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IBACK
TO SPOTLIGHT
PAUL RICHARDSON (PERFECT and NIGHT WHISPERS)
PERFECT:
Because of him, Zack was moved to go see Julie and make up
with her. He might not have done it discreetly, in fact he
was so blunt with his word. But still, all’s well that
ends well for Zack and Julie because of him.
**********
“Let’s
knock off the adolescent sparring. We don’t like each
other so let’ drop it. The point is, I did not come here
to antagonize you, I came here to give you proof that
Julie did not originally set a trap for you in Mexico
City. The truth is that what she saw happened to you there
combined with your refusal to let her explain or answer
her letter have hurt her more than you can possible know
or imagine. Her family is worried about her, and so am I.”
“You are?”
(Zack) repeated with insolent amusement. “And why is that,
I wonder?”
“Because
unlike you, I feel a responsibility for the part I played
in Mexico City and the damage it did to her.” Reaching
into his briefcase, Paul withdrew a large envelope, then
he closed his case and stood up. Tossing the envelope
distastefully onto his adversary’s desk, he said, “And
because I’m in love with her.”
Benedict
didn’t reach for it or glance at it. “Now why is it, he
mocked, “that announcement doesn’t surprise me?”
“Maybe
you’re clairvoyant,” Paul snapped. “Either way, the
evidence is ther – two videotapes and a letter. Don’t take
my word for anything, Benedict, see for yourself. And then
if you have even a trace of decency left, do something to
alleviate her suffering.
---------------------------
NIGHT
WHISPERS: Again, he was the one responsible for the Noah
and Sloan’s reunion. He came to Noah personally to explain
that Sloan was never an accessory from the start, and
luckily, he was able to make Noah listen to him.
**********
Paul
shoved away from the door. “I know I’ve given you a lot to
consider. “ he glanced at his watch. “You have a half hour
to decide whether or not to screw up your life and
Sloan’s.
“What the
hell is that supposed to mean?”
“It means
she’s waiting for you on the Apparition. So give it some
thought. She isn’t there to plead with you. She’d never
plead. She wanted to tell you she was sorry about what
happened and to say goodbye to you properly.”
Turning,
he reached for the door, then he stopped and turned
halfway back. “There’s one more thing,” he said with a
smile. “I’m going to marry Paris, and as I leaned to my
immense discomfort one night she has a surprisingly strong
right arm.”
Maitland
caught the gist of that. “She slapped you?” he concluded
dispassionately.
‘Exactly.”
“Why”
“I accused
her of murdering Edith.”
“That
sounds like a good reason to me,” he said with biting
amusement.
“An hour
before that, I also discovered that Sloan packs even more
powere and she’s quicker than Paris.”
Interest
flicked in Maitland’s eyes. “Sloan slapped you too?”
“No. she
nailed me with a right hook that almost sent me to the
floor.”
“Why>”
Paul
sobered. “Because she’d just found out I’d used her to get
to you.” He’d said everything he could think of to say to
vindicate Sloan, but when he searched Noah’s impassive
face for a clue as to how he felt, his expression was
completely unreadable.
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