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turned up. He pondered his course of action while he andTess shared pastries and coffee.Tess , dared to
do anything else that was reckless for the day, went back to her desk to work on cases and Lassiter
186 Diana Palmer
went downstairs to LoganDeverell's office to see Maggie.
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She was just saying goodbye to a client when Dane Lassiter walked in and asked to speak to her in
private. She invited him into her office, aware of curious looks from Logan's secretary.
"Has something happened to Cord?" she asked immediately when the door closed behind them.
"Cord's fine," he assured her. His black eyes narrowed. "We have tape of a conversation in Alvarez
Adams' office. One of his cronies has some potentially damaging information about you-videotapes and
still photos... "
Maggie went white in the face. Lassiter helped her into a chair and got her head down between her
knees just before she passed out.
He cursed silently. He'd hoped Stillwell was lying. Obviously he wasn't.
She moaned, with her head in her hands. "Did Cord hear?" she whispered.
"No. He'd already left the office."
She swallowed hard, twice, and slowly sat back up. Her face was flushed now from the rush of blood,
but she looked worn, and defeated.
"I deal in confidentiality," Lassiter told her at once. "I never reveal personal information, not even
Desperado 187
toTess . Nothing you say to me in confidence will ever leave this room."
She could see why KitDeverell liked this taciturn, quiet man. She hesitated, but only for a minute. "I
know the photos and videotapes he's talking about," she said huskily. "They could destroy my life." She
swallowed. "I would rather die than have Cord see them," she added simply.
"That bad?" Lassiter asked.
"Oh, yes," she assured. "Definitely, that bad."
"Tell me about it."
She hadn't expected that she could ever tell anyone. It was surprisingly easy to tell Dane Lassiter. The
agony of the past burst from her. It was like lancing a boil. It felt good to finally be able to tell someone
what had happened. Lassiter sat quietly,uncondemning , and listened until she was through. He was pale
by the end of the story, but he didn't look at her with contempt, or disgust.
"Cord doesn't know?" he asked after a minute, surprised.
She shook her head. "Amy never told him. I tried to, once, but I couldn't. It would ... change things
between us. He might hate me..."
"For what?" he exclaimed. "God in heaven, it wasn't your fault!"
She grimaced. "That's what everybody said. But
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188 Diana Palmer
they looked at me as if I was too dirty to ever come clean again."
His black eyes glittered. "Cord wouldn't blame you. He'd be homicidal, but not at you."
She met his eyes levelly. "That's a chance I'm not willing to take, Mr. Lassiter," she said quietly. "Cord
has resented me for a long time, actively disliked me even longer. Until very recently, I was a thorn in his
side and nothing more. He's been kind to me since I came home from Morocco. I couldn't bear to lose
his respect."
He could have told her that it wouldn't happen, but she was terrified. It was in her wide eyes, her
strained face.
"I'm not going to tell him," he promised her. "But there is another thing you should know. Gruber is
convinced that nothing short of murder will free him from Cord, and he mentioned targeting you as well.
But this other man thinks blackmail might work better."
"What can I do?" she asked miserably, near tears.
"Nothing, by yourself," he said. "But Cord has a plan. He can tell you about it. Don't panic;" he added
firmly. "Gruber's a rat, but he's not invulnerable."
She wasn't really listening. She knew now that Cord's enemies had information about her that Cord
didn't. They would always have it. She felt like screaming with rage.
Desperado 189
Watching her, Lassiter read her concern. "Stillwell's evidence can be eliminated," he told her. "I can't
have anything to do with it officially, but I can talk to some people on your behalf."
"Great," she muttered. "We can take out an ad in the paper. Tell everybody!"
He shook his head. "It won't be like that. You have no idea what I know about some of the most
influential people in the state. I share the information with several contacts, and all of them are as
tight-lipped as I am. It's why I'm still in business. Leave it to me, Miss Barton," he added quietly. "I'll take
care of it. You have my word."
Tears stung her eyes, but she was too proud to let him see them. She lifted her chin and blinked them
away. "Thanks," she managed.
"You should have therapy."
She ignored that. "I appreciate your telling me what you knew." Her face tautened. "You won't tell
Cord?"
"I won't tell Cord," Lassiter assured her. "But don't underestimate him, either. He's formidable under fire.
If Gruber comes at him head-on, he'll regret it."
"He does dangerous work. I know he's good at it. I just try not to think too hard about the details," she
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added.
"You can take it from me that Romero is a dead
190 Diana Palmer
shot and a formidable adversary in intelligence work," he said. "You're safe with him..
"I know that." She smiled up at him. "Want to give me a job? I might as well learn the trade if I'm going
to become a walking target for international criminals. I can shoot a gun if I have to." She pursed her lips
and her eyes twinkled. "And I look really great in a trench coat."
He chuckled, relieved to see her bounce back so quickly. "Dig it out. I'll keep you in mind. Meanwhile
I'll do what I can to get enough evidence to go afterJobFair and Global Enterprises at the same time."
She didn't say what she was thinking, which was that exposure of the criminals would inevitably lead to
her own exposure. They were the sort of people who'd take revenge any way they could get it, and
Maggie was vulnerable. "Thanks, Mr. Lassiter," she said solemnly.
He shrugged. "We all have secrets that we'd rather not reveal to the world," he said, his eyes dark and
quiet. "Too often, that information is potential for blackmailers, especially for people in the upper levels of
society. Pain and suffering mean nothing to some people if there's a profit to be had."
"That's the truth."
"Don't worry about Stillwell's file," he repeated. "But it would be to your advantage to tell Romero
Desperado 191
everything," he added with genuine concern. "Just in case."
She smiled wanly. "That would take more courage than I have," she confessed.
He felt sorry for her. He wished he could do more. He wanted to tell her what Cord had in mind, but
she'd find out soon enough. He said goodbye and left the office, determined to find a way to get that file
out of Stillwell's office.
Maggie hadn't considered a direct contact from Cord's enemies, but a phone call soon before quitting
time stopped her heart in her chest.
"If you're smart," the sly voice said when she picked up the receiver and identified herself, "you'll make
Romero back off. We have some interesting video of you in, shall we say, compromising positions?
Think how Romero would react if he saw it. What a nasty girl you are, Miss Barton!"
"You bastard," she choked, furious. "You utter coward! If I could get my hands on you...!"
"Don't push your luck!" the dark voice snarled. "Make Romero keep his nose out ofJobFair . Think of
some way to make him back off investigating us, and do it quick. Or you're going to be a star on the
evening news!"
The receiver clicked. Maggie got up from her desk like a zombie, stumbled into the bathroom, locked
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the door, and threw up.
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