Desert Devil (7 page)

In astonishment Juli listened while Aunt Kate went on to say that just that morning she had received a letter from Taylor Electronics offering her a generous sum of money.

"For what reason?" Juli cut in.

"Oh, I'm not sure. 'A goodwill gesture in consideration of the death of your son while employed by the company,' or something like that. They said they weren't admitting any liability for his death or anything, and that seems reasonable enough. It was David's own car and he was driving at the time of the accident, so it certainly wasn't the company's fault. That Mr. Taylor sounds like a very nice man. Have you met him?"

"Yes, I talked with him," Juli acknowledged non-committally, her mind elsewhere as she considered the sum of money the company had offered Aunt Kate. As a "goodwill gesture" it was indeed generous, and yet… Then her mind fastened on that one word. "You said he
offered
you this money. What does he want in return?"

"Why, nothing, really." Aunt Kate sounded slightly offended, as if Juli had criticized David himself. "There was just some legal paper saying I'd accept the money and wouldn't make any further claims against the company, or something like that. You know how confusing legal papers are. I just signed and sent it right back."

"Already?" Juli gasped. "Without getting legal advice?"

"I thought the sooner I returned it, the quicker I'd get the money. I'm behind on so many bills," she said, sounding defensive. Anxiously, she added, "You do think I did the right thing, don't you?"

There was little point in upsetting Aunt Kate by scolding her for what was already done, Juli sighed to herself. The legal form was already signed and on its way. Juli murmured something noncommittal and they chatted a bit longer about the weather and selling the trailer, improvements in Aunt Kate's control of her left side, and the possibility she might be able to eventually work part-time.

But when Juli hung up the phone she was seething with anger. No wonder Thorne Taylor had urged her to spend her time—
waste
her time!—searching the trailer for something that wasn't there. That gave him time to buy off Aunt Kate and get her signature on some sort of release form so there was no possible chance of further legal action being taken against the company. No matter what he'd said to Juli, Thorne Taylor obviously knew David had invented something of great value to the company. And Juli had no doubt but that the sum offered to Aunt Kate, generous as it might seem to her, was a mere pittance compared to the true value of David's invention. A mere fraction of what Thorne was afraid Aunt Kate might win if the case went to court!

And there was nothing she could do about it now, Juli thought in furious frustration as she slid behind the wheel of her car. Nothing! Thorne had won, slick and smooth, without so much as a line of worry to mar those handsome features.

Oh, but there was one thing she could do, she thought grimly as she headed out Reynaldo Road toward the trailer. Abruptly, she spun the steering wheel and turned to circle around the long ridge of yellowed boulders. She could tell Thorne Taylor exactly what she thought of him and his sneaky, underhanded tricks!

She tore along the uneven road, hurtling heedlessly into the dips and over the rises, her mind concentrating on what she intended to say. No need for tact or diplomacy now, only the truth of what a despicable, detestable, greedy, underhanded—

Her thoughts broke off and she slowed her headlong rush as the road narrowed to a driveway that passed beneath an elegant wrought-iron archway. She had not seen this in the darkness that previous evening. Nor had she seen how the driveway circled around to enclose a natural park-like grove of cottonwoods, with trails laid out among clumps of mesquite and palo verde. Off to one side was a wooden-fenced arena with a couple of horses lazing in the sunshine and a neat stable behind them. A walkway curved gracefully to the recessed entryway in the house. The landscaping was an attractive blend of native desert plants and carefully tended evergreens. A splash of red bougainvillaea brightened a wall that evidently concealed the swimming pool.

Juli hesitated, suddenly feeling at a disadvantage barging in like this. She hadn't dressed to go into town and make the phone call; she had merely slipped on a clean pair of jeans and a scoop-necked peasant blouse. Thorne might not be home. He might be entertaining guests.

No, she chided herself angrily. She was rationalizing, letting his home and status overwhelm her. Defiantly, she parked her dusty car directly in front of the house and slammed the door behind her. She didn't care how elegant his home was, or how smooth and sophisticated he might be; she intended to give him a piece of her mind. And if he wasn't home, she just might barge right into Taylor Electronics' smoothly purring office and say what she had to say where everyone could hear!

