Sweet Liar Part 2

aHave you asked her out?a aTried to, but she runs away every time I get within ten feet of her. If she hears me coming, she hits the stairs, and except for meals, she stays in her apartment all the time, never leaves.a aWhatas she do all day?a aAs far as I can tell, she sleeps,a Mike said in disgust.

Daphne took a bite of her steak. aPoor kid. Didnat you tell me her father just died and that she just got a divorce?a aYeah, but from what I heard, her husband was no great loss.a aMaybe so, but losing your guy makes you feel rotten. I remember the first time a guy walked out on me. Lord! but I was in love with that man. He was my first and I lived my whole life for him, anything he wanted, I gave it to him.a She snorted in memory. aThat was when I first started stripping. He said I was so good at it when I did it for him that I ought to make us some money. But even when I did what he wanted, one day I came home and he was gone. No note or nothing. Of course, looking back on it, I doubt if the b.u.m could read and write. Brother! was I depressed after that. I didnat think I had anything to live for after he left me. I managed to drag myself to work for a few days, but after a while I even stopped doing that; just stayed in the apartment and slept. h.e.l.l, Iad probably still be sleeping if that man hadnat made me see what a creep the guy wasa"that he wasnat worth sleeping for.a Mike was only half listening to Daphneas story as her stories tended to depress him. Head told her once that she could walk into a crowd of a hundred nice guys with one wife-beating sc.u.m-of-the-earth hidden among them, and shead be able to pick out the bad guy within thirty seconds. Daphne had laughed and said that if he was bad enough, shead have him moved into her apartment and be supporting him within three minutes.

What Mike was thinking about was Samantha. Maybe over the years head become spoiled with women liking him, maybe girls had been too easy for him to get. Samantha was a challenge. Since shead come to New York, head tried everything to get her attention, up to and including slipping invitations under her door. Head aaccidentallya met her in the kitchen a few hundred times. Head even hinted repeatedly that head like to learn how to use a computer, but shead looked at him as though shead never heard the word before.

For the life of him he couldnat figure her out. There was the prim little miss who hadnat wanted to stay in a house alone with a man; there was the hot tamale whoad kissed him like head never before been kissed; and lately there was the grubby little zombie who silently moved about the kitchen wearing her fatheras pajamas and robe. He rarely heard her footsteps above anymore and when he did see her, she was always yawning, even though she usually looked as though shead just woken up.

Mikeas head came up sharply. aWhat did you say?a aI said I missed him so much that I wore only his clothes. I couldnat b.u.t.ton his s.h.i.+rt across my chest, but that didnat matter because wearing his clothes made me feel closer to him. If that mana"a Mike came out of his seat. aWhat man?a Daphne looked startled. aThe man at the hospital. Havenat you been listening to what Iave been telling you? I wanted to sleep forever, so I decided to do just that. I took a bottle of pills and woke up in a hospital, and thatas where that man talked to me, told me I had to keep on living.a Mike stood looking down at her for a moment, but he wasnat seeing her, because he was beginning to comprehend what Daphne was saying. aSamanthaas had a hard time, Mike,a he could hear Samanthaas father saying over the phone, his voice harsh and weak, heavy with his impending death. aSheas had a hard life, and when Iam gone, I donat know what sheall do. I wish I knew my daughter better, but I donat. I donat know what goes on inside her head, but I want to leave this world knowing that sheas going to be taken care of. I want you to look out for her, Mike, and I want to make up to her for some of what I did to her. Take care of her for me. Thereas no one else I can ask.a Mike had experienced the death of his uncle Mike, but that was alla"and that was enough. He couldnat actually imagine more death in his life or losing as many people as Sam had. He definitely couldnat imagine what head feel like if his father dieda"or if, like Samantha, his last and only friend and relative died.

Looking up at Samanthaas windows, he saw that, as always, the curtains were drawn. No doubt she was sleeping again. Sleeping forever, as Daphne put it.

aYouare a poor guardian, Taggert,a he said to himself, then turned to look at Daphne.

aWant me out of here, Mike?a she asked as she picked up her purse and started to go back through the house to leave, but at the door she turned back. aYou need anything, Mikey, honey, you let me know. I owe you a few favors.a Absently, Mike nodded, but he was looking up at Samanthaas windows, and his mind was wholly on his tenant. Two minutes later he was on the phone ordering a meal to be delivered from La C'te Basque.

4.

S tanding outside Samanthaas door, Mike took a deep breath, then knocked. He had no idea if what he was doing was right, but he was going to give it his best shot.

