Disclaimers - See Part 1 for disclaimers.

Chapter Eighteen

Rhi let the remnants of her dream slip away as she reluctantly opened her eyes. She'd been walking beside a waterfall with someone whose face she couldn't remember, but whose presence filled her with contentment. Reluctant to leave such a sweet dream, the young woman had resisted until she couldn't hang on to it any longer. Opening her eyes, the events of the previous evening slowly came back to her.

She was alone, the bedspread neatly folded back and tucked around her. Glancing down, she saw she was still wearing the clothes she'd donned the previous evening in anticipation of going out with Marika.

Letting tired eyes search the room, she saw her boss' clothes tossed across a chair and realized that she'd been hearing the shower running in the washroom. Yawning and stretching, she pushed back the covers and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Running a hand through short, tousled hair, she stood and walked through the still open door between their rooms.

Leaving the door open behind her, she rummaged in her suitcase for the clothes she needed and went to shower. Ten minutes later, she was clean and dressed for the trip back to Calgary. Going back to the dividing door, Rhi didn't see Marika and decided her boss must still be in the washroom. Closing the door firmly now, she returned to the bed and picked up the phone.

Moments later, Lee's familiar voice came on the line.

"Hi, it's Rhi."

Urgently, Lee asked, "Is everything all right?"

"I think so. I mean I haven't seen her this morning yet 'cause she's in the shower, but she did eventually relax last night."

There was a relieved exhalation. "Good. You did great, Rhi. Look did she talk at all? Did she mention Cass?"

"No, she never said a word, just let me hold her most of the night."

There was a moment of silence. "Okay, don't press her if she doesn't want to talk. She can be a bit prickly after one of these episodes. I'll talk to her once she's home again. What time is your flight getting in?"

"We leave here at eleven Vancouver time, so I think that puts us in about one or one thirty Calgary time. Lee? How should I handle things this morning?"

Lee sighed. "Just be yourself, Rhi. Let her set the pace on whether she wants to talk or not, but don't be surprised if she doesn't say a word about last night. Look, I have to get going. I'm late for work as it is, but I was hoping to hear from you first. If you get a chance, give me a call tonight, okay?"

"Okay," Rhi agreed. "Thanks, Lee." Hanging up, she sat for long moments thinking about the strange night just past. Even through her worry and fears for her friend, she couldn't deny that she'd enjoyed holding the woman in her arms, snuggling against the slender body and stroking the soft hair.

Struggling to make sense of her tumultuous emotions, Rhi almost missed the quiet knock on their dividing door. When it sounded again, she started and called "Come in." Her boss entered, neatly dressed in casual pants and a short-sleeved, summer blouse.

Nervously, the lawyer shoved her hands in her pockets and looked everywhere but at the young woman regarding her steadily.

"Good morning, boss." Rhi decided to take the initiative.

"Morning, Rhi." Marika met her eyes now, embarrassment clear on her face. "Look, I owe you an apology."

Rhiannon shook her head. "Not necessary."

"Yes, it is." The lawyer's voice became firm. "I ruined your night. We didn't get to Gastown. Hell, you probably didn't even have anything to eat."

"So I'll see Gastown some other time. As for eating..." Rhi stood and walked over to her boss, "let's just go find some place to have breakfast before we go to the airport."

The two women faced each other, Marika's eyes searching her assistant's face in disbelief. Finally, she asked softly, "Just like that? You're letting me off the hook?"

"You were never on a hook." Rhi's voice softened. "What happened, happened, Rika. Look, I don't know what was going on, but I think maybe you needed a friend last night. I'm glad I was here, and it really doesn't matter a bit that our plans fell through, okay?"

Marika nodded slowly. "Okay. And, Rhi...thank you."

Rhiannon shrugged and smiled. "Anytime." A serious look crossed her face, and she reached out towards the pale cheek that no longer bore the angry red imprint of a hand. Stopping just short of touching the lawyer, she said firmly, "You didn't deserve that, Rika. No one does."

