04-09-2026, 11:56 AM
“And lastly, things aren’t always the way they seem. Think about it.”
He walked out the door leaving me with my mouth gaping open. Before I’d had the chance to do more than shut it, he stuck his head back in and said, “By the way, how about letting Brandon and Hennessy handle the day to day stuff for the rest of the week while you focus on doing as many media interviews as you can humanly fit into your schedule. At least for the rest of the week. You’re hotter than hot right now. Let’s strike while the iron is hot and get those television, radio and newspaper interviews done, AND, be sure to mention how the driving force behind the office, the guy who pushes you to chase these bad guys, is Dallas A. Edwards. Okay?”
I just grinned at him. Why in the hell he wanted the headache and aggravation of the public spotlight and the demands of public life I’d never understand. But if it made him happy...
“You got it boss.”
“For the foreseeable future.” She looked at his office door.
“I don’t have you down to see him. You want me to call or you could just go in.”
“I didn’t come to see him.”
It only took her a second, then her smile changed. “Then why are you here?”
“I generally take a coffee break at Starbucks about this time of day. Is there any chance you could take off for a few minutes and let me buy you a Cappuccino or something? You do like coffee, right?”
The professional secretary smile vanished and a smile that made me suddenly begin to stiffen flickered on her perfect lips.
“No entanglements?”
“None at all and why, if I may ask, am I getting the fifth degree about a Cappuccino?”
She took another deep breath and watched me as I watched her.
“A woman has to be careful who she goes out with—even for something as simple as a cup of coffee. Something simple can change your life.”
I tore my eyes away from her bosom.
“Well, I understand that. It’s okay. If you’re busy we can do it another-“
“I’m free. Let me buzz Mr. Edwards and let him know I’ll be out for 15 to 30 minutes.”
We went down the elevator and out to Starbucks, running the gauntlet of amazed stares. Nobody but Dallas Edwards was ever seen with Myra Martinez in the courthouse, much less a man in black with a bandaged head. I tried to walk behind her a little because her movement was a symphony.
We had three people in front of us but the male barista on the left hand side of the counter somehow maneuvered to wait on Myra before anyone else and grudgingly took my order as well.
There were only five stand-alone tables for the Starbucks crowd and they were all occupied but, as we stood with our Cappuccinos, four young men at the nearest table decided they had business elsewhere, motioning to Myra that she could have their table. They got up but it took them a long time to leave the area.
“I wonder what it must be like to be you?”
She looked beyond me and I saw Debbie standing with Patrick Leary and a female PD across the entrance to the courthouse. Leary was staring at us, trying his best to conceal a smile and Debbie followed his gaze to our table.
“You lived with someone like me for 20 years. You ought to know what my life is like, except I haven’t had anybody like you in my life.”
A parade of emotions ran across Debbie’s face, Leary said something to her and she shook her head and started walking toward us.
Myra just smiled sweetly. “Hello Bill. Ms. Martinez.”
“Hello Ms. Bascomb. You’re looking very, professional, today. I admire a woman who knows how to - mute - her female assets for her job.”
“I’m sure you do. You might think about it yourself - just a suggestion. Bill, I’m glad to see you’re feeling better. Has Aline called you since Saturday. I thought it was very touching when you told her you still loved her in the hospital. Don’t you feel a little guilty about keeping the poor girl hanging like that?’
“Not that it’s any concern of yours anymore, but I haven’t talked to her, Debbie. And yes, I’m feeling better. Thank you for your concern.”
Leary walked up behind her and tapped her on the arm.
“Ms. Bascomb, we have that meeting upstairs. I don’t want to rush you, but...”
“You’re right, Patrick,” she said, turning and running her hand down his arm and giving him a smile that should have roused erections for miles around. “Thank you for reminding me.”
She looked back at Myra and I and said, “Well, have a good day, both of you.
I’m going to.”
She walked away ostentatiously twitching and Leary looked back at me and winked, then followed her.
“She is so damned jealous she could spit,” Myra said. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have deliberately antagonized her like that.”
“If she’s going to work around here and stay under my ass, she’s going to get used to seeing me with other women. Speaking of which, what about the Big Man?’
“What about him?”
“I don’t understand what’s going on. I thought you and he...” “Have I asked you about Aline? Or that security officerwoman?”
“No, and there’s nothing going on with Aline, if you’re interested. She’s back with her husband and son. I don’t expect to ever see her again. But, I thought, everyone thinks. ”
“That I’m his private brand?” “More or less.”
“What I do, and have done, in my personal life is just that - personal. But the fact that everyone thinks we are an item cuts down on the distractions. I don’t have to spend half my time fending off every horny attorney and cop in the downtown area. If there’s somebody I like, I see them away from here.”
He walked out the door leaving me with my mouth gaping open. Before I’d had the chance to do more than shut it, he stuck his head back in and said, “By the way, how about letting Brandon and Hennessy handle the day to day stuff for the rest of the week while you focus on doing as many media interviews as you can humanly fit into your schedule. At least for the rest of the week. You’re hotter than hot right now. Let’s strike while the iron is hot and get those television, radio and newspaper interviews done, AND, be sure to mention how the driving force behind the office, the guy who pushes you to chase these bad guys, is Dallas A. Edwards. Okay?”
