“Please don’t tell me you didn’t know. It was all over the front page of Tidbits and the Miami Reporter. Not to mention the morning news. For God’s sake, Nick, you own a newspaper.”
“Unbelievable! No wonder Dan’s called my cell phone a dozen times this morning.” Nick sounded completely bowled over.
“So what did you do?” Preston asked. “Drop off the face of the planet?”
“Sort of. I took yesterday afternoon and this morning off. How’s that for irony? First vacation I’ve taken since starting this paper, and I miss out on one of the biggest headlines of the decade. I’ll bet Peter Arnold’s laughing his ass off right now.” He referred to his biggest competitor in the tabloid business, the publisher of Tidbits. The two had an ongoing war in trying to scoop each other that went back over ten years now. “When did she die?”
“Either late last night, or very early this morning, according to the autopsy report. Apparently she took a dive off the balcony of her condo and was found by a couple of teen-agers who were going to use the spot to make out.”
Nick snorted. “I’ll bet that put a damper on their enthusiasm. What else did the story say?”
“Just that she had a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit and an assortment of illegal drugs in her system.”
“I saw her yesterday, you know. She showed up at my office unannounced and said she wanted to speak with me, but then left after I told her Janelle and I wanted some alone time.”
“Did she seem upset?”
“No. She was her usual arrogant self. I’d assumed she was there to give me a piece of her mind about the pictures I’d printed. Maybe threaten a lawsuit or two. To be honest, I’m surprised Andy hasn’t called me, blaming me for her suicide.”
“I think you can relax about that one. While Andy was busy threatening me, he mentioned Taralynn left a suicide note naming me as the responsible party. It seems she died pointing her finger at Maggie and me for having ruined her life.”
Nick paused and drew a breath. “So revenge was her parting thought.”
“It would seem so. Lucky me.” Preston felt more than a little discouraged. Now that he’d had a few minutes to think, he realized the possibility existed Nick might not jump on his idea the way he’d hoped. After all, they’d been almost adversarial when they were related, and cool to each other ever since. “Listen, Nick, the reason I called wasn’t actually to tell you about Taralynn’s death.”
“It wasn’t?”
“No. I called because I’ve decided to put an end to this battle with Andy Clarke. I’m withdrawing my tender offer for Ty-Ken.”
“You are not!” Janelle shouted at him over the phone.
“Sorry, sis. I am.”
“You mean you’re just going to let Andy Clarke walk away with your company?” Nick sounded as surprised as Janelle.
“Not exactly,” Preston said. “I’m looking for a white knight instead. Nick, I want you to buy my company.” There was silence at the other end of the phone line. Worry prickled on the back of his neck. Nick wasn’t going to go for it.
Finally, Nick cleared his throat. “Did I hear you correctly? You want me to buy Ty-Ken?”
Was that a refusal? “You’ve been wanting to get into mainstream publishing for a long time now,” he reminded Nick. “This is a perfect opportunity for you. Ty-Ken owns radio and television stations, as well as a couple of dozen newspapers in the U.S. And you would be the perfect buyer for Ty-Ken. Beck Publications is in a more solid position financially than Clarke Industries. And you have a staff and managers already familiar with the broadcasting industry. When you think about it, it’s a perfect match. Please, at least think about it.”
“Preston, I think that is a really great idea.” Janelle spoke up before Nick could answer. “But I have to admit, I am really surprised at your decision. What in the world brought this on?”
He felt a stab of regret. If only he could have come up with this idea a couple of weeks ago. “I guess, really, Maggie did. She was right all along. I have made Ty-Ken the most important thing in the world to me. Even more important than people. Two people have already killed themselves since this war started. And it’s not going to stop until I stop fighting. I knew from the grapevine you were interested in going mainstream with your business, Nick, and if I had just come to you in the beginning and asked you to be a white knight, things might never have gone this far.”