She didnat answer his knock, but then, he hadnat actually expected her to; so, balancing the tray in one hand, he took his key out of his pocket, inserted it into the lock, opened the door a crack, and saw that all the lights in the room were out. Raising his eyes skyward, he murmured as he stepped into the room, aPlease donat let her be wearing white.a Samantha came awake slowly, reluctantly opening her eyes against the bright light and trying to focus. For a moment, she lay in bed blinking at the light, gradually coming awake enough to realize she was seeing her landlord standing over her, a tray in his hands.

aWhat are you doing in here?a she asked, frowning and pulling herself into a sitting position, but there was no real fear in her voice or even much interest. The truth was, she was so tired her bones ached and nothing could make her feel very much.

aI brought you something to eat,a he answered, setting the tray down on the desk by the window. aItas food from one of the best restaurants in New York.a Samantha rubbed her eyes. aI donat want anything to eat.a As she came awake more fully, she looked through the living room toward the closed door of her apartment. aHow did you get in here?a Smiling as though it were all a great joke, Mike held up his key.

Samantha pulled the covers up to her neck. With her wakefulness was coming anger. aYou lied to me! You said you didnat have a key. You saida"a Her eyes widened as she pressed herself back against the headboard. aIf you come any closer, Iall scream.a At that moment, an ambulance went down Lexington Avenue, and the ear-piercing screech through the half-open window was so loud it practically made the curtains shake. aThink anyone would hear you?a Mike asked, still smiling at her.

Samantha was now, indeed, beginning to feel, and the panic rising in her showed on her face. Trying to remain calm, she folded the blanket back and started to get out of bed, but Mike caught her arm.

aLook, Sam,a he said, his voice pleading. aIam sorry I somehow gave you the impression that Iam a s.e.x pervert. Iam not. I kissed you becausea"a With a boyish grin, he stopped speaking. aMaybe we better not go into that. What I want from you is more important than s.e.x. Maybe not nearly as nice, but in the long run, more important. I came in here to talk to you about Tony Barrett. I want you to get me in to see him.a Abruptly, Samantha stopped trying to pull away and looked at him as though he were crazy. aWould you get your hand off of me?a aOh, sure,a he said. Head meant only to hold on to her elbow to keep her from running from the room, which she looked like she might do, but instead, he had spread his fingers and was moving his hand up her arm. She was by no means the most desirable-looking woman he had ever seen, because she looked as though she hadnat had a bath in days, her hair was greasy and tangled, there were black circles of fatigue under her eyes, and her lovely mouth had a downward turn to it. But in spite of the look of her, Mike had never in his life wanted to climb into bed with a woman as much as he wanted to with her. Maybe spring was getting to him. Maybe he needed to spend a long weekend in bed with one of Daphneas friends. Or maybe he needed Samantha.

Releasing her, he stepped back from the bed. aI think we need to talk.a When Samantha looked at the bedside clock and saw that it was ten minutes after eleven at night, she took a deep breath. aThe first time I met you, you nearly attacked me. Tonight you used a key that you swore you didnat have to unlawfully, not to mention discourteously, enter my apartment in the middle of the night. Now you ask me about a man Iave never heard of. And you ask why I should be upset. Mr. Taggert, have you ever heard the word privacy?a aIave heard lots of words,a he said, dismissing her comment as though his being in her private apartment meant nothing. Instead of considering her rights, he sat down on the edge of the bed, facing her.

Samantha again started to get out of the bed. aThis is intolerable.a aIam glad to see youare angry. At least thatas better than sleeping your life away.a aWhat I do with my life is none of your business,a she snapped as she got off the bed and grabbed her fatheras robe.

Turning to the tray behind him, Mike lifted the napkin that covered the basket of bread and took out a roll. He bit into the delicious bread, then with his mouth full said, aDonat put on that robe. Itas too big for you. Donat you have something girly?a Giving him a look of disbelief, she defiantly shoved her arms into the sleeves of the big flannel robe. The man really was too much to bear. aI suggest that if you want somethingagirlya"what an old-fas.h.i.+oned worda"you should go elsewhere.a Her tone, her hostility, not to mention her direct request that he leave had no effect on him as he ate the rest of the roll. aIam an old-fas.h.i.+oned guy. I wouldnat do that if I were you.a Samantha had her hand on the doork.n.o.b, and when he warned her, for the first time she felt fear. With her back to him, her hand on the verge of trembling, she didnat turn to look at him.

