Free The Devil To Pay by Unknown Page A

heard rumors about the underworld figures who had moved to the sunbelt.
    “Any other questions?“ Julian inquired politely as the coffee arrived.
    Since she was unable to think of any “safe“ questions, Emelina shook her head and gulped hot coffee. Her eyes
    followed the waitress vengefully.
    “You can stop glaring at the waitress,“ Julian advised dryly.
    “She’s talking about you to that fishing person.“ Emelina kept on glaring at the woman until the waitress realized
    she was under unfriendly scrutiny and, flushing slightly in embarrassment, went to pour coffee at the end of the
    counter.
    “Let her talk. What are you thinking of doing? Racing over there and beating both of them up because they’re
    speculating about me?“
    “It’s not funny, Julian.“
    He shrugged, apparently unconvinced. “Can I ask you a few questions now?“ he went on with exaggerated civility.
    “Like what?“
    “Like why you’re not married any longer,“ he said calmly, astonishing her.
    “That’s a very personal question!“
    He shrugged again. And waited. There was a quality about bis waiting that made Emelina shift uneasily in her seat.
    This man could be intimidating without half trying, she thought resentfully. “Julian, the only thing I got out of my
    marriage was a pile of debts that had to be paid off. It is not a subject I like to discuss, especially with strangers!“
    “I’m hardly a stranger, am I?“ The glance he gave her was a little like the kind she was beginning to expect from
    Xerxes. Why she bothered to respond to either creature was totally mystifying. “What sort of debts?“ he pressed.
    “My husband had taken out a lot of loans to cover his expenses in college and graduate school. He had expensive
    tastes,“ she added, remembering the Corvette and the handsome clothes. “When he left me, I had to drop out of
    college to pay off his bills.“ She grimaced and turned to stare out the window. “It seems like I’ve spent half my life
    paying off debts!“
    “Who else saddled you with them?“
    “My father was always overextended,“ she murmured, remembering her laughing, good-natured, horribly
    irresponsible parent. “It finally got to be too much, even for him, so he pulled a disappearing act a few years ago and
    left Keith and me to pick up the pieces. My mother is very much like him in temperament. Fortunately she’s remarried
    into money!“ She swung her head back to find Julian studying her. “I have excellent credit references, Julian,“ she told
    him with a trace of bitterness. “You don’t have to worry that I won’t pay you.“
    “Even though what I ask for won’t have anything to do with cash?“ He continued to watch her with that steady,
    assessing glance.
    “Could we talk about something else?“ she pleaded.
    “If you like.“
    “Why aren’t you still married, Julian?“ she dared, feeling that he owed her some personal history in exchange for
    the background information he’d pried out of her.
    “My wife ran off with another man,“ he explained very simply.
    “I see.“ She wished she’d resisted the urge to ask.
    “The other man was once my best friend and business partner,“ he continued roughly.
    “Oh, Julian!“ Eyes widening with dismay, Emelina stared at him. “How awful for you! No wonder you’re so
    concerned about…about…“
    “About loyalty and commitment?“ he filled in for her. “Yes.“
    “What happened to them?“
    “My ex-wife and my ex-friend? Why do you ask?“
    Emelina glanced away. “I just wondered. It occurred to me that you might have felt, er, vengeful.“
    “I did. For a while.“
    She wondered if he’d taken steps to cany out some terrible Mafia-style revenge. Her mind fashioned an almost
    unlimited series of possibilities based on several violent books she had read. She decided not to ask any further
    questions on the subject. “I was going to pick up some groceries and my mail,“ she went on deliberately, seeking