Best Kept Secrets(125)

the desk nearest her right hand.

'' You have better taste than your mother,'' she said without

preamble, giving Alex a slow once-over. "Celina had pretty

features, but no sense of style. You do. Sit down, Miss

Gaither."

"Thank you." Alex sat down in the chair across the desk.

After a moment, she laughed and shook her head with chagrin.

"Forgive me for staring."



"I don't mind. No doubt I'm your first madam."

"Actually, no. I prosecuted a woman in Austin whose

modeling agency proved to be a prostitution ring."

"She was careless."

"I did my homework. We had an airtight case against her.''

"Should I take that as a warning?"

"Your operation doesn't fall into my jurisdiction."

"Neither does your mother's murder case." She lit a slender

black cigarette as a man would, with an economy of

motion, and offered one to Alex, who declined. "A drink?

Forgive me for saying that you look like you could use one."

She gestured toward a lacquered liquor cabinet that was inlaid

with mother-of-pearl.

"No, thank you. Nothing."

"Peter said you declined to fill out an application, so I

guess you're not here looking for a job."

"No."

"Pity. You'd do very well. Nice body, good legs, unusual

hair. Is that its natural color?"

"Yes."

The madam grinned wickedly. "I know several regulars

who would enjoy you a lot."

"Thank you," Alex said stiffly, the compliment making

her feel like she needed a bath.

"I guess you're here on business. Yours," she said with

a lazy smile, "not mine."

"I'd like to ask you some questions."

"First, I'd like to ask one of my own."

"All right."

"Did Reede send you here?"

"No."

"Good. That would have disappointed me."

"I found you through your sister."

One eyebrow arched a fraction of an inch higher. "Wanda

Gail? I thought she believed that speaking my name aloud

would turn her into a pillar of salt, or some such nonsense.

How is she? Never mind," she said when she sensed Alex's

hesitation.



"I've seen Wanda Gail from a distance. She looks terrible.

That little pecker who professes to be a man of God has

nearly ruined her health, as well as her looks. Her kids go

around like ragamuffins. If she wants to live like that, fine,

but why impose poverty on them?"

She was genuinely indignant. "There's no righteousness

in being poor. I'd like to help her financially, but I'm sure

she would rather starve than take a cent from me, even if her

husband would allow it. Did she just come right out and tell

you that her sister was a whore?"

"No. She only gave me directions here. I guess she assumed

that I already knew your . . . occupation."

"You didn't?"

"No."

"My business has been lucrative, but I'm branching out.

I used to screw men for fun, Ms. Gaither. I'm still screwing

them, but now I do it mostly for money. And you know what?

Money's even more fun." Her laugh was throaty and complacent.

She had none of Wanda Gail's timidity. Alex got the

impression that Nora Gail wasn't afraid of Satan himself, that

she would walk up to him and spit in his eye without an

ounce of trepidation. After that, she would probably seduce

him.

"In fact," she continued, "you were lucky to catch me

in. I just returned from a meeting with my banker. No matter

how busy he is, he makes room in his schedule to see me."

She gestured down at the portfolio lying open on top of

the desk directly in front of her. Even reading it upside down,

Alex recognized the logo on the letterhead.

"NGB, Incorporated," she mouthed silently. When her

eyes met the madam's again, Nora Gail's were gloating. "You are NGB, Incorporated? Nora Gail Burton," she said faintly.

"That's right."

"You signed the letter the businesspeople sent to me."

"I helped draft it." Her long, beautifully manicured nails

sank into the cat's lush fur as she scratched it behind the ears.

"I don't like what you're trying to do here, Miss Gaither. I



don't like it at all. You're about to throw a goddamned wrench

into all my carefully orchestrated plans for expansion."

"As I recall, NGB, Incorporated proposes to build a resort

hotel near Purcell Downs."

"That's right. A resort complete with golf course, putting

greens, tennis courts, racquetball, swimming. You name it,

it'll have it."

"And does a whore come with every room?"