Seducing Chase (14 page)

“First, we’ll need to issue a press release. There’s no way in hell we can keep an NIH audit out of the press.” Val said. “We’ll put it out right at close of business today. That way it’ll be too late to make the evening news and, if we’re lucky, the papers won’t realize what a big deal this is until we have some time to come up with plausible answers to the inevitable questions.”

Nate was nodding as she was speaking and Val briefly reflected about how nice it was to have him on her side rather than arguing with her at every turn.

Rose nodded. “Okay. I assume you’ll take care of that?”

“Not a problem,” Val assured her. “From a PR perspective we can only try to mitigate the damage. In light of what’s happened, no one is going to believe this is a routine audit. We should be honest about why the NIH is coming, reiterate that we don’t have anything to hide and will fully cooperate with the audit.”

“Good, good.” Rose glanced at the clock. “The board will be coming in soon. Can I leave this in your capable hands? I have a feeling Richard is going to need a Valium and a parachute for when he tries to jump out the window. Ten floors is a long way down.”

Val nodded, grateful the woman seemed to be calming down. “Of course. Can you make our excuses to the board? If they need me I’ll be in my office.”

Nate and Val left Doug’s former office. As they got into the elevator, Nate said, “What do you need from me?”

“Honestly, can you just keep doing what you’ve been doing?” He’d taken over proofing the donor magazine and with at least with one thing still going her work wasn’t a complete shambles. “I’ll take care of the press release and schedule it for a four forty-five pm broadcast.”

“Sounds good to me. We can circle the wagons later on to make sure we’re covering our bases.” Nate shook his head, chuckling. “I should’ve handed you a Buzzword Bingo card before I started talking. All this corporate-ness is getting to me. I can’t even get the catchphrases right, though.”

Val joined him in a laugh, even though she felt a little guilty laughing about anything when the hospital’s walls were practically collapsing around them. Deep inside she knew she needed to grab these moments of levity and hold on to them. Who knew when there would be more?

They attempted to bury the news about the audit by issuing four releases at once. Normally, CCC wouldn’t issue more than one a day, and often held releases for a few days in order to maximize exposure for each story, but in this case both she and Nate thought flooding the market, so to speak, was a good idea. The fact it was a Friday was even better. Hopefully Val would have time early the next week to give the other three the attention they deserved, and she felt badly about making those releases “sacrificial lambs”, but didn’t see any other viable option.

Just as Val was preparing to leave for the night, her office phone rang. She looked at the display. Tenth floor, executive suite. With a sigh she sat and answered the call.

It was Richard. “Can you and Nate come up here? We got some information about Dr. Godlowski’s wife I think you should both hear.”

“Sure.” She was curious but decided to wait until they got up to Richard’s office to get more information. As she was signing off with Richard, Nate walked by her office and she called out to him.

Val’s curiosity grew by the minute as they walked over. Once inside Richard’s office they didn’t have to wait long.

Richard handed them a folder, but before they had a chance to look at it he said, “That’s a spare file for you to keep. Here’s what you need to know.” Val leaned forward. “According to the wife, she had no idea Dr. Godlowski had gotten so into online gambling. When the FBI looked at his computer, it appeared he did most of it in the later hours of the day, and Mrs. Godlowski said she normally retires for the night by nine-thirty or ten o’clock. She also said he kept her completely in the dark about the fact he’d rung up debts or had a problem.”

“Which makes sense, really,” Nate remarked. “Why would you tell your wife something like that?”

Val turned to him. “What about honesty? What about ‘for better or for worse’? I’d be more inclined to think, ‘how could he justify keeping information that might affect her very livelihood from her’?”

Nate’s face registered surprise at her outburst. “That’s…not what I meant. I should have been more clear. I meant if he was getting deeper and deeper into debt and was ashamed, like most people would be, it’s not surprising he didn’t clue his wife in on his failure.”

Val’s attention swung back to Richard. “Do the police and the FBI believe her?”

“Yeah, they seem to. They gave her a polygraph test which apparently she aced. I just don’t know how that kind of thing escapes your notice.”

“People see what they want to see,” Nate murmured. If Val hadn’t been sitting right to him she wouldn’t have even heard him, and Richard went on as if he hadn’t heard.

“Anyway, it appears the wife is a dead end. I was hoping she could give us something to go on, but she seems not only tremendously hurt by what he did, but also completely baffled about where he might’ve gone. He’s left her completely in the lurch. Thankfully their children are grown and out of the house, but she doesn’t work and he cleaned out their savings within the past month or so as his addiction grew. They’re a traditional older couple—he did all the finances and she never had a clue.”

