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Chapter One

"He has nasty little habits," Elizabeth Moore said with a dra, "both in and out of the bedrooe"

Julie Harrison fixed her client’s soon to be ex-wife in an unblinking stare fro no reaction "Mrs Moore, you really shouldn’t be here I’ to be insensitive, but I represent your husband in this divorce and I’m bound by certain laws and preset boundaries that I sinore"

"I’m not surprised he chose you as his attorney," she replied pointedly "He has a thing for blondes, you know" Her gaze crudely raked Julie’s rather voluptuous figure

There was a silent ‘bi her a little too irl mother and four stepfathers She’d heard a lot of those inferences in law school, and they’d hurt, but they’d also motivated her to work hard and prove herself She accepted that she’d never have the Audrey Hepburn elegance that Elizabeth Moore personified years before Mostly Once in a blue h, she still burned for the instant respect a woman like Mrs Moore claimed when she entered a room, rather than, well, whatever it was Julie herself evoked in people

"As I’ve said, Mrs Moore," Julie pressed, trying to direct their conversation to an end, "I think it would be best if you have your attorney contact reed to see you When you said this was a matter of life and death, I was concerned for everyone’s safety"

"I believe you’ll understand what Iwhy I’m here" Mrs Moore leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs "I’ree it’s best kept between the two of us See, I’m prepared to make my husband’s nasty little habits public if that’s what it takes to get a fair shake in this divorce"

Alarly blatant threat, especially considering Elizabeth’s reputation as a charanizations Nothing about this visit fit that reputation, but, e Moore had cut off all his wife’s credit cards and cash flow Not only was Elizabeth Moore in a bad position, but her actions drove ho a sex scandal see to see what the judge was bringing out in her, trying to bring her back to reason

Elizabeth let out a huht be kinky, but they are nothing compared to soered in the air for several silent h Julie’s "

A look of triumph settled on Elizabeth’s face "As you well know, he’s an art collector He doesn’t round" She paused for obvious effect "In a hidden vault" A slow smile turned up the corners of Elizabeth’s delicate mouth "There are people ould be very interested in so It could cause hi?" Julie asked, afraid of what the ansas going to be Pornography, or worse even, child pn ography? Please say it isn’t so, she thought

Elizabeth pushed to her feet "Tell hi more because, while I don’t like you, Ms Harrison, I don’t want you to end up dead" With that she turned and headed toward the door

"Elizabeth," Julie called out, not wanting to seem too anxious as she barely kept herself in her seat

Elizabeth turned "Yes?"

"If it’s that dangerous foryourself in danger by issuing this threat?"

"My husband won’t kill me," she said "He won’t kill you, either But there are others who’ll kill us all if they find out what he’s hiding He won’t expect this from me I’ve been here he’s concerned Now that I’ve proven I’ive ave a nod "Goodbye, Ms Harrison"

Julie watched her leave, stunned by just how nasty this had gotten, then rotated her chair to take in the view from her fifteenth floor don Manhattan"What in the heck just happened?" she mumbled to the empty room And why oh why did it have to happen now Tootiate the divorce settlement for one of her many professional athlete clients A few days later, her best friend, Lauren Reynolds, was getting married, and she was , she punched the button on her interco her assistant for the past six e Moore?"

"Of course," Gina said promptly She was always prompt Prickly but efficient, and that hat mattered

Julie reached for her coffee cup, and while she wasn’t usually a drinker, she wished she had so she ishing for alcohol What did that say about her life? She didn’t knoas wrong with her lately, but she had this sense of dissatisfaction that belied her growing high profile client list that should have her reveling in success Maybe she should consider joining the small firm Lauren had left the District Attorney’s office for The firm she asn’t a powerhouse, but it wasn’t an ant farm either Still, she was nearly thirty now, and had to think about her future After seven years here, she couldn’t say they’d helped her career She’d been hired to handle corporate law, but they’d thrown her divorce cases no one had wanted and she’d made it work