She met the startled gray eyes for a long moment, then turned away. "I just have to throw a few things in my suitcase and I'm ready to go. Pick a good place for breakfast because I'm hungry. I'm thinking eggs, bacon, hash browns, sausages, waffles, toast..."

Her light-hearted recitation was broken by a slight chuckle, and Rhi turned to see the lawyer walking back to her room shaking her head bemusedly. Dark blue eyes saddened, watching the slender form disappear into her room.

Memories of her early years in her aunt's 'care' flashed through Rhi's mind, the confusion and anguish of being subjected to harsh physical discipline when her parents had never so much as spanked her. Hettie had often told her that she brought it on herself, and deserved everything she got. Even as a child, she'd never believed that though, drawing on the memories of parents who'd cherished and believed in her.

Those memories had sustained her, even as she'd built an emotional armour that shut out her aunt's hectoring assaults on a child's self-esteem. She'd been fifteen the last time Hettie had struck her, the time she'd first fought back, shocking the older woman to her marrow. She'd sworn that day that no one would ever hit her again. She now expanded on that vow. If I can stop it, Rika, no one will ever hit you again either!

*****************************************************

Gao sat unmoving, his black eyes fixed on the arrival gate for the Air Canada flight from Vancouver. His instructions from the Chameleon had arrived early that morning, and he'd had to scramble to find the information he needed and then implement his boss' orders.

He had no idea why this lawyer was so important to his boss, but the Chameleon's commands were perfectly clear. She wanted to know every move Marika Havers made, every person she saw, and every place she went. He was to report comprehensively on a daily basis until further notice.

Mentally reviewing the hasty preparations he'd put in place that morning, Gao reminded himself to double check with the electronics expert. Perry had been extremely annoyed at the early summoning, but upon hearing that orders came directly from Vancouver, he'd dropped all his complaints immediately. The Oriental man had no doubt that the lawyer's home was already bugged, her computer searched and her phone tapped with Perry's usual efficiency.

Gao had been ordered to forward Perry's transcripts unread, and although he was tempted, he knew there was no incentive strong enough for him to break into the electronics expert's sealed reports. The Chameleon had been extremely clear on that issue.

Glancing down at the printout in his hand, Gao quickly reviewed the basic information his boss had sent him along with a small picture of a beautiful, blonde woman. He studied the picture closely, committing the features to memory, then, as passengers began to disembark from the Vancouver flight, he rolled the printout and tucked it into his inner pocket.

It wasn't long before he picked up his quarry, walking briskly beside a short, slight woman who was engaging her in conversation. He noted the lawyer smiling at her companion and laughing at some remark. Smoothly, he fell in behind the women, riding the escalator down to the lower floor where the baggage carousels were. Casually leaning against a pillar, he watched the duo chatting amiably as they waited for their bags.

Deciding it was safe to get closer, Gao eased up behind them and heard the lawyer say, "You've got the afternoon off, Rhi. We're not expected back in the office until the morning. I'm just going to go home and write up my notes from the hearing."

Deliberately looking past the women to where the luggage had started to slide down the conveyer belt to drop onto the moving carousel, the slight man heard the younger woman respond.

"I think I'm going to see if David's up for a driving lesson then. We were going to go tonight anyway, but maybe he's free this afternoon."

The younger woman moved forward to grab first one bag and then a second off the carousel. Handing one to the lawyer with a smile, she brushed past Gao with a muttered, "Excuse me."

Gao politely stepped out of the way, allowing the women to get halfway to the exit before walking quickly towards the same door. Hanging back a little at the doorway, he saw a cabbie taking their bags and stowing them in the trunk as the women climbed in the back of the vehicle. Quickly crossing the road to where he'd left his nondescript Honda in metered parking, he pulled out three cars behind the departing cab and settled in to follow at a discreet distance.

