From Here to Paternity

an affair in her own house.
    “I’m the mommy there,“ she had told him. “It’s not that I imagine my kids don’t know the nature of our relationship, but I just couldn’t get ‘into the spirit’ of the thing with them roaming around the house, blabbing on the phone in the next room, or banging on the bedroom door to ask where I put their favorite jeans.“
    She’d gotten so wholeheartedly “into the spirit“ when she was away from home—at his apartment and on the two weekend trips they’d taken—that he’d have been a fool to mess with a good thing.
    She hadn’t added to her prohibition to lovemaking in her home, Unless we were married , because that was a word neither of them wanted to use.
    Yet.
    Or maybe ever.
    “I think you’re right,“ she said. “It would only be polite to pay for a room. Just as a way of thanking our hosts, of course. An entirely unselfish plan.“
    “I’ll see if there’s anything available. Wait right here,“ he said.
    Jane watched as he left the room.
    “Jane… Mrs. Jeffry. Are you alone? Would you like to join us in an after-dinner stroll?“
    Dr. Lucke and his dinner companion were standing next to her table.
    “Thank you, Lucky, but I’m alone only for the moment. My friend has gone to—to make a phone call,“ she improvised, wondering if she was blushing, and if so, whether they could tell in the dim lighting.
    Lucky introduced the other man as Stu Gortner, the person who, as Jane had guessed earlier, had debated Doris Schmidtheiser that afternoon. As soon as the introductions were done, Gortner begged off the walk idea. “Been a long day. Think I’ll turn in,“ he said with a wink. Jane shuddered. She hated it when men she didn’t know winked at her. There was something intimate and creepy about it.
    “Ah, well, maybe I’ll give it up, too,“ Lucky said. “And just sit with Jane for a minute. Do you mind?“
    “Not a bit,“ Jane said politely.
    When Gortner had gone, Lucky sighed and said, “I’m sorry. I won’t intrude on your evening. I just had to get free of him.“
    “Why is that?“
    Lucky sighed again. “I don’t like to talk behind anyone’s back, but that man is awful. Just awful. Invited me to dinner, then spent the whole time crowing about what he did to Doris. And poor old Doris dead! You’d think he’d know to show a little respect.“
    “Oh, you know she’s dead? I didn’t want to be the one to tell you. Craven of me, I guess.“
    “Yes, I know. Tenny called me to get some information for the sheriff about her family and who should be notified and such. But even if she hadn’t, I’d have heard. Word’s gotten around already.“
    “I didn’t get to hear the debate,“ Jane said. “I understand Mr. Gortner made her look silly.“
    Lucky nodded. “And he wasn’t playing fair, if I can use such a childish term. He’s one of those people who tries to win people to his side by ridiculing his opponent.“
    “So his arguments on behalf of his—uh— candidate weren’t better than hers?“
    “Hell, no! Excuse me. Heck, no. He didn’t present any really convincing evidence at all, just made everything Doris said look foolish. And, bless her heart, Doris could look pretty foolish all by herself without any help.“
    “Why would he need to do that? Just a naturally competitive spirit?“
    “I wondered about that, too. Until tonight. See, part of the reason he invited me to dinner was to ask for the Society’s backing on some plans he’s got.“
    “Which are—?“
    “See, Stu is an old P.R. man. Made a mint over the years pushing everything from pretzels to presidents of corporations. You wouldn’t believe some of the people and things he claims took off like Roman candles because of his publicity. Anyhow, he’s really latched onto his candidate, as you put it. He retired two years ago, and when the Iron Curtain came down, he took a trip to Holnagrad and met this guy— Stanislas Romanov.“
    “Is that really his name?“
    Lucky looked at her. “That’s a very perceptive question. I wish more people had the brains to ask it. I have no idea.“
    Jane kept glancing over her shoulder as tactfully as she could. No sign of Mel yet. “So he met Stanislas?“
    “Right. Stu says he took up with him just to keep his hand in the business. Sort of like I work one day a week at the free clinic just to keep in touch. But Stu naturally turned his mind to how to make money off this man.“
    “He’s found a