Leona Karr - Semiautomatic Marriage

“Right. As for getting married, there’s no need for anything but a civil service, one we’ll have as quickly and quietly as possible. We can dispense with everything else.”

Everything else? All the dreams? All expectations of someday being a bride in white lace and satin? To love and to cherish? She had always thought that someday she’d hear those poignant words, and she’d never feel lonely again. Getting married would be a beginning of a new life and the ending of an old one.

“All we need are the official credentials of Mr. and Mrs. Adam Lawrence,” he assured her. “And you’ll need to go by Carolyn Lawrence until this is over. For your protection, Mr. Bancroft will go over any legal matters that might come up while the investigation is going on.”

Investigation, he had said, not marriage. Just a business arrangement. Of course, that was all it was. No reason for her to get sentimental about taking vows that meant nothing. In a way that was what her life had been up till now. Pragmatic. Realistic. No reason for her to view a wedding ring on her finger as anything but a cold circle of metal.

“How soon should we do this?” she asked, putting her hands in her lap and clasping them tightly.

“Bancroft will make arrangements for you to move into the house and will finalize all the business arrangements. Just a matter of a few days, I think.”

“So soon?” She forced a light laugh. “You really know how to rush a girl off her feet.”

“The sooner we get into position, the better.”

Get into position. That’s the way he was viewing this whole marriage arrangement. Professional. Unemotional. Nonpersonal. The moment had come when she was either going to believe him or walk away.

“I’ll check my wardrobe and see if I have something decent to wear to a pretend wedding.”

They went back to making idle conversation, and as soon as they’d finished their coffee and apple cobbler, they left the restaurant.

The silence between them on the ride back to her apartment was like a thick curtain as Carolyn’s sensible nature began to question everything Adam Lawrence had said. Was this so-called investigation of Horizon just an elaborate scheme to swindle a naive heiress? Bancroft was the only one vouching for Adam Lawrence, and what did she really know about the lawyer? Had she bought into some sophisticated hoax?

“How would I go about verifying everything you’ve told me?” she asked as Adam walked her up the stairs to her back door. In the dim light of the back-door bulb, she could see his eyes widen in surprise. It was obvious he was taken aback by her question.

“You could decide to initiate a background check on Adam Lawrence.”

With sudden insight she said, “That’s not even your real name, is it.”

“For the moment it’s the only legal name I have.”

She wanted to laugh, but the mirth caught in her chest. She turned away and went in the house without even responding to his, “Good night. I’ll call you in the morning.”

BACK IN HIS HOTEL ROOM, Adam called his supervisor, Angelica Rivers, a woman whose crisp, businesslike voice matched her appearance. Adam guessed that at this early hour, she was probably still wearing her tailored white blouse and the straight linen skirt with its matching long jacket. Angelica had been with the agency since she was twenty, and now in her forties, she brooked no nonsense from agents, male or female.

“It’s a go,” Adam told her.

“Carolyn Leigh agreed?”

“Yes,” he answered, and mentally crossed his fingers that the arrangement with Carolyn was still a go.

“What kind of woman is she?”

Adam knew he had to be careful. Angelica would weigh everything he said and probably read between the lines. “We can trust her. She’s ready to cooperate fully.”

“I repeat, what kind of woman is she? Are you afraid to offer a personal evaluation, Adam?”

“No, not really,” he lied. His personal evaluation of Carolyn Leigh demanded honesty about how attractive he found her—in more aspects than he was willing to admit to his boss.

“You don’t like this woman who is going to pretend to be your wife?” Before he could answer, she added with knowing perception, “Or is it, as I suspect, just the opposite?”

“That’s what I like about you, Angel,” he said, using her nickname. “Nobody can accuse you of holding back. Why don’t you just ask me if she turns me on?”

“Well, does she? You know darn well you can’t get emotionally involved when you’re on a case—especially this one. Maybe I should send someone else in right now. You could get yourself killed if you let things get out of hand.”

“I’m not going to let anything get out of hand. That’s a promise. And you don’t need to worry about Carolyn not sticking to the cover.” He told Angelica about the Mexican couple and their baby. “She’s a dedicated humanitarian, and she convinced herself that she wanted to cooperate.” Unless she’s changed her mind.

“What’s the plan?”

“We’ll arrange a civil marriage ceremony as soon as the lawyer has all the legal ends tied up in a few days. Then we’ll move into the Stanford mansion and meet some of the players.”

“So the curtain goes up.”

“Yes.” Adam drew in a deep breath, and as confidently as he could, said, “And the drama begins!”

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