When Jill had described another woman seen with Jarmon at the Dunbar, Lawrence immediately thought of Nicole, she was the only red head he knew and her having been Cynthia's school friend, well the coincidence was just too great. After some diligent snooping he confirmed, almost one hundred percent, that she was the redhead referred to.

She had also been a witness at Cynthia's hasty marriage. He didn't believe in coincidences. After exactly twenty minutes, Lawrence buzzed up from the lobby, and two minutes later, he was brushing her cheek with a kiss.

"My goodness, don't you look and smell delightful." He let her take him by the hand to a low-slung leather couch that faced the large picture window.

"Why thank you, Lawrence. Ever the diplomat."

"Nonsense, I meant every word. You look magnificent."

They sat and immediately she got up again, offering him a glass of wine. "I must say this is a surprise, and somewhat of a mystery." She handed him a flute and regained her seat alongside.

"Not really a mystery. Just something not for discussion on the phone. Cheers." They clinked glasses and sipped silently for a moment.

"How's Cynthia?" Nicole asked, restarting the conversation.

Lawrence looked pensively at his glass and made a sucking noise with his teeth. "She's... Cynthia. You don't see her any more?" He probed.

"Uhmm, no. No, It's been a while. Since the wedding actually." Enough chitchat, she thought. "So, Lawrence, why are you here?"

"I'd like to make you a proposition." He smiled at her expression and rested a calming hand on her knee. "Nothing like that, Nicole. A business proposition." She pouted prettily. "I want you to lay off Jarmon and resume your uhm- previous relationship with my daughter."

Nicole blanched and used her drink to mask the shock. How did Lawrence know about her and Jarmon?

"There would of course be a suitable recompense for your aaah- services." When her eyes flattened and the smile left her face, he set his glass on the coffee table and turned toward her, taking her reluctant hand. "Hear me out, Nicole. Now I know how this sounds and what it means you would have to do, but in all honesty, it's not something you're a stranger to, is it? I mean, when we first met you two were uh..."

She pulled her hand free and set her own glass down. "Where do you get the idea that I have anything to do with Jarmon Wyatt? And what you thought went on between Cynthia and I at school was a product of your own sick mind, and apparently still is."

"Now calm down, Nicky. No need for insults." He reached for her hand again. "I don't think everything I thought was a misunderstanding." He gave her his full wattage charm smile. "But that aside for the moment; about Jarmon–"

"What about Jarmon? What are you even talking about?" She yanked her hand away.

"Nicole, I know you've been seeing Jarmon at the Dunbar Hotel, let's get past that bit of indignation, okay?"

Nicole sat perfectly still, she wasn't sure where this was going but she prayed that soon he would admit something incriminating before her entire list of exploits were recorded. Lawrence seemed to sense that she had given up denying, so he resumed his previous line.

"What I'm suggesting, Nicole, is that you simply resume your old relationship with my daughter and, for an appreciable reward, publicize it before the end of the month."

"I was just friends with your daughter for god's sake and now you're here asking me to prostitute myself so you can cheat her out of a trust left to her by her grandfather?"

Lawrence paled, his mouth hanging open. "How- who?" He suddenly realized the error he'd made. His daughter was far cleverer than he gave her credit for. Nicole and Cynthia must have rekindled their acquaintance already, and Cynthia had enlisted Nicole's help in trapping Jarmon and then hired a private investigator to confirm it.

He set his glass down and stood shakily. "I guess I underestimated you... and my equally sick daughter."

"I'm not sure what you're referring to, Larry, but I resent the unfounded insult."

"Bullshit. I know what the both of you are up to with Jarmon and her P.I.; it must be hugely funny for both of you. So what are you now, reformed? You don't do it for the appearance of love? Do you and Cynthia lie together and share notes afterwards?" His face was red and he fumbled around, realizing he was saying too much and trying to find a way to leave with dignity and control.

"Larry, you are so wrong." She bit her lip, storing the information about an investigator for Ellington. "I haven't seen Cynthia since her wedding, and the trust was a big topic at that time. Your proposal here simply shouts the fact that you are conniving to see that she doesn't get it."

He wiped at his forehead with a hanky and pointed his finger. "She doesn't deserve it! She's a selfish, spoiled brat that never grew up and she certainly won't be getting the bulk of the shares in Bravo if I have anything to do with it."

"You're her father, how can you think of cheating her like this?"

"Because it should be mine! The company should be mine!" He started to move toward her.

"I think you'd better go. Now!" She stood up, arms tightly folded, waiting for him to leave.

"I'm going, but don't think I'll forget this." He strode angrily to the door, pausing in the opening. "You think you and my daughter can out manoeuvre me? I make and break people like you every day, Nicole, and one day I'll break you."

"Get out. Get out before I call security." He took a faltering step as Nicole reached for her phone.

"Last chance." Her voice was steady but tears were beginning to blur her vision.

It took Nicole several minutes and another glass of wine to pull herself together and pick up the phone. "Hi, it's me. I just had a visit from Larry . . .

I know, I couldn't believe it, he was trying to get me to help him get the trust money."

She hesitated and wandered to the couch and curled up. "It's like we made a wish and it came true. He said some pretty nasty things, but considering what I'm doing now, for us, I guess he wasn't too far wrong. If he only knew." A rueful chuckle escaped her lips. "I'm officially on his threat list now. By the way, he did let one thing slip and that was that Cynthia has hired a private investigator to officially document Jarmon and I. It's all on tape, Ellington. We got it."

A searchlight swept its yellow beam across the evening sky in front of her window like a gigantic windshield wiper. "It's a good thing you did come into my life." She began to weep and sniffle, listening to the advice from the person that had become her rock.

"I know, I know. I'll be fine." Nicole listened gravely for the next few minutes, and when Ellington was finished, she said goodbye and hung up slowly.