??Why do you think Gerry’s responsible for everything?”
Troy crossed his arms. “Not everything, just every bad thing that’s ever happened to this team.”
“That’s not fair.”
“No, it’s not. So tell me the truth. Did Gerry give you the idea of writing the blog?”
Mindy’s smile grew smug again. “No, he didn’t.”
Troy tensed. He studied Mindy’s posture, her features, and her eyes. “I don’t believe you.”
“Of course you don’t. It would be a lot more convenient for you if you could link Gerry to the blog. Then you wouldn’t be known as the marketing executive who slandered his boss on ESPN, of all things.”
Troy dropped his arms. “You’re right. It would be. But I’ll have to be satisfied with identifying you as the Insider and saying you acted alone.”
Mindy threw back her head and laughed. She was more than confident. She was arrogant and genuinely amused. “And who will believe you? First you accused your boss on television and now you’re accusing your ex-administrative assistant who quit because you were sexually harassing her.”
He fisted his hands to hold on to his temper. “I never harassed you.”
“Of course you didn’t. But I can be very convincing. In the end, it will be just your word against mine.”
Troy pulled the audio recorder from his inside jacket pocket. “Not exactly.” He rewound the device and played the last ten seconds of the recording.
“I never harassed you.”
“Of course you didn’t. But I can be very convincing. In the end, it will be just your word against mine.”
Mindy gaped at him. “You can’t use that tape.”
“I will if I have to.” He tucked the recorder back into his pocket. “Andy’s going to submit her article about your being the Insider for Monday’s edition of the paper as well as post it on the Sports website today. Kind of ironic. By tomorrow, your anonymity will be over.”
Mindy’s glare was lethal. “It will still be just your word against mine.”
Troy shook his head. “I don’t think so. If you continue the blog, the next time I go on ESPN, I’ll share this tape on air.” He stepped around her on his way to her front door. “Don’t bother to show me out. I know my way.”
He’d have to thank Andrea again. Sending him with the audio recorder had been part of her plan in case Mindy denied being involved with the blog. It also had been Andrea’s idea to attack Mindy’s ego. It was good to have a plan. Who would have thought he and Andrea Benson would make a good team?
Troy pressed the elevator’s button and waited for his ride to the lobby. He’d been so certain Gerald was involved with the Monarchs Insider blog, if he weren’t the actual blogger. Being wrong disappointed him more than he could measure.
How could he return to the Monarchs now?
Andrea sat beside him on his black leather sofa. Her sherry brown eyes were dark with concern. “I’m sorry things didn’t work out the way you’d hoped they would with the blogger.”
So was he. But he was glad she was here. He could use the company to help him get through the disappointment. “The important thing is we’ve given Mindy an incentive to take down the Insider.”
“Will’s going to run the story in tomorrow’s paper. It’s on our website now. Needless to say, he’s thrilled. One last hurrah before the paper folds.” Andrea had come straight to his condo after filing her exposé on the Monarchs Insider with Sports.
Troy linked his fingers with hers. She was wearing her reporter’s uniform: blazer and slacks in neutral colors and a pale blouse. “Removing the blog will be one less worry for the team. Now if they could just keep from being swept out of the play-offs.”
It was almost four hours before game four of the Cleveland Cavaliers versus Brooklyn Monarchs best-of-seven-games series.
“I thought playing in the Empire would give them an advantage for games three and four.” Andrea looked at their joined hands before raising her gaze to his. “You’ve said all the right things. Now tell me how you feel.”
“Frustrated. Scared.” Troy stood to cross his living room. He needed to distance himself from those words. He stopped in front of his picture window and let the view of his Prospect Heights neighborhood sooth him. “I want my job back.”
“How are you going to change Gerry’s mind?”
He clenched his teeth. “I still want him as far away from the Monarchs as possible.”