“It was probably a man who gave you your report,” Stella said. “You should fire him. Men always think with their dicks and can’t see beyond tits and asses.” She smiled. “But you know that, don’t you, Nelda? You’ve used men all your life. We’re a lot alike.”
“I didn’t give you permission to call me Nelda.” Her tone was icy. “And we’re nothing alike. All you have to do is look in the mirror to realize how wrong you are.”
“Of course, I’m young, and you’re old.” She gazed at her critically. “Though you look pretty good, considering. You must have had work done. It doesn’t surprise me. You know that sex is a weapon.”
“That just shows you how different we are,” Nelda said with contempt. “You start off with sex, but you learn other ways of control.”
“Maybe when you lose the edge. Sex is easier.”
Nelda looked away from her. “Did you establish an alibi?”
“Of course, there’s a young male nurse I’ve been sleeping with for the past two weeks. He’ll do anything I ask him to do.”
“Until you drop him.”
Stella shook her head. “That would be dangerous. I figured that I’d let you take care of him when I’m ready to get rid of him. I know you’ll be willing to tie up that little loose end for me. You wouldn’t want to risk me becoming a suspect.”
“No one is going to suspect you. Not if you did everything I told you to do.”
“But you have to make sure that it’s going to continue like that,” Stella said softly. “Because you’re such a careful woman, and the stakes are so high, aren’t they?”
“They’re high for you, too.” Nelda took an envelope from her purse and threw it on the bed. “There’s the proof of the electronic transfer I arranged into your bank in Grand Cayman, plus your airline tickets to Fiji. You have the very generous fee I gave you to rid me of Pierce together with those two cashier’s checks you stole from him. That means you have close to $2 million to stash in an offshore bank.” She paused. “Theft. And you’ve just killed a man.”
Stella’s gaze narrowed on Nelda’s face. “You think that’s a hold on me that will keep me quiet. It might, and it might not. I’m very smart, and there are ways to get around most crimes. You found that out, didn’t you, Nelda?”
She stiffened. “I thought Pierce was too shrewd to talk to a bimbo like you. Are you telling me that I was wrong?”
“Oh, he didn’t talk to me. He was too busy screwing me. But that doesn’t mean I couldn’t find out what I want to know,” Stella said. “I like secrets, but only when they’re mine. Beth Avery was the big secret that caused Pierce to jump through hoops. Of course, I had to find out what was so valuable that you’d give Pierce such a huge payoff all these years. Wouldn’t you?”
Nelda didn’t answer for a moment. “Yes.”
Stella threw back her head and laughed. “Gotcha. I knew we were alike when I watched you pulling Pierce’s strings.” She dropped down on the bed and drew her leg beneath her. “I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed him shaking in his shoes at the prospect of just talking to you. He liked to play domination games with me, pretending I was you.”
Nelda’s lips tightened. “Oh, did he?”
“But in the end, you and I always won,” she said softly. “Because we were stronger. A man like him couldn’t really touch us.” Her hand was stroking the satin of her robe on her thigh. “No man could.”
Nelda’s gaze was fastened on the hand sliding over the satin. She jerked it away with an effort. “I told you to get dressed. I’m bored with chatting with you. You have to get out of here. You’re taking a private jet out of Burbank at five thirty this afternoon.”
“You’re not bored. I’d never bore you.” She tilted her head. “And there’s a chance that you wouldn’t bore me … at least for a little while. You’re a beautiful woman, and you’ve taken good care of yourself. You’re strong enough that I’d have to fight to keep you from making a slave of me.”
“Go get dressed.”
“Why? You like me like this. I see how you’re looking at me. I knew the minute you walked in the room that I was right about you. You didn’t have to come here. You could have sent someone. You were curious about me.”
“I wanted to be sure you’d done what I’d told you to do.”
“And you were curious to see if Pierce’s toy was worth playing with for a while.” She smiled. “And you found that she is. I can make you very happy, Nelda. I’d be a challenge, and I know so many ways to please you.”
“You’re ridiculous. I didn’t come here to audition a slut.”
“Not until you found out how worthwhile I’d be in your life. Men are too easy for you. I’d never be easy.” She got to her feet in one sinuous movement. “Now I’ll go and get dressed. When I get back from Fiji, I’ll come to you. I’d give you a demonstration. Right now, but you might be a little tense with Pierce staring at us. Personally, I think it would be a kick.” She headed for the bathroom. “I could show you a lot of ways that you’d never—”
“Why?” Nelda’s gaze was narrowed on her. “You have enough money to set yourself up very comfortably. You don’t have to be anyone’s whore. Certainly not mine.”
“I don’t have to do anything. It’s always been my choice.” She paused at the bathroom door. “Why? Because you’ll always be worried that I might be caught, that I might talk if I walk away from you. That would mean I’d always be in danger. But if I walk toward you and become part of your life, then I become valuable.” She smiled. “Oh, and I can make myself very valuable to you. You’d never want me to leave you.”
The door shut behind her.
Stella leaned back against the doorway for an instant as waves of satisfaction surged through her.
Power.
It felt heady and wonderful, and in the past hours she had made great strides. But it was only the beginning. Nelda Avery would throw open new and dazzling doors.
She slipped out of the gold robe and began to dress, humming softly beneath her breath.
“We will rock you…”
CHAPTER
15
“I’VE GOT IT,” NEWELL SAID, when Eve answered her cell. His voice vibrated with intensity. “And it’s pretty damn nasty. I’ll meet you and Joe on the patio in fifteen minutes.”
“Should I wake Beth and bring her with us?”
“Hell, no. It’s going to cause big trouble, and she might split. We’ve got to handle this very delicately.” He hung up.
Eve looked at Joe. “It’s her right to know anything we know.”
“Newell’s not stupid. Listen, then tell her later if that’s your decision. You’re being a little overprotective at the moment.”
“She has a right to be protected.” Then she shrugged impatiently and headed for the door. “But I’ll wait and see what Newell has to say.”
Newell was sitting on the deck chair when they reached the patio a few minutes later. He looked pale and tired, but Eve was aware of that same air of excitement and tension she’d noticed in his voice. “You didn’t bring Beth. Good. I was afraid you’d ignore me.”
“I would have done just that,” Eve said. “Joe persuaded me to wait … for a while. I won’t keep anything from Beth.”
“Thanks, Quinn.” Newell reached into a briefcase on the ground beside him and pulled out a thick sheaf of papers stapled together. “Beth’s been through enough, and she doesn’t need a shock. Let it come gently.”
“Let what come?” Joe asked impatiently. “What was on that disc?”
“Nothing that could be clearly determined on most of them. Gelber took bits and pieces of her story, tore them apart, and concentrated on making Beth forget what he wanted her to block out. But there’s one session that gives us the essence of what happened that weekend at the lodge. I printed out two copies.” He handed the stapled documents to Eve and Joe. “I’m glad the son of a bitch is a corpse. I wish I’d done it myself.”