He was mildly surprised when the cab made its way to the inner city, well aware that the lawyer lived in the exclusive Sevigny Heights district. He was even more surprised when the cab pulled up in front of a Victoria Park address directly across the street from the King brothers' home and the younger woman got out. From a block away, he watched as she accepted her suitcase from the cabbie, exchanged a few words with her companion, and disappeared into the ramshackle yellow house.

Narrowing his eyes, Gao made a mental note of this interesting development, then slowly pulled out to follow the cab from a few blocks back. Fairly certain that the cab would now proceed to the lawyer's home, which he'd already been to several times that morning, he drove by rote, concentrating instead on how to further implement the Chameleon's directives.

*****************************************************

Marika sat quietly, staring at her computer screen, her mind miles away from the notes she'd been entering. She'd been home for several hours, but had found it almost impossible to concentrate on anything. Thoughts of Rhi and Cass filled her mind, distracting and disturbing her.

She'd grown progressively more upset with herself for her behaviour the previous night. While she could rationalize her initial shock on seeing Cass in her alter-identity, she was angry that she hadn't simply wrenched her arm away and refused to go with the woman to the ladies room.

The lawyer was absolutely sure that Cass would not have created any kind of scene in that environment. A shudder ran through her at the thought of the woman's anger later...if she got Marika alone. But in the cool, calm light of day it was easy to tell herself that she could simply decide never to see Cass again and there was nothing the other woman could do about it.

It's not like she'd really hurt me or anything. Even as the thought flashed through her mind, Marika remembered the scene inside the ladies room, and her hand unconsciously covered her breast. Even stronger than the memory of the pain Cass had inflicted, was the image of the sadistically gleeful eyes pinning her as she was warned never to say anything.

What the hell have I gotten myself into? Marika shook her head in disgust. How had she allowed herself to get involved with a woman such as Cass? Inevitably, thoughts of her young assistant filled her mind, the contrast between the two women so stark that it was painful.

A smile creased Marika's lips as she recalled being held tightly, the sound of Rhi's soothing voice reaching past the pain and summoning her back from the gray fog where she hid. She'd been too embarrassed to roll over, content instead to lie within those sheltering arms, feeling the small hand stroking her hair and occasionally drifting softly over her cheek as if to erase the evidence of Cass' assault.

She'd known when Rhi had drifted off, had heard the deep, even breathing so close to her ear, and felt the relaxation in the body cradling hers as the hand stopped moving, remaining motionless on her hair. For a long time she'd stared into the darkness---thinking, worrying, regretting, hoping...

When at last she'd had to move, Marika had eased out of her gentle shelter and rolled carefully over to face the slumbering woman. Observing Rhi's face, she'd marveled at how young she looked in sleep. Studying the woman in the dim light, she was struck by how someone who came from such an apparently harsh background could look so innocent.

That started a chain of self-recrimination as the lawyer, distressed by her own perceived weakness, contrasted her behaviour with how Rhi would have handled Cass. Well, she sure as hell wouldn't have folded like a house of cards. She probably would've slugged the bitch the moment she laid a hand on her. Even in her black mood, that thought had cheered Marika as she pictured Rhi blackening Cass' hateful eyes.

She'd spent a long time thinking about that, wondering what character flaw had originally admitted Cass into her life, and what stopped her now from breaking free. A glimmer of resolution began to form as Marika watched the sleeper, amused by the expressions that sometimes creased the youthful brow and smiling fondly when Rhi scrunched up her nose and blew out a small gust of air. She'd wondered what her friend was dreaming of, and hoped it was pleasant.

Emotionally exhausted, she had begun to drift when Rhiannon's eyes fluttered and opened, and her friend smiled at her. Unable to stop herself, Marika softly caressed Rhi's cheek. Pulling back, she was startled when the younger woman reached for her hand and drew it to her chest, holding it securely as blue eyes closed again. Instinctively, the lawyer tightened her fingers around the smaller ones and quickly followed her companion into sleep, their hands tightly clasped.