For a minute, neither Nick nor Janelle said anything, and then Nick cleared his throat. “You can’t blame yourself for what’s happened, Preston. All you did was end an unhappy love affair. I think Andy Clarke deserves credit for the rest.”
“Nice of you to say, Nick, but what about Ty-Ken? You interested in becoming the new owner?”
“Sure, Preston, I’ll buy the company. On one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“With the understanding it’s still a family business. You see, your sister and I are getting re-married, and she’s going to be a fifty-percent owner and partner in my business ventures.”
Preston felt an enormous rush of relief. Funny to think not so long ago he’d have been gritting his teeth to hear Nick was rejoining the family. He really had made the right decision. “That’s perfect, Nick. Congratulations to you and Janelle both. It’ll be good having you in the family again.”
“You mean you don’t object to having me as a brother-in-law again?”
“I guess I had that coming, but, it’s like I said, my priorities have changed. I’ll have Henry draw up the paperwork and get started on having a fairness opinion prepared for your tender offer.”
“You’re a bigger person than I gave you credit for, Preston. Thank you.”
“Well, I always knew you had it in you, little brother,” Janelle said. “Looks like the only person you need to convince now is Maggie.”
Yeah, if only he hadn’t screwed things up too much already. “Let’s just worry about this new tender offer right now, Sis. We’re going to that next Shareholders’ Meeting ready to win.”
Chapter 70
An eye for an eye, the Bible said. Andy Clarke still remembered that phrase from childhood. And though he hadn’t gone to church or read the Bible as an adult, and quite frankly didn’t believe the whole ball of shit, he still remembered that saying. The one damn thing in that book that actually made sense. And by the end of tomorrow, Preston Tyler would remember it, too.
He grabbed the note pad by his bedside phone, where he’d written down the flight time to Miami from his private jet, the confirmation number for his car rental, and directions to the cabin he’d rented on Big Pine Key. The ease with which all the necessary preparations had been made confirmed he was only doing what needed to be done.
Chester was the only person he could trust, Andy realized. He would have Chester drop him off and pick him up from the airport. That settled, he took a bottle of valium from the locked drawer on the side table and tucked it into his overnight bag. Time to go.
Chapter 71
“I can’t believe Rod’s going to marry Patrice. And that he thinks she’s worth one hundred million dollars.” The news still amused Maggie and kept her mind, at least temporarily, off Preston. He wasn’t at the ball yet. He’d phone her early in the morning and said he had some important business to take care of, and that he and Henry would be a little late.
Nick hadn’t shown up yet either, which Maggie found strange, considering he had a television camera crew, two staff photographers and three reporters there covering the event for a special edition newsmagazine and a television special he’d negotiated with a cable network.
She had already given them an interview and let them take some pictures before her guests arrived. Carefully deflecting all questions regarding, Preston, Taralynn and the suicide, she had steadfastly kept the focus of her talk on the charitable aspect of tonight’s festivities and how much the money raised would benefit children and victims of domestic violence. She had to give Nick’s rep
orters credit for trying hard to pry any juicy scoops from her, but they also got credit for knowing when to back off and let her climb up on her soapbox and preach.
Afterward, Tracy had presented her with a glass of ice water and complimented her on her stellar performance. She’d also made it a point, several times, to assure Maggie she looked great in the sleeveless, red silk dress she had on. It hugged her body like it had been wrapped around her while she stood still. And she felt a bit like Scarlet O’Hara wearing it. She’d have been more comfortable in the midnight blue dress Tracy wore, even though its velvety material clung as tightly as Maggie’s red silk. At least Tracy’s dress had sleeves.
Inevitably, she wondered next what Preston would think when he saw her. Would he think it was too much, or would he want to put his hands all over her? Her body warmed to the thought of his hands on her, even as her heart ached.
“Earth to Maggie.” Tracy waved her hand in front of Maggie’s eyes. “You spaced on me for a minute there. What’s up?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. I think I’m just still in shock over what you told me about Rod and Patrice. God, but they deserve each other.” She grabbed a couple of flutes of champagne off a passing tray and handed one to Tracy. “I have to admit, up until now I had at least thought Rod intelligent.”
