He hesitated.
“Please?” she said.
He followed her reluctantly, his mouth set. Once inside, Marisa closed the double doors behind them.
“Can’t you see what’s happening?” Marisa began. “This guy Block was upset at the way things were going, and he misjudged Brady on the basis of what he observed. Brady is a flamboyant blowhard but he’s honest. Block thought he could slip him some money and Brady would then tell the NFN to drop the case. Instead it backfired and Brady blew the whistle on him. That’s all there is to it.”
“I’ve seen Block myself,” Jack replied flatly. “When Brady told him he was going to Lasky with this, Block admitted that the whole thing was your idea. You knew you couldn’t win in court so you thought up this clever scheme to come out on top another way.”
“You don’t actually believe that!” Marisa said, aghast.
“Why not? It makes sense.”
“Then where is Block? Let him say this to my face. I want to see him do it!”
“I’m sure he’s back in Washington, trying to salvage his career. Don’t worry, Lasky will make certain he’s located and questioned to everyone’s satisfaction.” Jack turned to go.
“Jack, is that all you have to say to me?” Marisa demanded, astonished.
He looked back at her. “Not quite all. You used me. I still can’t believe I was quite that stupid, but apparently I was. You won’t get the chance to dupe me again.”
“How did I use you?” Marisa asked, trying desperately to maintain her sanity.
“You pursued a relationship with me in order to gain my trust while plotting behind my back,” he said tightly. “Is that clear enough for you?”
Stinging tears filled Marisa’s eyes. “Jack, how could you think that after...”
“You slept with me?” Jack finished for her. “Great little convincer, that was. And having your friend Tracy front for you, that was a nice move too.”
“Front for me?” Marisa gasped.
“Yes, setting me up with touching stories about your innocence and lack of experience with men. I swallowed it all, didn’t I?”
Marisa’s distress was turning to anger. “Are you suggesting that I remained a virgin for twenty-eight years in order to entrap you?” she demanded icily.
“I’m suggesting you manipulated that... situation...in order to make me feel...” he stopped.
“What?” she whispered.
“In order to make me feel that you loved me!” he yelled.
“I do love you,” she wailed.
“Bull!” he shouted and turned on his heel for the door.
Marisa ran after him and grabbed his arm. He wheeled and seized her shoulders so hard that she winced.
“Stay away from me,” he said warningly. “I don’t want to hurt you but I just might, so leave me alone.” He released her suddenly and bolted through the doors before she could say anything else.
Marisa looked after him despairingly, still trying to absorb what had happened since she arrived at the courthouse that morning.
* * *
“What are you doing back so early?” Tracy said, looking up from her pile of notes. Then her expression changed. “My God, you look ghastly. What happened?”
Marisa told her, as briefly as possible, while Tracy stared at her in appalled silence.
“I can’t believe it,” Tracy whispered.
“That makes two of us,” Marisa said, unbuttoning her jacket, still in a state of shock.
“What are you going to do?”
“I have no idea,” Marisa said miserably, wiping her eyes.
“You have to find Block, that’s the first thing.”
“I’ve already called the Bureau three times and left messages. His secretary keeps saying that he’s in a meeting.”
“I’ll bet—what used to be called a lynching party. He never thought Brady would turn him in to Lasky. I knew Block was stupid.”
“And now he’s trying to bail himself out by saying it was all my idea,” Marisa replied.
“Oh, he won’t get away with that. He’s just buying time. You’ll straighten it out in the end. You’ll see.”
“I’d better, or I’ll be lining up at the unemployment office.” Marisa sat down hard and stared at the carpet fixedly without replying.
“That’s not the worst of it, is it?” Tracy murmured.
Marisa raised her eyes. “Tracy, Jack wouldn’t even listen to me,” she said softly.
“He’s just hurt, Marisa. Once he calms down he’ll think better of it and call you. I know it.”
Marisa shook her head. “You weren’t there, you didn’t see his face.” She threw up her hands. “How could he take the word of that snake from the Bureau over mine?”
“He’s not in love with Block. He’s in love with you.”
“Oh, what does that mean?” Marisa moaned.
“It means he’s proud and sensitive and taking a big chance on you, right? Even the suggestion that you might not feel the same way about him, that you might have had ulterior motives for your relationship with him, is bound to drive him wild.”
“But it isn’t true!”
“He’ll see that eventually.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“Why don’t you give him a day or two to cool down and then go and see him?”
“Assuming he doesn’t shoot me on sight.”
“He’ll calm down.”
“I wish I could be sure of that. He was wild, Tracy. I’ve never seen him like that.”
“But you knew that potential was there,” Tracy replied.
Marisa looked at her.
“That’s part of what attracted you to him so strongly, isn’t it?” Tracy said sagely.
“I’ve never analyzed it,” Marisa said.
“I have.”
“Of course.”
“It’s the attraction of opposites. There’s a lake of fire smoldering beneath that polished surface of Jack’s, and you’ve always known that, haven’t you?”
“I didn’t expect it to burn me!” Marisa protested. “He was so unreasonable. Nothing I said had the slightest impact on him .”
“What did you think would happen?”
“I thought he would have some faith in me!”
“Maybe he’s more insecure than he seems,” Tracy observed.
Marisa snorted.
“I mean it. Look at his background, look where he comes from. He must have had some dreadful experiences while he was growing up.”
“He won’t talk about it much, but I think you’re right.”
“So there! You must seem like a goddess to him.”
“Please,” Marisa said disgustedly.
“Think about it. Sure, he’s gorgeous. Sure, he’s been around quite a bit, but has he ever had a serious adult relationship with somebody like you? I doubt it. Is it any wonder that he’s vulnerable to the suggestion that you were manipulating him?”
“But what do I have to do to convince him otherwise? He’s turned into a madman!”
“Wait it out, as I said. He’ll come around. In the meantime, let’s see if we can unearth Randall Block.”
“And I’d better call Charlie at the firm right now and tell him what’s happened,” Marisa said resignedly.
“Don’t you think you should alert his cardiac specialist first?” Tracy said dryly.
“If he thinks I was in on the bribe I’ll kill myself.”
“I wouldn’t worry about Charlie. He’s got a high tech computer ticking away in his chest. He’s never allowed an emotion to cloud his judgment in his life.”
Marisa nodded and picked up the phone.
* * *
Jack shut down the word processing program in disgust and threw his notes in the trash. It was impossible to work. He couldn’t think straight enough to count to ten. His manuscript would be late, his editor would go crazy, and the NFN case against the government was stalled indefinitely while Lasky tried to decide who was lying about what. His life was in a shambles, all because he was stupid enough to fall for a regal blonde with an innocent manner and a heart of stone.
He sat back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. He was not crying; his eyes were tearing from fatigue. He blinked until he had himself under control and then rose to get a drink.
In the kitchen he fumbled around for the bottle of whiskey at the back of the cabinet. When he located it he splashed several fingers of the amber liquid into a glass and drank it neat. He gasped as it hit his stomach and the fire spread through his belly. It didn’t help much, but a little. Any relief was welcome.