Waking several hours later, she'd noticed they'd barely moved and she'd had to carefully disengage their hands, unwilling to disturb her friend before it was absolutely necessary. It had been cool in the air-conditioned room, and she'd pulled the bedspread over and tucked it around the small body before going for her shower. Rhi was gone and the door between their rooms closed by the time she was done, and she'd begun to worry that in the clear light of day, her friend might be upset and disappointed over their ruined plans.

Much to her surprise, when the lawyer had tried, in great embarrassment, to apologize, Rhi had dismissed her attempt as unnecessary. Marika shook her head, still amazed all these hours later at how casually her friend had forgiven and forgotten. The younger woman hadn't said another word about their aborted plans, and instead, had concentrated on lifting her boss' spirits right up until the cab dropped her off at her aunt's house.

Marika leaned back in her chair, swiveling slowly and smiling. A few weeks previously, she'd have dismissed any notion of her assistant as a ray of sunshine, but that's exactly what she'd been that morning. Rhi's cheerful conversation and playful teasing had wiped away any lingering unsavoury vestiges of the encounter with Cass. By the time they'd deplaned in Calgary, it was as if the incident had never happened.

The sound of a loud knocking on her door drew Marika from her musings, and she left her den to find out who her visitor was. Peering through the spy hole, she smiled at the sight. Unlocking her door, she grinned at her caller.

"Hi, Lee. What brings you around at this time of day? Shouldn't you still be punching the time clock?"

"Yeah, yeah," the big woman growled amiably as she brushed by the lawyer. "What's the good of being your own boss if you can't set your own hours? Besides, I had to make up for being late this morning."

Marika followed her friend into the living room, chuckling. "By leaving early in the afternoon?"

Lee turned and gave her a raised eyebrow. "I can tell you've never been in the military. You obviously missed learning that time-honoured principle in all those high-brow schools you went to."

The lawyer shook her head in amusement. "Can I get you something?"

Dropping onto the couch, Lee looked up hopefully. "Well, if you really twisted my arm hard, I could probably drink a beer. Been a long day."

Smiling, Marika went to get one of the Blues she kept especially for her friend. She was about to grab a juice for herself, then hesitated and decided a beer didn't sound half-bad.

Returning to the living room, she twisted the cap off and handed it across Spooky, who'd taken up residence on Lee's lap. The big woman nodded her thanks as Marika sat on the other end of the couch.

"How'd the trip to Lotus Land go?" Lee asked, using the common, half-envious, half-dismissive nickname for the coastal city bestowed by less geographically and meteorologically blessed inhabitants in the rest of the country.

"Pretty good. I think the hearing went well, though we won't get the IRB's judgment for a couple of weeks. We had a wonderful time on Sunday night, went out to dinner and then walked around Stanley Park for a bit."

"Sounds good. So whad'dya do after the hearing?"

Lee's tone was casual, but Marika's eyes flashed to her old friend's face. Studying her for a few moments, she sighed. "You've talked to Rhi."

Lee nodded. "Actually, she called me last night. You scared her pretty badly."

Both Marika's head and heart dropped. So Rhi's demeanor this morning had all been a front. She found that thought almost more distressing than the actual encounter with Cass. She'd hoped that her behaviour really hadn't seemed as odd to her young friend as she'd feared, but if Rhi had called Lee, then she must have thought her boss had lost it.

Troubled and unable to meet Lee's eyes, she asked, "What did Rhi say? Did she think I was crazy?"

"No," Lee's voice was gentle but firm. "All she wanted to know was how to help you. That little girl cares about you a whole bunch, you know."

Marika shook her head. "She shouldn't." Raising sad eyes to her friend, she repeated, "She really shouldn't, Lee."

The big woman took a contemplative sip of her beer, idly stroking Spooky with the other hand before asking, "Why?"