She stormed up to the door and jammed her forefinger on the doorbell before she could change her mind. A chaotic jumble of angry words tumbled on her lips. As the door swung open she struggled to compose herself, determined not to come across in some way that Thorne Taylor could derisively dismiss as feminine hysterics.

"Yes?"

Juli stared, the angry words caught in her throat. The young woman who stood in the doorway was a few years older than Juli and obviously not a maid or hired help. She had sleek, dark hair pulled back from an oval face, expressive dark eyes, flawless skin tanned to a shade that was more golden than brown, and sculptured lips. She wore a white terry-cloth beach jacket that only partially concealed a slim but full-breasted figure in a striking, one-piece black bathing suit that plunged below her nipped waistline. The tiniest hint of a frown touched the woman's smooth forehead, and Juli realized in embarrassment that she was standing there gawking foolishly.

"I— May I see Mr. Taylor, please?" Juli asked awkwardly.

"I'm sorry, but he isn't here right now," the young woman said coolly.

"Will he be returning soon?" In a rush, Juli added, "Or perhaps I could catch him at his office later." In the face of this woman's cool, assured beauty, Juli suddenly felt sweaty and disheveled.

"Both the plant and office are closed today. If you're looking for employment, you'll have to see the personnel office on Monday." The woman's voice was polite, but there was a hint of condescension in it. Unhappily, Juli realized she probably looked as if she needed a job.

"Well, I… I'll just catch Mr. Taylor some other time, then," Juli said. Lamely, she added, "I'm not looking for work."

"May I tell him who called?" the woman inquired. She lifted an elegantly arched eyebrow questioningly, her dark eyes both curious and appraising. "Was he expecting you?"

"Ho, no, he wasn't expecting me." Juli started backing toward the walkway. She didn't intend to ask the question that was on the tip of her tongue, but the words just burst out. "Who… who are you?"

The sculptured lips curved into a self-possessed smile and the dark eyes widened. "Why, I'm Mrs. Taylor, of course."

Juli just turned and fled, crawling behind the wheel of her little car and turning the key with a damp, tremulous hand. Thorne was married! Why hadn't he told her? Her face burned as she suddenly remembered those strange, unfamiliar feelings he had aroused in her as she lay in bed at night, tossing and turning as she remembered the devilish glint of his eyes and that smoldering virility she had never sensed in any man before. How dare he let her think—

A car was coming under the arched entrance as she careened down the driveway. A silver Porsche. They met just inside the gates. She felt a moment of pure panic, a desire simply to stomp the gas pedal to the floor and flee, to deny even to herself that she had ever had those wild thoughts about a man who was not only despicable in his business dealings, but who was also
married
.

Then a cold determination to do what she had come for swept over her. She was not going to let him get away unscathed with cheating Aunt Kate. She was aware that something new was added to her anger now, but she refused to acknowledge even to herself that the unexpected news that Thorne was married had anything to do with her intensified desire to lash out at him.

She braked and eyed him coolly. The windows of both cars were open. He was so close she could have reached out and touched him—or slapped him, she thought grimly, almost aching to feel the sting of her palm against that lean, hard cheekbone. He smiled, a brilliant flash against sun-darkened features.

"I didn't know you were coming or I'd have made it a point to be here. I don't like to miss a visit from a beautiful young lady."

The warm words and flashing smile caught Juli off guard and she had to steel herself not to respond to them. What was he trying to do now? Charm her into submission the way he had evidently charmed Aunt Kate in his letter?

"Is something wrong?" he asked, his manner turning wary when she didn't respond to the smile.

"I understand you've written to my aunt," Juli said, keeping her tone and expression under tight control.

He nodded, regarding her thoughtfully. "The company tries to be fair. We decided, in this case, that a payment to a surviving family member was justified."

"Justified!" Juli repeated scornfully. "You buy off Aunt Kate with a fraction of what she should have received, and then—"

"Now just one minute, Miss Townsend!"