aAh, Sam,a he said, annoyance as well as exasperation in his voice, ayou donat have to be afraid of me. I wouldnat hurt you.a aAm I supposed to believe you?a she whispered, trying to be calm, trying to hide her fear, but failing. aYou lied about the key.a Mike could hear the fear in her voice, and he didnat want her to be afraid of hima"that was the last thing he wanted from her. Slowly getting up from the beda"no sudden movementsa"he went to her, but she continued facing the door. Very gently, he put his hands on her shoulders, then frowned when she drew her body together, as though to fight off the coming blows. As gently as though she were a wounded animal, he led her to the bed, pulled the cover back, and directed her into it, smiling at her in a way that he hoped was rea.s.suring.

aNo,a she whispered, her voice almost quivering with fear.

It was obvious that she thought he wanted her in bed so he could more easily attack hera"or worse. Never before had any woman thought Mike was a rapist. Never had a woman been afraid of him and he didnat like it, but more importantly, he d.a.m.ned well didnat deserve her fear.

aOh h.e.l.l!a Mike said as he pushed her down on the bed where she landed in a tumble of bedclothes. He was sick of being thought of as some s.e.xual deviant who regularly attacked his tenants. Walking away from the bed, he turned back to glare at her. aOkay, Sam, letas get some things straight between us. So I kissed you. Maybe according to your rules I should be hanged for that, or at the very least castrated, but we live in a permissive society. What can I say? We have people selling drugs to children, serial killers, child molesters, and me. I kiss pretty girls who look at me like they want me to kiss them. Unfortunately, the law doesnat punish sickies like me.a Crossing her arms protectively under her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, Samantha set her mouth in a tight line. aWhatas your point?a aThe point is, you and I have work to do and Iam tired of waiting for you to come up for air.a aWork? I donat know what youare talking about.a It took him a minute to realize that she was telling the truth. aDid you read your fatheras will?a Anger as well as pain surged through her, but she stamped the pain down. aOf course I read it. I know its contents anyway.a aThen you didnat read it.a His sense of frustration was building.

aI really wish you would go away.a aIam not going away, so you can save your breath. Iam tired of seeing you skulk about, not eating, not taking an interest in anything. How long has it been since you left this house?a aWhat I do or do not do is none of your business. I donat even know you.a aMaybe not, but Iam your guardian.a Samantha looked at him, opened her mouth to speak, closed it, opened it, closed it again. This man was insane. Guardians were something out of Gothic novels, not real life, and even in novels, guardians were not given to twenty-eight-year-old divorced women. If she could get him out of this room, she was going to pack a bag and leave this house forever.

It was easy for Mike to see in her eyes what she was thinking, and it made him angry. She was going to listen to him if he had to tie her to the bed. Instead of tying her upa"shead no doubt take him to court for thata"he picked up the tray of food and set it on her lap. aEat,a he commanded.

Samantha wanted to refuse, but she was too afraid of him not to obey. When she hesitated, he spread something on a piece of toast and held it in front of her mouth. He had an expression on his face that made her think he was capable of holding her nose and forcing her to eat, so Samantha reluctantly opened her mouth. It was pt de foie gras, one of the most heavenly things she had ever tasted in her life. As she chewed, she relaxed a bit and took the second piece of toast he offered from his hand.

aNow,a Mike said, aIam going to talk and youare going to listen.a aDo I have a choice?a She was on her third piece of toast. Maybe she was a bit hungry after all.

aNo. No choice at all. Youare not very good at listening, are you? You obviously didnat listen to your attorney when he told you to read your fatheras will.a aI am an excellent listener and I meant to read it.a He was spreading pt on warm toast nearly as fast as she could eat it.

aLike you meant to take a bath?a He wanted to insult her and make himself believe that she wasnat the s.e.xiest female head ever seen. But even when she should have been so unappealing, he had several thoughts about what head like to do to her deliciousa"perhaps that wasnat the right word just nowa"little body. If she could read his mind, she really would be afraid. Head like to see that tongue of hers on something besides the piece of pt that had fallen to her wrist.

aIf you donat want to be around me, you could always leave. You have my permission,a she said. Now that she was fully awake, now that her fear of him was lessening, she was looking at him. He had on a soft, dark brown cotton s.h.i.+rt and jeans, and he should have looked respectable, but she could see the outline of his chest muscles under the s.h.i.+rt. While he was slathering pt on bread and handing pieces to her, he was eating just as much as she was, and when he chewed, his lower lipa"that beautiful full lower lipa"moved. She looked away.

aIam not going to leave until youave heard everything. When were you planning to start looking for your grandmother?a That startled Samantha into looking back at him. How did he know about that? aI am an adult and Ia"a Mike grunted. aThatas what I thought. You had no intention of looking for her, did you?a aItas not any of your business, is it?a aItas entirely my business. Did it ever occur to you to wonder who was to check your research? Who was to approve what youad done and say youad done enough searching so youad get the money your father left you?a Samantha paused with a piece of toast on the way to her mouth and stared at him. No, not one of those questions had entered her mind.

