Something About Eve (An Eve Sumptor Book 1) Read online

  “Meredith!” Katherine burst into Meredith’s office and slammed the door closed behind her. “The talk around the office is that Jackie was seen talking to Sumptor.”

  “Will you calm down? You scared the hell out of me!” Meredith sat back in her chair and put her hand over her pounding heart. Eve’s warning had Meredith on edge with nerves. “What are you talking about?”

  “Jackie. She was talking to Sumptor.”

  “So what?” Meredith asked irritably as she watched Katherine pace her office. “Sit down, you’re making me nervous.”

  Katherine sat with a thump. “So what? So, maybe she’s the reason Sumptor just showed up. It’s just too much of a coincidence, Meredith. You need to call whoever it is you’re dealing with and tell them that Jackie is endangering the plan.”

  “I can’t call him. We’re going to have to deal with Jackie ourselves until he contacts me.”

  “And, how do we do that?”

  “We fire her,” Katherine said simply.

  “If we fire her what’s stopping her from going to Eve and telling her everything?” Katherine demanded. “We have to do something to keep her quiet.” Katherine began to pace again. Too much was riding on this and she couldn’t let anything go wrong. Not only was there money at stake, but Katherine’s freedom as well.

  “Stop pacing. You’re going to wear a hole in the floor, and I can’t think with you distracting me,” Meredith told her impatiently. “Look, I think I know exactly how to get rid of her and keep her from telling Eve anything.”

  Ten minutes later, Jackie sat nervously in Meredith’s office, her hands neatly folded in her lap. “You wanted to see me, Ms. Lansky?”

  “Yes, Jackie.” Meredith’s face was stern. “I’ve been checking some of your accounts today and have come across some discrepancies.”

  “I don’t understand,” Jackie protested. “I double check all of my accounts to make sure they’re correct. Surely there’s some mistake.”

  She took the papers that Meredith handed to her and studied them.

  “This can’t be right,” she said in a low voice. “This isn’t my work.”

  “Oh, I assure you, it’s yours,” Meredith told her. “And, what this tells me is that you are pinching from the company.”

  “No! That’s not true! I would never do something like that!” Jackie’s heart was racing. Why was this happening to her?

  “I’m sorry but that’s not what it looks like here,” Meredith said, her unpainted fingernails tapping on her desk. “How do you think Sumptor will feel when she learns you’ve been stealing from her and her clients?”

  “But, those figures are wrong! They’re not mine! I’ll just tell Ms. Sumptor...”

  “Who do you think she’s going to believe, Jackie? You or me? Particularly since the evidence is here in black and white.”

  Jackie started to panic. If she could just explain to Eve that she would never steal from her, Eve would know she was telling the truth. “What are you going to do?” she asked Meredith. “Well, I’ve decided that I’m not going to tell Sumptor about this little incident. That way no charges will be made. However, I’m afraid I’m going to have to let you go.”

  As Jackie started to cry, Meredith almost felt sorry for her. But, she’s getting what she deserves for running to Eve, she told herself.

  “Jackie, if I hear that you have gone to Sumptor after this discussion,” she continued. “I’ll have to show her this evidence. Charges will be made, and you’ll be prosecuted for this. You don’t want that do you?”

  Jackie shook her head dejectedly.

  “Good,” Meredith told her, satisfied. “You can clean your desk out and leave quietly. We don’t have to make a big deal about this. I’ll just tell Ms. Sumptor that you found a new job and that you had to start right away. It’s a simple as that.”

  Jackie rose slowly. “I don’t know why this is happening, but I want you to know that I didn’t do this. I won’t let you get away with this. I’ll find a way to prove my innocence.”

  “No, Jackie. I don’t think you will,” Meredith said quietly as the young woman left the room. She picked up the phone and dialed. “I need to leave a message. It’s important,” she said firmly.

  There was nothing that she liked better than decisive action. Now that Jackie was out of the way, she and Katherine were home free.

