Perfect Partners

faith in me?”
    Letty looked at him in shocked silence for several long seconds. “All right,” she finally said very quietly. “I’ll go to Dad’s house.”
    Joel heaved an inner sigh of relief. That particular tactic was definitely a case of hitting below the belt. He told himself he would apologize later. The important thing now was to make certain Letty was not in the vicinity if Victor Copeland came calling tonight.
    Letty was still in an unnaturally quiet mood when they reached the hotel where Diana was staying. But when Diana opened the door, her eyes full of anxious questions, Letty made an obvious effort to pull herself together.
    She took charge of dealing with Diana, for which Joel was profoundly grateful. He would thank her later, he told himself. Right after he apologized for virtually blackmailing her into following orders.
    “Keith called,” Diana said to Letty. “He wants me to spend the night with you at your father’s house. I argued with him, but he was very insistent. I’ve already packed.”
    Letty grimaced wryly. “I’m afraid we women are being sent off to hide in the wagons while the men deal with the bad guys.”
    Diana glanced uneasily at Joel and then away. “I’m afraid my father is not well, mentally. I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for everything.”
    “It’s hardly your fault, Diana,” Letty said firmly. “Come on, we’d better get going.” She put her arm around Diana’s shoulders and guided her out of the hotel room.
    Joel picked up Diana’s elegant leather suitcase and followed the two women out the door.
    Twenty minutes later they all stood in Morgan and Stephanie’s living room. Joel ran through the explanations and was relieved when Morgan agreed immediately with his decision.
    “Letty and Diana can stay here with Stephanie tonight,” Morgan announced. “I’ll come down to Thornquist Gear and keep the midnight vigil with you, Joel.”
    Joel started to protest but changed his mind when he saw the stubborn expression in Morgan’s eyes. Something told him there was no point in arguing with an Indiana farmer once he had made up his mind. All the logic in the world would not alter Morgan’s decision.
    What the hell, the man was going to be his father-in-law someday, Joel thought.
    “All right,” he said.
    Joel was profoundly grateful when nobody put up any more arguments. Letty walked out to the Jeep with him while they waited for Morgan to throw a few items into a duffel bag. Her expression was serious and intent.
    “Joel, there’s something I want to tell you.”
    He leaned back against the Jeep and smiled. “More orders for your CEO , Madam President?”
    Her eyes were huge and solemn with concern. “I want you to be very careful tonight.”
    “I will,” he promised.
    “Joel, I love you. You know that, don’t you?”
    For an instant he was stunned at the admission. Then elation soared in him. For the moment, at least, it blotted out all the other things he had been feeling since he’d walked into his apartment and seen the evidence of Victor Copeland’s ungovernable rage. He reached for Letty.
    “Damn, Letty,” he muttered thickly, “you’ve picked a fine time to tell me.” He pulled her into his arms, fumbling for the feel of her through the plump layers of her Thornquist Gear down coat. “You know I love you, too, don’t you?”
    “Well, you hadn’t actually said so,” she reminded him. The comment was tart, but her eyes were brimming with delight. “However, I have been extremely optimistic.”
    “Don’t ever forget it.” He kissed her mouth, the only part of her that was not swallowed up by her voluminous jacket. Her lips were warm in spite of the cold air. Joel groaned and pulled her closer.
    “I’m ready,” Morgan called as he came down the steps.
    Letty stepped back and smiled at Joel. “Remember what I said. Be careful.”
    “Letty…” Joel broke off. This was not the time to say all the things he wanted to say. He smiled wryly. “Sure, boss.”
    Within the hour Joel and Morgan were camped out in Joel’s office. Joel had a cordless telephone at hand. A security guard had been posted at the building entrance downstairs and the state-of-the-art security system that had been installed last year had been activated and double-checked.
    “Now we wait,” Morgan said calmly.
    Joel lounged back in his chair and stacked his feet on the desk. “Now we wait.”
    “Do you play chess, by any