Perfect Partners

you. The sooner it’s over, the better off we’ll all be.”
    Diana turned and walked into the tavern.
    Letty waited until the tavern door opened again to reveal Keith and Diana emerging. She watched both get into the Mercedes. Neither said a word to the other.
    Letty quickly walked the three blocks to the Echo Cove police station.
    When she went up the steps and through the front door she found Joel in the process of collecting his wallet and a few other personal items from Officer Echler.
    “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Madam President.” Joel shoved his wallet into his back pocket and sauntered toward Letty. His expression was unreadable. “I hear you’ve been throwing your weight around town. How does it feel?”
    Letty studied the darkening bruise under his left eye. “For the record, you lost tonight.”
    “Says who?”
    “Says me. You were fighting over Keith’s wife. That puts you in the wrong, so I am declaring you the loser. Are you ready to leave?”
    Joel whistled soundlessly. “You’re really pissed, aren’t you?”
    “Yes, Joel, I am.” Letty turned and led the way out into the night.
    Joel came swiftly down the steps behind her. “How come you rescued me, Letty?”
    “I was merely protecting the corporate image.”
    “I should have guessed you’d say something like that.” Joel was silent for a moment as he walked along beside her. “I don’t suppose it will make any difference if I tell you that Escott started it?”
    “None whatsoever. The poor man is under a great deal of stress. He knows Diana was in your motel room this morning.”
    “That wasn’t my fault, either. I didn’t exactly invite her, you know.”
    Letty had had enough. She stopped abruptly and whirled around to confront him. “You’re back here in Echo Cove because of her. Don’t you think poor Keith knows that? How would you feel if you were in his shoes?”
    “Damn it, for the last time, I am not here because of Diana,” Joel said.
    “Then why are you here? Why have you gone to so much trouble to destory Copeland Marine and this town?”
    “Because it’s Victor Copeland’s company and Victor Copeland’s town, and I am here to destroy Victor Copeland,” Joel shot back.
    “Tell me why, damn it.”
    Joel’s eyes blazed. “You want to know why? I’ll tell you why. Because that son of a bitch killed my father.”

10

    J oel’s first thought when he awoke the next morning was that at approximately twelve-thirty last night, he had managed to make a complete ass of himself in front of Letty.
    His second thought was that when all was said and done, Letty had not pushed him the way he had expected she would. In fact, she had been remarkably cool. He had dropped a bombshell in her lap, but she had not pressed for explanations.
    After he had made that wild accusation about Copeland killing his father, Letty had simply put her arm through his and walked back to the motel with him.
    “You can tell me about it in the morning,” she had said quietly as she let herself into her own room. “Neither of us is in any condition to talk rationally tonight.”
    Maybe she had concluded he was crazy. Psychotic or paranoid or nuttier than a fruitcake. It might be hard for the president of the company to have a lot of confidence in a psychotic CEO .
    Joel lay back against the pillows and watched the rain drip steadily outside the window. One thing was clear as crystal this morning. He owed Letty an explanation. In fact, Joel suddenly realized, he wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to talk about it. He wanted Letty to understand.
    It was an odd sensation, this feeling of wanting Letty’s sympathy. He had rarely bothered to explain himself to anyone during the greater portion of his adult life. He had certainly never felt the need to justify his actions to anyone.
    But Letty was different.
    He had never known anyone quite like Letty.
    Joel shook his head in amazement as he recalled the events of the night. Little Letty Thornquist, respected member of the staff of Vellacott College, professional librarian and ex-fiancée of some turkey professor, had single-handedly strong-armed the forces of law and order in Echo Cove, Washington.
    Translated, that meant Letty had gone up against the Copeland power and won. She had gotten her chief executive officer out of jail. All charges had been dropped.
    She was turning out to be an okay executive, Joel decided. As a mentor he must be doing one hell of a good job. The