Manhattan Merger

by Rebecca Winters

  “Thank you. Will you tell the court the location of the eight paintings with my client’s likeness?”

  “Five of the authors have bought the paintings from me. I own the other three, one of which is Manhattan Merger. They’re hanging in my apartment.”

  “According to the testimony we’ve heard, you only saw my client in a photograph for a few minutes, then painted him from memory.”

  “Yes.”

  “If Your Honor will permit, I’ll ask the bailiff to give this sketch pad and pencil to the witness.”

  The judge nodded.

  “Now if Your Honor will assist me by picking another person in the photograph from Exhibit Two? Show it to the witness. Let her study it for a moment, then ask her to draw this person from memory.”

  Payne whispered an aside to Drew. “If Ms. Bennett can pull this off, then we have no stalking case, thank God.”

  “Amen,” Drew muttered.

  First five, then ten minutes went by while the room sat in frozen silence waiting for her to finish her drawing. Payne watched her face and body change expression several times. Her concentration was almost as disarming as her femininity.

  Finally she looked over at the judge and rendered him the sketchbook. He studied it and compared it to the photograph.

  “You not only have a photographic memory, Ms. Bennett, you’re a very gifted artist.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You may step down.”

  He signaled the bailiff to take the sketch and photograph to Drew. An impatient Payne was forced to wait until he could examine both items for himself.

  “Good grief—” he blurted when Drew moved aside. “It’s Mac— She’s done a perfect likeness of him!”

  “Her talent is remarkable.” Drew turned to the judge. “I have no more questions of these witnesses, Your Honor.”

  “Ms. Carlow? Do you wish to make your closing remarks now?”

  “Yes, Your Honor. I believe the facts speak for themselves. In future, Red Rose Publishing will require every artist to use licensed models for their covers. Needless to say, Mr. Sterling’s likeness will never appear on another cover of a Red Rose Romance.

  “I instructed Ms. Bennett to bring all drawings and disks with Mr. Sterling’s likeness to this court. They can be turned over to him, or Red Rose can destroy them. Whatever the court wishes.

  “It’s worth noting that the cover of Manhattan Merger won first prize out of all the romance covers printed in the United States within the last twelve months.

  “Ms. Wrigley also won first prize for the best Touch of Romance novel for Manhattan Merger. Both women were going to be honored at a banquet this fall.

  “Under the circumstances they’ll forego those awards in order to spare Mr. Sterling any unnecessary publicity or exposure. Our company will instruct the people at the U.S. Romance Author/Publisher Convention to pick two other winners.

  “As for the books already in print and shipped out through the book club, it would be impossible to judge how many readers would know the man on the cover is Mr. Payne Sterling.

  “Your Honor?” she said after taking a drink of water. “Would it be permissible to ask how Mr. Sterling came to find out his likeness was on the cover of Manhattan Merger?”

  The judge looked at Drew. “Mr. Wallace?” he prompted.

  Payne nodded when Drew turned to him for permission.

  “His sister’s daughter reads romances and noticed the likeness. So did the maid who’s also a romance reader.”

  Ms. Carlow smiled. “Thank you, Your Honor.”

  “Is there anything else, Counselor?”

  “No.”

  “Very well.” The judge looked at Drew. “Mr. Wallace? Are you ready to make closing remarks?”

  “Yes, Your Honor. The extensive amount of testimony provided by the defendants has ruled out any hint of stalking violations which was my client’s primary fear.

  “My client could wish the published books with his likeness on the covers weren’t in the public domain. However in view of Ms. Carlow’s assertion that my client’s likeness will never again grace a future Red Rose Romance cover, another fear has been removed.

  “At this time my client and I would like to thank the court for hearing this case in such a timely manner. I also wish to congratulate opposing counsel for the outstanding defense she prepared on such short notice.”

  After Drew sat down, the judge removed his glasses. “I too want to compliment both parties for conducting yourselves in a professional manner. This is an unusual case to come before the court.”

  Payne suddenly heard a voice cry out from the other side of the room.

  “Your Honor?”

  “Yes, Ms. Bennett?”

  “Could I say something?”

  “Go ahead.”

  “If I had been Mr. Sterling, I would have brought this case to court just as he did in the hope of preventing another tragedy. But Red Rose Publishing is not to blame. Neither is Bonnie Wrigley.

  “I—I’m the one who painted him without permission and brought him more grief unknowingly,” her voice trembled. “Ignorance is no excuse. I’m the guilty party. I feel so horrible about it, I don’t know how to begin to make restitution.

  “If there’s to be a severe financial punishment, let it be on my head, no one else’s.”

  “Thank you, Ms. Bennett. I do believe you’ve learned an important and necessary lesson in the early stages of your brilliant career. You never know who the stranger in the crowd or the photograph might turn out to be.

  “A priceless gift like yours is going to have to be used with care in the future, as you’ve discovered. Call it destiny or fate, you happened to paint the one man whose phenomenal success in life has made him vulnerable to the ugliest elements in our society. The tragedy that befell his fiancée should never have happened.