Knowing he had at last piqued her interest, Mike got up, went to the wine safe and took out a cool bottle of white wine. He knew there were several bottles of wine in there because he had put them there in preparation for Samanthaas arrival. Now, he had correctly guessed that every bottle would still be there. She may have problems, he thought as he looked in the safe and saw every bottle head put in there still sealed, but she was no drinker. Opening the bottle, knowing exactly where the corkscrew was, he took the wine back to her bedroom and poured two gla.s.ses full, frowning at the look on her face. aThis is not a prelude to a seduction, so you can stop looking at me as though Iam a satyr. Drink it or not, your choice. Iam sure that someone as uptight as you is probably too prudish to do something so wild as drink a gla.s.s of wine.a Curling her upper lip at him in a sneer of what she hoped looked like contempt, she took the gla.s.s, drained it, then handed it back to him for a refill.

Mike laughed. aA real sailor, are you? Any tattoos?a Samantha didnat bother to answer him, but she wished she hadnat drunk the wine. She had not eaten very much, and the wine was already going to her head, yet she desperately needed to be alert right now, not fuzzy-headed and relaxed as the wine was making her feel. aNot any tattoos Iam going to show you,a she heard herself say, then grimaced, for she had always been the very easiest of drunks. Half a gla.s.s of wine and she was dancing on tablesa"or at least thinking about dancing. It was something about her that had always disgusted Richard, but he had managed to cope with the problem. As always, he figured out a solution to all of Samanthaas aproblemsa: Because she had no head for drinking, he didnat allow her to drink.

Looking down at the tray across her legs as he lifted the cover, she saw a fat, succulent steak smothered in sauce. aI donat eat meat,a she said, looking away.

aWhy not? You donat like it?a aWhere have you been for the last century? Havenat you read the reports on meat? Fat content. Hardening of the arteries. Cholesterol. No fiber.a aIs that all? The airas worse for you than any steak. Eat it, Sam.a aMy name is Samantha, nota"a She didnat say any more because he shoved a piece of meat into her mouth. When she chewed, she found the flavor to be divine, really truly divine. Continuing to chew, she remembered that she had first given up meat as a way to cut down on their grocery bill.

aHated that, didnat you?a he said smugly, watching her.

She ignored his comment. aI thought you wanted me to listen to you. Would you say what you have to say, then get out of here?a Cutting another bite of steak, he started to feed it to her as though she were a child or, perhaps, as though they were on far more intimate terms than they were, so she took the fork from his hand and fed herself. He didnat seem to notice the look she gave him when he picked up her salad fork and began helping himself to part of the steak. Samantha tried not to think of the scene: her sitting at the head of the bed, him sprawled across the middle, his head near her knees as they both ate from the same plate.

aEver hear of Larry Leonard?a aYet another person we do not have in common,a she said jauntily, pointing her fork at him. She definitely should not have drunk that gla.s.s of wine.

aLarry Leonard isa"wasa"a writer of murder mysteries. He didnat write very many of them and they didnat sell well, but they received some critical acclaim because they were so well researched. All of them were about gangsters.a Her mouth was full of steak and she kept sipping on the second gla.s.s of wine. aThe two of you should have gotten along splendidly as thatas all you read about.a As soon as she said it, she blushed.

Mike grinned knowingly. aBeen snooping, have you? By the way, thanks for putting my clothes away the day Tammy had to leave.a Samantha looked down at her plate so he couldnat see her red face.

aAnyway,a Mike continued, aLarry Leonard was actually named Michael Ransome, and he was my honorary uncle, a friend of my grandfatheras, and I was named after him. Uncle Mike lived in a guesthouse on my fatheras land in Colorado, and I spent a lot of time with him when I was a kid. We wereabuddies,a he said softly.

Samantha stopped chewing when she heard the barely concealed pain in his voice, for she understood all too well how it felt to have people you loved die. Reaching out her hand to him, she pulled back before touching him.

