Free Eclipse Bay by Jayne Ann Krentz

shoes. He had no doubt arrived at his headquarters at seven-thirty that morning, right after the conclusion of his six a.m. workout at the health club. He would not leave until seven o’clock tonight at the earliest, and when he finally did go back to his austere condominium, he would have a briefcase full of papers with him. Madison Commercial was Gabe’s passion. He had devoted himself to it with the sort of single-minded intensity that only another Madison could comprehend.
    “It’s been more than ten months,” Gabe said. “Every Friday. Regular as clockwork.”
    Rafe finished cutting up the onion and tossed the pieces into the food processor. “I know what you’re thinking.”
    “You’re thinking the same thing.”
    “We might be wrong.” Rafe added the pitted olives, three different kinds in all, to the onion. He dumped the rinsed capers and some freshly squeezed lemon juice into the bowl. “But we both know that if he is getting some kind of regular medical treatments, we’ll be the last ones to find out.”
    “Trying to protect us, I guess.” Gabe hesitated. “How does he look?”
    “Healthy as a bull, except for the arthritis. I’m going to see him tomorrow night at dinner.” Rafe paused. “I’ll get to meet the new girlfriend.”
    “Is she really young enough to be his granddaughter?”
    “That’s what I’m told,” Rafe said.
    Gabe groaned. “It would be embarrassing if it wasn’t so downright amazing.”
    “Yeah.”
    “Probably ought to look on the bright side,” Gabe said morosely. “If he’s able to keep up with her in bed, he can’t be at death’s door yet.”
    “There is that,” Rafe agreed. He snapped the lid onto the food processor. “Not to change the subject, but how did things go last Saturday night with the lovely Ms. Hartinger?”
    “I’d rather not discuss it, if you don’t mind.”
    “Another disaster?”
    “I don’t like to admit it, but it was excruciatingly clear that she was interested only in my portfolio.”
    “Thought you said she was perfect.”
    “I was wrong, okay? Get off my case.”
    “I still say you’re going about this business of finding yourself a wife the wrong way.”
    “I’m trying to approach it in a non-Madison way. I explained my theory to you.”
    “I understand what you’re trying to do. I’m just saying I don’t think it’s going to work. It isn’t like acquiring a new office tower for Madison Commercial. You can’t use the same techniques.”
    “When did you become an expert?”
    “Good point. Forget it.” Rafe drummed his fingers on top of the food processor. “I’m taking a date to Mitchell’s house tomorrow night.”
    “Someone local?” Gabe sounded only casually interested.
    “You could say that. Hannah Harte.”
    “ Hannah? Are you kidding me?”
    “No.”
    “She agreed to go with you?”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “Why?”
    “I’m not sure, if you want the truth. Probably thinks it’s a step toward getting her hands on Dreamscape.”
    “You, uh, led her to think that might be the case?” Gabe asked carefully.
    “Sort of.”
    “But you’ve got no intention of giving up your claim on that mansion.”
    “No,” Rafe said, “I don’t.”
    “What the hell is going on there?”
    “I’ll let you know when I find out. I’ve got to go now. Talk to you later.”
    Rafe hung up the phone and switched on the food processor. He thought about Hannah while the machine turned the mixture inside the bowl into tapenade . An old proverb flickered through his mind, something about bringing a long spoon when you dined with the devil. Madisons had used it to describe the risks of dealing with Hartes for years.

chapter 6
    Rafe wrapped his hands around the porch railing and gazed out over his grandfather’s magnificent garden. A lot of people in Eclipse Bay gardened, but none of them could match Mitchell’s spectacular display of lush ferns, herb borders, and rosebushes. A large greenhouse dominated the far end of the