Love Under Three Titans (19 page)

* * * *

“We weren’t nearly so much angry as we were baffled. We couldn’t imagine where Ms. Jones got her information.” Trevor looked up from Maggie’s kitchen table and met the gaze of his oldest brother.

Holding the cell with his left hand, he lifted his coffee cup with his right and watched as Rick set his laptop down on the table and then went over and poured himself a cup of coffee.

On any given day Rick would be the first one up and about. Kevin, of course, was usually the last man out of bed.

Trevor grinned when he thought of his youngest brother still in bed with their woman. He hoped they took advantage of one-on-one time when the opportunity arose.
No pun intended
.

His attention was pulled back to the conversation. Derek Williams continued to be profuse in his apology, but it really wasn’t an apology Trevor wanted. He’d offered to fire Ms. Jones, but that wasn’t what he or his brothers wanted, either.

He—all of them—just wanted to know
why
.

He listened as Williams brought him up to speed on what he’d learned so far. The managing editor then made it plain that getting to the bottom of things had just become his top priority.

“Thanks for calling, Williams. We’d appreciate it if you could let us know when you find that woman.” He disconnected the call and looked at his brother.

“Anything interesting?” Rick settled himself in a chair and took a sip of his first coffee of the day.

“Apparently, Ms. Jones had a visit from a woman who claimed to be ‘just another one of your cast-offs’, quote, unquote. This woman told a convincing story. Jilted, scorned, and then forced to have an abortion by the heartless villain—you—she nearly died. In the end, she was left alone, ruined, and unable to ever have babies…”

“Good Lord, that sounds worse than a B-movie plot. And this so-called twenty-first-century reporter bought that?”

Trevor shrugged. “According to Williams, Ms. Jones confessed that the story sounded so very close to a personal tragedy suffered by a member of her own family that she lost not only her temper but all objectivity.”

Rick sat back, and Trevor recognized the expression that came over his face.

His brother was connecting the dots. Richard Benedict could do that faster than anyone else he knew.

“Do I surmise that when Ms. Jones was asked by Williams to contact this woman, she was unable to locate her?”

“Bingo. Ms. Jones and Derek Williams are both working on that problem even as we speak.”

“That all sounds just a bit too tidy for my liking.” Rick set his cup down.

“You don’t believe them?”

“Oh, I believe them. What I meant was that someone went to a lot of trouble to—what? Think about it for a moment. They had to know about our upcoming interview, and then they had to dig into the reporter’s background and fabricate a story designed to do exactly what it did—short-circuit the woman’s logic.” Rick shook his head. “Why? It seems…I don’t know, such a school-yard kind of prank. Did whoever orchestrated this scenario actually believe such a ploy would hurt me? Maybe even ruin me socially…”

Trevor set down his cup when Rick’s voice trailed off. He saw the look in his brother’s eyes, a look that meant Rick’s logic-loving brain was chasing an idea.

Rick reached over and grabbed Trevor’s cell phone. “I got an e-mail yesterday from the legal department. Apparently, Michaelson has recalled the contract.”

Trevor wondered at the non sequitur. Then Rick’s words penetrated. “What? That’s crazy! Does the man think he’s going to get a better deal anywhere else?”

“No, I don’t think that’s it at all. If I’m right, something—or some
one
—has given him second thoughts about signing a deal with
us
.”

Not a non sequitur after all
. Trevor ran a hand through his hair. He couldn’t think of anyone who’d do such a thing. “Why, for God’s sake?”

Rick just shook his head as he held up one finger. He’d clearly found the telephone number he was searching for, because he placed a call.

“Good afternoon, Michaelson, Richard Benedict here. I’d like to come by this afternoon for a quick visit, if you don’t mind?”

Trevor wished, not for the first time, that he could be privy to both sides of a telephone conversation—even if it was relatively easy to guess that Michaelson seemed less than happy to hear from Rick.

“No, absolutely, if you feel after our conversation that you want to forget about our deal, then that’s your prerogative. We’ll respect your decision and you won’t hear from us again. But I’d appreciate a half hour of your time, face-to-face. I think the reputation of our company, and our family, deserves that much.”

Trevor waited until he’d disconnected the call. “I take it you have an idea what’s going on here?”

“Yeah, I have an idea, but I’m not altogether sure how what I’m thinking makes any kind of sense at all.” Rick set his laptop on the table and fired it up. Then he met Trevor’s gaze. “I believe we’re the recipients of a little payback. Let’s put all the pieces on the table. Someone’s attacking my
personal
integrity. What do they hope to gain? I have no idea, but what if they believe that slandering me will somehow
ruin
me socially? And then they follow that up by going after a prospective business partner. They plan to ruin me
financially
—or think they will. Remind you of anyone we’ve dealt with in, oh, say in the last few months or so?”

