Rebecca Winters - Manhattan Merger

“This is part of my job.”

“I’m still grateful to you. See you in the morning.”

On the way back to her apartment, Rainey stopped to buy food and flowers before hurrying home to clean and get things ready for her family.

Her mother arrived by taxi at seven p.m., her brother at eleven. He’d come with his backpack and bed roll which turned out to be a blessing. Her mom could use the hide-a-bed and Rainey would sleep on the futon.

She would have given anything if their reunion could have happened under different circumstances. The idea that a New York billionaire was suing her and Red Rose Publishers was like her worst nightmare.

Before they all went to bed, Rainey sorted through the pile of photographs to find the one that had gotten her into so much trouble. When she finally came across it and showed it to her brother, he remembered the man, but not the name.

“What was he like, Craig?”

“He was in a group of twenty people. I do recall he was congenial, fascinated by everything and seemed totally at home on the water.”

“Nothing else?”

“There is one thing that stood out,” her brother murmured. “When I take people on a float trip, I mentally pick someone in the group I could count on to help in an emergency. He was the one I chose. Most people panic a little at some point on the river, but he never did.”

After hearing Craig’s testimonial, Rainey couldn’t equate the man she’d painted with the person who could bring financial ruin to so many lives.

Grace had done her best to reassure Rainey things would be all right, but she had a hard time believing it. During the night she’d broken down sobbing. So, apparently, had Bonnie Wrigley who’d shown up in the conference room the next morning with drawn features and puffy eyes.

This was the first time they’d met each other. The minute the two women saw each other, they went out in the hall to commiserate in private.

At this point Rainey’s guilt had increased a hundredfold. If it hadn’t been for her cover, there would be no suit. Now poor Bonnie was going to have to explain how she dreamed up Manhattan Merger, where she got her ideas.

Before long Grace summoned them back to the conference room. The morning flew by while she coached everyone. After lunch was served, their entourage of twenty people left in taxis for the courthouse on Broadway.

When Rainey arrived with her family, it seemed to her there were an inordinate amount of security guards stationed outside the building. To her surprise, even more were positioned inside.

Several guards escorted her and her family to the designated courtroom where she saw more guards in place.

Though she might not be wearing handcuffs or leg chains, Rainey felt like a criminal. By the time they were seated down in front on the right side of the courtroom, she thought she would lose her lunch right there.

Grace came in with Cynthia Taft, the other attorney. They brought a look of calm as they took their places at the table in front of Rainey. Still she wasn’t comforted. When she glanced at Bonnie, the other woman shook her head as if to say she couldn’t believe this was happening.

Rainey couldn’t fathom it either. There was an air of unreality about the entire situation.

Yesterday she’d gotten up motivated and happy, then received a phone call that had changed her whole life in an instant.

Immersed in pain, Rainey didn’t notice the arrival of the opposition until Craig whispered to her.

She turned her head to see two men in dark business suits walking down the left aisle toward the table. Her gaze fell helplessly on the man from the photograph. The one whose looks and vitality had caught her artist’s eye as no other man had done before.

He was tall and powerfully built, just as she’d remembered from the photograph. Yet he moved with careless male grace. It was one of those intangible traits you had to be born with.

The pool of genes that had come together to form the gorgeous man known as Payne Sterling was remarkable enough. When combined with the spirit that lived inside his body, he radiated a dynamism that made him much more attractive to her in person.

Afraid to be caught staring, she averted her eyes. It galled her to realize she could still be having these kinds of thoughts about him when he was the reason they were in court now.

“All rise.”

Shocked to hear the bailiff’s voice, Rainey lifted her head in time to see the judge enter the courtroom and take his seat.

“The court of New York County, New York, is now in session. The Honorable James E. Faulkner, Supervising Judge of New York City, is presiding.

Supervising judge of New York? Rainey’s legs trembled.

“You may be seated.”

THE judge adjusted his glasses.

“The case of Sterling versus Red Rose Romance Publishers et al has come before the court in an emergency show causing hearing. All who testify will be sworn in.