Mike didnat seem to notice as he kept eating and talking. aWhen Uncle Mike died three years ago, he willed everything he owned to me. There wasnat any money, but there was his library of books on gangsters.a He smiled at her teasingly. aThe books youave seen.a aIam sure theyare your own taste in literature.a She speared a cherry tomato before he could take it.

aHe also left me work head done on a biography of a big-time gangster named Dr. Anthony Barrett.a aThe man you think I know.a Raising one eyebrow in praise of her memory, Mike didnat answer directly but made a stab at the last bite of steak, then just as he was about to eat it, offered it to her.

Samantha almost took it, but then shook her head. aI really wish you would finish this story and leave.a The intimacy of this shared meal was not something she wanted to continue.

Removing the last cover from the tray, Mike revealed a deep dish of chocolate mousse. Samantha started to refuse, but it looked so rich and dark and creamy that before she knew what she was doing, she had dipped her spoon in it at the same time that Mike dipped his.

aWhere was I?a he asked, leaning back, licking his spoon while Samantha watched him, wondering if he was always so at ease. aOh yes. The biography. I read what work Uncle Mike had done and became interested in this Tony Barrett. Iad just finished the course work at school and I was at loose ends, so I thought I might continue what Uncle Mike started. So I decided to move to New York and continue researching. When I was moving Uncle Mikeas books, I found the file folder.a When he said no more, Samantha looked up at him. aIs that supposed to intrigue me? Am I now supposed to ask, aWhat file folder?a a aI could stand a little interest on your part, yes. But I can see that Iam not going to get it.a He filled his spoon with mousse. aThe folder was simply labeled aMaxiea and inside was a newspaper photo of you, your grandmother, and your dog.a Samantha put her spoon down with a clatter. aMy grandmother ran away when I was eight months old. There is no photo of the two of us.a Leaning on his elbow, he looked at her intently, without blinking, as though trying to relay some message to her.

aOh,a Samantha said. aThat picture.a It had taken her a while to remember, not that she remembered the incident, but her grandfather had told her what happened. aBrownie,a she said at last. aI was staying with my grandmother, and I crawled into a pipe in a ditch in the backyard.a aAnd you got stuck, and your grandmother called the fire department.a aAnd a bored newspaper reporter looking for a story happened to be at the station that day so he came with the firemen, but it was Brownie who saved me.a aYour dog crawled into the pipe, bit into your soggy diaper, and pulled you out of that pipe. The reporter took a picture of you, your grandmother, and Brownie, the wire services picked the photo and story up and sent it around to papers all over the country, where it was seen by my uncle Michael Ransome as well as the rest of the world. Uncle Mike cut the photo out and wrote Maxie in the margin. All through his notes a woman named Maxie is mentioned.a He looked up at her, studying her.

aMaxie was Barrettas mistress.a When Samantha didnat jump out of her skin at this news, as he was hoping she would, he leaned back on the bed and put his hands behind his head. aI think Maxie and your grandmother are one and the same.a When Samantha didnat say anything, just kept cleaning out the dish of mousse as though head said nothing, he looked back at her. She was looking sleepy again. aWell?a he asked impatiently.

She put down the empty dessert bowl. aAre you finished? Have you told me what you wanted to tell me? You think my grandmother was the mistress of a gangster. Okay, youave told me, now go.a For a moment, he could only blink at her. aYou donat have an opinion on this?a aI have an opinion on you,a she said softly. aYou have been reading too many of those gangster books. I didnat know my grandmother, but she was a regulation grandmother, cookie baking, that sort of thing. And her name was Gertrude. She was not a gangsteras molla"is that the right term?a She put her hand up when he started to interrupt her. aAnd besides that, what does it matter if she was? Now will you leave?a Rolling over to his side, he frowned at her. aIt matters because I think your grandmother was in love with Barrett and bore him a child. Tony Barrett just may be your real grandfather.a At that Samantha very slowly, very carefully, set the tray to one side, got out of bed, and walked to the door. aOut,a she said as though talking to someone who didnat understand English. aGet out. In the morning I will find another place of residence.a As though she hadnat spoken, Mike rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. aYour father thought Barrett was his real father.a aI donat want to hear anymore,a she said louder. aI want you to leave.a aIam not going to leave,a he said without looking at her.

Samantha didnat say a word, but if he wouldnat leave, she would. Stepping out of the room, she started down the stairs.

