The Candidate's Wife (13 page)

Julia wiped her damp palms on her skirt. "Frank?" she said.

He lifted his head and grinned at her. For a moment Julia felt a wave of deep sadness at seeing the shell of the man she'd once loved. She could see a trace of the once-handsome face, the sharp features and blue eyes their son had inherited. Then she remembered what Frank had done to her family, and what he was doing now. Her sympathy vanished, and she crossed her arms protectively over her chest.

He patted the bench beside him. "Have a seat, honey. Damn, but you look good." He leered at her. "Good enough to eat."

Julia remained standing. "Tell me what you want, Frank, and then I'm leaving."

Frank's grin faded. "Always the little princess, aren't you? You haven't changed. You always thought you were better than me."

Julia said nothing. She waited.

"How's Danny? How's my son?"

At the question, Julia's heart softened just a fraction. "Danny's fine. A really smart kid." She dug in her purse and pulled out the photograph she kept in her wallet. "See, here's a picture. It's two months old -- his hair's a little shorter now."

Frank took the photo, but he barely glanced at it before he stuffed it in his jacket pocket. "Thanks. So, Jules, how much money's this Carmichael guy got? I hear he's pretty loaded."

Julia's heart sank. She closed her eyes for a moment. "Is this about money, Frank? Is that the only reason you're here?"

"It's a start." When she opened her eyes and glanced at his face, she saw something hungry, anxious, almost predatory, in his expression.

"Well, I don't have any of my own. Adam would notice if I --"

Frank's eyes narrowed. "Well, how about jewelry, then? I'm sure he'd bought you some rings and necklaces and other fancy stuff."

She shook her head. "Not yet."

"Well, now, there's that pretty ring on your finger."

Julia gasped and touched her engagement ring. "I can't give you this!"

Frank stood up and stepped closer, staggering slightly. His sudden movements scattered the flock of pigeons. Though every muscle in her body was tense and alert, Julia stood her ground

Frank's lips twisted into a threatening grimace. "You can get the money, Jules. I know you can. Ten thousand, and I'll leave you alone until after the election. That's just a drop in the bucket for someone like Adam Carmichael."

For a moment, Julia considered agreeing to Frank's demand. He was right. Adam wouldn't miss the money. But, somehow, she knew Adam would never agree to blackmail. Neither would she. She would go to Adam and tell him about Frank, no matter what it cost her pride. It was the only way to neutralize Frank's threats. She straightened her spine and slowly shook her head. "No, Frank. I won't let you blackmail me."

He clucked his tongue. "Such an ugly word. Come on, Jules. Don't make trouble for yourself. I need that money, and I need it bad."

"Still gambling, Frank?"

"Nah. I got a business deal in the works. Friend said he'd cut me in if I came up with ten grand."

Julia had only to look at his face to know he was lying. Nothing else could make Frank so desperate for money. She'd seen that expression before, too many times. "No, Frank. The answer is no."

She turned to go. She had walked about ten paces when he called her name. Julia paused and turned back. Anger and bitterness distorted his features. He shook his fist at her. "This isn't over, Jules. This isn't over yet, I promise you that!"

As Julia walked away, Frank's threat still rang in her ears.

Adam lowered his forehead onto his desk and closed his eyes. He didn't want Phil to see the pain on his face, the pain that made him want to howl and storm and break something just to see it shatter into a million pieces.

"What did this man look like?" he asked.

Phil hesitated. "Dark hair, about her height. I couldn't get close enough to see his face." He paused again. "It doesn't prove anything. Adam, I don't think you should have asked me to follow her in the first place. It felt wrong. I don't know what Julia's up to, but there must be a good explanation. Why don't you ask her?"

Adam raised his head from the desk. "Phil, I think she's our leak. Did she give this man anything?"