  “It is also unfortunate that no one at Red Rose Publishers caught the problem in time to rectify it. However Ms. Carlow has assured the court that the company will require its artists to use licensed models from now on. A very wise move which will prevent unwanted occurrences like this from happening again.

  “As for Ms. Wrigley’s scholarly researched fiction novel which paralleled Mr. Sterling’s life to a great degree, testimony has proved it to be one of those inexplicable coincidences. Counsel for the plaintiff said it best. ‘Art imitating life.’

  “In conclusion, the court has listened to testimony and finds no evidence of evil doing or intent to do evil on the part of Ms. Bennett, Ms. Wrigley or Red Rose Romance Publishers.

  “Opposing counsels can get together to decide on disposition of drawings, disks, paintings, books already in print that can still be pulled, books that are still awaiting translation for foreign markets, et cetera.”

  The judge pounded his gavel. “Case dismissed.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  THE second the judge left the courtroom, Rainey was so relieved she leaped from the chair to hug Grace Carlow. The attorney dwarfed her five foot six inch body.

  “It turned out as I knew it would, my dear.”

  “Only because of you,” Rainey half sobbed the words. Relief swept over her in waves.

  “Rainey’s right,” Bonnie chimed in, giving both of them a hug. “Without your confidence, I would have had a coronary before we ever got off the phone.”

  Grace smiled. “It’s over, and the lesson we’ve learned has been instructive for the company.”

  Rainey nodded.

  “We also learned something else, ladies.” She cocked an expressive brow.

  “What?” Rainey and Bonnie were both wiping their eyes at the same time.

  “Mr. Sterling only has one sister. It means Senator Sterling-Boyce’s daughter and maid read our romances. That’s the kind of inside information guaranteed to make Mr. Finauer’s day.”

  Rainey had never met the CEO, but she’d heard that when he erupted, everyone felt the shock waves. If this case had gone the wrong way…
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br />   “All’s well that ends well, honey.”

  “Oh, mom—” Rainey turned to embrace her mother and brother. “Thanks for flying to my rescue on such short notice and bringing everything. The outcome would have been very different without you two!”

  Craig gave her a hug. “Congratulations on your big honor, even if you can’t accept the award.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Trust my sister to pick the one billionaire face in the crowd,” he teased.

  She groaned, still shuddering from nerves which had been playing havoc with her emotions over the last twenty-four hours.

  Her brother grinned. “I guess I’m going to have to break down and read Manhattan Merger to find out why Mr. Megabucks felt so violated.”

  “We’ll never know all the things about Bonnie’s novel that upset him so much. But it wouldn’t hurt you to read a really fantastic relationship book with a powerful emotional punch.” Rainey sniffed. “Maybe it will give you insight into your less than satisfactory love-life.”

  “How come it hasn’t helped yours?” he whispered.

  “It has! Reading romance novels has taught me to wait for the kind of man I want for my husband. He just hasn’t come along yet.”

  “Ms. Bennett?” a deep unfamiliar male voice sounded behind her.

  She whirled around, but felt like she was still reeling after she’d come to a stop.

  The man she’d drawn, painted and dreamed about so many times was actually standing in front of her, up close and too personal for her to breathe normally.

  With a sense of déjà vu her gaze traveled over his rugged male features. There were strain lines near his eyes and mouth that hadn’t been there two years ago. Lines put there by a stalker who’d crippled this man’s fiancée…

  No doubt those creases had deepened further as a result of finding himself on the cover of Manhattan Merger, a book that paralleled his life to such a degree, he’d not only felt violated as Craig had said, he’d felt threatened.

  “I would give anything if I could undo the pain and suffering I’ve caused you and your fiancée—” she blurted. Her smoky green eyes glistened with tears that trembled on the tips of her velvety black lashes.

  “Please tell her how sorry I am to have been the person who turned your lives into another nightmare. I can’t even imagine how terrible that experience must have been for both of you and your families.”

  “It was. I won’t lie to you about that.”

  His honesty was as devastating as his dark blue gaze which traveled over her features with an intimacy that made her tremble.

  She averted her eyes. “It’s a helpless feeling to know you’ve done something you can’t undo—like trying to recapture the air from a balloon. If I could turn the clock back, knowing what I know now—” she half moaned the words.

  “Amen,” he muttered with an unmistakable echo of pain revealed in that one word. It haunted her. “My attorney will be calling Ms. Carlow about the paintings of me still in your possession.”

  She nodded. “Naturally you’ll want proof that everything has been destroyed.”

  “Excuse me for interrupting, Ms. Bennett,” his attorney broke in on them. “I need to talk to my client.”

  “Of course.” Her eyes lifted to Payne Sterling’s once more. “Thank you for not pressing charges against the others…or me. I’ll always be grateful,” her voice throbbed. “God bless you and your fiancée.”

  She turned away from him, feeling much worse than before because he was no longer just a memory from a photograph. The reality of his physical presence, plus the pain she felt emanating from him, had combined to squeeze her heart with fresh guilt.

  “What did he say to upset you?” Craig whispered as he and their mother walked her out of the courtroom.

  “Nothing. I just feel horrible for causing him and his family more pain.”

