COUNTERPOINT
An original romantic serial

From Alina Adams the author of "When a Man Loves a Woman" (DELL 4/00), "Annie's Wild Ride" (AVON 8/98), "Inside Figure Skating" (METROBOOKS 11/00 & 9/99), "Thieves at Heart" (AVON 12/95) and "The Fictitious Marquis" (AVON 6/95)

Available weekly by e-mail from http://www.AlinaAdams.com

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CHAPTER 30

      Victoria blinked in surprise. Could he have meant some other box under the desk? She felt certain there'd been only one, but, considering the gravity of their situation, figured it was worth a second look. Braving the dust-coated dark a second time, Victoria stretched her arm as far as she could, sweeping it back and forth, looking for a second box, until her hand smacked the far wall.
      "Lose something, Miss Morgan?" The voice behind her dripped honeyed rat-poison.
      Victoria had heard it before.
      Trapped in the awkward position of crawling on all fours, her head thrust under a desk, Victoria attempted to preserve some small shred of dignity while rising from her knees to face Robin's wife.
      She didn't blame Nicole Simonge for appearing amused by the incident, and Victoria supposed she might even have found the time to feel mortified, if she weren't too busy wondering, "What in the world are you doing here?"
      "Scavenger hunt." Nicole reached into her purse, withdrew a single, manilla folder, and tossed it at Victoria.
      She fumbled to catch it, skimming the document long enough to confirm its identity. "Where did you get this?"
      Nicole raised her eyebrow and pointed at the fireproof box. "There are lots more where that one came from. I know the police had a swell time looking through them all."
      Victoria couldn't believe her ears. "You did this? You sent the police Gabriel's records?"
      "I sent the photocopies. Rest assured, the originals are safe and sound and very well hidden. That is, until I decide it's time for them to see the light of day."
      Victoria opened her mouth, but found she couldn't summon up a sound. It took her two tries to demand, "Why? Why do this? Why would you want to hurt Gabriel? You don't even know him."
      "I should think the answer would be obvious. I don't want to hurt him, I want to hurt you. Dr. Scott is a means, not an end."
      "But, how will having Gabriel arrested serve your agenda?"
      "I had him arrested," Nicole said. "I can have him unarrested. Without the originals, the city has no case. You, Miss Morgan, can make sure no one ever sees those originals."
      She understood. She wished she didn't. But, she understood.
      "What do you want from me?" Victoria demanded.
      "Not what," Nicole smiled. "Who."
      Victoria's stomach clenched. Her legs buckled and she had to lock her knees to remain upright. Her throat dried. She swallowed hard, and stated the obvious. "Robin."
      "My, you are a bright one."
      This was unreal. It couldn't possibly be real, because trades like this simply didn't happen to people like Victoria.
      She stammered, "Robin is a human being, he's not a thing. You can't barter for him, like some sheaf of wheat."
      "Watch me."
      Victoria attempted to collect herself, frantically racking her brain for some sort of adequate compromise.
      Oblivious to her torment, or, rather, gratified by it, Nicole dictated terms. She mandated, "If, come ten a.m. tomorrow morning, my husband is still panting over you like some hormonal adolescent, every original document that I have will find itself stacked pretty as you please, on the district attorney's desk. If, however, come ten a.m. tomorrow morning, Robin is back where he belongs, with me, those same originals will be dumped onto your desk. Well, over a period of time, that is. You would hardly expect me to give up my leverage all at once, now, would you?"
      Victoria tried to be reasonable, pointing out, "Even if I tell Robin I never want to see him again, what makes you sure he'll come running back to you?"
      "Dear, Miss Morgan. Robin always comes running back to me."
      Victoria felt like she was floating away with nothing solid to hold on to. She heard the gurgle of her blood churning through her arteries. She wanted to freeze time. Take an extended moment and think about how she could stop this. She had to stop this.
      And yet, if she did, what would happen to Gabriel?
      She was being squeezed from both sides. Robin or Gabriel? Gabriel or Robin? How could she choose?
      Victoria remembered the kiss Robin blew her as he drove away, and the way he'd looked at her, like she was the most exquisite, precious woman on earth. No man had ever looked at her like that. No man had ever made her feel as good about herself, as Robin did.
      And then she remembered Gabriel pacing the interrogation room like a caged animal, hands trembling as he ripped strands of hair from his head, and chewed his lips hard enough to bleed.
      Victoria hugged herself, fingers gouging her elbows and, voice hushed, asked, "How am I supposed to convince Robin we're over?"
      Nicole shifted her purse-strap from one shoulder to the other. "Tell him he's starting to bore you, tell him you're moving back to Texas, tell him he's not as superb in bed as he thinks he is -- no, better tell him something he'll believe."
      "And then you'll relinquish the originals? You promise?"
      "What do I need with a box full of old medical records?"
      A box full of old medical records. That's what it came down to. Procedures performed in the interest of saving lives were now the catalysts for destroying them.
      Her life.
      Gabriel's.
      Robin's.
      She could feel his arms around her, the ocean air bathing both their faces, Robin holding her tightly, whispering, "I don't think I've ever been happier.... You'll never disappoint me, Victoria."
      She wondered what he'd think of her after tomorrow. No, after tonight. If Nicole demanded results by ten a.m. tomorrow morning, Victoria would have to take care of it tonight. Oh, God, she only had a few more hours.
      "How do I know I can trust you?" she asked Nicole.
      "You don't." Robin's wife shrugged blithely. "But, you also don't have any choice in the matter." Nicole offered another of her confectionery smiles, and turned to exit. She paused at the door. "By the by, if you even think of telling Robin, or Gabriel, about our chat -- the deal is off. No second chances."