What matter? Maddie wondered. “Adam didn’t look threatened when I last saw him. In fact, he appeared to be excited and very engaged with the man in his office.”
“Yes. Adam introduced me. Mr. Dunleavy wants to feature Adam in a TV show.” Dorothy raised a well-manicured nail and pointed it at Maddie. “That ought to give you some idea of how valuable Adam is to Eva Ware Designs. Eva depended on his genius.”
“I know how valuable Adam is.”
Dorothy met Maddie’s eyes steadily. “He believes that you intend to take over as head designer and push him out.”
Maddie drew in a deep breath. “I don’t know where Adam got that idea. For the next three weeks all I intend to do is fulfill the terms of my mother’s will.”
“I understood that you were to merely step into your sister’s shoes and do her job. Jordan doesn’t work in the design part of the business.”
Maddie raised her chin. “Well, I do. And I intend to work with Cho Li to bring the sketches my mother left to fruition. However, I have no intention of getting rid of Adam or pushing him out. From what I’ve seen he’s a brilliant designer. I assure you his job is secure.”
There was a beat of silence, then Dorothy Ware rose from her chair. “Thank you. If Adam was able to speak for himself, I wouldn’t have had to waste my time with a trip over here.”
Maddie managed to suppress a shiver until Dorothy Ware had swept out of the room and Jase had closed the door. “Is it my imagination or did the temperature in the room just warm up a few degrees?”
“She’s a cold one,” Jase murmured. “I wonder if Adam ever pleases her.”
“We’re not seeing any of them under the best conditions. The terms of the will must have thrown everyone in the family a curve ball.” She turned to him then and gave him a speculative look. “Speaking of curve balls, Adam seems to be completely caught up in this reality-TV thing. Did you have something to do with it?”
Jase smiled slowly. “You’re a sharp one, Maddie Farrell. What tipped you off that I had something to do with it?”
“The timing. It was very convenient. Do they work for you?”
“Duncan Dunleavy is my younger brother, D.C. And the man toting the video camera is my partner, Dino Angelis. I phoned and asked D.C. to come up with a distraction while you were working with Cho.”
“It’s not going to be pretty when Adam finds out it’s all a hoax.”
“No worries,” Jase assured her. “When the time comes, D.C. will have a plausible exit strategy. It won’t come back to bite you. And it may give Adam the time he needs to stop feeling so paranoid.”
Maddie rose, walked to him. Then, rising on her toes, she kissed him lightly. “Thanks.”
Jase found it took some effort not to grab her and deepen the kiss. Later, he promised himself. Then he wondered how much longer he could wait.
MADDIE SANK onto one of the luxuriously upholstered couches in the ladies’ room. With D.C. and Jase’s partner filming, the only way Maddie could get Michelle alone was to bring her here. The restroom was a true lounge. In addition to three stalls as well as a double sink, there was a comfortably furnished outer sitting area. A mirrored wall allowed ample room for retouching makeup, and Michelle was making good use of it. Maddie made a mental note to use some tomorrow. In Santa Fe, she rarely bothered with anything more than a moisturizing sunscreen and a touch of lipstick.
When Michelle finally turned, Maddie said, “Before we go back out there, would you mind if I asked you a question?”“Anything. I can’t imagine how difficult this must be for you, and Adam is being so rude.”
“Does that surprise you?”
Michelle shook her head. “No. He’s very absorbed in his work. In himself. But he doesn’t treat Jordan the way he’s treating you. Maybe it’s because you design jewelry and he sees that as a threat to his position here at Eva Ware Designs.” Michelle glanced at her watch. “I’d better get back. I’m not supposed to be away from my desk for long.”
“Just one question,” Maddie said. “I’m assuming that Eva kept some sort of appointment calendar?”
“She had a Palm Pilot.”
“I’d like to see it. I don’t want anything important to slip through the cracks while I’m here.”
Michelle grimaced. “The Palm Pilot should be in her desk drawer—top right. That’s where I put it each time I updated it from her desktop. But she never really got the hang of it. She always used one of those old-fashioned leather-bound books with a ribbon to mark the current page.”