The lawyer frowned. "You know why!"

"Nope, I don't. Well, apart from the boss thing, but that's not insurmountable. Marian is coming back eventually, and Rhi would've had to switch to another boss anyway. She can always do that a bit earlier than she'd planned if necessary."

Exasperated with her friend's obtuseness, Marika leaned forward and poked one broad shoulder. "That's not it, and you know it!"

Lee shrugged. "Okay, if that's not it, what is?"

"I can't...she hasn't..." The lawyer stopped, irritated at Lee's stubborn refusal to understand.

"And you get paid the big bucks for this brilliant discourse, do you?" Lee teased with a grin. "Wow, Osgoode Hall really does turn out scintillating elocutionists."

One pale brow shot skyward. "Scintillating elocutionists? Did you swallow a dictionary for breakfast or something?"

Lee put on a theatrical pout. "Hey, I'll have you know there's just as much substance as style in this old gal!" She hooked a thumb in her shirt and grinned.

Marika shook her head, unable to resist her friend's attempts to lighten her mood. She reached out her foot and lightly kicked Lee's calf. "All right, all right. I get your point."

They sat quietly for a few moments, and then Lee asked gently, "Want to talk about what happened?"

Sighing, Marika thought about that. She hadn't sought Cass out this time, and that lessened the shame she usually felt when the subject of the woman came up between them. She considered Cass' warning, but dismissed it as irrelevant. It wasn't like she'd ever know if Marika confided in her old friend.
Suddenly she felt an urge to unburden herself.

"Cass happened."

Lee scowled at the mention of the name. "Out in Vancouver? Did you know she was going to be there?"

"No! For God's sake, Lee, I didn't seek her out!" Pained that her friend would think that, Marika poured out the whole story.

When she finished, Lee just stared at her. Disbelievingly she asked, "So you're saying that Cass and this socialite philanthropist-what's her name-are one and the same?"

"Sandra DeAndre, yes. They are unquestionably the same woman," Marika confirmed.

"Well I'll be damned!" Lee shook her head in amazement. "What are you going to do now?"

Without hesitation, Marika stated, "I want out, Lee. I don't ever want to see Cass, or Sandra, or whatever she wants to call herself, again!"

Lee's eyes widened hopefully. "Really? You mean that this time, Rika?"

"I mean it, Lee. I hate the way she makes me feel, and the other...it just isn't worth it." She hesitated and stared at the barely touched bottle of beer. "Rhi told me this morning that I didn't deserve that...what Cass did to me." Gray eyes raised and met Lee's steadily. "She's right. I don't."

Lee whooped and pushing a startled Spooky off her lap, leaned over and wrapped her friend in a bear hug. "Finally! Hot damn, woman! You have NO idea how glad I am to hear that!!"

Marika couldn't help laughing at her friend's exuberance, even as she winced at the enthusiastic hug that was crushing the wind out of her. "Lee," she managed to gasp in mild protest.

"Oops, sorry," Lee apologized with a big grin as she released the lawyer and mussed her blonde hair.

Rolling her eyes, but smiling, Marika smoothed her hair back into place and eyed her delighted friend.

"So basically you just don't call her and don't go over there, right?" Lee asked.

"Right. She only came over here that one time." Marika shuddered, remembering that night when Cass had taken her to her psychological limits and beyond. Shaking off the memory, she continued, "I always went to her place so I simply won't call her ever again. I'm sure she won't bother me, especially now that I know her little secret. She'll probably want to get a million miles away from me, not that I have any intention of telling anyone."

"Yeah, no point in stirring up the hornet's nest. Besides, it's not like she's done anything illegal, though I imagine her social circle would have a fit if they knew what she was doing on her charitable rounds," Lee agreed.

"Not to mention her husband." Marika still had problems squaring the man's obvious devotion to his wife with the predator who'd used her so cruelly, but then given how thoroughly she'd been manipulated, it really wasn't so surprising that Palmer DeAndre had fallen under Cass' influence.

