Page 45 of Condemned By Secrets

Did she know the mayor’s nephew? “Your nephew?”

“Yes, Richard—”

Anna almost dropped the phone. Richard was the mayor’s nephew? He’d never told her that!

“—I hope you can forgive him for such a childish prank.”

Anna would’ve sputtered if she wasn’t still in shock. “A childish prank?” She didn’t understand how the mayor could think sexual harassment was childish.

“Your tire. It seems extreme to hold someone in jail overnight for that, but, either way, I hope we can put this unpleasantness behind us because we all have work to do.” Anna was impressed the mayor was able to sound sympathetic and condescending at the same time, but her words stirred up Anna’s outrage.

“Oh,wedo?” She didn’t want any part in the mayor’s ‘work’, and she certainly hoped the woman wasn’t including Richard in that ‘we’.

She continued as if Anna hadn’t spoken, “There’s a meeting tomorrow night with the Development Review Committee. You’re expected to be there.”

Fishsticks!Anna rolled her eyes and dropped her forehead to her hand. A pit had formed in her stomach at the mention of the meeting. So, that’s the real reason the mayor called. “I’ll be there.”But under protest.

“Excellent. I’ll have the agenda sent over.”

“Great.” Anna didn’t care if her tone was as lackluster as she felt.

“See you tomorrow evening, Anna.”

“Good—” the line went dead before Anna finished, and she frowned at her phone. What did the mayor expect from her?

Anna worried about what might fall out of the dark cloud the mayor was hanging over her. Groaning, she hung up the phone and dropped her head in her hands. All the joy from her date with Luther couldn’t outweigh the dread of attending this meeting.

And what was the deal with Richard and the mayor? All the times they’d talked about the mayor and her plans for the town, not once did he bother to mention he was related to her! And why would the mayor apologize for him if they were at odds? It didn’t make any sense unless it was just another lie he’d told her.Ugh!

Anna slammed her hands down on her desk. She was so sick of subterfuge. Couldn’t anyone tell her the truth? She was fuming when a knock sounded at her door.

“What?” Anna yelled.

The door opened, and Richard poked his head in.

“You!” Anna snarled and shot to her feet as Richard made his way in. He shut the door behind him, but she was angry enough not to feel fear.

“Hello, Anna.” Despite her obvious unhappiness at seeing him, Richard’s voice stayed pleasant as he approached her desk.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were the mayor’s nephew?” Anna seethed. Her hands were clenched into fists, and her breathing was unsteady as she stared him down.

Richard took a step closer, and her brain screamed he was getting too close. A quiver raced up her spine and woke Anna from her rage. “Wait, you’re not supposed to be here. They’ll arrest you again!” She backed up and hit her chair. At the contact, her legs trembled, but she told herself she wasn’t trapped. Moving around her chair, she put it between her and Richard, adding an extra layer of protection.

He smiled and sat in one of the chairs across from her desk. “That’s wholly unnecessary. Anna, please sit.” He waved at her chair. “I’m here to explain.”

She wasn’t about to trust him or fall for any more of his lies. “No.”

Richard shrugged. “All right.” He held his hands up in a gesture of apology. “I’m sorry, Anna. Slashing your tire was foolish and the least of the things I need to apologize for.”

He sighed heavily, and his eyes shone with regret, but she wasn’t letting her guard down yet.

“I never meant any of that business about payment in sexual favors.”

He shook his head, but Anna merely narrowed her eyes at him, waiting for the moment he’d reveal the truth of this farce of an apology.

“I only wanted to scare you off, to make you quit.”

Anna’s hands gripped the back of her chair as anger stirred in her chest. “Why would you want me to quit?”

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