return?"
"Why, nothing, really." Aunt Kate sounded slightly offended, as if Juli had criticized David himself. "There was just some legal paper saying I'd accept the money and wouldn't make any further claims against the company, or something like that. You know how confusing legal papers are. I just signed and sent it right back."
"Already?" Juli gasped. "Without getting legal advice?"
"I thought the sooner I returned it, the quicker I'd get the money. I'm behind on so many bills," she said, sounding defensive. Anxiously, she added, "You do think I did the right thing, don't you?"
There was little point in upsetting Aunt Kate by scolding her for what was already done, Juli sighed to herself. The legal form was already signed and on its way. Juli murmured something noncommittal and they chatted a bit longer about the weather and selling the trailer, improvements in Aunt Kate's control of her left side, and the possibility she might be able to eventually work part-time.
But when Juli hung up the phone she was seething with anger. No wonder Thorne Taylor had urged her to spend her time—
waste
her time!—searching the trailer for something that wasn't there. That gave him time to buy off Aunt Kate and get her signature on some sort of release form so there was no possible chance of further legal action being taken against the company. No matter what he'd said to Juli, Thorne Taylor obviously knew David had invented something of great value to the company. And Juli had no doubt but that the sum offered to Aunt Kate, generous as it might seem to her, was a mere pittance compared to the true value of David's invention. A mere fraction of what Thorne was afraid Aunt Kate might win if the case went to court!
And there was nothing she could do about it now, Juli thought in furious frustration as she slid behind the wheel of her car. Nothing! Thorne had won, slick and smooth, without so much as a line of worry to mar those handsome features.
Oh, but there was one thing she could do, she thought grimly as she headed out Reynaldo Road toward the trailer. Abruptly, she spun the steering wheel and turned to circle around the long ridge of yellowed boulders. She could tell Thorne Taylor exactly what she thought of him and his sneaky, underhanded tricks!
She tore along the uneven road, hurtling heedlessly into the dips and over the rises, her mind concentrating on what she intended to say. No need for tact or diplomacy now, only the truth of what a despicable, detestable, greedy, underhanded—
Her thoughts broke off and she slowed her headlong rush as the road narrowed to a driveway that passed beneath an elegant wrought-iron archway. She had not seen this in the darkness that previous evening. Nor had she seen how the driveway circled around to enclose a natural park-like grove of cottonwoods, with trails laid out among clumps of mesquite and palo verde. Off to one side was a wooden-fenced arena with a couple of horses lazing in the sunshine and a neat stable behind them. A walkway curved gracefully to the recessed entryway in the house. The landscaping was an attractive blend of native desert plants and carefully tended evergreens. A splash of red bougainvillaea brightened a wall that evidently concealed the swimming pool.
Juli hesitated, suddenly feeling at a disadvantage barging in like this. She hadn't dressed to go into town and make the phone call; she had merely slipped on a clean pair of jeans and a scoop-necked peasant blouse. Thorne might not be home. He might be entertaining guests.
No, she chided herself angrily. She was rationalizing, letting his home and status overwhelm her. Defiantly, she parked her dusty car directly in front of the house and slammed the door behind her. She didn't care how elegant his home was, or how smooth and sophisticated he might be; she intended to give him a piece of her mind. And if he wasn't home, she just might barge right into Taylor Electronics' smoothly purring office and say
"Why, nothing, really." Aunt Kate sounded slightly offended, as if Juli had criticized David himself. "There was just some legal paper saying I'd accept the money and wouldn't make any further claims against the company, or something like that. You know how confusing legal papers are. I just signed and sent it right back."
"Already?" Juli gasped. "Without getting legal advice?"
"I thought the sooner I returned it, the quicker I'd get the money. I'm behind on so many bills," she said, sounding defensive. Anxiously, she added, "You do think I did the right thing, don't you?"
There was little point in upsetting Aunt Kate by scolding her for what was already done, Juli sighed to herself. The legal form was already signed and on its way. Juli murmured something noncommittal and they chatted a bit longer about the weather and selling the trailer, improvements in Aunt Kate's control of her left side, and the possibility she might be able to eventually work part-time.
But when Juli hung up the phone she was seething with anger. No wonder Thorne Taylor had urged her to spend her time—
waste
her time!—searching the trailer for something that wasn't there. That gave him time to buy off Aunt Kate and get her signature on some sort of release form so there was no possible chance of further legal action being taken against the company. No matter what he'd said to Juli, Thorne Taylor obviously knew David had invented something of great value to the company. And Juli had no doubt but that the sum offered to Aunt Kate, generous as it might seem to her, was a mere pittance compared to the true value of David's invention. A mere fraction of what Thorne was afraid Aunt Kate might win if the case went to court!
And there was nothing she could do about it now, Juli thought in furious frustration as she slid behind the wheel of her car. Nothing! Thorne had won, slick and smooth, without so much as a line of worry to mar those handsome features.
Oh, but there was one thing she could do, she thought grimly as she headed out Reynaldo Road toward the trailer. Abruptly, she spun the steering wheel and turned to circle around the long ridge of yellowed boulders. She could tell Thorne Taylor exactly what she thought of him and his sneaky, underhanded tricks!
She tore along the uneven road, hurtling heedlessly into the dips and over the rises, her mind concentrating on what she intended to say. No need for tact or diplomacy now, only the truth of what a despicable, detestable, greedy, underhanded—
Her thoughts broke off and she slowed her headlong rush as the road narrowed to a driveway that passed beneath an elegant wrought-iron archway. She had not seen this in the darkness that previous evening. Nor had she seen how the driveway circled around to enclose a natural park-like grove of cottonwoods, with trails laid out among clumps of mesquite and palo verde. Off to one side was a wooden-fenced arena with a couple of horses lazing in the sunshine and a neat stable behind them. A walkway curved gracefully to the recessed entryway in the house. The landscaping was an attractive blend of native desert plants and carefully tended evergreens. A splash of red bougainvillaea brightened a wall that evidently concealed the swimming pool.
Juli hesitated, suddenly feeling at a disadvantage barging in like this. She hadn't dressed to go into town and make the phone call; she had merely slipped on a clean pair of jeans and a scoop-necked peasant blouse. Thorne might not be home. He might be entertaining guests.
No, she chided herself angrily. She was rationalizing, letting his home and status overwhelm her. Defiantly, she parked her dusty car directly in front of the house and slammed the door behind her. She didn't care how elegant his home was, or how smooth and sophisticated he might be; she intended to give him a piece of her mind. And if he wasn't home, she just might barge right into Taylor Electronics' smoothly purring office and say
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