The Stars Shine Down

"Nice work, Sal."

Mancini shook his head. "You know something? In the end it really didn't matter. If I hadn't caught him, and if we had gone after Lara Cameron, Howard Keller would have come in and confessed."

Her world was collapsing. It was unbelievable to Lara that Howard Keller, of all people, could have been responsible for the terrible things that had happened. He did it for me, Lara thought. I have to try to help him.

Kathy buzzed her. "The car is here, Miss Cameron. Are you ready?"

"Yes." She was on her way to Reno to testify before the grand jury.

Five minutes after Lara left, Philip telephoned the office.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Adler. You just missed her. She's on her way to Reno."

He felt a sharp pang of disappointment. He was desperately eager to see her, to ask her forgiveness. "When you speak to her, tell her I'll be waiting for her."

"I'll tell her."

He made a second phone call, spoke for ten minutes, and then telephoned William Ellerbee.

"Bill...I'm going to stay in New York. I'm going to teach at Juilliard."

"What can they do to me?" Lara asked.

Terry Hill said, "That depends. They'll listen to your testimony. They can either decide that you're innocent, in which case you'll get your casino back, or they can recommend that there's enough evidence against you to indict you. If that's their verdict, you'll be tried on criminal charges and face prison."

Lara mumbled something.

"I'm sorry?"

"I said Papa was right. It's the Fates."

The grand jury hearing lasted for four hours. Lara was questioned about the acquisition of the Cameron Palace Hotel & Casino. When she came out of the hearing room, Terry Hill squeezed Lara's hand. "You did very well, Lara. I think you really impressed them. They have no hard evidence against you, so there's a good chance that..." He broke off, stunned. Lara turned. Paul Martin had come into the anteroom. He was dressed in an old-fashioned double-breasted suit with a vest, and his white hair was combed in the same style as when Lara had first met him.

Terry Hill said, "Oh, God! He's here to testify." He turned to Lara. "How much does he hate you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Lara, if they've offered him leniency to testify against you, you're finished. You'll go to prison."

Lara was looking across the room at Paul Martin. "But...then he would destroy himself, too."

"That's why I asked you how much he hates you. Would he do that to himself to destroy you?"

Lara said numbly, "I don't know."

Paul Martin was walking toward them. "Hello, Lara. I hear things have been going badly for you." His eyes revealed nothing. "I'm so sorry."

Lara remembered Howard Keller's words. "He's Sicilian. They never forgive, and they never forget." He had been carrying this burning thirst for vengeance inside him, and she had had no idea.

Paul Martin started to move away.

"Paul..."

He stopped. "Yes?"

"I need to talk to you."

He hesitated a moment. "All right."

He nodded toward an empty office down the corridor. "We can talk in there."

Terry Hill watched as the two of them went into the office. The door closed behind them. He would have given anything to have heard their conversation.

She did not know how to begin.

"What is it you want, Lara?"

It was much more difficult than she had anticipated. When she spoke, her voice was hoarse. "I want you to let me go."

His eyebrows were raised. "How can I? I don't have you." He was mocking her.

She was finding it hard to breathe.

"Don't you think you've punished me enough?"

Paul Martin stood there, stone, his expression unreadable.

"The time we had together was wonderful, Paul. Outside of Philip, you've meant more to me than anyone in my life. I owe you more than I could ever repay. I never meant to hurt you. You must believe that."

It was difficult to go on.

"You have the power to destroy me. Is that really what you want? Will sending me to prison make you happy?" She was fighting to hold back her tears. "I'm begging you, Paul. Give me back my life. Please, stop treating me like an enemy..."

Paul Martin stood there, his black eyes giving away nothing.

"I'm asking for your forgiveness. I...I'm too tired to fight anymore, Paul. You've won..." Her voice broke.

There was a knock on the door, and the bailiff peered into the room. "The grand jury is ready for you, Mr. Martin."

He stood there, looking at Lara for a long time; then he turned and left without a word.

It's all over, Lara thought. It's finished.

Terry Hill came hurrying into the office. "I wish to God I knew how he was going to testify in there. There's nothing to do now but wait."

They waited. It seemed an eternity. When Paul Martin finally emerged from the hearing room, he looked tired and drawn. He's become old, Lara thought. He blames me for that. He was watching her. He hesitated a moment, then walked over to her.

"I can never forgive you. You made a fool of me. But you were the best thing that ever happened to me. I guess I owe you something for that. I didn't tell them anything in there, Lara."

Her eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Paul. I don't know how to..."

"Call it my birthday present to you. Happy birthday, baby."

She watched him walk away, and his words suddenly hit her. It was her birthday! So many events had been piling on top of one another that she had completely forgotten about it. And the party. Two hundred guests were going to be waiting for her at the Manhattan Cameron Plaza!