Johnston - Heartbeat Read Free

made sure she never forgot it. It felt like a black box was closing around her, and Maggie fought to keep open a window of light. Was she going to stay where Porter Cobb’s powerful, long-reaching arms could control her life? Maggie gave the most defiant answer she could.
    “For the moment.”
     
    Maggie had gone to bed at eleven, after an enervating meeting chaired by Victoria regarding the gala. The call from the gatekeeper at 200 Patterson announcing she had a visitor woke her up. “Who is it?” she asked, glancing at the clock. It was 11:33.
    “Lisa Hollander.”
    “Let her in,” Maggie said, wondering why
    Lisa hadn’t just called. She must be exhausted from her trip to Dallas. But that was just like Lisa, to thank her right away and in person for helping with Amy—even though it could have waited until morning.
    Maggie had slipped on a comfortable terry cloth robe but was barefoot when she greeted Lisa at the door to her elegant tenth-floor condominium. “Come in. You didn’t have to—” Maggie cut herself off when she saw the look in Lisa’s large brown eyes. “What’s wrong?”
    Lisa crossed past her and headed toward the kitchen where they’d sat at the table working on numerous legal cases together. Maggie followed her, confused and alarmed by Lisa’s strange behavior. She was dressed in a tailored, dark green suit that Maggie presumed was what she’d worn for the trip to Dallas. Which meant either she hadn’t been home yet, or she hadn’t stayed home long enough to change.
    “Do you mind if I get myself something to drink?” Lisa said, heading for the refrigerator.
    “Not at all. In fact, get me a Coke while you’re at it.”
    From past visits Lisa knew where to find glasses, which she filled with ice from the refrigerator dispenser. She split a Coke and handed one of the glasses to Maggie, who had settled herself in a chair at the small round kitchen table.
    Lisa sat down across from her, set the untouched glass of Coke on the oak surface, and broke into tears.
    Maggie set her glass down and knelt beside Lisa, reaching for her hands and gripping them in her own. “Has Amy or Roman been hurt?”
    Lisa shook her head vigorously.
    “The deposition went badly?” Maggie guessed.
    Lisa shook her head.
    “You and Roman had a fight?”
    Lisa made a keening sound, and Maggie had her answer. She let go of Lisa’s hands, rose, and pulled one of the padded kitchen chairs closer so she could sit beside the distraught young woman. “Do you want to talk about it?”
    “Yes. No. I don’t know.”
    “That sounds like a lawyer’s answer, all right,” Maggie said with a rueful smile. “I’ve trained you well.”
    Lisa managed a sobbing laugh and knuckled her eyes dry, smearing her mascara. Maggie stretched for a box of Kleenex from the breakfast bar that separated the cooking area from the dining area and placed it in front of Lisa, who cleaned the mascara from her hands, then dabbed at her eyes. “I didn’t mean to sound so confused.” She looked at Maggie and said, “But I am.”
    “What can I do to help?”
    “I don’t know,” Lisa wailed. “I don’t know what to do!” She grabbed another Kleenex and dabbed at the tears streaming freely from her eyes.
    Maggie was at a loss. She had been Lisa’s mentor for the past three years and done everything she could to help her succeed professionally. In the process, they had become friends. She had been to the Hollander house several times. She liked Roman Hollander, and from everything she’d seen, he was besotted with his wife. As Lisa’s boss she wasn’t sure she wanted to get involved with Lisa’s personal problems—especially any difficulties she was having with her husband.
    But it was obvious Lisa needed someone to talk to, and Maggie didn’t have the heart to send her away. “I’m here to listen, Lisa. And to help, if you think I can.”
    “Roman wants me to quit my job,” she blurted.
    “What brought this on?” Maggie