“Mr. Drew Wallace, Counsel for the Plaintiff, will make opening remarks, followed by opening remarks from Ms. Grace Carlow, Chief Counsel for the Defendants.”

Long ago Payne had learned the trick of staying focused. Never look at the opposition when inside the courtroom, but stare them down outside of it. That strategy had served him well in his business dealings. It would serve him even better in this particular circumstance.

The possibility that there might be a stalker within these walls never left his mind. After the experience of tackling that lunatic too late to protect Diane, he had no desire to look into the face of another psychotic woman with the potential to do harm.

This moment hadn’t come soon enough for him or his family. He exchanged a private glance with Drew before his attorney got to his feet.

“Your Honor-Ms. Carlow-my client wouldn’t have pushed for an emergency hearing without just cause. Six months ago he and his fiancée were entering his parents’ home when a stalker shot at them. His fiancée is now in a wheelchair and may never walk again.

“Besides this tragic event, there have been half a dozen other stalking incidences in my client’s past where police had to be called in and people arrested and prosecuted. It’s all a matter of public record which I’ve submitted to the court.

“Two days ago my client discovered he was the man on the cover of a Red Rose Romance entitled Manhattan Merger, which I shall enter here in evidence as Exhibit One. The painting was done without his knowledge or permission.” He handed it to the bailiff who took it to the judge.

“Apparently eight covers have been created with his likeness, all without his knowledge or permission. As you can see by the title of this particular story, it takes place in New York City. If you’ll read the blurb on the back, it mentions a New York Billionaire who has an accident in the Canyonlands of the American West.

“In reading the novel, my client became alarmed by the amount of similarities to his life and that of the protagonist’s.

“I have never been the victim of a stalker, but my client and his loved ones have already paid an enormous price because of the behavior of some crazed people in our society.

“My client has asked for a hearing to determine if this is a case of art imitating life to an uncanny degree, or if there is something more sinister behind so many incredible coincidences.

“Should today’s hearing prove the latter, he wants this dealt with before anyone else gets hurt or killed. On that note I defer to Ms. Carlow.”

Payne gave Drew a satisfied nod.

“Your Honor, I speak for myself and everyone present when I say that we deeply regret Mr. Sterling’s pain and suffering. The legal department at Red Rose Romance should have caught the problem when the first painting for The Star Grazer was shipped to our office.

“I noticed a likeness to Mr. Sterling in his facial structure and body type then, but the hero came from the future. He had red hair and brown eyes. I assumed it was a coincidence. It wouldn’t be the first time a hero or heroine on one of our covers happened to resemble a real person.

“When the second painting of Her Prince of Dreams arrived, I again saw similarities though the hero had black eyes and black hair. However I still didn’t feel concerned enough to say anything.

“It wasn’t until Ms. Bennett had painted Manhattan Merger, that I could see the hero did indeed personify Mr. Payne Sterling. I believed it was because she’d placed him in a contemporary New York setting with the kinds of clothes a man in his position would wear to his corporate office.

“At this point I brought it to the head of the company’s attention. Mr. Finauer said not to worry about it because there’d been no problem with the other covers.

“Though I can understand and sympathize with Mr. Sterling’s alarm, as the attorney for Red Rose Romance Publishers, may I assure the court and Mr. Sterling that there is no stalker in this room as will be borne out in testimony.

“To save the court’s time I’ve already supplied a list of witnesses in the order in which they will appear in this court. I’ve given the same list to Mr. Wallace, and have indicated home addresses, phone numbers and job descriptions.”

The judge nodded. “Then this court will proceed. Ms. Farr, please take the witness stand.”

While the bailiff administered the oath, Payne could see that a sizable group from the opposition had assembled. Red Rose’s attorney had come prepared. He would give them that much credit.

“Ms. Farr,” Ms. Carlow began, “state your full name and job description.”

“My name is Margaret Farr. I’m the head editor for the Touch of Romance line at Red Rose Publishers.”