Beaming, Lee leaned back into the couch cushions, regarding the lawyer with glee. "So then there's nothing stopping you from exploring this thing with Rhi."

Exasperated, Marika stated firmly, "There is no thing with Rhi! It's all in your imagination."

"Nuh unh," Lee disagreed. "Dana thinks so too. There's definitely something flickering between you two."

"Just friendship, Lee. And I'm not going to allow it to flicker into anything more, got that?" Marika said sternly.

Shrugging, Lee said, "Got it." But the wide grin told the lawyer that her friend wasn't buying it for a moment.

*****************************************************

Rhiannon navigated carefully, steering the old Volvo into the rectory's narrow driveway, putting the car in park and turning off the ignition. Then she turned to meet David's nod of approval.

"Excellent, Rhi. You're really coming along nicely. I'd say a few more weeks of practice and you'll be ready to go for your test."

The priest was warmed by the expression on his student's face. She literally beamed at his approbation. Casually, he asked, "Feel like staying for supper? I was just going to grill some burgers if you're interested."

Equally off-hand, Rhi accepted his invitation. "Sure, sounds good if you're sure you have enough."

"Got enough," David confirmed, as he exited the car. Rhi got out on her side, locked the door and tossed the keys over the top of the roof to him. He caught them with a grin. "C'mon. I'll put you to work."

"Oh sure, you never said word one about making me work for my supper," Rhi grumbled amiably as she trailed behind him up the path.

David could barely conceal his delighted grin. There had been such a sea change in his friend that he barely recalled the angry, confrontational young woman he'd first encountered only the previous month. Their driving lessons had become a highlight of his week, as he genuinely enjoyed their time together. Rhi still challenged him at every turn, but without the former abrasive, hostile undertones. She appeared to enjoy their debates as much as he did, and while he enjoyed a considerable educational edge, he often found himself scrambling to counter her insightful arguments. He was well aware that she enjoyed taking contrary positions just to test the depth of his beliefs and suppositions.

Once inside, he listed off what they needed and left Rhi to dig things out while he started the charcoals in his cranky old barbeque in the tiny backyard. When she joined him, handing him the Cokes that had become an established part of their ritual, they sat in the shade of the old mountain ash tree waiting for the grill to heat up.

Unbidden, she began to tell him about her trip to Vancouver, and David watched her animated expression with interest. When she glossed over their cancelled plans to go to Gastown, his interest was piqued.

"It's too bad you didn't get there," he said. "It was always one of my favourite spots when I was living in Vancouver, not that I had much money to spend down there. Hannah and I used to like to go down and wander around enjoying the people on a Saturday afternoon."

"Yeah," Rhi said wistfully. "I would've liked to have seen it." Then more briskly she added, "But there's always another time."

"True," David agreed. "Any particular reason you didn't get there this time?"

He wondered if he'd stumbled onto a prickly subject when Rhi was silent for a few moments. She was much improved these days, but occasionally he still accidentally trespassed where she didn't want him to go. The priest was relieved when she began to speak again.

"Rika wasn't feeling well, so I stayed to look after her."

David mentally noted the use of the affectionate diminutive. "I'm sorry to hear that. I hope she was feeling better today."

"Yeah, she was." Rhi was quiet again, and then without looking at her companion, she said, "I really like her, Ichabod."

He nodded amiably. "That's good. I'm glad you're getting along with her. I'm sure it makes work much more pleasant."

She sighed, and with a slight shake of her head, turned to face him. "No, David. I mean I really like her."

The priest stared at her blankly for a moment and then his eyes widened. "Oh! Um...oh."

She looked at him wryly. "That was insightful."

David tried to shake off the surprise. While he'd been delighted that Rhiannon had made some new friends, he'd never even considered this possibility. Realizing that his first reaction was that of an appalled father confronted with a daughter's life-changing revelation, he held his tongue while he considered what to say. Rhi allowed him time to think, sipping calmly at her Coke.