Tracy mocked a surprised expression. “You mean he’s not?”
“You’re right, Tracy. This is Rod we’re talking about. The mere mention of a hundred million dollars probably killed half the brain cells in his head. I’d just love to be a fly on the wall when he finds out Patrice has even less money than he does. I’ll bet that’s going to be a real Kodak moment.”
Tracy laughed, but then turned abruptly serious. “Do you think Rod’s getting married to Patrice had anything to do with Taralynn killing herself?”
Maggie thought about the possibility for a moment, because it hadn’t occurred to her before, but then quickly waved it away. “I doubt it. It’s hard to imagine she’d taking Rod dumping her worse than she took Preston doing it. She was always way too busy keeping score of everyone’s bank accounts and imagined social standing to think Rod was a better catch than Preston.”
“Why do you suppose she did it then? Over the pictures maybe?”
“I don’t know what to think about that. I had thought about the pictures in Nick’s paper, or about her failed attempts to get Preston’s attention, but frankly, I expected her to retaliate against Nick with a lawsuit. That would have seemed much more like her. Who knows though? Maybe there was something else going on we didn’t know about. Or maybe it was just everything. Who’s to say what makes a person irrational enough to jump off a building.”
Tracy put an arm around Maggie’s shoulder. “You feel bad about that, don’t you?”
Maggie drank, not sipped, down her champagne. “Yes. You know me too well, Tracy. I’m just a born sucker for anyone with a hard luck story. Even Taralynn. She should have called someone, you know? Anyone.”
“It’s not like you could have done anything to stop it.”
Maggie had to smile at the way Tracy played the role of the counselor. “You’re right. Maybe no one could have prevented Taralynn’s death. She believed the world and everyone else in it, was here to serve her. Thought she was better than everyone else. That she could have anything she wanted. That money could buy everything. Finding out none of those things were true had to be one heck of a let down.”
“You’re assuming she actually figured that out before jumping.”
“Yes. I suppose I am. What upsets me just as much though is the effect her suicide could have on Preston. I’d be very surprised if the press doesn’t try to link him to it in some way. I’ve actually wondered if that’s the reason he isn’t at the party yet.”
“I know.” Tracy patted her on the back. “You still love him, don’t you?”
“No.” Maggie shook her head. She didn’t want to believe she could love a man who had lied to her, who cared more about his business than he did about her, and who defended both actions as if he were right to do so. “I’m just worried because he hasn’t gotten here yet. He may have been ambushed by reporters.”
“Yeah, Maggie. I’m sure that’s all it is.” Tracy grinned at her. “Don’t worry. I’m sure he’ll get here soon. With Henry in tow.”
“I hope you’re right.” Maggie cast another glance around the bar. Her charity ball was well attended. Almost everyone who’d been invited had shown up, including some people who’d originally told her they had other plans. And nearly every guest she’d greeted had expressed their support, not only for her charity, but to her personally, as well. There was no logical reason why she shouldn’t be glowing with pride right now. But she wasn’t. Like a pendulum, her thoughts swung back to Preston. She scanned the crowd of beaded gowns and tuxedos, thinking how at home he would be here, dressed to the nines and hob-nobbing with the press. Glowing with pride over all the good P.R. Ty-Ken would be getting.
“This is Preston’s idea of a party,” she said. “He told me at our engagement party the guest list had been arranged to give him time to work business deals while we celebrated our upcoming marriage. I guess that should have been my first clue he would never move to Key West with me, and we were never going to get married.”
“You don’t know that,” Tracy objected. “You might still marry him someday.”
Maggie snorted derisively and shook her head. “I really don’t think so. We’re too different to ever be together. It just wasn’t meant to be for us.”
“That’s not true. I think if you both quit being so stubborn, you could work things out.”