  “I need you to do something for me,” Eve said to Mikey as she stepped out of the elevator. “I had a painting restored and they just called me to let me know that it’s ready. Here’s their card. Could you go and pick it up for me? Take a cab, it will be faster. Just tell them Eve sent you.”

  As soon as he was gone, she joined Lainey in the further room. Lainey’s welcoming smiled faded when she saw Eve’s face.

  “You fucked him,” she said accusingly.

  Eve raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

  “You fucked Adam last night, didn’t you?”

  “Yes.” She sighed when Lainey whirled away from her. “Lainey.”

  “I know we’re opening tomorrow night,” Lainey said, fighting back the tears. She had no right to feel jealous. Did she really expect Eve to never be with Adam again? It was unrealistic of her to believe that, so why did she feel so horrible. “But I need to ask you for the rest of the day off today.”

  “I’m sorry, Lainey,” Eve said helplessly. She hated to see Lainey hurting this way, but the gallery had to come first. “That won’t be possible.”

  “I have things I need to do.”

  “And, I need you here. This is a critical time for the gallery and everything needs to be perfect.”

  “Things are already perfect here!” Lainey snapped. “Everything about you is perfect. Some of us are not that lucky. All I’m asking is for today. I thought you told me you wanted to see me happy.”

  “I do.” Eve tried to control her rising anger. “And I’m not perfect, Lainey. You’re pissed at me because I had sex with Adam last night.”

  “No. I’m not.”

  “Don’t lie to me, Lainey,” Eve said sharply. “Did you ever stop to think about what it did to me when I had to watch you fucking Jack?”

  She hated reminding Lainey of what had happened in her bedroom the night before, but it wasn’t fair for her to be blamed for making love to Adam.

  “Take the day,” she said quietly and walked away.

  Eve was sitting at the computer when Lainey knocked on the door an hour later.

  “Come in,” she called out, keeping her voice steady and professional although she ached inside. She hadn’t been expecting Lainey to treat her with such resentment, and it hurt more than she ever imagined. She didn’t look up when Lainey came into her office.

  “Eve,” Lainey said quietly. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I acted that way.”

  “I thought I told you to take the day off, Mrs. Stanton,” Eve said as she continued typing.

  It cut Lainey like a knife to hear Eve call her that. “Eve, please. I’m sorry. Will you look at me?”

  Lainey didn’t know which was worse; the cold shoulder Eve was giving her or the look that was completely void of any emotion. “Don’t look at me like that.”

  “Make up your mind, Mrs. Stanton.”

  “Stop it!” Lainey cried. “Say my name damn it! And, don’t look at me that way, as though we were strangers.” She rounded Eve’s desk and pushed Eve’s chair back. “I said I was sorry. I have no explanation for how I just treated you.”

  “Back off, Lainey.” Eve’s voice was low and as cold as ice. She couldn’t bear to have Lainey that close to her. It was dangerous to feel this much.

  Lainey stepped back. “I’m sorry,” she whispered and turned to run out, but was stopped by Eve’s hand on her arm.

  “I never meant to upset you, Lainey,” Eve told her. “I just needed him last night.”

  “Just tell me that you didn’t do it to get back at me for what happened.”

  “No! How could you think that? I di
dn’t intend to tell you, but I guess I underestimated how observant you really are. I didn’t do it to hurt you or get back at you. I did it for me, because I needed it. Do you understand?”

  “Yes. Yes, I understand. I can’t tell you that I like it, Eve, because I don’t. But, there’s nothing I can say about that. I have no right to say anything.”

  Eve rose and saw Lainey tense. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to kiss you.”

  “What if I want you to?” Lainey whispered.

  Eve lowered her forehead to Lainey’s and tightened her grip on Lainey’s arm. “Lainey, if I kiss you, I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop there.”

  The intercom on Eve’s desk buzzed and she swore. “Next time we do this, let’s make sure we’re alone and can’t be interrupted.”

  “Yes?” she said into the intercom.

  “Ms. Sumptor, there are two detectives here to see you,” her secretary said. “Shall I send them up?”

  Eve frowned. “Yes. Show them up please.”

