Suspicion of Betrayal by Barbara Parker Page A

Lynn Dobbert had a disaster to top it. She went out with the checks she had brought in.
    Tapping her pen on the desk, Gail looked again at the telephone, then dialed Jamie Sweet's number. An answering machine picked up, causing her a moment of cKstress before she said, "Hi, Jamie. This is Gail again. Just wanted to make sure you're all right. If you need to talk to me—anytime—please don't hesitate to call." After a second or two of searching her mind uselessly for a piece of memorable wisdom, Gail hung up. She laughed to herself, remembering Charlene Marks's advice about maintaining a safe emotional distance. Don't be their mother or their pal. Commercial litigation in the posh law firm downtown had not been nearly as messy.
    She heard a click and looked around. Miriam had come in, closing the door behind her. She crossed the room, bouncy stride in high heels, curly hair swinging from a clip on top of her head. Bracelets jangled, and gold earrings spun. But something had ticked her off.
    "¿Qué pasa?" Gail asked.
    She was holding some papers, which fluttered as she extended her arm to show Gail. "Look at this. Look what she did. She put the South Miami Motors caption on an order for South Miami Hardware. And I just called the courier! This has to be filed at the courthouse this afternoon."
    "Well, tell her to redo it."
    "Why did you give it to Lynn?"
    "You were out to lunch, Miriam, and it seemed simple enough."
    "She hasn't learned the system yet," Miriam said. "She is so slow."
    "Inexperienced, not slow."
    The red-lipsticked mouth, which had opened to vent another complaint, released a long sigh instead. "You're right." Miriam was only twenty-two, but had been Gail's secretary for three years at Hartwell Black. Gail had wooed her away with equal benefits and a raise. Miriam was worth every dime, but she took her seniority seriously.
    "Oh, somebody left a message." The pink slip of paper that Miriam quickly handed her said that Elena Godoy could meet her at Lola Benitez Couture on Saturday morning at ten o'clock. Please call.
    Gail set the message beside her telephone. "Elena Pedrosa Godoy is Anthony's cousin. She wants to help me pick out a wedding dress."
    Miriam grinned, buoyant as a teenager. "I can't wait to see it! What will it look like?"
    "I don't qualify for white. Something pastel and ankle-length, I suppose. Karen's outfit will be harder. Will she even agree to wear a dress?"
    "She's going to look so cute."
    "My flower girl," Gail said. "One of Anthony's nephews will be the ring bearer."
    "Who's going to carry the hadas?”
    Gail repeated it slowly. "Addas?"
    "Hadas. With a silent H. It's like . . . money. Little coins."
    "I've never heard of that."
    "Oh, yes! After the rings the groom gives the bride the hadas. She holds out her hands like this, and he opens the little box and takes out the coins, and he gives them to her. It's to signify, like, I'm going to take care of you forever. All my worldly goods are yours. It's a custom in Cuban weddings. Or any Spanish wedding, I guess."
    Gail smiled. "That's very nice. I don't know if it's appropriate for Anthony and me, but it's nice. Good Lord. We should have chosen the words for the ceremony already, but we've been so busy! Maybe we'll just do the usual thing. What was yours like, Miriam?"
    "I wish I'd known you then. I'd have invited you!" Miriam leaned her little fanny on the edge of the desk. "We got married at Iglesia San Lázaro in Hialeah, and I had a long satin dress with a train, and Danny wore a white tuxedo. We had the hadas, and the lazo, and our mothers pinned the mantilla on our shoulders. Then we rode in a white limousine to the banquet hall. I should show you the video! All our friends and family were there, and we had a deejay and a mirrored ball in the ceiling!" She laughed. "The first dance was with my father. Papi couldn't stop smiling. Then he gave me to Danny, and we danced together. It was so perfect. We partied till one