Beck And Call (21 page)

honest, your reputation with ladies is less than stellar.

So when we got the call to come here, I thought you

would try some kind of smoke and mirrors job on us.”

“My father didn’t treat my mother very well,” he

said simply. “My mother went through hell. I don’t want

other women going through that.”

Keith’s phone rang again.

“Private line?” Paul guessed when Keith glanced at

it and scowled.

“Yeah,” he nodded, picking up the receiver. “Hello?”

His head fell forward. “No, Penny. I realize you think

he’s a wonderful guy…I didn’t accuse him of anything!”

he bellowed. “Yes, he just admitted it to me. And he was

recorded saying it in front of witnesses.” He shook his

head. “No, Serena doesn’t want him and neither does

Claire…well, for one thing, I don’t think either of them

like Mark and for another they’re both involved with

other men.” Sitting down, he rested an elbow on the

desk and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Penny, I know

this is hard as hell for you. I’m sorry. Mark pulled a fast

one on you. Just be glad you found out before you

married the guy. I promise that…” His head came up

sharply. “What? You still plan on…are you out of your

mind?” Swearing, he put the receiver back in the cradle.

“She hung up on me.”

“She’s taking his side,” Paul observed.

“Yeah, she won’t listen to a word I say. She refuses

to leave him.”

“She loves him,” Serena’s voice came from the door.

“Of course she won’t leave him.” Taking off her black

trench coat, she draped it over her arm and stepped in.

“Hello, Paul,” she smiled. “What’s the emergency? It

looks like everything’s over. And I thought you said on

Friday that you weren’t going to tell Penny about how

Mark behaved?”

Keith shook his head.

“I didn’t. Something else came up.” He met her

puzzled gaze. “You better sit down, Serena. This

concerns you. These are Detectives Sanders and

Erickson,” he gestured.

The only thing Serena could think of was that Keith

had somehow found out about Master and was going to

fire her. Her legs trembled so much she nearly

collapsed. Paul was there first only because he was

closer. Keith was there in the next breath and the two of

them helped her sit down.

“Concerns me?” she rasped out, eyes wide in her

pale face. “How?”

“Mark was in here, ranting that I couldn’t fire half

my Programming division and that he was getting calls

from the media.” Keith hesitated. “I told him I wouldn’t

tolerate harassment toward any of my employees and

he started talking about a date the two of you went on

about a year and a half ago. Apparently he thought

since he bought you dinner…”

“Keith,

you’re

leading

the

witness,”

Paul

interrupted, starting the tape recorder. “Serena, tell us

what happened when you dated Mark Hammond.”

“We never dated,” she said firmly. “My immediate

replacement had just left, about three and a half

months, I guess, after I became Keith’s assistant. He

asked if I could come by after work to review some of the

files Hester had sent him.” She bit her bottom lip. “He

said since the first one had left so quickly he thought

maybe I could help him find someone who could handle

the pressure.” She swallowed nervously. “There were

nearly two dozen and it was late so he ordered dinner

before I came down to his office.”

“Did you see it as dinner on a personal level?” Paul

questioned.

“No, I didn’t,” she confirmed in a certain voice. “A

former supervisor was asking for my help. That seemed

normal and…” She spread her hands slightly in a

helpless manner. “Well, business-natured.”

Paul glanced at Keith. This, he realized, was where

things could get very sticky.

“Did you kiss him or lead him on? Do you remember

what you were wearing?”

“I never kissed him or even tried to. I certainly

never flirted with him,” she said firmly. “As for what I

was wearing?” She frowned, then shook her head. “It

was early spring and rainy so I was probably wearing

something like a turtleneck or sweater, wool slacks, and

boots.”

“All right,” Paul nodded, encouragingly. “What

happened after you ate?”

Keith ground his teeth as she wrapped her arms

around her herself. He gripped the armrests so hard his

knuckles turned white.

“We were nearly done reviewing the files,” came her

whisper. “I’d pulled out about five or six that I thought

looked like good prospects. And he…,” Her breath

hitched. Taking a deep breath, she plunged on. “He was

suddenly on top of me and pulling my clothes up and

down. When I tried to push him away, he grabbed my

arm and started hitting me with his belt. He kept

saying I would learn my place and it didn’t matter who

my boss was now because he could get me to do what he

wanted.”

“How did you get away?” Paul asked quietly.

A ghost of a smile appeared on her face.

“Paul, I have three older brothers and seven male

cousins. They’ve taught me all sorts of self-defense

tricks.”

“Why didn’t you file a police report?”

“I did,” she whispered, lifting her head. “I don’t

know what happened to it, but I did go to the police.

They took pictures and my statement and everything.”

“Do you remember who the officer was?” Sanders

frowned, focusing on his notes.

“I kept his card,” she nodded, voice low and shaky.

“I might still have it at home.”

“I’ll look it up,” Erickson promised her.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Keith wanted to know.

This was way beyond Debbie feeling intimidated by the

CEO. This was his assistant not telling him she’d been

assaulted by one of his VPs! In his own damn building!

“My God, Serena, how could—”

“I’d only been working for you four months,” she

told him. “I didn’t know you well enough to say

something like that. And after,” she shook her head.

“Shame can keep people quiet as well as fear.”

“Shame? There’s no shame there for you,” he said

firmly. He studied her bowed head. He was certain what

her answer would be, but needed her to answer for the

police. “This is why you pushed so hard for me to tell

Penny about Mark.”

