"I love you Miss West. I have for some time."

She looked down and wiped her hands on her shorts.

"Why did you have to say that now?" She knuckled her eyes and turned, leaning against the wall.

"Because I can't keep it bottled up any longer. This business with Mindy and Jeannette and all the crap of sniping at one another when we go out or stay over with friends. I've had enough. I want our partnership to expand to something beyond business."

Deborah came into his arms and buried her face in his neck. He rested his cheek on her head and they just stood, silently swaying. The back door opened and the voice called for Deborah.

"She's busy right now Puela, what's the problem?"

"I'm all done the rooms and the laundry, I was jus wonderin' if Miss West wanted me to do anything else."

"Nope, that's good. You just get on home and we'll see you in the morning." He eased Deborah away and steered her toward the living room. "This is a little public, Deb." He led her to the sofa and they sat side by side.

"I feel so- I should have mentioned it earlier- cleared the air." She dabbed at her eyes.

"What are you saying, cleared the air?"

Facing him and holding both his hands, Deborah recounted her trial experiment with Grace, and how she had considered perhaps following that lifestyle, but in the end realized that she was just acting out a role and not really believing it. She hated deceiving Gordon yet it helped to quell her jealous inclinations toward his own behavior.

"Deb, that was a one and only time and I honestly don't even know how it happened. I know that sounds stupid but it's true. She ambushed me. As far as you and Grace, well I always wondered about her. Not that it matters, I mean about her not you. I mean- I don't – I think I should shut up and just be happy we've had this out."

"What are we going to do about Mindy?"

Gordon slumped slightly and gaped at her. Was that it? Was that all the time allotted for their relationship and mutual confessions? Did I miss something?

"Mindy? Where did that come from, we were talking about us?"

She wiped her nose and squared her shoulders. "Did you have more to tell me?"

"No. Well, yes- well, no . . ."

"So then, we need to concentrate on helping Mindy." She stood and began pacing.

"Why are we helping Mindy? This has nothing to do with us . . ." His words trailed off when he realized he'd just told her about Jeannette's threat and it did have something to do with him.

"She won't stop just because you said no, Gordon. And as proud as I am that you did turn her down, it does leave you with some residual responsibility to help Mindy."

Residual responsibility?

"So we need a plan."

"Deborah. You come up with the plan and I'll help. Meanwhile I have a hotel to run and maintain."

"Deal." She pecked his cheek and hurried off to the kitchen.

"I am about to regret everything about today- well, almost everything." He muttered, heading into the office.

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

Clifford aimed his custom putter across the desk at the face of his lawyer, Wilfred Putnam, and laid down his law regarding Mindy Cowls and his wife.

"I want her Kansas ass squashed and shot straight back to where she came from and I want a new contract for Jeannette that will bind her socially, domestically, financially, medically, religiously—"

"Clifford, Clifford. Calm down. If the charges are true, why not let this woman press them and get Jeannette out of your life. You're the victim in this; she doesn't deserve your protection."

"I won't be protecting her, believe me. And before I would give that bitch from Kansas the pleasure of closing her case-- did you hear what she did? What she said?"

"I know the charges, Clifford."

"Not the bloody charges! Not only did she barge in on my private game as bold as brass, she called this," the putter bobbed with threatening emphasis, "a golf stick! Sixteen hundred dollars and she calls it a stick!"

Wilfred sighed inside and maintained a sympathetic face. Clifford Whyst worshipped the God of Golf with every cell in his body. No evangelical practitioner was more zealous in that regard nor ever could be; With a scorecard issued directly from the almighty, Clifford was destined to defeat par wherever it appeared.

"Clifford you could save yourself- all of us, a world of inconvenience and time—your golf time, I might add, if you just accept the role of deceived victim in Jeannette's circumstance and walk away. Let her take her consequences. If I may say, it's not much of a marriage anyway and I think you agree."

Clifford petted the business end of his club and pressed it against his cheek. "I have plans for my loving wife, Wilfred. You just file the necessary papers and see that she doesn't get a dime. And lose that tramp from Kansas; I don't want to hear about her again. I'll sign the papers when they're ready- not Wednesday though; I'm playing a private tournament with the ARCOR executives."

"I'll make a note."

Jeannette marched about her hotel room steaming at the affront she received from Gordon. She had always considered him a bit of an uncertainty but she didn't expect him to call her dare. She glanced at her watch and wondered also if Rob would knuckle under and make an appearance. When the phone rang she smiled to herself and wondered which of her opponents was calling back.

"Mrs. Whyst?"

"Why Judge Wilks, how nice to hear from you. How are you and how is Mrs. Wilks?"

"Sarcasm doesn't become you, Jeannette; neither does your insinuated threat. What is it you called about?"

"To tell you that a woman named Mindy Cowls will be trying to lay an out of state charge against me for fraud and presumably Clifford's lawyer will become involved as well. I want her out of my life and I think it would be prudent of you to see that it happens."

"What are you saying? Are you telling me that you have committed fraud in another state and they have caught up with you?"

"I'm saying that unless it goes away, Mrs. Wilks will get a recipe for chocolate ice cream."

"I can't just subvert the legal system because you want it done!"

"Then do it because you want it done Judge."

The long, drawn out silence ended with a meek, 'I'll see what I can do'. Jeannette blew him a kiss and hung up. Almost immediately it rang again, and she snatched it up, catching her breath when she heard the voice.

"Wilfred, what a surprise." Not really.

"Jeannette. I wonder if I might drop in and have a chat?"

"I imagine you would wonder, Willie. "The endearment was used to establish the ground rules. "Clifford is sending a message I suppose."

"I'm sure it was to be expected."

"What I expect, Willie, is for you to handle Clifford. It would be very awkward if he knew his attorney was also handling his wife."

"I think this would best be discussed privately, say in your suite."

"Whenever you like, Willie. I'm here for some time I imagine."