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.A powerful friend, Randal Smith had said.To Jack’s way ofthinking, senators had far too much of that.“Why didn’t you askhim for help? A senator has real clout.”“We’re not as close as I would like, but I wouldn’t want to losewhat we have.I might, if I had to tell him about that tape.It wouldn’tbe the fi rst time the errant daughter was banished.”58Bob McElwain“It’s a point, but hell, before quitting, I’d try it.Senators haveways, Terri.”“I suppose you’re right.But I would rather not.”Jack hesitated.Why risk adding to her woes? He sighed inwardly,then asked, “Has it occurred to you he may already know some ofit?”“How could he?” she asked sharply.“Can’t say.But I’d lay odds those people following me work forhim.”“What are you saying?”Jack wished he hadn’t started, but he couldn’t see an easy wayto break it off.“Who recommended Milo Hetch?” he asked reluctantly.“Father.Why?”Jack took a deep breath, released it slowly, then said, “Hetch didas he was told by a certain Mr.Smith.He didn’t even try to followyour money.He told you tales and Mr.Smith paid him seven thouto do it.”“I cannot believe that.”“The same Mr.Smith gave him another fi ve thou for my name.He was by my place last night, off ering me the same deal.”“I don’t believe you.”But she was beginning to.He could see it.And he could see themad rising.“You could check with him.”“I certainly will.Who does he think he is? Interfering with mylife this way.”“Likely a father, is all,” Jack said.“Worried about his daughter.”“You try to put a happy face on everything, don’t you?”“When I can.”“Damn it,” she said, pounding a fi st into her thigh.The braceletsbounced about.“I paid that fi rst demand partly because he wasmaking his bid for the Senate and the race was close.If the papershad got hold of it, he might not have won.But now? His position issecure, don’t you think?”“Expect you’ll have to ask him.”“I will.”Jack shifted position.She was lost in her thoughts.Unpleasantones.It was time to leave her with those questions only her dadcould answer.The problem would at least occupy her attention fora while.“Expect I best be off ,” he said fi nally.Blackmail59She looked up quickly, startled, almost as if she had forgottenhe was there.“Was there something else?” he asked.“I guess not,” she said with a shake of her head.“Except for thedemands I kept.I meant to show them to you last night.”“They might help,” he said, relaxing back in the chair, glad forthe excuse.“I’ll get them,” she said, and was gone.Jack traced her passage up the stairs and into the room overhead.He gazed at the coals of the fi re, trying to picture what she wasdoing.The way she moved in the doing.When she returned, she handed him a fi le folder.She perchedon the edge of the couch, watching him as he read.All had been pecked out on the same manual machine.Severalcharacters would tie to it.Particularly the oddly slanted s.A relentless bastard, Jack decided.A demand every six months with anincrease of a thousand each time.The fi rst had been for only twothousand.The last, eleven.Mentally he did the arithmetic.Eightyfi ve thousand dollars!Not many would pay that much to hold on to a career.He hada sudden urge to see that tape and wondered at that.To him, sexwas not a spectator sport.When he looked up, Terri was watchinghim intently.What was it, lurking behind the fear in those eyes,hunkered down low, way back?She looked away, then asked, “Do they help at all?”“Nothing jumps out at me.” He thumbed through the stack.“Itwould be easy to connect them to the typewriter.” He laid the folderout on the coff ee table, then leaned back.“Upping the ante a thouevery six months seems odd.Even a dummy would know at somepoint you’re going to go bust.So maybe he wants you broke.Maybehe’s got an itch to dump on you.Or she.”“Angie?”“She’d love the dumping bit.”“I still don’t think it’s her.”“Neither do I,” Jack said.“Have you any idea why three years wentby without a demand?”“None.It caught me completely by surprise.”“I’ll bet it did.” There would have been a rush of anger, overpowered in time by anguish and fear, and a growing bitterness thatanyone could hold such a lock on her life.All that her eyes revealed60Bob McElwainat the moment was confusions and wonderings about tomorrow.“By then,” he said, “you probably thought you were clear.”“I did,” she said.“I was even fool enough to hope that fi rst payment would be the last.”The hint of lostness in those blue, blue eyes was nearly tangible.He wanted to take her in his arms, to caress her hair, to strokeher back until it faded.“Well,” he said, “it looks like we need someluck.I can’t make us any sitting here [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]