You belong to me by Mary Higgins Clark Page B

Doug found very likable and completely boring.
    "Don't let him get fresh."
    "Doug, you know very well he wouldn't," his mother sputtered.
    "You're right-I do know very well. Good old predictable Bill. Okay, Mom, I'll let you go. I just wanted to check in."
    "Doug, is everything okay? You sound worried."
    He chided himself. He should know better than to call his mother when he was upset. She could always see through him.
    "I'm fine," he said.
    "Doug, I worry about you. And I'm here if you need me. You know that, don't you?"
    "I know, Mom. I'm fine. Love you."
    He hung up quickly, then went to the bar in the library and poured himself a stiff scotch. As he gulped it down, he could feel his heart pounding. This was not the time to have an anxiety attack. Why was it that he, who usually was so absolutely in charge of his actions and emotions, got hit like this every so often?
    He knew why.
    Nervously he flipped on the television and watched the evening news.
    At seven o'clock he once again dialed Jane Clausen's number. This time he reached her, but by her reserved tone knew he was in trouble.
    At eight o'clock he went out.
    18
    Alexander Wright spotted his car double-parked outside St. Clare's Hospital on West Fifty-second Street and was in the backseat before his driver was able to get out and open the door for him.
    "A long meeting, sir," Jim Curley volunteered as he started the engine. "Where are we heading now?" He spoke with the familiarity of a longtime employee, having been with the Wright family for thirty years.
    "Jim, I'm happy to say that as of five minutes ago, we're picking up a very attractive lady on Downing Street and going on to dinner at Il Mulino," Wright answered.
    Downing, Curley thought. Must be a new one. Never been there before. Curley took pleasure in the fact that as a good-looking and wealthy bachelor in his late thirties, his employer was on everyone's A list. Within the confines of his extreme care for Alexander Wright's privacy, Curley enjoyed mentioning to his friends that musical comedy star Sandra Cooper was just as nice as she was beautiful, or how funny Lily Lockin, the comedienne, had been when she chatted with him in the car.
    But these discreet tidbits were mentioned only after items appeared in the newspaper columns indicating that this or that woman had been at dinner or a party with sportsman and philanthropist Alex Wright.
    As the car made its way through the slow Ninth Avenue traffic, Curley glanced several times in the rearview mirror, observing with some concern that his boss had closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the soft leather of the headrest.
    Whoever said that it can be as hard to give away money as it is to earn it was right, Curley thought compassionately. He knew that as chairman of the Alexander and Virginia Wright Family Foundation, Mr. Alex was constantly besieged by individuals and organizations pleading for grants. And he was so nice to everyone. Probably much too generous as well.
    Nothing like his father, Curley mused. The old guy was a tough one. So was Alex's mother. She'd bite your head off for nothing. Always on Alex when he was a lad. A miracle he turned out so fine. I hope this lady on Downing Street is fun, he thought. Alex Wright deserved to have some fun. He worked too hard.
    As usual, Il Mulino was busy. The scent of good food mingled with the cheerful voices of the diners. The bar was filled with people waiting for tables. The overflowing harvest basket of vegetables at the entrance to the dining room gave a country like coziness to the restaurant's simple decor.
    The maŒtre d' escorted them to a table immediately. As they wended their way through the crowded room, Alex Wright was stopped several times to greet friends.
    Without consulting the wine list, he ordered a bottle of Chianti and one of Chardonnay. At her look of consternation, he laughed. "You don't have to have more than a glass or two, but I promise you, you'll enjoy sipping both.