Mike caught her in his arms before she reached the bottom of the stairs. She struggled against him, but he held her easily, his arms about her body, her back against his front, and as she struggled against him, Mike felt his desire for her growing. He could feel her body against his, her hips, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, her thighs, all touching him. aBe still, Sam,a he whispered, sounding desperate, which he was. aPlease, please be still.a There was something odd in his tone that made Samantha stop struggling and go perfectly still in his arms.

aIam not going to hurt you,a he said, his voice ragged, his lips near her ear lobe. aYou have nothing to fear from me. All of this was your fatheras idea, not mine. I told him he should ask you to help me find Maxie, not force you to do it.a Still holding her close to him, he moved his face to touch her neck, not kissing her, but feeling her softness, smelling her skin.

With a sharp jerk, Samantha pulled away from him, then leaned back against the stair rail. Her heart was pounding in her breast, her breathing deep and irregular. When she looked at him, she saw that his heart was pounding too and his skin was flushed.

aYou want to sit down somewhere and talk about this?a aNo,a she answered. aI donat want to talk about anything, nor do I want to hear anything you have to say. I donat want to hear your made-up stories about my father or my grandmother or about anything else for that matter. All I want to do is leave this house and never see you again.a aNo,a he said, pleading, but there was something else in his eyes. aI canat allow you to leave. Your father gave me the care of you and I mean to be worthy of his trust.a Samantha blinked at him several times before she was able to speak. a aGave you the care of me?a You mean to be aworthy of his trusta?a She didnat know whether to laugh or run away. aYou sound like something from the past, something from the Middle Ages. I am an adult woman and Ia"a Abruptly, Mikeas face changed. aOh the h.e.l.l with it. Youare right. Who am I to take any of this seriously? I told Dave this was a dumb idea. I told him he should give you your inheritance with no strings attached, but he insisted that this was the only way. He wanted you to find out the truth.a Mike threw up his hands, palms up in surrender. aI give up. Iam not a good jailer. First I let you stay alone in a room until, as far as I can tell, youare on the point of suicide, then I play the heavy and try to make you do what you donat want to do. You are an adult and you can make your own decisions. Youare not interested in any of this, so go on back to bed. Put a chair in front of your door if you wanta"that should keep out even a dedicated pervert like me. In the morning Iall call a real estate agency and help you find somewhere else to live and Iall give you back your rent money. Why donat you take that computer equipment with you because I donat know what the h.e.l.l to do with it. Good night, Miss Elliot,a he said, then walked down the stairs, turned, and went into the living room.

Shaking from her wrestle with him, shaking from all of it, Samantha slowly went back up the stairs.

5.

A s Samantha entered her fatheras apartment, her first instinct was to pack a suitcase, but she didnat. She felt so very tired. Closing the door, she wedged a chair under the k.n.o.b, removed the chair, then climbed back into bed.

She couldnat sleep. She did her best not to think about her father and his will, but it was no good. It was the old adonat think of elephantsa dilemma.

At three in the morning, she got out of bed and began to search for her fatheras will. She had purposely not read it, for she hadnat wanted to know the details of his after-death rules, hadnat wanted to know what he had planned for her to do.

She found the will among some other papers, then sat down to read it. Her fatheras lawyer had told her everything that was in the will except for the single sentence that said she was to report all her findings to one Michael Taggert, and on Taggertas approval of her research, she was to receive her moneya"money that should have been hers unenc.u.mbered.

Samanthaas first instinct was to tear the doc.u.ment into a thousand pieces, but controlling herself, she smoothed it and replaced it with the other papers. Her father was dead; she had never been angry with him when he was alive, and she was not going to get angry at him now that he was gone. That he wanted someone to take care of her after he was dead was a sign that he loved her. It made no difference that Samantha didnat know this man, because her father had and he had approved of Michael Taggerta"just as head approved of Richard Sims as her husband.

Getting up, Samantha went to the bathroom where she took a long, hot shower and washed her hair. When she emerged, she felt better. She dressed in gray cotton slacks and a long, loose pink sweater, combed her hair, tied it back from her face, and even put on makeup. It was still dark outside, but there was the feeling of dawn approaching, so she opened the doors leading onto the balcony and breathed the fragrance of the roses in the garden below.

Hearing something that she couldnat place, for a moment she stood still, listening. It was the sound of a typewriter being punched with heavy fingers. The sound made Samantha smile, for she hadnat heard a typewriter in years.

She knew she should stay in her room, knew she should pack her suitcase, but she didnat. Going to the door, she opened it and went down the stairs.