Something tightened around Maddie’s heart. She reached into her tote and pulled out her own day planner. “Was it like this?”
Michelle’s eyes widened. “Just like it.”
“Do you know where I could find Eva’s?”
“That’s yours?”
Maddie nodded.
Michelle thought for a moment. “Eva always took it home with her at night. I imagine it would have been with her…effects. Jordan might have a better idea.”
As she followed Michelle out of the room, Maddie reminded herself that she needed to talk to her sister.
LEANING AGAINST a doorjamb, Jase watched the two women walk out of the restroom. A ringing phone had Michelle rushing for her desk.
It was only as Maddie drew close that he noticed how tired she looked. Little wonder with the emotional roller-coaster ride she’d been on all morning. There were dark smudges under her eyes. He reached out and rubbed a thumb over one of them. “Tough day.”“But I’m making progress. I just learned that my mother kept an appointment calendar in a book very similar to mine.”
Jase tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. “Like mother, like daughter.”
She swallowed. “Maybe. I’m still getting used to thinking about her as my mother. And every time I do, I can’t help but wish I could have met her, talked to her. Had a chance to work at her side.”
Jase traced a finger along her cheek. “I know.” He experienced a sudden urge to take her away and give her a break. Give them both a break.
Behind them, the phone rang again, and Michelle said, “Eva Ware Designs.”
Maddie glanced around. “Where’s Adam?”
“They’re in the work studio. D.C. wanted to get some footage of the designer at work. The reality-TV gig should keep Adam out of your hair for a while.”
“Jordan?” The excitement in Michelle’s voice had them both looking at her.
“Yes. Yes, she’s right here.” Turning to Maddie, Michelle continued, “It’s your sister. Why don’t you take it in her office?”
Maddie hurried into the room and picked up the phone.
Closing the door, Jase said, “Put it on speaker.”
Jordan’s voice filled the room. “Maddie, something terrible has happened. Are you alone?”
“No,” Maddie said. “Jase is here. I’ve put the phone on speaker so he can hear.”
“Jase is back?”
“I’m right here, Jordan. We’re in your office. What’s happened?”
“It’s Maddie’s design…” Jordan’s voice broke, and suddenly there was a man speaking on the other end of the line.
“Maddie, this is Cash.”
The cowboy, Jase thought as he stepped closer to the desk. “Jordan never cries,” he muttered to Maddie. He raised his voice. “Is Jordan all right?”
“She’s fine. Who are you?”
“Jase Campbell.”
“Jordan said you were in South America.”
“Maddie said you were out on a cattle drive.”
“I’m back.”
Maddie stared at Jase. Not only had he tensed up, but he’d used a more polite tone with Adam.
“Is Maddie all right?” Cash asked.
Maddie shifted her gaze to the phone. There was an edge to Cash’s voice too. “I’m fine. Put Jordan back on—or better still, push the speakerphone button.”
“Maddie?” Jordan’s voice was stronger now. “I don’t want you to worry. I can get it all fixed while I’m here. As far as we can tell, nothing was stolen. I wasn’t even going to tell you about it, but Cash said I had to.”
“Tell me about what?”
“Your design studio. Someone broke into it and…destroyed everything.”
Maddie felt Jase’s hand close around hers, and she gripped it hard. “But you’re all right?”
“She’s fine,” Cash said. “She told me about this will her mother left. I was thinking that perhaps someone vandalized the place to upset you enough to have you flying back here. Or perhaps to scare Jordan so she would leave. So stay right where you are, Maddie. I’m going to stick close to Jordan for the next three weeks. We’ll hire Mitch Cramer to repair the damage. And I’ll get one of my men to stand guard.”
“Cash, you insisted Jordan tell us because you’re afraid that something similar might occur on this end too?” asked Jase.
“Something like that.”
“Good thinking.”
Maddie studied Jase. The tension she’d sensed in him earlier had faded.
“You should stick close to Maddie,” Cash said.