“Anything I can do to help?”
Carson looked over her shoulder and smiled. The heat of the shower had flushed Erin’s skin, and her eyes sparkled with her good mood. She was dressed in dark jeans, and a slate blue turtleneck sweater. With sneakers on her feet, Erin was dressed more casually than Carson could remember seeing her.
“You can start peeling apples if you want.” Carson nodded toward the dining room table. She had already laid out apples, oranges, bananas, and a bag of walnuts.
“Where are the knives?”
Erin came up behind Carson and slipped her arms around her waist. The soft nibbles on her ear caused Carson to shudder pleasantly. “If you keep that up I won’t be able to concentrate.”
“So who said I wanted you to concentrate?”
Carson turned her head and met Erin’s lips in a tender kiss. The caress lasted only a moment before Erin smiled against her lips.
“What are you thinking,” Carson asked.
“Just that I can’t believe how good it is to be here...with you.”
Erin tightened her arms briefly before she released Carson. Carson wanted to return the embrace, but her hands were covered in dressing. Soon, she promised herself.
“I’m glad you’re comfortable. I’m not used to having anyone here, but it just seems so natural with you.”
Erin smiled broadly, and then asked, “Knives?”
“That drawer,” Carson indicated with her chin.
Erin opened the drawer and selected a paring knife before Carson warned her to be careful. It was a new knife, and Carson knew the company that made it had a reputation for fine, sharp cutlery.
The atmosphere was positively domestic. Erin sat at the table peeling and chopping fruit while Carson prepared the dressing. It gave Carson a sense of home such as she had never experienced before, and her heart warmed. Constantly aware of Erin at the table behind her, Carson used a couple of potholders and took the turkey from the oven. It only needed another hour to be done, and she judged it was time to add the stuffing. She had found through experience that if she added the stuffing too early it would be dry, and hard.
Carson sat the twelve-pound bird on the stovetop, and started to scoop dressing into the cavity. When it was full, she added the rest of the stuffing around the sides and re-covered the turkey before she placed it back into the oven. Erin was separating segments of orange and putting them into the bowl of chopped apples.
“I’m going to take a shower now,” Carson said. “You all right for a while?”
“I’m fine. I know I’m not much of a cook, but even I can chop fruit without too much trouble.”
Erin smiled that lopsided smile that Carson had grown fond of, and Carson could only smile back before she left the room.
AFTER HER SHOWER, Carson returned to the kitchen to finish the other side dishes. By one o’clock, the table was set and they settled down to a wonderful Christmas dinner.
Carson and Erin clinked their tea glasses together in silent toast.
“This all looks delicious,” Erin said. “I don’t remember the last time I had a home cooked Christmas dinner.”
“Especially one that you helped to create?”
“Har har,” Erin said dryly. She didn’t mind being teased by Carson and had to admit to a sense of accomplishment. Cooking wasn’t one of her favorite pastimes, but she was proud to have helped prepare their meal even if all she had done was to make the fruit salad.
Later they sat together on the sofa. The fire crackled warmly as they sat with their arms around one another. The day was almost done and for Carson the experience had been almost magical.
“You know you’re going to have to take me home soon, right?”
Erin hated to spoil the mood, but Tuesday was a workday and she needed to examine some briefs before her ten o’clock meeting. What a way to spoil a mood!
Carson snuggled into Erin’s hair. “Are you sure you have to go?”
The huskiness of Carson’s voice hit Erin’s midsection like a physical blow. No, the last thing she wanted was to go home, but she had no choice. Work came first, even if it was awfully tempting.
“Don’t ask me that. You know I don’t want to go.”
“But work comes first.”
Carson kissed the top of Erin’s head and tightened her hold. “It’s all right. I understand.”
Carson said she understood, but Erin could hear the reluctance in her voice. She concurred completely, and the last thing she wanted was to leave this warm, soft spot in a beautiful woman’s arms.
Finally, Carson relented and reluctantly drove Erin to her apartment. After a lingering kiss, and meaningful gaze between them, Carson left the penthouse floor. Although Erin had stuck to her guns where her work was concerned, she regretted the decision, and knew it was going to be a long night before she saw Carson again at work the next day.
Sometimes Erin really questioned her decision not to let romantic relationships interfere with business. Then again, if she hadn’t made that resolution she wouldn’t be a senior partner at a prestigious law firm. With success came consequences, and fortunately, it seemed as though Carson was all right with that.
Erin unpacked her bag and took a shower before she dressed in a silk green nightgown. Then she sat down at her home office to complete the briefs for tomorrow’s meeting. It took less time than she thought it would and Erin was in bed before ten. The sheets were cold and lonely without Carson beside her.
It was a surprise to her that one night spent in Carson’s arms, even platonically, seemed to make the woman indispensable to her. Erin huddled in the center of her bed and wished that Carson were behind her just as she had been last night. Eventually Erin fell into a cold, restless sleep.