"Yes, something small. A scrap of paper, maybe. But --"

Adam felt as though his world were falling apart. Julia's suspicious behavior, her lie about the phone call, and now this -- he had no doubt now that she was the traitor, the one who had betrayed the campaign. Hell, he hadn't wanted to ask Phil to trail her to the park, but he'd had no choice. His campaign depended on his knowing the truth.

He closed his eyes and slumped back in his chair. "Damn it, Phil. I trusted her. I was beginning to --" He broke off and opened his eyes. "Never mind."

"Beginning to love her?"

Adam glared at his campaign manager. "No. Oh, hell. Maybe. But that's all over now, I can promise you that."

Phil shot Adam the look of mild dismay that, for Phil, was a strong rebuke. "Talk to her, Adam. Listen to her. Give her a chance before you jump to conclusions."

For a moment, Adam wavered. Maybe there was some innocent explanation for Julia's behavior. Maybe. But she had lied to him about the phone call. He'd seen the guilt on her face like a scarlet brand.
And if she wasn't the source of the press leak, who was? He'd known ever member of his senior staff longer than he'd know his wife.

He fixed Phil with a strong, steady gaze. He would do what he had to do, no matter how distasteful. "When Julia gets back," he said, ignoring his friend's mild frown, "ask her to come see me. We're going to get a few things straight."

When Julia arrived at campaign headquarters, she went straight to Adam's office. If she delayed, she was afraid she'd lose her nerve. Lucinda gave her a sympathetic smile. "He's waiting for you," Adam's assistant said.

Julia raised her eyebrows. "He is?"

"He asked me to send you right in."

"Thank you." Julia reached for the doorknob.

"Good luck, Julia."

She paused. "Do I need it?"

"Maybe. He sounded pretty upset."

When Julia opened the door, she found Adam pacing the office, with the shades down and his white shirt rolled up over tanned forearms. The darkness clouding his brow confirmed Lucinda's assessment. Julia's knees trembled, but she forced herself to speak. "Adam," she began. "I have to talk to you -- I have to explain something --"

He stared her down, eyes blazing, the gold flecks molten with rage. "Did Phil tell you?"

Julia's stomach clenched with confusion and fear. "Tell me what? I haven't seen Phil today."

"But he saw you. He saw you in the park with a stranger." Adam stepped toward her, every muscle tense with anger. Julia took an involuntary step back. "You gave this guy something, Julia. What was it? Something you stole from this office? More confidential data?"

Her mind reeled at the unfair accusation. "Adam, no. It's not like that."

"You betrayed me, Julia. You took my trust and you -- you --"

Anger triumphed over fear. He was trying to intimidate her, and she wouldn't allow it. She braced her hands on her hips and glared back at him. "Your trust? You've never trusted me."

"And I was right, wasn't I? I was right not to trust you! I had Phil follow you, Julia. He saw you in the park with that reporter."

Julia's eyes widened as understanding finally dawned. She struggled to breath despite the crushing weight of it on her chest. "You had me followed? Adam, how could you do that?"

"I had no choice!"

"Of course you did," Julia said. She knew that pain would follow anger, but at the moment she felt nothing but a fury that blazed like a desert sun, a fury so hot and bright it threatened to consume her. "You always have a choice!"

"You lied to me about your phone call this morning. Admit it."

She stared him down. "Yes. I lied about that."

He crossed his arms over his broad chest and shook his head. The fire in his eyes slowly died. Everything about him now was cold as ice. "So. That's it, then."

"You won't listen to my story?"

"There's nothing you could say to make this right, Julia. Nothing."

"But --"

He cut her off again. "It's over."

"What's over? Our marriage? Do you want a divorce, Adam? Or is that even necessary?" She laughed, but her laughter sounded high, wild, out of control. "Is a marriage legal if it's never been consummated?"

A muscle in his jaw twitched as he watched her with narrowed eyes. "You know I can't divorce you, Julia, not until after the election. So here's the deal. You will come to my campaign appearances, stand by my side, and smile for the cameras. But you will not come to this office again. You will not attend meetings or advise me on the campaign. You will not be part of my life. Is that understood?" He paused, and his firm mouth twisted with bitterness and hatred. "I'd prefer never to see your face again, but that's not a possibility, is it? You've made certain of that."