I just grinned at him. Why in the hell he wanted the headache and aggravation of the public spotlight and the demands of public life I’d never understand. But if it made him happy...
“You got it boss.”
SEPTEMBER 27, 2005 - 3 P.M.
I walked up to the desk in front of Dallas Edwards’ office with feelings I’d never had before on that walk. She looked up from a document and smiled.
“Good morning, Mr. Maitland, or should I say, Mr. Angel........................................................................................ ”
“Don’t say that Myra.” The smile vanished.
“I’m sorry Bill. I heard about that security officerman. I shouldn’t have tried to joke about people dying. I just thought............................................. ”
“It’s okay, Myra. Everyone can’t walk around in sackcloth and ashes forever. It’s the past. I’m just glad I’m standing here right now. I might not be anywhere.” “I’m glad you’re here and...Mr. Edwards said you guys have. you’re going to
stay on.”“For the foreseeable future.” She looked at his office door.
“I don’t have you down to see him. You want me to call or you could just go in.”
“I didn’t come to see him.”
It only took her a second, then her smile changed. “Then why are you here?”
“I generally take a coffee break at Starbucks about this time of day. Is there any chance you could take off for a few minutes and let me buy you a Cappuccino or something? You do like coffee, right?”
The professional secretary smile vanished and a smile that made me suddenly begin to stiffen flickered on her perfect lips.
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“We worked together for six years and you’ve never offered to buy me coffee before, much less a Cappuccino.”
“For most of that time I was married. Might look bad, a married man taking the hottest woman in Jacksonville down for coffee, much less a Cappuccino.”
“The hottest woman in Jacksonville?” “Alright, Northeast Florida.”
She took a deep breath and I marveled. “Why now?”
I took a moment.
“I’m divorced and free. No entanglements. There’s nothing wrong with a single man asking a single lady to have a coffee with him.”“No entanglements?”
“None at all and why, if I may ask, am I getting the fifth degree about a Cappuccino?”
She took another deep breath and watched me as I watched her.
“A woman has to be careful who she goes out with—even for something as simple as a cup of coffee. Something simple can change your life.”
I tore my eyes away from her bosom.
“Well, I understand that. It’s okay. If you’re busy we can do it another-“
“I’m free. Let me buzz Mr. Edwards and let him know I’ll be out for 15 to 30 minutes.”
We went down the elevator and out to Starbucks, running the gauntlet of amazed stares. Nobody but Dallas Edwards was ever seen with Myra Martinez in the courthouse, much less a man in black with a bandaged head. I tried to walk behind her a little because her movement was a symphony.
We had three people in front of us but the male barista on the left hand side of the counter somehow maneuvered to wait on Myra before anyone else and grudgingly took my order as well.
There were only five stand-alone tables for the Starbucks crowd and they were all occupied but, as we stood with our Cappuccinos, four young men at the nearest table decided they had business elsewhere, motioning to Myra that she could have their table. They got up but it took them a long time to leave the area.
“I wonder what it must be like to be you?”
She looked beyond me and I saw Debbie standing with Patrick Leary and a female PD across the entrance to the courthouse. Leary was staring at us, trying his best to conceal a smile and Debbie followed his gaze to our table.
“You lived with someone like me for 20 years. You ought to know what my life is like, except I haven’t had anybody like you in my life.”
A parade of emotions ran across Debbie’s face, Leary said something to her and she shook her head and started walking toward us.
Myra just smiled sweetly. “Hello Bill. Ms. Martinez.”
“Hello Ms. Bascomb. You’re looking very, professional, today. I admire a woman who knows how to - mute - her female assets for her job.”
“I’m sure you do. You might think about it yourself - just a suggestion. Bill, I’m glad to see you’re feeling better. Has Aline called you since Saturday. I thought it was very touching when you told her you still loved her in the hospital. Don’t you feel a little guilty about keeping the poor girl hanging like that?’
“Not that it’s any concern of yours anymore, but I haven’t talked to her, Debbie. And yes, I’m feeling better. Thank you for your concern.”
Leary walked up behind her and tapped her on the arm.
“Ms. Bascomb, we have that meeting upstairs. I don’t want to rush you, but...”
“You’re right, Patrick,” she said, turning and running her hand down his arm and giving him a smile that should have roused erections for miles around. “Thank you for reminding me.”
She looked back at Myra and I and said, “Well, have a good day, both of you.
I’m going to.”
She walked away ostentatiously twitching and Leary looked back at me and winked, then followed her.
“She is so damned jealous she could spit,” Myra said. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have deliberately antagonized her like that.”
“If she’s going to work around here and stay under my ass, she’s going to get used to seeing me with other women. Speaking of which, what about the Big Man?’
“What about him?”
“I don’t understand what’s going on. I thought you and he...” “Have I asked you about Aline? Or that security officerwoman?”
“No, and there’s nothing going on with Aline, if you’re interested. She’s back with her husband and son. I don’t expect to ever see her again. But, I thought, everyone thinks. ”
“That I’m his private brand?” “More or less.”
“What I do, and have done, in my personal life is just that - personal. But the fact that everyone thinks we are an item cuts down on the distractions. I don’t have to spend half my time fending off every horny attorney and cop in the downtown area. If there’s somebody I like, I see them away from here.”
Like, Comment and Give Rating.
![[+]](https://xossipy.com/themes/sharepoint/collapse_collapsed.png)