Chapter Fifteen
CARSON STEPPED BACK from the wall to examine her handy work. The print given to her by Erin for Christmas hung in the center of the wall behind her desk. It was perfect...just like Erin as far as Carson was concerned, although the print didn’t have the lawyer’s wonderful warm brown eyes or that husky laugh that could send shivers up Carson’s spine.
She had just put the hammer down on the corner of her desk when there was a knock at the door. “Come in.” Joyce breezed into the door with a huge grin on her face. Her salt and pepper hair bounced as she walked, and Carson couldn’t help the smile on her face when she spotted her friend. The Rolex glinted brightly and she carried a newspaper in her left hand, but Carson didn’t think anything of it.
“So, did you get any?”
“Joyce!”
“Oh, I guess not.”
Joyce smirked at the blush that settled on Carson’s face, and then she tossed the newspaper onto Carson’s desk and settled herself comfortably into the client chair. “I thought you should check out the paper, but maybe you should sit down first.”
Carson could tell from Joyce’s tone that she was only half teasing, and she was intrigued about what could make her happy-go-lucky friend so serious. Carson sat down behind the desk and picked up the paper. It was turned to the local news section on page twelve, and the headline screamed out at her. Carson’s heartbeat accelerated until she could feel it in her throat.
Marsters Research Corporation Hit Again
On Saturday, December 23rd, Marsters Research Corporation took another hit when the main lab in South Chicago was set on fire. One guard was killed in the blaze, although fire suppression systems activated and extinguished the fire. Property damage was minimal.
One week earlier, the Marsters lab housed in the Holcomb Building in downtown Chicago, was ransacked. Two security guards inside the office building were murdered in that incident, and one other was seriously injured. One man working late inside the building was also murdered while two other people who were working late barely managed to escape with their lives.
Erin Donovan of the Eldridge, Donovan and White Law Association, and Carson Tierney, founder of Delphi Technologies, were unavailable for comment.
&nbs
p; It is interesting to note that five years ago to the day, Marsters was charged in a wrongful death suit when six people living within a mile of the main lab contracted a rare form of cancer. The claimants asserted that Marsters’ safety protocols were negligent, and that the corporation was guilty of leaking toxins into the air that caused the disease.
Marsters was cleared of any wrong doing, but since then all six people have perished from their affliction.
Sources say there could be a connection between the killings from one week ago and the most recent vandalism, but Chicago’s Homicide Division refused to comment.
Carson’s blood ran cold as she read the words. What if Erin read this or heard of it from someone else? She remembered the expression of fear on Erin’s face when Carson had found her hiding in the kitchenette that night. Erin had almost shot her thinking Carson was the killer. Things had gotten much better since that night, but whenever the subject came up a haunted look would flit across Erin’s face. Whenever that happened, Carson would again realize that Erin was merely putting on a front.
How dare the reporter mention their names in the article so carelessly? She couldn’t take the chance that Erin would hear it from inner office gossip, and stood up from her desk. “I have to see Erin.” For once Joyce saved her flippant remarks, and stayed quiet while Carson stood up and took the paper with her. Carson was already in the elevator on the way down when it occurred to her that Erin might be too busy to see her.
She stalked into Erin’s outer office unaware that in her fear she projected the same cold air she had the first time. Amy glanced up and saw Carson. When she visibly blanched, Carson hesitated and forced a friendly expression before she walked to her.
“Amy, is Ms. Donovan free by any chance?”
The young woman’s emotions were so clear on her face that it was almost comical. Carson saw wariness turn to dislike before it segued to curiosity, and then became a professional mask. Of course, Amy’s mask had nothing on Erin’s, and it was all Carson could do not to chuckle at the secretary’s dilemma. If it weren’t for the seriousness of her visit, she might have given in to that urge.
“I’ll check with her, Ms. Tierney. Won’t you have a seat?”
Carson didn’t want to have a seat. She wanted to stalk through those doors and see Erin now. Fortunately, she didn’t have long to wait.
“Ms. Tierney? You can go right in.”
Now that she’d been granted access, Carson strode quickly into Erin’s office and carefully shut the door. She was halfway across the room when she noticed the tight look on Erin’s face. Carson slowed down and walked carefully to the chair in front of Erin’s desk. Even though she had granted her access, Erin looked as though she wasn’t quite aware of Carson’s presence.
“Erin? What is it?”
Erin started briefly, and then looked up at her.
“I just came from a meeting with Ray.”
“Why does that not sound like good news?”
“No, it is.” Erin didn’t sound very convinced. Then she shook her head. “He says that his wife, Martha, is ill and he wants to take some time off. He called Bob and me in so that he could split his caseload between us.”
Carson frowned. If Ray Eldridge split his caseload between his two partners, it would create extra work for Erin, but she wasn’t the type of person to balk at a little hard work so there was something else Carson didn’t know yet.
“Is there something you’re not telling me,” Carson asked gently.
“He said since you and I get along so well he’s giving me your file.”
Ah, so that was it. Erin was worried that she would allow her personal feelings to influence her judgment. Carson understood her concern, but she wasn’t worried. She had been unhappy with Ray’s representation of her company, and couldn’t think of a better person to represent her.