  “Why are the police here?” Lainey asked, concerned.

  “I have no idea.” She turned to Lainey. “I noticed that the display isn’t much different. Do you still feel that way?”

  “Yes. A little, I guess. I’ll leave you alone and go work on it.”

  “Thank you. Lainey, when you are working on the display,” she called after her, “don’t think about what hasn’t happened yet. Think about things that you want to happen. Who knows? Maybe they’ll come true.”

  “Another beautiful woman,” Carter muttered as he watched Lainey descend the stairs.

  “Yes, she is,” Eve said, startling them by showing up at the door unexpectedly. “Come in, Detectives. What can I do for you?” Eve strode away from them, incredibly beautiful, even in jeans and a t-shirt. Harris cleared his throat and sat down in the one of the chairs in front of Eve’s desk while Carter took the other.

  “Ms. Sumptor,” he said. “Do you know a Jackie Sawyer?”

  “Yes, of course. She’s one of my accountants at Sumptor, Inc. Why?”

  “Is this Miss Sawyer?” Harris handed Eve a photo.

  Eve felt a sinking in her stomach. “Yes,” she said. “This is Jackie. What’s going on, Detective?”

  “Did you know that Miss Sawyer was embezzling money from the company, Ms. Sumptor?”

  Eve registered disbelief.

  “That’s impossible,” she said matter-of-factly.

  “That’s not what these say,” Carter said and handed Eve copies of Jackie’s accounts. “According to these records, she’s been stealing from you for a few months now.”

  Eve focused her gaze on him. “Then those records are wrong, Detective Carter.”

  “Why are you so sure?” Harris asked her.

  “Jackie has worked for me for two years, and I have never had any problems with her,” Eve told him confidently. “She’s a good worker and enjoys what she does.”

  “If you’re so sure she wasn’t embezzling, why did you have her fired?” Carter asked.

  “I didn’t,” she told him. “This must be the work of Meredith and Katherine to get the attention off of them. You’re falling into their trap, Detectives. Tell me you’re not investigating Jackie.”

  Eve tried to relax, but couldn’t get the rid of the sick feeling in her stomach.

  “We have no choice but to investigate her, Eve,” Harris said. “She was found in her apartment this morning, an apparent suicide.”

  A range of emotions flashed across Eve’s eyes before they became flat again. Eve fought the wave of nausea that washed over her. Jackie was dead, she thought, sick with sorrow, an innocent young woman who had nothing to do with this little game that was being played. Sorrow was fast turning into anger.

  “She didn’t kill herself,” she said her voice low and dangerous.

  “This was found with her body,” Harris said gently and handed Eve a letter that was bagged for evidence.

  Though it took a tremendous amount of effort, Eve’s hands were steady as she reached for the bag and read the note inside. ‘I can’t live with what I’ve done anymore. I’m sorry, Eve. Please forgive me.’ The muscles in Eve’s jaw worked as she fought to keep her composure.

  “She didn’t kill herself,” Eve repeated and handed the bag back to Harris.

  “All the evidence...”

  “I don’t give a damn about the evidence, Detective Carter!” She interrupted with a burst of anger. “That young woman was not stealing from me and she did not kill herself.” She pointed to the bagged note. “If you are using that as evidence, let me tell you one thing. Jackie never called me Eve.”

  “Eve, we can’t base our investigation on that alone. This looks to be an open and shut case. But,” Harris went on before Eve could protest. “I tend to agree with you and I’m not going to sweep this under the suicide carpet. This young woman had too much to live for. Did you know she was getting married in the spring?”

  Eve closed her eyes and mourned for Jackie and her family. When she opened her eyes again they held grief, but the detectives would never know to what extent.

  “No. I didn’t know that,” she said sorrowfully. “Tell me how she died.”

  “Ms. Sumptor...”

  “Please,” Eve pleaded with Harris.

  “It was an overdose,” Harris told her. Eve’s eyes darkened so quickly that it almost scared him. And then, suddenly, she was expressionless again.

  “I see. Have you notified her family yet?”