Trevor was ashamed the possibility hadn’t occurred to him already. “Well, Jesus Christ. Clarence Fucking Conrad. But where’d he get the means? Last time we checked he was damn near in the poorhouse, and
no one
in his family was even speaking to him. And how the hell did he find out so much about us, anyway?”

Rick’s fingers flew over the small keyboard. Without looking up he said, “I guess we should make a note of this moment.”

“You mean, the next time we go after someone, make sure we destroy them completely?”

Rick shook his head. “No. It occurred to me when we were telling Maggie about what we had done to the man.” He looked up and met Trevor’s gaze. “It was a mistake to do what we did. Two wrongs really don’t make a right. Letting his family know that his despicable conduct toward our sister lost them their contract was just. Seeing to it his fiancée found out he’d cheated on her? Perhaps just a tad less so. But the rest of it? Our trying to beggar him? That was wrong—and that was
my
idea. I was just so fucking
angry
when I found out how he’d treated Julia and what he’d planned to do to her.”

“Sorry, big brother.” Trevor hadn’t noticed Kevin had joined them. The youngest of them stood at the door way, arms akimbo and with as fierce a look on his face as Trevor had ever seen. “We were all in agreement and therefore equally responsible for that little adventure together. You’re not allowed to claim sole ownership of that.” He looked from Rick to Trevor. “But you’re right. We really shouldn’t have done that. So, I take it the slime bucket has struck back?”

“That would be my guess.” Rick had most of his attention fixed on his laptop. “Huh,” he said after a moment. “His grandmother died a few months ago—barely a week after I pulled the plug on his finances.” Rick looked up. “Likely, he came into an inheritance just when he needed it the most.”

“And used the cash to finance this little revenge of his? Because I have to tell you, what he’s done—what we think he’s done—can’t really be worth whatever he’s had to pay to make it happen. It’s not going to hurt us in any way, shape, or form—not for the long run. It’s merely inconvenient.”

“He wasn’t all that bright, if you’ll recall.” Rick sat back. “Don’t forget he held a much-higher opinion of himself than appeared to be warranted by the facts.”

Trevor had taken a sip from his coffee cup and had to work at not spitting it out as he laughed. Sometimes, his oldest brother had quite the way with words.

“Yeah, the guy was a legend in his own mind. So what’s the plan? How do we fight this, and him?”

Rick shrugged. “If I can’t fix the damage he’s done with Michaelson—if indeed that is the reason the man’s backing out of our deal—it’s not really a problem.” He shook his head. “Not for us, anyway, although I know Michaelson will regret it, later.” Rick sat back. “I think that’s what irked me last time about Conrad. I couldn’t get his reasoning. He planned to keep Julia as his mistress while he married Lady whatever-her-name was, treat Julia’s fortune as his own, and couldn’t understand why any of us would object to that.”

“He thought himself so far above us,” Trevor said, “and believed he could do whatever he wanted with impunity, that we’d be
honored
by his larceny.” He shook his head. “The guy was a nut bar, as far as I’m concerned.”

“What
can
we do about him?” Kevin came fully into the room and sat down beside him. “No way do I want that little piece of shit running around slandering us.”

“For now, let’s find out if it is him and if that is what’s happening here. Then, I vote we sic Jake on him. If we can prove he
is
slandering us, then we may have cause to sue his ass.”

Kevin sighed. “That doesn’t sound very satisfying. I’d rather do something more—aggressive.”

Rick shrugged. “It was that sentiment which may have brought us to where we are today. Personally, I’d like to punch the little prick in the face, but that’s mostly because I’m still pissed about what he did—and meant to do—to Julia.” Rick smiled. “I agree that setting a lawyer on him isn’t very glamorous. But it is the adult thing to do.”

“Well, hell.” Trevor let go the happy image of pounding his fist into Conrad’s face. He supposed Rick was right. What Conrad had done wasn’t really worth very much more of their time or attention.

Maggie had lived the first thirty-five years of her life being about as solitary as a person could be. By the time she’d decided to move from New Jersey to Texas, she’d completely convinced herself that she liked being alone.

Now, in the last couple of weeks, she’d rarely been alone.
One would think I’d be rejoicing to have the entire morning to myself
.

She closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose. She had it bad if just being left to her own devices for a half day made her feel bereft.

Not that she couldn’t use the time she’d just been given. Forget about the “to do” list that seemed to grow in length every day. She needed time and space to do some serious thinking about those three titans she’d taken into her bed—and into her heart.