It was easy to follow the sound of the typewriter. Michael was in the library, the room dark except for a light over the desk, and he was punching away on an ancient typewriter that looked like something a war correspondent had used during World War II. He typed with his two index fingers, and he typed as though he were furious.

All at once feeling cowardly, Samantha started to leave the room.

aIf you have something to say, say it,a he said without turning toward her.

She blurted her words. aMy granddad Cal was my fatheras father. He was a wonderful man and I donat believe he wasnat.a As he turned to look at her, she was surprised to see that he looked tired. Just like her, he had obviously been up all night.

aBelieve what you want,a he said, turning away to pull the paper out of the typewriter and insert another sheet.

aWhy are you typing?a She took a step toward him.

Glancing at her over his shoulder with a look that said shead been born without a brain, he said, aBecause I want something typed.a She motioned toward the manual typewriter. aWhy not just use a stone tablet and a chisel? It would be the same difference.a He didnat say a word but just kept typing. She should go back to her room and pack, she thought, or maybe take a nap, but for once, she wasnat sleepy. She wanted to ask him what he was typing, but she didnat allow herself to do so.

aI guess Iall go back to bed,a she said and started toward the door, but stopped. aAre you going to release the money if I donat look for my grandmother?a aNo,a he said firmly.

Samantha started to protest but didnat. After all, it was her choice as to what she did, and the money wasnat all that important to her. She would do fine without the money because she knew very well that she could support herself. If she didnat fulfill the requirements of her fatheras will, she could leave New York today and she could go toaShe could go toa She was unable to finish her thought, because she knew she had nowhere to go, no one to go to. Slowly, she started walking toward the stairs.

aYour grandfather Cal was sterile,a Mike said loudly into the silence. aHe had mumps while he was in the servicea"two years before he met your grandmothera"and the mumps left him sterile. He couldnat father children.a Samantha sat down hard on a chair by the doorway. A full circle, she thought. She had traveled full circle. She had lost her grandmother, her mother, her father, her husband, and now she was being told that her grandfather had never been hers to begin with.

She didnat hear Mike move, but he was suddenly standing in front of her. aYou want to go get something to eat and talk about this?a His voice was full of concern.

aNo,a she said softly. All she wanted was to go back to her rooms, rooms where she felt safe.

Grabbing her by the shoulders, Mike pulled her upright to stand in front of him, angry in his belief that her reluctance to go somewhere with him was her continuing conviction that he was half rapist, half murderer. aWhile youare in this house Iam responsible for you. Whatever you think of me, I rarely attack women in public places so you can at least have a meal with me.a Samantha looked surprised. aI didnat meana"a She looked away from him, not wanting to be so close to him, for she had an urge to sink into his arms, knowing that it would be good to be held by another human being. The last person who had touched her, besides this man on the day she had met him, had been her father, and in those last months he had been so very fragile. It would be nice to feel strong, healthy arms about her. But Samantha wasnat in the habit of asking for things from people. Shead never asked her husband to hold her, and she wasnat going to ask this stranger for comfort, so she jerked her shoulders away from his hands.

Not understanding her look or her actions, Mike released her, his mouth twisted with disgust. aAll right, Iall keep my hands off of you, but youare going to eat.a Samantha started to repeat her no, but instead, she said she needed to get her purse.

aWhat for?a he asked.

aTo pay fora"a Not allowing her to finish, he took her elbow and propelled her toward the front door. aI told you, Iam an old-fas.h.i.+oned guy. I pay. When Iam with a female, I pay. Whether sheas my sister, my mother, or girlfriend, I pay. No Dutch treat. No her picking up the tab. Understand?a Samantha didnat say a word. There were too many other things on her mind than who paid for breakfast.

As he ushered her out into the early morning light, she saw that there were a few people on Lexington Avenue, but not many, and the city had an eerie feeling, as though they were alone in it. Silently, she walked beside him, following him into an all-night coffee shop.

Smiling familiarly, the waitress brought Mike a cup of coffee. aMike, you been at it all night again?a she asked.

He smiled back at her. aYeah,a he said then turned to Samantha. aScrambled eggs, bagels, okay with you? And tea, right?a She nodded, not asking how he knew that she didnat like coffee. The truth was, she didnat really care what she ate.