"Yes, I know—we can't do anything now that you have her signature on your clever little legal document, but that can't keep me from telling you what I think of you personally, Mr. Taylor! You're cheap and cruel and greedy and underhanded—" Descriptive words failed her and she broke off, breath coming in harsh jerks. "And I hope you choke on every cent you stole from her! You know David invented something valuable to the company, or you would never have paid her and tricked her into signing the release form." She launched into another torrent of angry words describing his seedy character and morals.

She could see the expression on his face change from wariness to surprise and then to harsh, set anger as the chiseled lips tightened grimly and a muscle jerked along the lean jawline. She was aware that the tight control under which he was holding himself might explode at any moment, but she was beyond caring.

When she ran out of breath, he said grimly, "Miss Townsend, I think there are a few things we should discuss. Now, if you'll calm down, so we can—"

"I have no intention of calming down or discussing anything with you!" Juli said wildly. "And it was
Juli
, not Miss Townsend a few nights ago when you sent me off on a wild-goose chase digging around in David's things so you'd have time to pull your underhanded deal on Aunt Kate. And you didn't even let me know you—" Juli broke off suddenly, biting back the words about learning he was married, refusing to let him know that mattered one way or the other to her.

"Miss Townsend, we are going to discuss this," he said grimly. "Now, if you'll just pull your car over there so we aren't in the middle of the driveway—"

"No," Juli snapped. "I'm leaving."

His gray-green eyes narrowed. "I don't think so," he said flatly. Without taking his eyes from hers, he reached for something on the dashboard, and in astonished dismay Juli saw the iron gates swing shut directly in front of her car.

"I should have realized the electronics expert would have some toy like that to play with," she jibed, her voice scornful in spite of the panicky pounding of her heart.

He ignored the taunt, motioning to a parking place beneath a spreading cottonwood. "Over there."

Juli hesitated a moment, but she didn't seem to have much choice. The gates were shut tight and obviously wouldn't open again until Thorne chose to open them. She could only make herself look foolish with further protests. She backed up the car, then swung under the cottonwood. Thorne was already standing beside the Porsche when she slid out of her car. He was wearing dark slacks and a knit shirt that molded to his muscled chest. She resolutely put down an inward, primitive surge of attraction she felt toward him.

Without speaking, he took her elbow and guided her to a planked table and benches a short distance down a graveled trail. The harsh grasp hurt, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of complaining. She sat stiffly on the bench, as far away from him as possible.

"What did you want to discuss?" she asked distantly. She didn't look at him, keeping her eyes focused on the horses lazing in the corral, though what she was really seeing was a seductively rounded figure in a black bathing suit, sculptured lips saying calmly, "Why, I'm Mrs. Taylor, of course."

"I don't understand your attitude toward my communication with your aunt," Thorne began, his voice warily reasonable. "The company had no legal obligation to pay her anything."

"And so you're sending the money out of the goodness of your heart," Juli said sarcastically. "Pardon me, but I can't quite swallow that. I think the fact that you offered her payment, in return for her signature on some legal form, proves exactly what I've believed all along—that David did invent something of particular value to the company. And that the payment you're making is a mere pittance compared to the value of—"

"We've been through this before. You have an extremely exaggerated idea of David's contributions to the company," Thorne cut in. His voice hovered on the brittle edge of exasperation, the end of patience. "I take it you haven't found anything in the trailer to suggest he was doing something on his own that the company didn't know about?"

"You didn't really think I would, did you?" Juli retorted.

His chiseled lips compressed into a thin line as he studied her. His long legs were stretched out in front of him, arms folded across his chest. He was wearing boots, burnished from use and age, but still retaining their look of expensive elegance. "I'm trying to be reasonable about this," he finally said tightly. "But you're making it very difficult."

"In other words, I'm not as cooperative as most of the women you encounter," she suggested derisively.

He eyed her as if suspecting there was a double meaning in her words, that she was not referring entirely to business dealings. "And just what do you mean by that?" he challenged boldly, dismaying her with his directness.