Private Scandals

fresh.
    They both knew why the walls had been painted, the rug replaced. There were long, jagged scratch marks marring the surface of Deanna’s desk. The police had unsealed the room only forty-eight hours before and there hadn’t been time to repair or replace everything.
    “I was hoping you’d be glad to see me.”
    “I am glad to see you, but not here.” Since it was just past eight in the morning, they were alone. Jeff felt obligated to convince her to give herself more time. When the rest of the staff arrived, he had no doubt they would add their weight.But now it was up to him to watch out for her. “You’ve been through a nightmare, Dee, and it hasn’t even been a week.”
    Yes it had, she thought. One week tonight. But she didn’t correct him. “Jeff, I’ve already been through this with Finn—”
    “He shouldn’t have let you come in.”
    Her hackles rose, but she bit back the first furious retort. Perhaps her nerves were still raw, she decided, if she was ready to snarl at poor Jeff. “Finn doesn’t let me anything. If it makes you feel better, he agrees with you completely about my taking more time. I don’t.” She eased a hip down on the wide sill of the plate-glass window. Behind her, wet snow fell in thick, listless sheets. “I need to work, Jeff. Angela’s death was horrible, but hiding my head under the covers isn’t going to make it, or my part in it, go away. And I need my pals.” She held out a hand. “I really do.”
    She heard him sigh, but he crossed to her and took her hand. “We wanted to be there for you, Dee. All of us.”
    “I know you did.” She squeezed his hand, urging him down on the sill with her. “I guess this hasn’t been easy on anyone. Did you have to talk to the police?”
    “Yeah.” He grimaced, shoving at his glasses. “That Detective Jenner. ‘Where were you on the night in question?’ ” Jeff demanded in such a perfect mimic of Jenner that Deanna laughed. “We all got the treatment. Simon was sweating bullets. You know how he is under pressure. Wringing his hands, gulping audibly. He got so worked up that Fran made him lie down, then tore into the cop for harassment.”
    “Sorry I missed it.” She leaned her head against Jeff’s shoulder, content to be back with friends. “What else did I miss?” She could feel his body tense and she squeezed his hand in reassurance. “I’d feel better if I knew, Jeff. I’ve only gotten some sketchy details about how the office was torn up. I miss our Christmas tree.” Her smile was brief and sad. “Silly, isn’t it? When you think of everything that was destroyed in here, I miss that stupid tree.”
    “I’ll get you another one. Just as ugly.”
    “Impossible.” But she let it go. “Tell me.”
    He hesitated a moment. “The office was pretty messed up, Dee. But it was mostly cosmetic damage. Once the cops let us in, Loren had it cleaned out, repainted, recarpeted. He was royally pissed. Not at you,” he said quickly. “It was the whole deal, you know. The fact that somebody got in and . . . did what they did.”
    “I’ll call him.”
    “Deanna . . . I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say. I’m so damn sorry you had to go through all that. I wish I could say I’m sorry about Angela, but I’m not.”
    “Jeff—”
    “I’m not,” he repeated, and tightened his grip on her hand. “She wanted to hurt you. She did everything she could to ruin your career. Using Lew, making up lies, dragging that whole business with that creep football player into the public. I can’t be sorry she won’t be around to try something else.” He let out a long breath. “I guess that makes me pretty cold.”
    “No, it doesn’t. Angela didn’t inspire great love and devotion.”
    “You do.”
    She lifted her head and turned to smile at him, when a sound in the doorway made them both jump.
    “Oh, God.” Cassie stood, a paperweight in one hand, a brass sculpture in the other. “I thought someone had broken in again.” She pressed the hefty glass paperweight to her heart.
    On watery legs, Deanna managed the two steps to a chair. “I came in early,” she said, trying desperately to sound calm and in control. “I thought I might start catching up.”
    “I guess that makes three of us.” With her eyes on Deanna, Cassie set the sculpture and paperweight aside. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
    “No.” Deanna closed her eyes for a moment. “But I need to be here.”
     
    Perhaps