Leaning back in the booth, Mike sipped his coffee. aI wish your father had told you more. I wish he hadnat left it to me to explain everything.a aMy father liked toamanage things,a she said softly.

aYour father liked to control peopleas lives.a That snapped her out of her lethargy. aI thought you said you liked my father!a aI did. We had some wonderful talks and we became friends, but Iam not blind. He liked to make people do what he wanted them to do.a Samantha glared at him.

aAll right,a Mike said. aI get your point. No more comments about your sainted father. You want to hear his theorya"his, mind you, not minea"on what happened with your grandparents?a She did want to hear and she didnat. It was rather like paying to see a horror film that you wanted to see yet also didnat want to see.

aYour father believed that in 1928 Maxie was pregnant by Barrett, but something happened to prevent them from marrying. Maybe she told him she was pregnant and he refused to marry her, I donat know. I do know that she left New York, went to Louisville, met Cal, and married him. She stayed with him for thirty-six years, then the photo of her appeared in the paper. Your father thought Barrett probably saw it and thatas how he located Maxie.a While watching her with the concentration of a snake, Mike drank more of his coffee. She was difficult to read, and he couldnat tell what she was thinking. aTwo weeks before Maxie left, Dave said she was on the phone a lot and seemed upset. Just last year he was still berating himself, saying he should have asked her what was wrong, but he was fascinated with his baby daughter and had no thoughts for anyone else. Then, out of the blue, Maxie said her aunt was ill and needed her. She left, and no one in your family ever saw her again. At the time, Dave wanted to search for her, but your grandfather Cal said noa"violently no. Dave believed Cal might have known that Maxie had gone back to Barrett. It was your fatheras guess that after Barrett had seen her picture, he probably contacted her and asked her to come back to him and she did.a Samantha took a few moments to adjust to what he had told her. aIf thatas the case, why in the world would my father want to search for an adulteress? An adulteress! Sc.u.m-of-the-earth.a Mike watched her. aInteresting. Such a forceful opinion about adultery. Any personal reasons for such vehemence?a Not answering him, she watched the waitress place the food before them.

aYour father wasnat sure what happened to his mother,a Mike continued. aHe thought for a while that she was a victim of foul play. Purse nabbed, then murdered, that sort of thing, but a year after she disappeared, she sent Cal a postcard from New York saying she was safe.a aHow thoughtful of her,a she said sarcastically.

Mike waited a moment for her to say something else, but when she was silent, he spoke again. aMaxie wrote that she was safe. Not that she was happy or well or send my clothes to so and so. She said she was safe.a aSafe in the arms of her lover?a aIs that bitterness I hear in your voice?a aWhat I think or feel is none of your business. All I want from you is to know how much I have to do before the requirements of the will are met.a aGet me in to see Barrett and thatas it. I want to meet the man. No oneas seen him in twenty years. Heas a recluse who lives on an estate in Connecticut with fences, dogs, and armed guards.a aHas it ever occurred to you that my grandmothera"if sheas still alivea"might be living there with him?a Mike grinned. aThe thought had crossed my mind.a Samantha thought about the possibility of seeing her grandmother again. Her grandmother had abandoned her family, had left the people who loved her for another man, and Samantha wasnat sure she could forgive the woman. On the other hand, she thought of this man Barrett, a man she didnat know but who may actually be her grandfather.

aI might like to see him,a she said, then added quickly, abut not her.a Mikeas shock showed. aYou can forgive a man for being a gangster, but you canat forgive a woman for adultery? Murder seems worse than sleeping with someone besides your spouse?a She ignored his comment. aWhat is it you want me to do?a aNothing much. Iall write a letter to Barrett telling him that Maxieas granddaughter wants to meet him. Itas my guess heall answer right away, then we go to meet him. Simple.a aWhat if he wants to see me alone?a aI thought of that, actually, so I need a good, solid reason to be your escort. You wouldnat like to get married this afternoon, would you?a aIad rather be roasted alive,a she answered sincerely.

Mike laughed. aLiked being married, did you?a She narrowed her eyes at him. aYou know, thereas a reason for all the divorce in this country.a Dave had told him little about Samanthaas marriage, saying only that he had encouraged her divorce and had helped her obtain it, but even so, Mike was startled by her hostility. Looking down at Samanthaas hand on the table, he knew he shouldnat touch her because she seemed to have such an aversion to being toucheda"at least by him, anywaya"but he couldnat seem to help himself.

Picking up her hand, he looked at it, so small in his own, then kissed the palm. aI could show you one heck of a great wedding night.a Angrily, she jerked her hand out of his grasp.

He sighed. aIs it me you hate or all men?a He was surprised at how much he wanted her to say that she didnat hate him personally.