A12 The Stars Shine Down - 1992 by Sidney Sheldon

Author:Sidney Sheldon
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

220

Chapter Eighteen.

ron Christmas Day Lara stayed home. She had been invited to a dozen parties, but Paul Martin was going to drop by. "I have to be with Nina and

the kids today," he had explained, "but I want to come by and see you."

She wondered what Philip Adler was doing on this Christmas Day.

It was a Currier & Ives postcard kind of day. New York was blanketed in a beautiful white snowfal , wrapped in silence. When Paul Martin arrived, he

had a shopping bag ful of gifts for Iara.

"I had to stop at the office to pick these up," he said.

So his wife wouldn't know.

"You give me so much, Paul. You don't have to bring anything."

"I wanted to. Open them up now." Lara was touched by his eagerness to see her reaction.

The gifts were thoughtful and expensive. A necklace from Cartier's, scarves from Hermes, books from Rizzoli, an antique carriage clock, and a

smal white envelope.

Lara opened it. It read: "Cameron Reno Hotel & Casino" in large block letters. She looked up at him, in surprise.

"I have the hotel?"

He nodded confidently. "You wil have. The bidding starts next week.

You're going to have fun with it," Paul Martin predicted.

"I don't know anything about running a casino."

"Don't worry. I'l put some professionals in to manage it for you.

The hotel, you can handle yourself."

"I don't know how to thank you. You do so much formed."

He took her hands in his. "There isn't anything in the world that I wouldn't do for you. Remember that."

"I wil ," she said solemnly.

He was looking at his watch. "I have to get back home. I wish..." He hesitated.

"Yes?"

"Never mind. Merry Christmas, Lara."

"Merry Christmas, Paul."

She went to the window and looked out. The sky had become a delicate curtain of dancing snowfiakes. Restless, Lara walked to the radio and

turned it on. An announcer was saying, .... . and now, for its holiday program, the Boston Symphony Orchestra presents Beethoven's Piano

Concerto No. Five in E flat, with Philip Adler, soloist."

Iara listened with her eyes, seeing him at the piano, handsome and elegant. When the music ended, she thought, I've got to see him again.

Bil Whitman was one of the best construction supervisors in the business. He had risen through the ranks and was in great demand. He worked

steadily and earned good money, but he was dissatisfied. For years he had watched builders reaping enormous fortunes while he got nothing but a

salary. In a way, he thought, they're making their money off of me. The owner gets the cake; I get the crumbs. But the day Lara Cameron had gone

before the community board, everything changed.

She had lied to get the board's approval, and that lie could destroy her.

If I went to the board and told them the truth, she'd be out of business.

But Bil Whitman had no intention of doing that. He had a better plan.

He intended to use what had happened as leverage. The boss lady was going to give him anything he asked for. He could sense from their first

meeting at which he had asked for a promotion and raise that she was going to give in.

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