  “It wasn’t intentional and he knows it,” her mother assured her. “Let’s be glad it’s over. Since Craig and I have to fly back home in the morning, shall we celebrate your victory and take a ferry to Staten Island if it isn’t too late? It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

  “That sounds like a good idea, mom.” Anything to get her mind off of Payne Sterling for a while. “We’ll grab a taxi out in front of the court building and head for the terminal. If I remember right, the ferries leave often during rush hour.”

  “When we get back, I’ll treat us to dinner,” her brother offered. “Where shall we go?”

  “There’s a great sushi place on Bond Street.” She’d said it to tease Craig. His proclivity for beef was well known.

  When both he and her mother frowned on cue, Rainey laughed. “Just kidding. I’ll take you guys to Del Frisco’s. It’s the best steak house in Manhattan.”

  “Now you’re talking.”

  They moved outside the building to hail a cab. “I’m surely glad you’ve lived around here long enough to know your way around, Rainey,” her mother confided. “You love it, don’t you.”

  “On the whole, yes. But the masses of people can be daunting at times. To live here permanently would require a lot of money if you craved isolation and privacy.”

  “Luckily we have that for free in Grand Junction,” Craig said before letting out an ear-piercing whistle. It did the job. One of the taxis whizzing by came to a quick stop.

  Rainey climbed in after her mother. Then Craig got inside and pulled the door closed after him.

  She leaned forward to address the driver. “Whitehall Terminal, please.”

  As the taxi started up again, Rainey noticed Payne Sterling and his attorney, both in sunglasses, leave the courthouse surrounded by a group of men all in business suits. They got in a limousine with tinted windows.

  After the accident that had left his fiancée paralyzed, Rainey imagined he would always be well guarded. How horrible to be a target everywhere he went. She shuddered.

  Her brother eyed her with concern. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m thankful he didn’t press charges, but I still feel awful about what I did.”

  “As the judge said, there was no evil intended. Chalk it up to one of your exciting experiences in the Big Apple. Someday you’ll look back and laugh about it.”

  “I hope so.”

  “Craig’s right, honey. I’m sure Mr. Sterling’s relief that neither you or Bonnie Wrigley was a stalker has caused him to forget about it already.”

  “Even if that’s true, he has to live every moment of his life with the knowledge that his fiancée is in a wheelchair because of a demented woman who imagines herself in love with him.”

  “That’s the downside of being a man with a name like Sterling, and a bank account that could fund the homeless forever.”

  Rainey bowed her head. “Grace told me he already does that.”

  “Does what?” her brother asked.

  “He’s a philanthropist. According to her he has set up many charities including a foundation for the homeless. I know he does it for tax purposes, but I’m pretty sure she told me all those things to reassure me he’s compassionate too.”

  “He seemed like a good man to me when I took him rafting down the river. No wonder he used the name Vince. It’s the only way he can have any anonymity.”

  She buried her face in her hands. “I still can’t believe I picked him to paint.”

  “I can,” her mother drawled. “So can all the millions of women who will mourn when he’s not on any more romance covers.”

  “Mom—” Craig laughed. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

  “You’d have to be a woman to understand.”

  “Is dad aware of your secret fantasy?” he teased.

  “There are several things he’s better off not knowing.”

  “Don’t tell me you read those romances too?”

  “Rainey and I have been enjoying them for years. You were always too busy devouring your hunting and fishing magazines to notice.”

 
At this point Rainey couldn’t help chuckling. Her mother’s comments had managed to lighten her mood.

  “It looks like we’ve arrived,” Craig muttered, sounding miffed by their mother’s confession.

  On the whole Rainey found that men seemed uncomfortable by the thought of romance novels and heroes. It was very strange since statistics showed that men had fantasies about women on a daily basis.

  Rainey lifted her head in time to see her brother pay the fare. They piled out of the taxi into a horde of people coming and going from the ferry. It happened to be the John F. Kennedy.

  Craig pulled out his pocket camera and snapped a picture, then herded them toward the terminal for their tickets.

  Being with her family until they left for the airport the next morning prevented Rainey from dwelling on the whole disturbing incident with Mr. Sterling. Her long talk into the night with Craig about his business plans had kept disturbing thoughts of him at bay.

  But once she’d waved them off in a taxi headed for the airport, memories of him came rushing back with a vengeance.

  To stem the tide, she straightened her apartment, did a wash and scoured the bathroom. When everything was neat and clean, she showered and dressed in cutoffs and a T-shirt. After going downstairs for her mail, she was ready to get back to her painting.

  An hour later she’d finished the lace on the wedding gown. The cover for The Bride’s Not-So-White Secret was done.

  She called the courier service to schedule a pickup for Monday morning. Now she could start on the next project for Global Greeting Cards which had come in the mail.

  No sooner had she put the receiver back on the hook to get busy and her phone rang. She assumed it was Ken. He’d asked her to go to a jazz concert with him tonight in Greenwich Village and was probably calling to set up the time.

  “Rainey Bennett Fine Art Studio.”

  “Hello, Rainey.”

  “Grace—” She clutched the receiver a little tighter for fear something else was wrong.

  “Relax, my dear. All is well. Claud Finauer couldn’t be happier with the outcome.”