Jeannette rinsed her face and patted it dry. The soft fluorescent lights flattered her complexion and gave a sexy glow to her flushed cheeks. She opened her purse and applied a fresh coat of lipstick, brushed her hair and practiced a smile then returned to the study. The man was still sprawled in the large chair, his head back and his eyes closed.

"Rob? I think you should get back to your supporters."

"I can barely move, Jeannette."

"Can I consider that a compliment for a job well done, Mr. Mayor?"

"Considering it a standing invitation would make me more than happy."

"We don't want to get jaded now, do we?"

"Jeannette, whatever you want you just ask Rob Brewster."

"Don't worry, Rob, I will." She held out a hand. "I think you should go now."

She waited until he had gone and then she sat in the chair he left. She could still feel the heat from his body on the leather and she smiled into the dim room. Clifford may have money, but Jeannette had power, she preened.

Ever since taking on the Chamber position, Jeannette had seen huge possibilities for getting a hold on the town of Santa Gordo. Using her natural talents—and some not so natural—she saw how to manipulate the various members of the town's male dominated authority. The final goal was to be the first woman Mayor and eventually the first female governor of the state.

Playing with people like Gordon Hardy was just like practicing; it made perfect. She had no interest in a minor tourist hotel owner; he was simply her lab rat. Testing what worked and what might not. Deprivation was the next test and she wondered how he would respond; it would be an interesting lesson.

The house finally emptied, the caterers blitzed the cleaning and in less than three hours there was no evidence anyone had been there at all. Jeannette found Clifford sleeping in front of his TV and left him there as she went to bed.

The telephone jangled and wouldn't quit. She rolled over and grabbed the receiver.

"What?"

"Jeannette, it's Gordon."

"What do you want, Gordon, do you know what time it is?"

"Uhh-it's almost noon?"

She sat up and squinted at the sunny glare coming in the window. Across the room she could see herself in the mirror wall and she frowned. Her hair was sticking out in an unruly bush and her nightshirt was off one shoulder. In some instances it might have been sexy but to her it was a reminder of how much effort she put into her appearance.

"What do you want?"

"Your friend, Mitch Houser? He's still a little plastered from the other night I think and he's refusing to vacate the room."

"And?"

"Well since he is your friend I thought you might speak to him . . . explain." He didn't like the feeling he was getting from her responses.

"I haven't got time for this, Gordon, you're the hotelier, handle it."

"Fine, I will. Just remember this if your pal writes a letter of complaint to the Chamber. Don't be calling me in for a meeting." He hung up and chewed some nasty words around in his mouth.

Jeannette flopped back on the sheets and stared at the ceiling. "Bloody Mitch Houser." She tossed the sheets off, stalked into the bathroom, and went over the details of the previous night as she sat on the toilet.

Rob Brewster was hooked and landed; the video recorder in the wall took care of that. Once the film was edited, and she was photo-shopped out for a substitution, it would keep him in line for a long time. Gordon was a surprise; she thought he might grovel a little more after the stint in the atrium. Interesting lesson there.

Two council members were also sniffing after the bait along with the Deputy Chief of Police, so all in all it was a productive evening. It was just a question of keeping her lines in the water.

Clifford came to the door, oblivious to her privacy, and announced that he was off to the club. He was in a tournament with the CEO of the hospital as his partner and he wouldn't be home for dinner. She waved to his back as he left; she couldn't recall the last time he ate at home or that they even ate together at all.

Grace Harrison opened her store and checked the cash register then busied herself tweaking the various displays of women's accessories. The store was a favourite spot for purchasing the latest in purses, scarves, gloves and jewellery. She stocked fashion hats and lingerie, facial creams and other unguents and a discrete, under the counter selection of female sex toys.

The door opened and her friend Kit blew in, face flushed and eyes sparkling.

"My goodness, did you start the day with a bang?"

"No but I was at the do for the Mayor last night and you will never guess what I heard." She bustled over to the counter and leaned conspiratorially close.

"So tell me then."

"A woman I met there was talking to a small group of us and she said that she had tried to sneak out for a cigarette and found herself in this huge atrium and you'll never guess what she saw."

"I know I won't, Kit. So tell me."

Jeannette Whyst and Gordon, Deb's Gordon . . . together."

"Together?"

"You know . . . together!"

"You mean like, kissing?"

"More! The woman said she could only see the man but she could hear him and he wasn't chatting."

"How did she know who the woman was then?"

"She stood up shook her hair. You know that move Jeannette has."

"She stood up?"

Kit nodded and a wicked grin lit her face.

"Do not say anything to Deborah." Grace emphasized with a pointing finger. "Or anybody else, Kit."

"There are several women from the party that already know."

Grace pulled a face. "Nobody else, okay?"

"Promise. Just thought you'd want to know. Seems like Lolly isn't the only woman being cheated on."

"That's a matter of perception." Grace stared out the shop window. "Not a word, Kit. Not one word."

*********************            

Gordon stood in the room, arms folded and a stern look on his face. Tawny Houser stood to one side looking ashamed and uncomfortable.

"I don't want to make a huge issue about this, Mr. Houser, but if necessary I will. I have a business to run and these rooms are booked and need to be ready for our guests coming in. Now I know you can appreciate that and I'm sure you don't want to cause any more official steps to be taken here."

"Are you threatening me, pal?"

"In a word."

"Mitch, get dressed and let's go. The others have left and the man's right. We only paid for one night." Her pleading faded under his dark glare.

"We'll be outta this crap trap in thirty minutes," he snapped at Gordon. "I'm gonna make sure a lotta people know about this joint, and it won't be praise, pal."

"Just make sure it's no more than thirty minutes-- pal." Gordon nodded to Tawny and left.

Deborah met him at the door." What happened?"

"Prick. They're leaving in thirty minutes or I call the cops."

"Oh jeez, Gordon, that won't look very good."

"I don't care. The guy's an asshole and I want him out."

"What will Jeannette say?"

"Frankly, Scarlet, I don't give a damn. I called her and she told me to handle it in terms that were less than cordial."

"Got her way and now you're history, eh, Gordon?" her voice was filled with irony.

"Yeah . . . I suppose." He went out to the kitchen and got a bottle of water.

"Puela is doing the sisters' unit right now. Betty called and sang her praises so I guess we did something right."

"That was you. I couldn't have fired Nita."

"I didn't. She said she was leaving anyway."

"Whatever."

"What's the matter, Gordon, something else is bothering you?"

"It's nothing. I'm just pissed at this guy." He walked back to the office and stood staring at the room, waiting.