wrapped his arms around her. “Are you sure he didn’t hurt you?”
She was shaking uncontrollably now. Fletcher’s concern made her aware of what a close encounter she’d had. When she calmed down enough to be left alone, Fletcher went out to retrace her steps. In minutes he was back. No sign of her purse or a man in black, he reported.
They decided, after discussing it at length, that due to the clandestine nature of their relationship, it was best to pretend it never happened.
CHAPTER 11
The light on Regina Van Raven’s telephone blinked, indicating a caller was holding. She finished up on another line and glanced at the desk clock. Damn, she was going to be late. It was Monday, and Kristy, going straight from work at the Farm House Restaurant, was to meet her at the new apartment to measure the windows and floors. Regina had a key, Kristy didn’t.
She punched the lighted button. “Van Raven speaking,” she said impatiently.
“ That show about the beauty contestants ...” a low voice began, pausing.
“ Yes, what about it?”
“ Maybe it shouldn’t.”
“ Shouldn’t what?”
“ Go on.”
Regina rolled her eyes upward. Her patience was stretched to the max. “And why not?”
“ History has a way of repeating itself,” he said. Regina was about to cut him off when she heard him ask, “Will Corinne Odett be there? Only one side of her face is burned, shall we try for the other side?”
Regina sat up, her eyes darting around the open production department. She wanted someone to get on an extension and hear this. The only other person in the area was Tom Gansing, the director, and he had his back to her.
“ What do you know about Corinne?” Regina asked. She wadded a piece of paper and threw it toward Tom. It fell short, unnoticed.
The line disconnected.
Just as Regina slammed down the receiver, Donna appeared.“Reg, what’s the matter?”
“ Someone has a long memory. That was a call about this Friday’s show.”
“ The ‘Classic’ format?”
“ Yes. It sounded like a threat.”
Donna stood silently staring at Regina. Then: “Another attack?”
Regina shrugged.
“ Man or woman?” Donna asked.
“ I couldn’t tell. The voice was deep, gravelly.”
“ A crank, maybe?”
“ Sure, it’s possible. But what if it isn’t?”
“ What’s possible?” Nolan asked, joining Donna.
“ Regina just got a phone threat of some sort. Tell him, Reg.”
Regina repeated what the caller had said.
“ A kook,” Nolan said, grinning. “Forget it.”
Donna, her face showing concern, turned to her husband. “Honey, maybe we should discuss it. If Reggie’s anxious about it--”
Nolan cut her off. “If it happens again, then we’ll discuss it. Okay?”
Donna looked to Regina. Regina sighed. She opened the bottom drawer, pulled out her purse, and stood. Talking to Nolan was a waste of time. He would welcome threats, even a grisly follow-through if it would boost the ratings. In fact, she wouldn’t put it past Nolan to have made the call himself.
Then again, perhaps she was overreacting. They received crank calls all the time. It was her job to deal with them, so why was she making a big fuss over this one? Because, she realized, the subject was much too close to her.
Regina patted Donna’s shoulder. “Gotta go. I’m late.”
Ten minutes later Regina pulled up to the curb in front of the apartment house behind Kristy’s white Rabbit convertible. The top was down and there was no one inside. The dashboard clock read 4:18. Kristy was probably waiting inside the vestibule. They would have to remember to get the other key from Mrs. Szabo today.
The vestibule was empty. Regina used her key to open the door into the building’s wide hall. She climbed the stairs to the second floor. The door to their apartment was ajar and the beat of rock music pounded out into the landing.
Regina pushed through the door, hurried inside, and jabbed at a button on the radio to silence
She was shaking uncontrollably now. Fletcher’s concern made her aware of what a close encounter she’d had. When she calmed down enough to be left alone, Fletcher went out to retrace her steps. In minutes he was back. No sign of her purse or a man in black, he reported.
They decided, after discussing it at length, that due to the clandestine nature of their relationship, it was best to pretend it never happened.
CHAPTER 11
The light on Regina Van Raven’s telephone blinked, indicating a caller was holding. She finished up on another line and glanced at the desk clock. Damn, she was going to be late. It was Monday, and Kristy, going straight from work at the Farm House Restaurant, was to meet her at the new apartment to measure the windows and floors. Regina had a key, Kristy didn’t.
She punched the lighted button. “Van Raven speaking,” she said impatiently.
“ That show about the beauty contestants ...” a low voice began, pausing.
“ Yes, what about it?”
“ Maybe it shouldn’t.”
“ Shouldn’t what?”
“ Go on.”
Regina rolled her eyes upward. Her patience was stretched to the max. “And why not?”
“ History has a way of repeating itself,” he said. Regina was about to cut him off when she heard him ask, “Will Corinne Odett be there? Only one side of her face is burned, shall we try for the other side?”
Regina sat up, her eyes darting around the open production department. She wanted someone to get on an extension and hear this. The only other person in the area was Tom Gansing, the director, and he had his back to her.
“ What do you know about Corinne?” Regina asked. She wadded a piece of paper and threw it toward Tom. It fell short, unnoticed.
The line disconnected.
Just as Regina slammed down the receiver, Donna appeared.“Reg, what’s the matter?”
“ Someone has a long memory. That was a call about this Friday’s show.”
“ The ‘Classic’ format?”
“ Yes. It sounded like a threat.”
Donna stood silently staring at Regina. Then: “Another attack?”
Regina shrugged.
“ Man or woman?” Donna asked.
“ I couldn’t tell. The voice was deep, gravelly.”
“ A crank, maybe?”
“ Sure, it’s possible. But what if it isn’t?”
“ What’s possible?” Nolan asked, joining Donna.
“ Regina just got a phone threat of some sort. Tell him, Reg.”
Regina repeated what the caller had said.
“ A kook,” Nolan said, grinning. “Forget it.”
Donna, her face showing concern, turned to her husband. “Honey, maybe we should discuss it. If Reggie’s anxious about it--”
Nolan cut her off. “If it happens again, then we’ll discuss it. Okay?”
Donna looked to Regina. Regina sighed. She opened the bottom drawer, pulled out her purse, and stood. Talking to Nolan was a waste of time. He would welcome threats, even a grisly follow-through if it would boost the ratings. In fact, she wouldn’t put it past Nolan to have made the call himself.
Then again, perhaps she was overreacting. They received crank calls all the time. It was her job to deal with them, so why was she making a big fuss over this one? Because, she realized, the subject was much too close to her.
Regina patted Donna’s shoulder. “Gotta go. I’m late.”
Ten minutes later Regina pulled up to the curb in front of the apartment house behind Kristy’s white Rabbit convertible. The top was down and there was no one inside. The dashboard clock read 4:18. Kristy was probably waiting inside the vestibule. They would have to remember to get the other key from Mrs. Szabo today.
The vestibule was empty. Regina used her key to open the door into the building’s wide hall. She climbed the stairs to the second floor. The door to their apartment was ajar and the beat of rock music pounded out into the landing.
Regina pushed through the door, hurried inside, and jabbed at a button on the radio to silence
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