Each of Adam's precise, emotionless words sank into Julia like a red-hot needle. Tears pressed hotly against the back of her eyes, but she refused to let them flow. She knew that tears would not move Adam now. Besides, his pity was the last thing she wanted. More than anything, at this moment, she wanted to run away, to put this moment behind her. Sure, she could make him listen to the truth about Frank. But what good would it do? He might not even believe her.

"All right," she said, through lips that felt stiff and immobile with fury. "If that's what you want, Adam. If you're sure you don't want to hear what I have to say."

"I'm sure," he said.

Four hours later, her red and swollen eyes hidden by dark glasses, Julia stuffed the last duffel bag into the back of her station wagon and slammed the hatch. When she had parked the car in Adam's garage a week and a half ago, she hadn't planned to need it again. Now, however, she was grateful for the dilapidated, wood-paneled, gas-guzzling old beast. Whatever the consequences, Julia knew she couldn't stay in the city. She needed the comfort of her family around her.

She climbed into the driver's seat and motioned Danny to join her. "Come on, buddy," she said. "We've got a long drive ahead."

Danny slid in beside her and slammed his door. "Mom, how come Adam isn't coming with us?"

"He's busy with his campaign." Dark glasses or no, she avoided her son's eyes. Danny obviously knew something was wrong, but he didn't press the issue. For that much, Julia felt grateful. She didn't think she could talk about it, not yet. Instead, she turned the key in the ignition. The engine made a feeble sputtering sound as it attempted to turn over, then gave up and died.

"Don't do this to me," Julia groaned. She tried again, and then a third time, without success. Could her life get any worse? She couldn't even manage to successfully escape her problems, much less resolve them. In frustration, Julia collapsed against the steering column and flailed at the dashboard with her fists.

Danny eyed her as if he were about to call in the men with white coats. "Mom? You okay?"

The steering wheel muffled her reply. "No."

"Mom, don't go postal on me."

She lifted her head. "Nice expression. Where'd you get it?"

"Mike."

"Oh. Well, don't worry, I'm just venting a little."

"Uh huh." Danny still stared at her as if she were an unexploded land mine. "Maybe you should ask nicely."

"What?" Now Julia looked at her son as if he were the crazy one.

"Say, 'Cory, please start so we can go to Gran's.'"

Despite the pain squeezing her heart, Julia had to laugh. She was surprised that Danny remembered what they'd named the car. She'd once made the mistake of referring to the station wagon
as "a dinosaur," and Danny promptly christened it "Cory" -- short for his favorite duck-billed, crested prehistoric creature, the Corythosaurus.

Julia rolled her eyes, but anything was worth a try. "'Cory, please start so we can go to Gran's'," she repeated, in a dutiful monotone.

"Now turn the key."

Julia obeyed. The engine roared to life. She let out a peal of surprised laughter. "It worked!"

"Told you."

As Julia pulled out of the parking garage, Danny fiddled with the radio, switching from Julia's favorite jazz station to music with a terrible, thumping beat and indecipherable, probably obscene lyrics. Julia didn't even scold him. Somehow, her son always managed to cheer her up. The days ahead might prove rough, but at least she had Danny beside her.

As she headed for the nearest freeway onramp, she forced herself not to think about her encounter with Adam. Once the shock and numbness wore off, she'd have to find a way to cope with his distrust and his cruelty. He'd be furious when he found her gone, but Julia knew she couldn't face him, much less share an apartment with him, after the things he'd said.

She'd left a curt note on the kitchen counting, explaining that she would be visiting her mother for an indefinite period. Maybe, after she cooled off a little, she'd be able to call him. Over the telephone, Adam might listen to the truth. Julia knew she should have forced him to listen that morning, but his attack had caught her off guard.