The Second Mouse - Archer Mayor [33]
He turned at the sound of the door opening quietly and did his best to hide his surprise once more. Hillstrom had changed from her green scrubs into a light, flowered spring dress, buttoned down the front, nipped in at the waist, and free-flowing below. It had short sleeves and a V-neck that revealed a beaded necklace and an attractive cleavage. Her legs were bare, she wore low-heeled sandals, and she’d loosened her long hair so that it hung about her shoulders. She was stunning.
She laughed at his expression. “Like seeing your teacher out of school?”
He rose, smiling broadly. No teacher I ever had, he thought to himself. She looked beautiful.
She blushed slightly at his obvious if silent appreciation and turned back toward the hallway. “Let’s get out of here. Where are you parked?”
“I wish I knew,” he said, following her lead, still adjusting to the view before him. “I think it was level three.”
She glanced back at him. “That’s where I am. Let’s go in separate cars. We can eat at a steak house I’ve tried just down the street. It’ll be virtually deserted this time of night.”
They followed her suggestion, plunging into the building’s entrails until emerging from the underground parking lot’s embrace ten minutes later like escapees from a penal colony.
She led him to a bland if well-appointed motel on the other side of the nearby interstate, where the first floor was dominated by a combination bar and restaurant. As she’d predicted, the place was nearly empty. They got a booth along the back wall.
He waited until the waiter had taken their drink order before finally asking, “What’s going on?”
Hillstrom leaned back against the fake leather cushion and passed her hand across her forehead wearily. “Before I begin,” she said, “I’d like you to know how grateful I am you’re here. I never would have asked, but after we spoke, and despite my treating you so poorly, I did hope you’d come. That you did confirms what I’ve always thought of you.” She suddenly stretched out her hand and laid it briefly on his. “I consider you one of the most decent human beings I’ve ever known.”
He thought to take up her fingers in his own, but she’d already withdrawn her hand. Instead, he watched her for a moment, astonished at how her troubles had transformed her. “Beverly, I didn’t have to think twice about it. The respect is mutual.”
She gave him a weak smile. “Thank you. That means more than you can imagine right now.”
“What exactly is Freeman up to?” he asked.
“The what is probably less telling than the why,” she said, pausing to sip from her wine as it was placed before her. “But what he’s doing,” she resumed, “is niggling my entire staff half to death about every item he can think of, including stationery supplies, no doubt hoping to push me into the one act of insubordination that will allow him to fire me. And trust me,” she added, “there are days like today when he almost succeeds.”
“I noticed,” Joe told her. “But how can he get away with it, and why now?”
“In a nutshell, because he’s come into some information he’s using to blackmail me.”
Joe stared at her, his mouth half open. “Beverly. For Christ’s sake.”
She held up her hand to stop him. “That’s what it boils down to, Joe. In truth, it’s not quite that dramatic. I’m a little at wit’s end. You’ll have to forgive me.”
“Of course, but what’s it all about?”
“God knows how many years ago, I was working in Connecticut for a man named Howard Medwed. You might have heard of him, even not being in the business.”
“I have,” Joe interjected. “He’s like Helpern or Noguchi, right? One of the legends?”
“Correct. Very good. A wonderful man and a mentor in the truest sense