The hotel staff fell over themselves making Jeannette welcome and comfortable. Instructions had been left by her husband to permit her a comfortable residency until further notice. Why she was moving in became the top of the list; an all hands on deck priority to find out. Staff members even started a pool for the first one to find out.

Meanwhile, Jeannette began lining up her ducks. Clifford may have his high-powered lawyer and his family name for clout in town, she acknowledged, but she had her own ammunition, collected and saved for emergencies and this, by God, was one thumping emergency.

She made herself comfortable on the bed and set the telephone on her lap, pausing and setting it aside, getting her cell phone instead. No point risking a nosy switchboard.

"Judge Wilks, please." Jeannette said when the call was answered.

"May I ask who's calling?"

"Mrs. Whyst."

A silence followed that caused her sit forward, ear glued to the phone. "Hello?"

"I'm sorry but the Judge can't be disturbed just now; can I take a message?"

Jeannette grimaced; Clifford has already made his move. "Tell the Judge . . . chocolate ice cream."

"That's the message?"

"He'll understand, and he has my cell." Jeannette hung up and frowned. She hesitated over her next call; there hadn't been enough time to cement her position but then tight times called for tight measures.

"Mayor Brewster's office, may I help you?"

"Yes, I'd like to speak with Mr. Brewster. Tell him it's Jeannette Whyst." She waited patiently smiling to herself at the tap dancing that must be going on in Rob's office.

"Jeannette." Gruff. Unfriendly.

"Hello, Rob. Hope I'm not upsetting anything."

"What do you want, I am quite busy."

"I want to meet with you for a private talk."

"Out of the question. Our last conversation pretty much sealed that."

"Really? Not even curious about why?"

"I can guess and I'm telling you right now, I'll fight fire with fire, Jeannette."

"Rob, I'm crushed. Your guess is off the mark actually. I'm at the Colonial Palm Hotel, Business suite. You can drop in any time but the sooner the better... for all concerned."

"Tell me what this is about or forget it."

"It's about me and a favour I need that will actually benefit you in the end."

"What favour?"

"Business suite. Colonial Palm. I look forward to seeing you." She hung up and crossed her fingers. There was one more call and it was one she felt might be the trickiest of all and she decided a healthy drink was in order while she decided on her approach.

The phone rang several times before being answered by a breathless Deborah. Jeannette thought for a beat about hanging up and then dismissed her concern.

"Is Gordon there, please?"

"Not at the moment, can I help you?"

"Will he be back soon?"

"Is this Mrs. Whyst?"

"Oh, hello Deborah. Yes, I'm calling to speak with Gordon."

"You said that."

"Could you have him call me as soon as possible on my cell? He should have it- oh, maybe not yet." She rhymed off the number, thanked Deborah and hung up.

Gordon backed through the office door, arms full of grocery bags.

"The larder is replenished. All we need now is enough business to pay for it all." His smile died as passed Deborah. Her face was set like stone in one of her displeased expressions.

"Problems?" He slowed as he passed the desk.

"You have a message to call Mrs. Whyst on her cell, unless you don't have the number yet."

"Debo-rah."

"She has one gargantuan nerve calling here after what Mindy told me."

Gordon walked on through to the kitchen and began putting groceries away.

"She couldn't know what Mindy told you, come on now."

"I suppose you think it's all humbug." She came and stood in the doorway like a mini colossus.

"Deborah, I don't care really. I don't even want to know."

"So you won't be calling her then."

"I didn't say that. Christ, she gave us business; maybe she wants to put somebody else up."

"Pu-lease."

"Fine. I'm still calling, it's only good manners."

Deborah made a rude sound and went back to the office. Gordon finished putting stuff away, went up to the den and dialed the number Jeannette had left.

"Gordon! How nice of you to get right back to me."

"What's on your mind?"

"First things first." Her voice dropped seductively and he shifted in his chair.

"You have a guest by the name of Miss Cowls?"

"And if I do?"

"This woman has been spreading vicious, malicious stories about me and my husband is so upset he's called in his lawyer."

"I don't know anything about that. Why did you call, Jeannette?"

"I want you to find out just what she's up to, Gordon. And before you say no... I have a little video that your partner might be interested in viewing. Remember the atrium, Gordon?"

"I guess Miss Cowls isn't so far off then, is she? I'll take my chances with Deborah, thank you."

"You're making a huge mistake, Gordon."

"Sounds like you made a bigger one, Jeannette. I should tell you though that the Atrium will always remain a fond memory of an ill conceived error."

"You bastard!"

"Goodbye, Jeannette." He hung up and chewed his lip. If she comes through this he could be in deep, deep crap.

"Well?"

"She wanted me to tell her what Mindy was up to."

"Gordon!"

"I didn't tell her anything, Deborah. Jesus Christ. I did tell her that I was prepared to take the flack for a video she claims to have, and threatened to show you, from when I went to the Mayor's party."

Deborah stared at him, her eyes watering and her lip trembling.

"What's wrong?" Gordon moved to take her arm but she backed away.

"Did you mean that?"

"What?"

"About- about taking the flack from me?"

"I did. It was a huge mistake, one I'm still not quite sure how it happened but it did. I'm not proud but I'm not going to turn tail and run either. You mean too much to me, Deb."

A tear trickled down her cheek and she brushed at with a rough motion.

"I already know about it."

"Huh?"

"I've known all along."

"Deb, what- how . . .?"

"Some of the girls were also at the party, Gordon."

He chuckled gruffly and shook his head. "I might have known- I should have known." He looked at her and described a helpless face.

"It doesn't matter, Gordon."

He wasn't sure he heard her words and when he studied her expression closely he saw the softening in her eyes mixed with a dash of her own guilt and he realized that this was the time to scrub the past and embrace the future.