Ana Leigh - Reconcilable Differences

“Darling, you are absolutely glowing,” Deb said when she sat down. “I know it can’t be that you’re pregnant, so what is it?”

The salutation was Deb’s usual greeting to everyone. It was a convenient affectation that she carried off so well that most people never suspected that often it served a double purpose. Through the years, the greeting had become a signal between them for Trish to recognize by the tone of voice in the way she said it, when Deb either liked or distrusted an individual. This had often proven to be very useful in dealing with people, both socially and in business.

“Deb, you are not going to believe this.” With a smug smile, Trish handed Deb a copy of her divorce papers, then sat back and laughed at her friend’s reaction as she perused it.

Deb squealed with joy. “The scourge finally signed the divorce papers!” She glanced at Trish askance. “What did you do, hold a gun to his head?”

“Now you know I’m more up close and personal than that,” Trish teased. “I held a knife to his throat.”

“We’ve got to celebrate this.” Deb motioned to the waiter. “Darling, a couple of Bloody Marys, please.”

“Can’t we settle for orange juice?”

“Not on your life. Tom and I have been waiting for this day as much as you have. Let’s hear all the delicious details.”

Trish told her of her agreement to accompany Robert to Morocco. As much as she hated to withhold anything from her friend, she honored her word to the CIA and kept out of the conversation any mention of their involvement or the rescue by a special ops squad.

Deb whipped out her cell phone. “I’ve got to tell Tom. He’ll be ecstatic.”

“Hold up. I have something more to tell you. I ran into Dave Cassidy.”

Debra’s green eyes widened with disbelief. “You’re kidding! Where?”

Now what? She hated lying to Deb. “He was on the same plane as we were coming back from Germany.” At least that was the truth.

“You mean he came here on business?”

“Apparently he lives here.”

Deb threw her hands up in the air. “Tom and I go away for a week, and this is what happens. Is he married?”

“I didn’t ask.”

“You didn’t ask!”

“I noticed he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.”

“That doesn’t always mean anything. You know some men remove them when their wives aren’t around.”

“Debra, I’m talking about Dave. Mr. Straight-and-Narrow Cassidy.”

“Trish, that doesn’t sound like you. When did you become so cynical?”

She sighed. “Yeah, I know. That’s how my father contemptuously refers to Dave.”

“Henry has his own agenda.” Deb reached over and squeezed her hand. “So how did it go?”

“Horribly.” Trish looked up desolately. “He’s very bitter, Deb. I think he hates me.”

“He doesn’t hate you, Trish. Good Lord, anyone who ever saw the two of you together knows Dave could never hate you. He’s probably carrying the same torch that you are, and when he found out you were married, it probably made matters worse.”

“I am not carrying a torch for Dave Cassidy. I just want us to be friends again.”

“Right. He’s as ugly as sin, as mean as a junkyard dog and could never function below the waist, anyway. I’m glad we’ve got that settled. However, darling, having said that, I question if you read his body language correctly. Dave more likely is more jealous than bitter. And if that’s the case, it’s a darn better sign he’s not married than the fact that he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.”

“Easy for you to say,” Trish murmured and lowered her head in dejection.

“Did you tell him you’re a free woman now?”

“That would have been difficult to explain since I was with Robert. Besides, I think I’d be wasting my time. He clearly is not interested in having me in his life.”

“You’ll never know unless you try. Don’t you know by now, darling, men don’t understand the game of love. They go blundering through it like storm troopers. It always takes the right woman to explain it to them.”

Laughing, the two women clinked their glasses. “Men,” they said in unison.

“Hey, what is that?” Trish reached over and grabbed Deb’s wrist. “New, isn’t it?” she asked, staring at the diamond and gold bracelet on Deb’s wrist. “Did you and Tom raid Tiffany’s when you were in New York?”

“Just a little bauble Tom gave me for our eighth wedding anniversary,” Deb replied, tongue-in-cheek. “Cute, isn’t it?”

“Oh, yes. Cute, Deb. There are enough diamonds there to…” Diamonds. She suddenly remembered Colin McDermott had mentioned diamonds to Robert in Morocco.

“To what?” Deb asked.

Trish snapped back to awareness. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“You were saying there are enough diamonds to what?”

“To blind a person, Debra Carpenter. Shame on you.”

Deb took a long look at the bracelet. “There are a lot, aren’t there?”

“I’ll say. It must have cost a mint.”

Deb’s smooth brow creased in a frown. “You don’t suppose Tom is having an affair, do you?”

“Yeah, right!” Trish scoffed. “When mules fly like Pegasus.”

The two women looked at each other, broke into laughter, and once again clinked their glasses together.

As soon as Trish returned home, she looked up the telephone number of Kim Harrington in New York, and was lucky enough to catch her at home. In loyalty to her brother, Kim refused to give her Dave’s address. After Trish explained they had run into each other again, and she had to talk to him, Kim finally conceded that at age thirty-four her big brother was old enough to handle his own problems. She relented and gave Trish Dave’s telephone number and address.

Thoughts about McDermott, Robert and diamonds kept running through Trish’s mind for the rest of the day. She had forgotten about the diamonds entirely and realized she had never mentioned them to the CIA. From what she remembered of the conversation between Robert and McDermott, the Irishman had indicated Robert had the diamonds in his possession. He would still have to have them because he and Ali had never left her before Dave and his squad showed up. And since they’d been transported home on military planes, Robert could easily have smuggled the diamonds into the country. She was curious enough to try and find out.

Trish rooted hurriedly through a dresser drawer, found what she was looking for, and hurried back to her car.

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