the impulse to lick her dry lips. In a strange way she had inherited the mantle of friendship Justin had shared with her father. She couldn't explain it, but she felt a responsibility toward the fascinating, little-known figure from her childhood.
And she felt a responsibility toward her dead father.
Talia forced a smile, but the warm color that crept into her cheekbones didn't need forcing. It came naturally. Talk about social lies!
"Mr. Pomeroy, I've told you the truth about Energy Interface Systems not being able to help me. They knew little or nothing about Justin Westbrook. However, Mr.
Sebastian and I - " She broke off delicately.
"Yes, Miss Haywood?" Pomeroy pressed, eyes narrowing.
"Mr. Sebastian and I got along rather well together," she concluded weakly, lowering her eyes with what she hoped was a properly demure, possibly slightly embarrassed expression. "He invited me out to dinner and I accepted. One thing led to another and…" She waved a hand in graceful dismissal of the rest of the sentence.
"You're telling me that your reasons for staying the three days in Sacramento were personal? Not related to information Energy Interface Systems was digging up for you?" Pomeroy bit out coldly.
"I'm afraid so. I was told from the very beginning that they really couldn't help me in regard to Westbrook."
"Miss Haywood, I'll be frank with you. If you have any indication at all that Justin Westbrook might still be alive, we want to know about it. The information could be crucial." Pomeroy appeared to hesitate and then come to a decision. "There is some indication, you see, that in his last years, Westbrook might have been acting against the best interests of his country."
And that, for some reason, helped Talia make her own decision. Justin Westbrook a traitor? It was inconceivable. Men like her father and Justin Westbrook did not turn against their country. She knew that in the depths of her bones. She would not help Aaron Pomeroy.
"I don't know what information you think I might be able to obtain that would not already have come into your own hands, Mr. Pomeroy. Surely the resources at your command are far superior to my own. In any event, I can assure you that as far as I'm concerned, Westbrook is dead. I've only been trying to fill in the story of his rather unusual career for the sake of family interest. I never dreamed that there might be any questions to ask beyond the time of his death in Africa."
"And you're quite certain the time you spent in Sacramento was strictly because of your, er, growing interest in Kane Sebastian?"
Why did he harp on that? "I assure you, Mr. Pomeroy," she said calmly with a charming smile that took a tremendous effort, "I would never have spent most of the night with Kane Sebastian at his place if I had been intent only on discussing Justin Westbrook!"
ABC Amber Text Converter Trial v ersion, http://www.processtext.com/abctxt.html
"Spent the night? Oh, I see…" He cleared his throat again. "You're telling me you and Sebastian became involved in only a few days?"
"It happens that way sometimes," Talia said, keeping all traces of bitterness out of her voice with an effort of will. Her smile broadened deliberately. "Come now, Mr.
Pomeroy, doesn't the FBI believe in love at first sight?" She could hardly believe her own words.
"You will be seeing Sebastian again?" Pomeroy didn't appear amused.
"I certainly hope so," she smiled coyly.
"The Bureau has absolutely no interest in your personal relationships. But we would very much like to be kept informed if you should ever learn anything that might indicate Westbrook didn't die in Africa. Do I make myself quite clear, Miss Haywood?"
"Very."
"Here's a number where I can be reached."
She watched him scrawl the phone number on a slip of paper and place it on her desk. Politely she reached across and retrieved it. "I'll certainly let you know if I ever turn up anything," she lied, "but, frankly, I think my search is over. It
And she felt a responsibility toward her dead father.
Talia forced a smile, but the warm color that crept into her cheekbones didn't need forcing. It came naturally. Talk about social lies!
"Mr. Pomeroy, I've told you the truth about Energy Interface Systems not being able to help me. They knew little or nothing about Justin Westbrook. However, Mr.
Sebastian and I - " She broke off delicately.
"Yes, Miss Haywood?" Pomeroy pressed, eyes narrowing.
"Mr. Sebastian and I got along rather well together," she concluded weakly, lowering her eyes with what she hoped was a properly demure, possibly slightly embarrassed expression. "He invited me out to dinner and I accepted. One thing led to another and…" She waved a hand in graceful dismissal of the rest of the sentence.
"You're telling me that your reasons for staying the three days in Sacramento were personal? Not related to information Energy Interface Systems was digging up for you?" Pomeroy bit out coldly.
"I'm afraid so. I was told from the very beginning that they really couldn't help me in regard to Westbrook."
"Miss Haywood, I'll be frank with you. If you have any indication at all that Justin Westbrook might still be alive, we want to know about it. The information could be crucial." Pomeroy appeared to hesitate and then come to a decision. "There is some indication, you see, that in his last years, Westbrook might have been acting against the best interests of his country."
And that, for some reason, helped Talia make her own decision. Justin Westbrook a traitor? It was inconceivable. Men like her father and Justin Westbrook did not turn against their country. She knew that in the depths of her bones. She would not help Aaron Pomeroy.
"I don't know what information you think I might be able to obtain that would not already have come into your own hands, Mr. Pomeroy. Surely the resources at your command are far superior to my own. In any event, I can assure you that as far as I'm concerned, Westbrook is dead. I've only been trying to fill in the story of his rather unusual career for the sake of family interest. I never dreamed that there might be any questions to ask beyond the time of his death in Africa."
"And you're quite certain the time you spent in Sacramento was strictly because of your, er, growing interest in Kane Sebastian?"
Why did he harp on that? "I assure you, Mr. Pomeroy," she said calmly with a charming smile that took a tremendous effort, "I would never have spent most of the night with Kane Sebastian at his place if I had been intent only on discussing Justin Westbrook!"
ABC Amber Text Converter Trial v ersion, http://www.processtext.com/abctxt.html
"Spent the night? Oh, I see…" He cleared his throat again. "You're telling me you and Sebastian became involved in only a few days?"
"It happens that way sometimes," Talia said, keeping all traces of bitterness out of her voice with an effort of will. Her smile broadened deliberately. "Come now, Mr.
Pomeroy, doesn't the FBI believe in love at first sight?" She could hardly believe her own words.
"You will be seeing Sebastian again?" Pomeroy didn't appear amused.
"I certainly hope so," she smiled coyly.
"The Bureau has absolutely no interest in your personal relationships. But we would very much like to be kept informed if you should ever learn anything that might indicate Westbrook didn't die in Africa. Do I make myself quite clear, Miss Haywood?"
"Very."
"Here's a number where I can be reached."
She watched him scrawl the phone number on a slip of paper and place it on her desk. Politely she reached across and retrieved it. "I'll certainly let you know if I ever turn up anything," she lied, "but, frankly, I think my search is over. It
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