Final Draft by Shelley Burbank
Chapter Four
She walked past him and pushed her key into the lock. When the door swung open, she entered the office and flicked on the lights.
“I’m not here to chit-chat,” Rob said, following her in and plunking himself down into the armchair in front of her desk, legs spread, coat flaring out around him. “Just give me all the files on myself, on Gina, and anything else related to this little love triangle situation we’re in, and I’ll get out of your hair.”
Liv took her time placing her bag next to the credenza and lowering herself into the chair behind the desk. She leaned back, propped her feet up, and crossed her ankles.
“Don’t you mean love quadrangle? Or maybe pentagon is more appropriate?” She tilted her head and gave him an insincere smile. “Just how many women were you sleeping with at once, anyway?”
“If you were half the detective you claim to be, you’d know that, wouldn’t you?”
“You need to leave.”
“Give me the files or I’m taking you to court.”
Liv examined her fingernails. “Oh really? On what grounds?”
“Breach of contract? Sexual harassment? I don’t care. My lawyer will think of something.”
Liv dropped her feet to the floor. “Look, Rob, why don’t you save your breath and your money? There was no breach of contract. You paid me to get information, and I gave you a full report. Dates. Times. Detailed notes. Photos. As for sexual harassment? Your name is on the credit card receipts for all those Wednesday nights we spent together at the Cormorant Hotel. Take me to court if you want. You’ll lose. We both know it. Now, please. Just go away.”
Rob’s mouth tightened. Liv held herself still, ready to spring into self-defense mode if necessary. She wasn’t at all sure how angry Rob was, or what he was capable of doing.
But Rob pulled back, playing it cool and suave. “Sending those photos to my wife, Liv? I paid you to get the low-down on Gina, but as far as I know, she didn’t hire you. You did that on your own. There has to be some ethical violation there.”
“You’re one to talk about ethics. Let’s review the facts, huh? You paid me for a service. I delivered. Contract obligation fulfilled. End of story. But I had personal reasonsfor following you the night you met whoever-she-is at the Cormorant.” She gave a sad shake of her head. “So disappointing, Rob. You booked the same room, on the same day of the week, and even ordered up the same room service.”
Nausea clawed at her stomach. That horrible night she’d never felt more interchangeable. Invisible. In her line of work, invisibility was often a good thing. Not so much in a romantic relationship. She pretended to study her manicure. “Honestly, I thought you had more imagination.”
He let out a nasty laugh. “The ‘woman scorned’ role doesn’t fit you, Liv. It’s kind of ugly, if you want to know the truth.”
She ignored the insult. “You want to know why I sent those photos of you and what’s-her-name to Gina? I guess I wanted to level the playing field between the two of you. I didn’t tell her anything about the job I did for you. She has no idea you hired me to investigate her or that you have proof of her infidelity. That’s all client confidentiality stuff. I take that seriously, but there was nothing preventing me from doing my own investigation of you, on my own time, for my own reasons. So, yes, I sent her those photos. She can do what she wants with them.” She focused her eyes on a spot above his head. “Anyway, my conscience is clear.”
Which was true and not true, she thought. She shouldn’t have had an affair with a married man, not even one who said he was filing for divorce. A moment ticked by. She glanced at her watch. “So, I think we’re done here. I have a client meeting in a few minutes.”
Rob stood. His eyes fell on the credenza in the corner. “Where’s the Lakshmi statue?”
She shrugged. It was at home in a cardboard box, along with other reminders of their affair. “It didn’t fit the decor.”
“I’d like to have it back.”
“Fine.” It was not that valuable, just something he’d picked up on a business trip and brought home for her. She’d liked the colors and the pouty lips on the Indian goddess, the coins spilling from her hands. Mostly she’d liked that he’d thought of her while he was away. Damn him. “I’ll mail it to you.”
He pointed to the credenza. “The file?”
She walked to the credenza, pulled the file, and held it out.
Rob grabbed the manila folder. “I want the electronic versions, as well.”
“Fine,” she said again. “Now would you please leave?”
Rob glowered, opened his mouth as if he had something more to say, turned, and slammed out of the office.
Shaking, Liv sat down at her desk. She put her feet up again and stared out the window to the cracked and weedy parking lot. She watched Rob stalk to his car, and she wondered why she’d let herself fall for another creep. She knew danger attracted her like a drug. And also like a drug, it had a way of coming back to bite her.
She didn’t usually date clients, though. Robert Mickelson had been a one-off in that department. When he’d hired her, Rob told her he was preparing to file for divorce. Then, when he’d asked her out, she foolishly accepted, drawn like a moth to the flame. Ten months into the affair and he was still married. Maybe he was a serial cheater, she mused. A compulsive liar. But why, then, had he hired her to investigate his wife?
She continued to stare out the window, watching the clouds roll in from the bay. Who knew why people did things? Maybe he’d just wanted leverage in the marriage. Maybe it was a kinky game he and Gina played with each other. She really didn’t care anymore. She was just glad it was over.
She sat up behind her desk, started her computer, and emailed the electronic files to Rob as requested. That’s it, she thought. She could forget him and move on.
Movement in the parking lot caught her eye. Cooper Tedeschi, back hunched against the brisk breeze and curly hair making him look like a wild angel with a chip on his shoulder, slouched toward the building.