“You think I’m being stubborn? Preston’s the one who has that company placed highest on his priority list. He allows what’s best for that company to rule every decision he makes, exactly the way my father used to.”
Tracy narrowed her gaze at Maggie. “Is that what this is really all about? Do you think your father loved Ty-Ken more than you? And now you’re worried about Preston doing the same thing?”
First Preston, and now Tracy. Somehow, they managed to turn this into something about her and her father instead of about her and Preston. And as much as she wanted to deny it, she wanted to defend it even more. “It’s true,” she said. “My father never attended a single school event or social event I had when I was growing up, because he was always busy at the office. That company meant more to him than I did. And it means more to Preston, too.”
Tracy still hadn’t softened her stance. “Do you really believe that?”
“How can I not? Preston let me walk away from him three years ago, because he didn’t want to leave his life at Ty-Ken.”
“Maybe you’re being too hard on the man, Maggie. I swear to God, I think he loves you more than anything in the world. I’ve seen the way he looks at you.”
Maggie thought of the string of women he’d been photographed with since she’d called off their engagement, right up to having coffee with Elise when he’d first come to Key West. “I doubt that. He’s managed to keep himself pretty busy since I left.”
“You know, that’s the key phrase, Maggie. You left. Have you ever thought that from his point of view, you left him? That from his point of view, Key West means more to you than he does? For all the talking you do about how Preston doesn’t really put you first in his life, you don’t really put him first in your life, either.”
No, she hadn’t ever thought of it that way before. “I don’t think that’s the point.”
“Of course it’s the point. You’re just too darn stubborn to see it, Maggie, but you’re both stubborn, you’re both putting your businesses ahead of the other one and you’re both not really accepting the other one for their real self. And right now, from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re the one who’s still not willing to compromise.”
“Compromise?” The very word stuck in her throat. “Why should I compromise? I’m right.”
“Well,” Tracy had tha
t half-cocked grin on her face again. “If you’d rather be right than happy, I guess that’s all there is to say about it.”
She didn’t want to believe Tracy could actually be right. A barrage of flash bulbs going off near the door, however, spared her debating the issue any further.
“Looks like Nick’s photographers found someone they were eager to get a picture of,” Tracy said. “I wonder if that’s Preston and Henry.”
Her heart leapt ridiculously at the possibility, making her angry with herself. She had to quit reacting like a teen with a crush every time she thought about being near him.
Tracy stood on her tiptoes, craning her head above crowd level. “I can’t really tell from here. Let’s go up there. You’re supposed to be greeting all of the guests anyway, aren’t you?”
“I suppose so.” Maggie followed Tracy through the crowd. She did want to see Preston, but she dreaded every single step she took.
Tracy reached the camera crew ahead of Maggie and stopped. “Oh my God.”
As soon as Maggie caught up to her, she saw the reason why. It wasn’t Preston and Henry who’d arrived, but two unexpected, uninvited guests. Rod and Patrice. “That’s right,” she heard him say. “I’m incredibly lucky to have married this sweet, very sexy lady. Patrice McKenzie, the toast of Palm Beach society.”
Immediately, a television camera was thrust in front of her. “Maggie, can you give us your reaction to the news that your ex-lover has just gotten married to your aunt?”
Her first reaction was one of confusion, equating the word lover instantly with Preston. “What on earth are you talking about?”
“Rod Skinner, of course,” the reporter standing next to the cameraman explained. She was a young woman in her mid to late twenties with red hair that drew attention to her like a house on fire.
Maggie realized the woman took the question seriously and expected an answer. “Coming from that lying, would-be politician, I’m not surprised to hear such an outrageous tale, but you really should check your facts a little better before repeating such lies. I would never consider having Rod Skinner as a lover. And, incidentally, Rod should have done a little fact checking of his own before he got married to my aunt. Because Patrice is worth exactly one hundred million dollars less than he thinks she is.”
GRATIFICATION (Desire Never Dies) Page 28