“Yes.”

“God, I wished you had told me then,” he said.

“You said it yourself, though. She wouldn’t have

believed either of us. She doesn’t now.” Her eyes fell on

the tape recorder. “You can probably play that back for

her and she won’t believe it. She won’t want to. She

might eventually, but that’s something she has to

decide.”

Paul leaned forward. His hand covered both of hers

on her lap.

“Serena, Allen’s men went through the recordings.

They have a file of you going into Mark’s office, the food

arriving, and then you leaving just after eight.”

Her head came up.

“I never thought of that,” she whispered.

“He tore your clothes,” Keith said, his voice

sounding strangled. “They also have him coming after

you, holding his belt.”

She moaned softly and curled around her purse.

“I got in the elevator and managed to close it before

he could stop me. I put my coat on and went straight to

the police.”

“And you didn’t hear anything about this?” Paul

scowled, glancing at the two detectives. “Nothing?”

“No,” she shook her head. “I don’t know what

happened.”

“Something else to look into,” muttered Sanders.

“God, if the officer was paid to bury this complaint…” he

shook his head. “Internal Affairs will have a field day.

I’m sorry, miss. This should have been prosecuted.”

“How the hell have you been able to work on the

same floor with him?” Keith wanted to know. He held up

his hand. “The other day when the rose was delivered.

That was part of it, wasn’t it? He’s been intimidating

you the entire time.” He shook his head. “Dammit,

Serena! That doesn’t sound like you! You’re not

intimidated by anyone.” He studied the way she twisted

her fingers on her lap. “Serena, look at me.” Slowly she

lifted her chin. “Who did he threaten?”

“Claire. Others…”

Keith’s phone rang.

“I’m about to disconnect my private line,” he

growled. “Yes!” he barked. “No, Kevin, I am not taking

him back! We weren’t dating, for crying out loud! It was

business and no, I am not going to take him back for

Penny’s sake. If you think he’s so damned wonderful,

then find him a job in one of your companies, but he

can’t have one in mine.” He slammed the phone down.

Seeing Serena wince, he quirked a smile. “At least I

didn’t break this one.”

“I’m grateful for small favors,” she smiled slightly.

Catching Paul’s puzzled look, she shook her head. “Late

night conference call. Don’t ask.”

“‘Nuff said,” he murmured, eyeing the thoroughly

irate man.

“All right,” Keith finally said, glancing at the

detectives. “Paul, stay in touch with the detectives and

find out what happened to Serena’s file from before. See

if that can be prosecuted on its own or be added into

everything else.”

Sanders glanced at Erickson and they both stood.

With practiced ease, they handed Paul their cards. He

pulled his out and the white squares disappeared.

“We’ll be in touch as soon as we find out anything.

Miss Traydon, we may need you to come down to the

station and give a statement regarding said the

incident in question.”

“I understand,” she nodded. “If it helps, I think his

name was Andrews. And the other name was Jackson.”

“Shit,” muttered Erickson.

“What?” Keith frowned.

“They’re already under suspension,” Sanders

replied. “We’ll get this information to Internal Affairs

and our lieutenant. We’ll take care of this.”

“Thank you,” Serena smiled. “I’m sorry I didn’t

follow up on it.”

“We’ll take care of it now.”

“Thank you,” Keith replied, hand out.

The detectives left and Serena lifted her gaze to

meet Keith’s. Blue eyes held hers. She could see the

anger, the sympathy, all the turmoil he’d been going

through. For a brief moment, she nearly rose and went

to him, wanting nothing more than to hold him. To take

care of him. And then all she could think of was Master.

What would his reaction be? Would he be angry? Want

to protect her? All thoughts of Keith left her as all she

wanted was for Master to hold her. She had to force

herself to remain still and not rush out to her desk. To

pull out the special phone and call him. To tell him she

needed him. To tell him everything that had happened

and beg him to hold her and tell her that everything

would be all right.

“Everything will be all right, Serena,” Keith said

quietly. “The company will provide your legal

representation and call in more if needed. Bronson

would be able to help, wouldn’t he, Paul?”

Paul nodded as a voice called out for Serena.

“In here, Claire,” she called, turning her head.

The younger woman ran in.

“You wouldn’t believe what is going on!” she told

her, skidding to a halt between the chairs. She saw Paul

and backpedalled so fast she nearly fell into Serena’s

lap. “What are you doing here?” she demanded. “You

stay away from Serena!”

“Easy, Claire,” Serena murmured. “He was here

helping Keith. The big anthill we poked a stick into this

morning caused a few headaches that Paul gets to try

to calm down.”

“Oh, my God,” Claire stared. Her gaze swiveled from

one to the other. “I didn’t think about that. You mean,

he and… and…”

“David?” offered Serena helpfully.

“Don’t say his name!” she insisted, backing up

towards the door. “I’m going back to my desk. I don’t

need to be here.”

“Claire,” Paul started.

“Don’t talk to me,” she glared at him. “You… You…

You…”

“Claire, please,” Serena moved towards her. “Calm

down.”

“How can you take his side?” she shrieked.

“I’m not taking sides,” exclaimed Serena. “I’m

simply trying to tell you that Paul being here had

nothing to do with you.”

“Why not?” she asked indignantly.

“Claire, you’re getting hysterical,” Serena told her

gently. “Go back to your desk. Send Jason here. Keith’s