"Uh, are you sure?" he ventured tentatively.

She stared off across the yard. Softly, she said, "I wasn't absolutely sure until last night."

He sat upright in alarm. "Did she do anything? I mean..."

Rhi laughed shortly. "I know what you mean, Ichabod, and no, we did sleep together, but we just slept together. She wasn't in any shape to do anything more even if we'd wanted to."

David pressed the cold can to his cheek. It wasn't the first time he'd counseled young people on exactly this issue, but this was Rhiannon and he had to step with extra care or she'd retreat so fast his head would spin.

Carefully, he asked, "How does she feel about it-about you?"

Thoughtfully, Rhi considered his question. "There are times that I see a look in her eyes that makes me think she feels the same. When we were dancing last weekend..."

"You were dancing?" David wondered if his voice had squeaked in reality or just in his head. Judging by the emerging grin on his companion's face, she'd heard his mouse imitation.

"Yes," Rhi drawled teasingly. "We went dancing at the Arc with Lee and Dana."

David was sure his eyes were bugging out of his head now. The Arc en Ciel was the biggest and most popular lesbian bar in the city. Even he knew that. Consciously closing his mouth, he blinked in amazement. When did all this happen?

Mischief now apparent in her dark blue eyes, Rhi leaned on the arm of his lawn chair. "She is the sexiest dancer, Ichabod. I was even turning down other women just to stay in her arms all night."

Summoning every bit of his pastoral experience, David managed to keep a calm demeanour, but he downed the Coke in three quick gulps, hearing the young woman chuckle as he did.

Rhi had taken her arm off his chair and was relaxing in her own, her legs stretched out in front of her and crossed at the ankle. Taking a deep breath, David began, speaking in his steady, reassuring, counselor's voice.

"This isn't something to be taken lightly, Rhiannon. I would hate to see you rush into anything..."

He was stopped abruptly when the young woman looked at him warningly.

"I wasn't asking for advice, Ichabod. I was talking to you as a friend, telling you how I felt."

That stung, and the priest said softly, "And I'm listening as your friend, but that doesn't mean I'm not concerned about the impact of this on your life, or the suddenness with which it appears to be happening. I simply never considered that you might be...inclined that way."

She shrugged. "Neither did I. Never had any feelings for anyone either way before." Her voice softened. "But she's...special, David. She makes me feel special. I like being around her. I can't stop thinking about her. I want to...protect her."

He raised an eyebrow at the seeming incongruity, but let it pass. Carefully, he asked, "Have you considered that maybe it's just because you're around her a lot, and that you haven't really given young men your age much of a chance?"

Rhi looked at him with a half-smile. "Well, when Stuart the IT support guy was sniffing around me, I sure didn't feel anything like this for him."

"Well, maybe he just wasn't the right one."

Her voice sharpening, Rhi asked, "So what do you have against Marika being the 'right' one?"

"If she really is, then nothing. I'm only concerned that you haven't thought this all out." David felt like he was floundering. He simply couldn't summon the cool impartiality he used when counseling young people in his church. He had come to regard Rhi with a very parental affection, and he dearly didn't want her to make a mistake that had the potential to hurt her deeply.

"I really don't think this is something that you can 'think out'," Rhi responded. "You either feel it or you don't. You can't force something that isn't there, and you can't deny something that is."

"And this is?" David asked softly.

"And this is," Rhi asserted firmly.

The priest sat back, absorbing the certainty in his young friend's voice. After long moments of silence, he asked, "So what are you going to do about it?"

She gave her characteristic shrug. "For now-nothing." Nodding at where the grill was starting to smoke, she suggested, "You might want to take a look at that, Ichabod."

