“We’re not! I would have told you, you _know_ that.” She glanced surreptitiously across the office at Sarah, but Sarah had her eyes on her work. “Burr got it into his head we were because Marcie talked about me so much. Because she stayed home and wouldn’t go out with him. When he accused her, it made her so mad she just told him, ‘Okay, believe it.’ And he did. I thought he was going to kill me last night.” At this Sarah did look up, but Laura didn’t notice. “Well, that’s a hell of a story,” Jack said. “It’s the truth, Jack! I swear.” “Never mind the truth. You’ve got me in a lovely mess. Burr thinks I promoted the whole affair.” “My God! Jack, what’ll we do?” “What _can_ we do? Have you done anything with Marcie you wouldn’t want to write home about?” “Nothing! I wish to God now I had. As long as he’s going to believe it anyway.” “Oh, no! Christ! Whatever you do, Laura, don’t touch Marcie. Not till Burr straightens out. Never, if you have any sense.” Laura wouldn’t answer him. She felt closer to winning Marcie, in spite of their awkwardness with each other this morning, than she ever had. She wouldn’t make any promises to Jack. “You hear me, Mother?” “Yes.” He apparently took that for a promise. “And one more thing.” “I can’t take any more right now.” “This won’t hurt. What have you done to Beebo?” “_Done_ to her? Nothing. Ask her what she’s done to me,” she said, and her voice was hard. Sarah watched her with considerable interest now. “Keep your voice down, Mother,” Jack said. “Beebo’s goofy for you. And when she gets a girl on her mind, that girl had better watch out. She’s a stubborn bitch.” “So am I,” Laura snapped. “She’s in love with you, Laura. Don’t cross her.” “I’d walk all over her if I could. She treats me like a slave.” “Christ, keep your voice down,” Jack said, and Laura was surprised at her own lack of caution. Usually she was meticulously careful. Today, nothing seemed to matter. “She’s in love with you,” Jack said. “That explains a lot of things.” “It doesn’t excuse them. Besides, she isn’t. How do you know she is?” “She said so.” “When?” “Last night.” Laura couldn’t help being flattered. The pleasure in her was warm and sudden and overwhelmed her bad conscience briefly. “I’m not going to see her again,” she told Jack. This time she almost whispered, which intrigued Sarah still more. Jack laughed. “Have it your way,” he said. “Only don’t drag me into your messes any more, Mother. I’ve got enough of my own.” “Is everything all right between—I mean—” She looked over at Sarah for the first time and surprised Sarah staring at her. Sarah went quickly back to work and Laura felt suddenly nervous. “Jack, I’d better hang up. We’ll talk tonight.” “Okay. See you at five-thirty.” Laura spent the rest of the day reassuring herself, _I’ll never go back to that hotel. He’ll be gone tomorrow. Or Sunday at the latest._ The thought gave her considerable relief. Chapter Thirteen