doing the right thing, that Lainey would get through this and be happier in the long run, even if Eve was giving up her own happiness to make that happen. Sitting down at her desk, she rested her pounding head in her hands, reviewing what she intended to tell Lainey. She was going to be harsh, but Eve felt she had no other choice. Picking up the photo they had taken at Disney, she ran a fingertip over Lainey’s image and found that the pain was even worse when she focused on the two little boys she was so fond of. The memory of their trip to Florida was one she would cherish for the rest of her life – however long that would be.
She had been so happy since Lainey had come into her life and now, because of her father, she would once again be alone. Her stomach churned sickly as she thought of what she had to do. Eve snapped out of her daydreams and back into reality when she heard the knock. Carefully, as though it would hurt to let go, Eve set the photo back down on her desk and called out, “Come in.”
“I must say that I was surprised when I was told that you wanted to meet with me,” Dee said by way of greeting. “I was having a rather nice vacation.”
“I’ll make sure you go back to Hawaii for a real vacation when all of this is over,” Eve told her. “I’m ready to make a statement.”
Surprise flickered in Dee’s eyes. “My camera man’s outside,” she said.
“No cameras.”
“I don’t understand. You just said you wanted to make a statement. I’m a T.V. reporter. Remember?”
“I said I’m ready to make a statement, but I can’t do it on camera.”
“That wasn’t the deal, Eve,” Dee protested. “You told me you’d go on air.”
“And, I will,” Eve promised her. “But, I can’t do that now. All I can do is give you information that I need you to make public. Dee, it’s important that you do this my way.”
“Eve, my boss is breathing down my neck for a story on you. We’ve been pressured by you and the police to keep names out of it, but I need something.”
“I’m about to give you something. And, I’m not going to lie to you. If you do this story, there’ll be a contract out for your head. So, you need to make sure that you and your boss are ready for that.”
“Are you saying I could get killed because of what you’re about to tell me?”
“Yes.”
Eve waited. She knew something about brinksmanship, enough to be fairly certain that, when push came to shove, this woman would put her career before her own safety. Eve knew ambition when she saw it and she knew how to manipulate with it.
Dee sat down and took a notebook and pen out of her tote bag. “We’ll do it your way,” she said, “but only because I’m going to take you at your word that you will give me an exclusive. On camera.”
“Before I say anything,” Eve told her, “you have to agree that you’ll do exactly what I tell you.”
“I’ll do what I can.”
“That’s not good enough, Dee. In order for any of this to work as I’ve planned...” Eve’s voice faded. There was too much on her mind, and she was becoming sloppy.
“In order for what to work, Eve?” Dee’s eyes narrowed.
“I have no time to waste, Ms. Cummings,” Eve told her, her voice and eyes expressionless. “This is the statement I want you to report.”
Lainey watched as Dee Cummings left the gallery. She knew Dee had been in Eve’s office for more than an hour, and she couldn’t help but be curious as well as annoyed that her confrontation with Eve had to be delayed. But now that Lainey had the chance, she felt her blood run cold with fear. All morning, she has had a sick feeling in her stomach, as if she knew something was awfully wrong. She just couldn’t pinpoint what it was. Then, Eve had called her Mrs. Stanton and that sick feeling intensified. Leaving Mikey to take care of things she made her way up to Eve’s office.
Eve fought the sick feeling in her stomach as she waited for Lainey to come to her as she knew she would now that Dee had left. Second thoughts plagued her. Could she really go through with this? But,
when she heard the light knock at the door, she knew there was no other choice. Eve closed her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath. “Yes?”
God. Lainey closed her own eyes and prayed for her quaking hands to work. Her breath shuddered when she sucked it in, and opened the door. “Hi.” Lainey’s voice wasn’t as confident as she would have liked it to be, but she refused to clear her throat. “Are you busy?”
“I’m always busy.” Silently thanking God that her voice was light and careless, Eve gestured to the chair. She waited for Lainey to sit, but didn’t look up from the papers in front of her. “Did you make the sell to the Cates?”
“Yes.”
“What did they end up buying?”
Exasperated, Lainey sighed heavily. “I don’t know.”
Eve looked up and cocked a brow. “You don’t know?”
“Damn it, Eve, I can’t think about what I sold when I’m trying to figure out what’s going on between us.” Lainey paused for a moment to think. “A-a sculpture from a local artist and a Pissarro. Would you like the tickets, too?”
“No, that won’t be necessary,” Eve said. “What can I do for you?”
Lainey stared at the top of Eve’s head for a moment. “Is this how it’s going to be?”
“What do you mean?”
“What was that Mrs. Stanton bit about?”
Eve looked up at Lainey again, praying her eyes didn’t betray the pain she felt inside. “That’s your name, isn’t it?”
“It never was with you. Especially after everything that we’ve been through.”
“I was being professional, Lainey. I said hello to Mr. and Mrs. Cates, and to you. You shouldn’t take it so personally. Besides, your marriage is getting better, isn’t it? You should be happy to be called Mrs. Stanton?”
“What do you know about the state of my marriage, Eve?” Lainey demanded. “We haven’t talked about the most recent installment.” It was, she found, impossible to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. At least Eve could tell her what was going on. She owed her that.
Something About Eve (An Eve Sumptor Book 1) Page 41