Val chewed her lip. “So we’re back to square one.”

“Not necessarily,” Nate argued. “We know a hell of a lot more about the good doctor than when this thing blew up, and maybe the FBI has other leads they’re still pursuing.” He looked to Richard, who nodded.

“They say they do, but I just don’t know what to think.”

“Let’s keep on course and let the authorities do their job while we do ours,” Nate suggested.

Val stood. “That sounds like about all we
can
do. If you don’t need anything else…”

Richard waved them out and they left, going back to the PR department’s offices. “We can’t get much done here tonight. It’s well after six.” Nate pointed out. “I think we should retire to our respective lodgings, get a good night of sleep, and reconvene in the morning. Maybe somewhere other than here.” He leaned in, nuzzling her ear. “Not that sleeping curled around you like Saran Wrap doesn’t sound awesome, but I know you’re tired.”

Val gave him a weak smile. “I am pretty beat.”

He dropped a quick kiss on her lips and then pulled away. “Go home. Rest. Before I change my mind.”

Being suffused with his warmth while she slept did sound pretty good, but she’d always slept better alone, so she took his advice. After stopping for a quick take-out meal on the way home, she ate it standing at the counter and then went straight to bed. This time sleep came quickly.

*****

Val awoke refreshed and ready to tackle the day. She wasn’t sure where her optimism was coming from, but she had a good feeling about things; like a break in the case was imminent.

She and Nate worked from her house that Saturday, and Val was surprised by how comfortable he seemed there. Of course her little house, even with its small rooms and sloping floors, probably seemed a lot homier than his high-rise apartment. How could it not? But the high-rise life was what he was used to.

After going through the recent media coverage, Val spun in her computer chair and regarded Nate, who was sprawled out on her couch. “How are we gonna get through this? It keeps getting worse and worse. Every time I think we’ve turned a corner…” Her optimism had faded in the harsh light of day and overwhelmed didn’t seem a strong enough word for the emotions coursing through her.

Nate rose, striding to Val, then took her hand to help her stand. “We’ll get through it.”

“I hope so.”

He pulled her into his arms. “If something happens and you lose your job, you can always come work for me. There would be special perks involved.” Nate smiled and waggled his eyebrows, and she could tell he was trying to distract her. It didn’t work.

She shook her head. “I don’t want to move.”

“You wouldn’t have to. You could work from here.” The thought of having him so close and yet so far away depressed her, but she pushed those maudlin thoughts to the back of her mind.

“After doing work like the stuff I’ve done for the hospital, I’m not sure how much tolerance I’d have for dealing with some starlet’s sex tape or an athlete’s arrest for gun possession.”

Nate nodded as if ceding the point. “We can talk about it later, if it ever happens. Even if the board wanted to, though, they’d have to be complete idiots to fire you right now.”

“I would’ve said that about Doug, too.”

“Somebody had to take the fall, and it makes sense it would be him and not you. He had oversight of the hospital, you didn’t. You’re just doing your best to clean up the mess. It’s not your fault things aren’t going well on that front, and it seems maybe the board recognizes that.” Picking up a stress ball from Val’s computer desk, he cleared his throat. “I’m actually very surprised it took them that long to act. They must’ve really liked Doug, but felt they had no other choice.”

“What’ll he do now?”

“I have no idea. Hopefully he’ll call soon. I’ve left messages, but he hasn’t returned them.” He set Val away from him and she instantly mourned the loss of body contact. “For now all we can do is what we’ve been doing. That’s what he would want.”

“You’re right.” Val rubbed her forehead, feeling another headache coming on. She’d love a nap, but didn’t see that in the offing.

As the evening drew near, he rose once more and stood behind Val, his hands lightly stroking her shoulders. “Have dinner with me.”

She looked up. “Um, sure.”

Val suggested a local Italian restaurant, where they dined on lasagna and shared a bottle of Chianti. When they returned to her house, she knew it would be rude not to invite him in. And who was she kidding, anyway? She wanted Nate and it looked more and more as if their time was limited.

He came inside and they began making out on her couch like a couple of teenagers. When she was finally able to tear her lips from his, it was only to lead him to her bedroom.

“The inner sanctuary,” he murmured as he stopped in the doorway. “I’m honored.”