“I can’t do it,” Erin said, confirming Carson’s suspicions. “What if I let myself be influenced by...this...us.”
Carson considered Erin’s point carefully. She had the feeling that an emotional plea at this point would be counterproductive.
“Just the fact that you’re worried proves that you would never allow it. You’re too professional for that. I trust you.”
“But I don’t trust myself! Don’t you see?”
Erin stood abruptly, and stalked around the desk to perch on the edge in front of Carson.
“Where you’re concerned I don’t trust myself, at least not in a business sense. If I represent you, I am going to be so focused on anything that might be a threat to you that I might...”
“Might what?”
Erin looked down at the floor briefly before she looked back up. “Let’s just say that it might become a little obvious how I feel about you.”
“I see. And that would make you feel vulnerable?”
“Exactly. Carson, you own your company. If your reputation takes a little hit, you can just shrug it off. You’re the best in the business, and people are still going to go to you even if they find out that you’re a ...”
“A lesbian? Why can’t you say it?”
“Because I’ve worked so hard not to let my personal life affect my work. I can’t afford it. If people find out about me, I lose business. There are plenty of other lawyers out there, and the conservative businessmen I represent aren’t going to want to be associated with a lesbian.”
“You underestimate yourself, Erin. First of all, I don’t believe you would allow yourself to act unprofessionally no matter what the circumstances. And, if you are so focused on anything that would be a threat to my company, how would that be different than how you represent any of your other clients? That’s what makes you so good at what you do.”
Erin listened intently, and Carson thought she might be getting through to her.
“As far as other people figuring out how we feel about one another, that’s up to us. Isn’t it? I think we’re both adult enough to keep our relationship out of the workplace. As far as I’m concerned it’s not anyone’s business, but I will not act as though we’re not friends.”
“But we’re so much more than that, aren’t we?”
Carson reached up to clasp Erin’s hand gently. “Yes, we are. And, if you think we can hide that completely then you’re wrong. For that reason I think it’s important that people know we’re friends.”
“That way they’re not looking for something more?”
“Yes.” Carson smiled up at Erin sweetly. “Make no mistake, I couldn't care less if people knew how we feel about one another, but I know this is important to you.”
Erin squeezed Carson’s hand a little tighter, and finally released her. “You’re right of course. I am panicking a little.”
“Yes, you are.”
“Not going to let me get away with a thing, are you?”
“Would you expect anything less?”
Erin chuckled and stood up. “Thank you for that. I have to admit I feel a little better. Now, what did you want to see me about?”
Carson looked down at the paper in her hand, and regretted what she was going to do. “Joyce came by to see me a few minutes ago.”
“Oh?”
Wordlessly, Carson handed Erin the paper and watched her carefully for a reaction. Erin’s eyes widened in stunned amazement, but there was not the fear in her expression that Carson had expected. When Erin finished the article, she looked angrily at Carson.
“This is outrageous! It’s bad enough that a crazy man has seen who we are, but now he knows our names and who we work for. Not to mention the fact that this article says we were unavailable for comment. I don’t know about you, but no one called me concerning an interview!
And why are we just now hearing about this? The Holcomb Building is like our own little world, and people can’t keep secrets around here. Granted, this incident didn’t take place in the building, but it is associated.”
“I don’t know,” Carson shrugged. “Maybe after what happened last time,
security is trying to keep things quiet.”
“Or maybe since there were no dead bodies this time, people aren’t as interested.”
Carson was a little surprised by the sharp tone. It wasn’t like Erin to be so acerbic, and Carson thought she was feeling a little overwhelmed.
“You don’t mean that.”
“No, I don’t.” Erin closed her eyes for a moment, and her anger drained away. “I don’t know what’s the matter with me. I guess I’m just feeling frustrated. I thought all of this was over, but now I find it’s not.”
Erin walked back around her desk and sat down. She threw the paper onto the desktop and looked at Carson. “Regardless, I am not about to take this article lying down.”
She picked the phone and started punching numbers from memory.
“Erin, who are you calling?”
“The newspaper.” Just that moment the call must have been answered. “Yes, this is Erin Donovan of Eldridge, Donovan and White Law Association. I need to speak to your editor in chief.”
The person on the other end must have been trying to give her the run around because the next thing Erin said was, “Well, he’d better get un-busy very quickly or your paper is going to find itself slapped with a lawsuit for libel!”
Another pause. “Yes, I’ll hold.”
Carson chuckled and raised a hand to cover her mouth. She’d never seen Erin so forceful or commanding and found it extremely sexy.
An instant later, the editor of the paper must have picked up because Erin launched into a tirade. “Your paper printed a story on page twelve of the local news section that mentioned me and one of my clients directly in the article. The way this story was written not only gives out personal information about victims of a crime, but implies that we might have some information about the killer that was inside the Holcomb Building.”
Erin went on to explain that not only did they have no information of any kind, but that the reporter had placed them in extreme danger by revealing their identities. She demanded that the paper print a full retraction by the next morning, and pointed out that they were not even contacted by the reporter.
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