Another Notch in the Beltway by L. A. Long Page A

out?”
    â€œI can’t say,” Morris said, looking at his hands.
    â€œRight; for all I know, you two could be screwing each other simple. As I recall, you and Byron have a taste for the same women.”
    He chuckled. “Not the same innocent girl that you were twenty years ago.”
    â€œNo. Maxwell saw to that in more ways than one, didn’t he?” she retorted, but acid was churning in her stomach. Maybe she could make herself throw up on him. She’d had a character do that once, all over a suitor’s expensive riding habit.
    Morris reached forward and brushed a stray strand of hair away from Lenore’s face. When his finger touched her skin, she jumped as if she’d been burned.
    â€œDon’t touch me,” she hissed through clenched teeth.
    â€œWould you have married me, Lenore, if I had left Maxwell behind all those years ago?”
    â€œI honestly don’t know, Gerald. The fact that you told me you wouldn’t, didn’t make the offer worth my contemplation. I think you should go now.”
    He looked at her a moment. “I’ll call your attorney and make arrangements.”
    â€œDo not ever show up here again, Gerald, either you or your boss. I’ll get a restraining order. Is that clear?”
    â€œVery.” Morris left and closed the door quietly behind him.
    As MP was leaving the kitchen to join her, she was making her way to him.
    â€œ
Mo chuisle
, are you all right?”
    â€œI’m pissed. Why after all these years are the bottom dwellers rearing their ugly heads?”
    â€œMorris have a thing for you, too?”
    â€œWhy do you ask?”
    â€œHe looked at me like he wanted to do me bodily harm.”
    She gave a weak laugh. “I don’t know if he did or not. He tried to warn me about Maxwell before I got involved with him and then asked me to marry him when Maxwell treated me like a street corner whore.”
    â€œHe did?” MP asked surprised.
    â€œYes, I don’t know why. At the time his proposal, if you can call it that, surprised me. Now I don’t know if he was trying to clean up one of Byron’s messes, if he was being chivalrous, or if he wanted to put one over on Maxwell.”
    â€œYou mean, like I have your woman and your kid, too?”
    â€œYes, or maybe he did care for me on some level. I don’t know. But I asked him if I agreed to marry him whether he’d leave Maxwell’s staff, and he said no. So there was nothing to consider.”
    â€œAnother fool.”
    â€œI’d like to think so.”

Chapter Nineteen
    The following Wednesday, Lenore and MP were in the kitchen breakfast nook, enjoying crepes with fresh berries. The early morning light cast a warm glow on the table.
    â€œYou’re spoiling me,
a chuisle
. I like it.”
    â€œI seem to like spoiling you too. Makes me feel good.”
    â€œYou make me feel good.”
    â€œDitto.”
    Her home phone started ringing.
    â€œIt’s Nikko,” she said looking at caller ID.
    â€œProbably checking in to see if we got any.”
    â€œHello, Nikko,” Lenore said with a smile in her voice.
    â€œHi, Lenore, is MP there by chance? I tried his hotel and he’s not answering the phone or his cell.”
    â€œYeah, hold on. MP, Nik is looking for you.”
    A puzzled expression crossed his face.
    Lenore shrugged and handed him the phone. She motioned that she was going to the office. He shook his head and pointed to her seat. Instead of sitting, she poured them each more coffee.
    â€œHave you heard from anyone on the other side of the pond this morning, or afternoon there, now?” Nikko asked.
    â€œNo, why?”
    â€œThere’s a news article in a London gossip rag,
The Sentinel,
do you know it?”
    â€œHard not to,” MP replied with disgust.
    â€œThere’s a piece you need to read. We need to get on it and do damage control.”
    â€œNik what is it