As David moved to the barbeque and began poking at the charcoals with the tongs, he considered his instinctive reaction to what Rhi had revealed. An image of Conor's thin face flashed through his mind, and he flinched at the comparison even as he accepted the source of the misgivings that underlay his response to Rhi's declaration.

The priest wrestled with an irrational fear that he'd fail his young friend as he felt he'd failed his long-time friend. However, the more logical part of his mind triumphed, and by the time he finally had the coals evenly distributed, he'd resolved that he would support Rhi as best he could, no matter how her involvement with Marika was resolved.

*****************************************************

Palmer DeAndre stuck his head into his wife's den. More luxurious than most CEO's offices, she did all her foundation work from the massive mahogany desk she was currently seated behind.

"Darling, I just got a call from Sharon," he said, referring to his adult daughter from an earlier marriage. "She said something about accompanying me to the Mayor's reception next week? Aren't you able to make that?"

Sandra looked up with a touch of mild exasperation. "I did pencil that all into your engagement calendar, dear. I had prior out of town commitments that couldn't be changed, so Sharon very graciously agreed to escort you in my stead."

"Oh, all right." Palmer sighed. "You know I'd rather go with you, my love, but if you can't make it..."

"I can't," Sandra assured him firmly. "Foundation business, darling, and you know how seriously I take that."

He smiled lovingly at his spouse. "Yes, I do. You're a remarkable woman and I'm a lucky guy."

She gave him an indulgent smile. "You're just slightly biased. Now why don't you go up to bed, and I'll join you as soon as I catch up on a bit of paperwork."

Nodding, Palmer left the office, the thick, luxurious carpeting muffling the sound of his retreating footsteps. Quickly crossing the office, Cass shut the door. Then returning to her desk, she unsealed the thick manila envelope Liang has just delivered.

Rapidly scanning Gao's first report, she stopped short at the transcript of Marika's conversation with someone named Lee. Frowning, she read the print out closely. By the time she was done, Palmer wouldn't have recognized his wife in the furious woman crumpling the paper in her hand.

So Marika hadn't heeded her warning-and she wanted out of their...little arrangement. And who was this annoying chit, Rhi, who was wielding such influence over her pet lawyer? Rapidly she scanned back, finding Gao's report on Marika's arrival at the airport. Her subordinate had provided a very comprehensive report, including the conversation he'd overheard and the lawyer's demeanour in addressing her companion.

Cass scowled, the caution that had served her all these years warring with her irrational need to keep Marika in her service. Shortly after becoming involved with the lawyer, she'd had a thorough background check done on the woman. Initially she'd been interested in whether she could turn the woman to her professional interests, but all reports had indicated that the lawyer was ethical and incorruptible. She'd contented herself then with a strictly personal relationship.

Though Marika never spoke of her private life, Cass was well aware---through her sources---of the lawyer's string of failed, unsuccessful, short-lived affairs. She assumed this Rhi would be yet another in that unbroken string, and if that were the case, there'd be little to worry about.

However, if, as was apparent by Rhi's influencing Marika to sever her relationship with Cass, this unknown woman was to be more than a casual affair, then the predator had no intention of sitting still for that. A happy, contented Marika would never return to her bed, and that was unacceptable.

Narrowing her eyes, she considered her options. Deciding on stepped up surveillance for the moment, as well as a background check on her 'competition', she rang for her chauffeur as she quickly wrote out new instructions for Gao and returned the report to the envelope. When the husky, pony-tailed man entered her office, she handed him the folded sheet of paper, and the manila envelope.

"Have this sent,---file that, and tell Gao I want pictures in the next report."

Liang bowed his head and, accepting the papers, hastened from the office.

Cass strolled over to the window and gazed out of it. But she took no notice of the beautiful twilight view from the mansion's third floor or the softly lit gardens in the spacious grounds below her. Instead, a vision of gray pleading eyes filled her mind and, closing her eyes, she licked her lips slowly, almost feeling the sensation of pale blonde silk twisted around her fist.

Continued in Chapter 19