Maggie had been kidding herself when she’d thought she could just enjoy them and a few bouts of lusty sex and then move on. Despite the stern self-talk and all the very good logic she’d used, she’d gone and fallen in love with the brothers Benedict.

She hadn’t fallen just a little bit, either, but completely, totally, and absolutely in love, and she wanted a hell of a lot more than just a physical relationship with those men.

The only problem she could see with that was the men in question had given no indication whatsoever that they were looking for anything permanent themselves.

They’d gone to great lengths, in fact, to ensure she understood that what they had between them was just fun and games.

Damn it all to hell and back
.

Maggie got up from her desk, unable to focus, feeling restless and off center. She’d taken two steps away from her desk when she stopped and turned back to scoop up the cordless phone.
Yep, I’ve got it bad
.

Maggie shrugged and, with the cordless phone in one pocket and her cell phone in the other, wandered out to the front parlor.

This room looked good. It looked ready to receive guests, even if the innkeeper herself was not. Knowing this house had served as a place of healing, Maggie wondered at the almost ethereal feeling she got from time to time—especially right here in this front parlor.

She didn’t believe in ghosts per se, but she did believe that places absorbed energy—good and bad—and what was strong emotion but energy? She’d told Kate the house felt happy. But it was more. Odd times—like right now—she almost could believe the house felt expectant of joy.

Maggie gazed out at the field, still coming into its springtime raiment. Bluebonnets dotted the grass, with white and yellow clusters of wildflowers here and there. Beyond the field, she could see hills in the distance, with the land in between sloped and rolling, as if the grasses themselves could breathe under the midmorning sun.

No, it wasn’t an ocean view. Yet the view was still beautiful and still worth taking in, time and again.

Before she’d come to Lusty, Texas, Maggie had believed herself frigid and rigid with no whimsy left inside her. She’d considered herself a woman set in her ways, a mirror—despite her best efforts and original intentions—of the mother who’d raised her in duty, if not in love.

Now I’ve fallen in love with three men, and I believe the house I’m standing in is a living, breathing entity channeling emotions
.

That was a heck of a lot of change in a short time. Except, Maggie suspected deep down that what she’d undergone wasn’t a change so much as an awakening of her true nature and her true self.

Everything she’d ever believed about herself had been turned upside down. It was time to reevaluate her future, her goals, and her dreams. Maggie blinked as she realized she didn’t have to think long or hard to know, in her heart of hearts, what she wanted her future to be. She wanted it, in fact, more than anything in the world.

Oh, God, I want to marry those men and have their babies!
Maggie laid her hands on her stomach, the sudden yearning to feel life there something she’d never experienced before.

But how could she get the men to fall in love with her? A femme fatale she was not. Maggie figured she could pour her feminine wiles into a thimble and have room left over for a cup of coffee.

She definitely had no clue how modern-day relationships worked. She’d missed out on the usual dating years when she’d gone to college, because her mother had been so controlling and she’d been forbidden to date.

It had never even occurred to Maggie to defy Virginia Morrison. She simply hadn’t been wired that way.

Then as a young woman, she’d needed every bit of her energy and spare time to run the inn and care for her ailing mother. Men rarely asked her out, and the few female friends she’d had got married and then moved on with their lives. When she’d finally been on her own—after her mother’s death—she’d dated exactly two men. Maggie scowled. The less said about them, the better.

Maggie shook her head. She didn’t regret the life she’d lived. There was no sense in that, because really, she couldn’t change the past. She honestly wasn’t certain that she
would
change the past, because every day she’d lived and every decision she’d made had led her to here and now.

She wasn’t feeling sorry for herself—she was just realizing how completely out to sea she was in the game of love.

Fun and games
. Those had been Kevin’s exact words, and both Trevor and Richard had agreed with him wholeheartedly.

There had to be a way to get them to change the terms of this thing that was happening among them. What she had to do was try and figure out how to make them want more than just fun and games.

That sounded good in theory, but again, Maggie had no idea how to actually make that happen.

A ringing phone saved her from the lunacy of her own thoughts.

“Parkview Inn, Margaret Morrison speaking.”

“Good afternoon, Miss Morrison. My name is Edward Clarence. I understand that you’ve just recently opened your establishment in Lusty, Texas.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Clarence, but the inn won’t actually be open until the first of next month. I am, however, taking reservations.”

“Actually, I wasn’t calling to make a reservation, but rather, an appointment to meet with you, preferably away from town. I think it’s critical to discuss your situation before you’re completely committed there. I believe I’m in possession of some relevant information that you’ll find most useful.”

