Page 35 of Dimitri
Gerry scoffed. "You're not a wilting violet. I've seen you in action and you're never intimidated."
"No." Picking up a glass elephant, she rolled it around in her palm. "But there's something about Betsy Black that strikes me as evil." She shrugged. "And you're right. She's right where she belongs."
Allison let out a shaky laugh, but her eyes betrayed her concern. "I know, Gerry. But this feels different. There's a part of me that can't shake the feeling that she's not done, that she'll find a wayto make trouble, no matter where she is." She absently rubbed her arm, as if still feeling the sting of the encounter. "I just want Simon to be safe."
"He is. You checked out the uncle thoroughly, of course."
She nodded. "He's solid." She hesitated and wondered if she should reveal that Dimitri had offered to lend his support in the form of monetary assistance. The uncle had told her with a flush of excitement that he had already been in touch.
"I know who he is, of course. Dimitri Petrov. He's paying for a place, a nice home near Simon's school. A place with a yard for him to run around in. I don't know if I should accept that very generous offer." She had told the man she would let him know. She supposed that a man with Dimitri's unlimited resources would have no trouble buying not one, but several houses. He had said he wanted to assist and she supposed she should let him. She was just going to have to explore the ramifications, if there were any, first. And her emotional response to what he was doing.
The man had gotten under her skin in more ways than one. She had stood there inside the courtroom, expecting him to be there. And she was sitting at her desk, waiting to hear from him. It had to stop.
"What's next?"
Stirring herself, she picked up the file she had been perusing. "The children's home on Silver Street."
"Ah." Gerry took another sip. "The mayor is making noises about displacing the children."
"The mayor is a political ass. The place is in deplorable condition, and the children are badly mistreated."
"Don't get on your high horse with me. I'm on your side. Any plans?"
"I'm gunning for the admin staff. The administrator is a dried-up old prune, married to a senator. I don't give a rat's ass if she's married to the President. I'm taking her down."
Gerry laughed softly, amused at the battle light in the younger woman's eyes. "I'm rooting for you. Have at it." She rose and stretched. "I have a meeting with a potential client. See you later."
*****
She was elbow deep in paperwork when she got the call.
"Yes?" She looked up distractedly when the receptionist came to stand inside her doorway. "You were not answering your phone."
"I'm busy."
"I told the lady that, but she insisted on speaking to you. Elizabeth McKenzie."
She looked up from the file and stared at the woman framed inside her doorway. And wondered briefly if she could get away with not taking the call.
She was smart enough to figure out the call was due to Elizabeth's grandson spending the night. Allison was not big on coincidences.
Stifling a sigh, she nodded. "I'll take it. Close the door please."
She waited until that was done, before picking up the receiver and forcing cheerfulness into her voice.
"Elizabeth, hi. I hope you're not calling to tell me you're having troubles with one of my charges."
"No such thing, my dear." The woman's cultured voice was light and breezy. "How have you been doing? I have not seen you since the function."
"Busy." Leaning back against the chair, she let out a careful breath. Dimitri had not called her, and she was wondering if that was deliberate. "Too much work and too little compensation."
"We both know you don't do it for the money."
"I don't. How are you and Alvin?" She was also careful not to mention the woman's grandson.
"My husband is just recovering from a cold. I wasn't certain Dimitri mentioned it."
The gauntlet had been dropped, and it was followed by silence on her part. So, she knew and in her own subtle manner, the woman was making her aware that she knew. She could do one of two things: ignore the unspoken question and move on to something else or acknowledge it. She was usually a very forthright person, but in this instance she was going to hide behind falsehood and ignorance and hope for the best.