“Don’t be honored, get in here,” she retorted, grabbing Nate by the front of his shirt and tugging. The move must’ve surprised him as he stumbled forward and then spun to land on his back on the bed with a
whoosh
.

He leaned up on his elbows and said, “Wow, I guess you’re a take-charge woman when you’re on your own turf.”

Val raised an eyebrow. “How do you know I’m not a take-charge woman all the time?”

Nate gave her a half-smile. “Let’s just say I’ve seen evidence to the contrary.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She reached behind herself and pulled her t-shirt over her head. Nodding toward him, she said, “Now you.”

He grinned. “Is this like strip chicken? Whoever stops disrobing first loses?”

“It seems if we’re both naked it’s a win-win situation, not a loss. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Hmm. This is a good point.” Sitting up, Nate undid the buttons down the front of his shirt and then shucked it off, throwing it on the floor to join her top. “Now you.”

Val laughed. “So that’s how we’re gonna do this?”

“Yep.”

With an exaggerated roll of her eyes, Val reached for the waistband of the comfy pants she’d worn since she didn’t have to physically go in to the office to work today. She pushed them down, hopping on one foot and then the other to remove them completely. She kicked them to the side and cocked her head.

Nate lifted up, unzipping his pants and pulling them off in one smooth motion. With a purely wicked smirk, he dropped them to the floor. He was now only clad in a t-shirt and tight boxer briefs, while she wore her black bra and matching panties. Nate reclined again, watching her intently.

“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours,” she teased him, reaching for the front clasp of her bra.

“An offer I can’t refuse.” His shirt joined the growing pile on the floor and he looked up expectantly.

With a devilish smile, Val decided to torture him. She opened the clasp and then flashed him a quick peek at her breasts before closing the bra once more. He growled and she couldn’t help the giggle that worked its way free. “You want something?”

He pointed toward her breasts and then said, “Yeah. Those. In my mouth. Just so you’re aware, I’m perfectly willing to help rid you of that, you know, but it’ll be in shreds.”

“My, my. Are you trying to scare me?”

He adopted a wolfish grin. “All the better to…”

“Don’t even finish that sentence.” She could feel her cheeks burning. Without another word, she re-opened the clasp and pulled the bra down her arms and off.

“Gorgeous.” Nate sat up, grabbing her and latching onto a nipple, suckling hard, as one of his hands worked her other nipple, rolling and pulling until it elongated. “So pretty…”

Val moaned as he moved away and then plumped her breast before placing a chaste kiss to the top. Then he pushed both together and used the very tip of his tongue to flick back and forth over her nipples, not stopping until she moaned again, tugging hard on his hair.

He looked up at her. “Tell me you want me, baby.”

“I want you.” It was pointless to pretend anything different.

“Then you’ll have me.” Nate leaned back and held out his hand. “Come to bed.”

She climbed on and he settled her underneath him, letting her feel the weight of his body pressing her into the mattress, and she found herself reveling in it. After a few minutes, though, she pushed him and he fell onto his back with a lazy grin.

“This again? Not that I’m complaining…”

“Hush.”

Gazing at him, she decided a body like his should be worshipped slowly. Slowly, and thoroughly. Scooting to the foot of the bed, she lifted his feet, took off both socks, and began to massage the arch of one foot.

“You’re a goddess. Have I told you that lately?”

Val chuckled. “Uh, no.”

“You’re a goddess.”

“You just don’t want me to stop rubbing your feet.”

“I can think of several other parts I’d be okay with you rubbing.”

“And rubbed they will be, as long as you behave yourself.”

His eyebrows shot up, eyes widening comically. “Behave myself? Man, you’re really letting this ‘in charge’ thing go to your head.”

“Like I said before, shut up and enjoy it.”

“Yes, mistress.”

She lifted his other foot and gave it the same treatment, then leaned down to run her tongue along the side of his foot and up to his calf. Her breasts brushed the hair on his legs and a frisson of sensation shot through her. Who knew that would be erotic?

Val continued to massage, lick, and suck her way up his legs. When she reached his upper thighs, though, she looked up at him. “Think I’ll just skip this part for now.”

“Are you kidding?” Nate was panting, his breath sawing in and out of his lungs.

“Why would you think I was kidding?” She shifted, placing a kiss right over his navel.

“You’re killing me. I take back what I said.”

“About what?”

“About you being a goddess. You’re more like a siren.”

She laughed. “Sorry about that.”