Maggie resisted the urge to shake her head. The man on the phone wasn’t making any sense. “I beg your pardon?”

“I know this call may seem to be coming to you from out of the blue. But in the course of my investigation, I’ve discovered a few pertinent facts about your new situation that I feel honor bound to share with you.”

Maggie had dealt with all manner of telephone solicitors over the years, but this man spouting a British accent and a condescending attitude had to take the cake.

British accent and condescending attitude
. Maggie, suddenly suspicious, asked, “Who are you again, and where did you get my name?”

“As I said, my name is Edward Clarence. I’m a private detective, and I actually got your name from the manager of the Hastings Bank in Waco. I believe, madam, that you may be in grave danger of losing not only your capital investment in your most recent enterprise but also your sterling business reputation.”

“That sounds serious.”
Seriously ridiculous
. Then Maggie suddenly understood why the caller set her on edge. Her heart thudded in her chest, and she clutched the phone tighter as she realized exactly who she was talking to.

“Yes, it’s quite serious. I’m staying at the Hilton in downtown Waco. Why don’t you meet me for lunch tomorrow? They have a very nice restaurant here, and since it’s a public venue you need not worry about propriety, were you so inclined to do so.”

Add insulting to condescending
. How in the name of all that was sane could a woman as sensible and intelligent as Julia Benedict seemed to be have even tolerated one evening in this idiot’s company?

Maggie overrode her first instinct—to hang up on the bastard—and instead worked on sounding genuinely concerned. “Well, I guess I could manage to drive to Waco and meet you tomorrow. I could probably get there by one.”

“Excellent. Just one thing, if I may, Miss Morrison. I strongly urge you keep this matter to yourself. I’m taking a chance, calling you this way. But I couldn’t simply stand back and watch yet another budding entrepreneur fall prey to that heinous beast.”

Heinous beast? Is he kidding
? “Mr. Clarence, may I ask to whom you’re referring?”

“Your word that you’ll say nothing to anyone, at least until we meet?”

“Of course, sir. I certainly would never do anything to confound your work.”

“I’m investigating a man who calls Lusty, Texas, home—at least some of the time, at any rate. You may or may not have met him already. His name is Richard Benedict. He and his brothers are not to be trusted.”

“I
have
heard of them! Well thank you, Mr. Clarence, for alerting me. You can expect me tomorrow at one.”

“I look forward to it.”

The line went dead, and Maggie hung up the phone. “Not nearly as much as I am, you slimy son of a bitch.” Not that she’d be there, necessarily. Maggie had a pretty good idea the Benedict men wouldn’t want her anywhere near
Edward Clarence
. Just as well, as one phone conversation with the man was more than enough contact for an entire lifetime, thank you very much.

She looked at the clock and tried to figure out whether the men would have concluded their business in Houston or not. Then she shrugged and grinned as she dialed a number just recently memorized. Under the circumstances she didn’t think they would mind terribly if she did interrupt them. Her call was answered on the first ring.

“Hello, Maggie, love.”

“Houston, we have a problem. Sorry, I’ve always wanted to say that. Even so, we do. Or maybe not so much of a problem as a possible opportunity. You see, I just had the most interesting phone call.”

Richard had let her speak without laughing too much and then said, “Opportunity for what, love?”

“A face-to-face meeting with your nemesis.”

“Conrad called you?”

Maggie heard the edge in Richard’s voice. “Yes, only he’s calling himself—”

“Edward Clarence,” Richard said.

“Yes. I played along, of course, when he said he was a private detective, and I acted suitably concerned about his alert. He wants me to meet him tomorrow, in Waco. I told him I would.”

“I see what you mean by opportunity. Well done. We’ll be home in a couple of hours. I’ll have Jake meet us there, if that’s all right with you? Then we can discuss this meeting tomorrow and what we’re going to do. It would probably help if you could write out as much of the conversation as you can remember.”

“Good idea. I’ll get right on that. Drive safely, please.”

“Maggie? You really were brilliant, love. See you soon.”

He thought she was brilliant and he’d called her “love.” Maggie hung up the phone even as she mused that he’d called her that—
love
—right from the very beginning.

Richard called her “love,” Trevor called her “sweetheart,” and Kevin—Maggie grinned as she realized Kevin always called her “baby.”

Maybe she wouldn’t have to try all that hard to get the brothers Benedict to fall in love with her, after all.

She let her thoughts return to the many special moments she’d shared with the men, together and separately. She recalled words spoken and embraces exchanged. And she recalled moments when words weren’t spoken, but in hindsight, clearly thought.

No, maybe it wasn’t the men in this relationship that needed the wake-up call at all.