  “We’re going there next,” Carter told her. “We wanted to talk to you first.”

  “Do you think I killed her, Detective Carter?”

  “No, we don’t think that, Ms. Sumptor,” Harris answered for his partner. “We just wanted to see what you thought about this before going to her family and having to tell them their daughter killed herself. I believe now we have to tell them that foul play is expected and that we will do everything we can to get to the bottom of this.”

  “Thank you for coming to me with this,” Eve said, rising, her voice dismissive. She badly needed to be alone to absorb the reality of what had happened. “If there is anything I can do to help you, please do not hesitate to ask.”

  “We’ll be in touch,” Detective Harris told her. “We trust that you will not try to take this matter into your own hands. Let us handle it.”

  “Detective Harris,” Eve said as they reached the door. “Please tell Jackie’s family that if they need anything at all to call me. I’ll contact them myself, soon.”

  When they were gone, she slid down the wall and buried her head. “He’s not going to get away with it again, Mama,” she whispered in the empty room. “I swear he will pay.”

  Lainey turned from her display to see Eve descending the stairs. She couldn’t pinpoint why she felt a chill when she saw Eve, but something was different.

  “It’s looking better,” Eve said when she reached Lainey’s side. “You must have a good imagination.” Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.

  Lainey laid a hand on Eve’s arm. “What is it, Eve?”

  “Hmm? Nothing. You know, I’d change this sculpture. Perhaps use something less bulky. I’m sorry. This is your display, and you should choose what you want to use.”

  “It’s all right. I want your opinion. Actually, I agree. I just haven’t gotten there yet.”

  “Oh. Okay. Well, I’m sure you will have it done by opening tomorrow,” Eve said distractedly.

  “Yes, I will. Eve? Talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong.” Lainey felt more than slightly troubled by Eve’s mood. She had never seen Eve be so disconnected from her surroundings.

  “Where’s Mikey?”

  “He came back with the painting you sent him for and then went for a late lunch. Do you need him to do something for you? Can I do it?”

  “No, I don’t need him.” Eve’s voice trailed off as she walked to the window, resisting the urge to lose herself in Lainey’s arms.

  “Does this have something
to do with why the police were here?”

  “Lainey.” Eve sat down on the windowsill, the backdrop of artistic buildings behind her, and waited for Lainey to take her place beside her. “I know that you weren’t at Sumptor, Inc. for very long. But do you remember Jackie?”

  Lainey remembered the young girl that had spoken to her on her first day at Sumptor, Inc. “Yes,” she said. “I remember her. She was very nice to me. Why?”

  Eve inhaled deeply.

  “What is it?” Lainey demanded, a feeling of dread settling over her. “Is something wrong?”

  “Jackie’s body was found this morning in her apartment,” Eve said quietly. “She died of an apparent overdose.”

  “Oh my God.” Lainey leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and covering her face with her hands. “I-I don’t know what to say. She didn’t strike me as the type that did drugs.”

  “She didn’t.” Eve turned to Lainey. “She was murdered.”

  Lainey gasped. “I don’t understand. I thought you just said...”

  “It was made to look like a suicide,” Eve said. Something in her voice turned Lainey’s blood to ice. “I have reason to believe that this happened because of me.”

  “Why would you say that?” Lainey protested. “This can’t be your fault, don’t blame yourself.”

  “It is my fault,” Eve said. “I’ll have to live with that for the rest of my life.”

  The death of this innocent young woman made Eve fear for Lainey’s safety. She would be damned if she would let her father take someone else so important in Eve’s life.

  “I don’t want you coming here alone,” she continued slowly. “As a matter of fact I don’t want you going anywhere alone. I’ve hired more security, but promise me you’ll have someone with you at all times.”

  “You’re scaring me, Eve.”

  “I don’t mean to frighten you.” Eve took Lainey’s chin in her hand. “Or maybe I do, I don’t know. I just need to make sure you won’t get hurt. If anything ever happened to you, I don’t know...”

  “Nothing’s going to happen to me,” Lainey told her with unconvincing confidence.