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group in Mobile？ No。 She hadn't even thought about it once during the
weekend。 It would mean a week on location taking samples of Gulf water
and testing the ocean floor position。 It was a potentially
fascinating project； since the toxic waste burning plan was so new。
〃Yes； Ms。 Farwell。 I'll take the job。 What's the exact status of the
waste burning now？〃
A gentle voice responded with concern。 〃The tanker will be leaving
Mobile two weeks from tomorrow loaded with oil contaminated with PCBS。
Those PCBS are cancer…causing。 The pany that owns the freighter
claims that by the time the oil is pletely burned； any toxic acid
emitted in the smoke will have been neutralized by the seawater。 We
doubt that。〃
Chloe made notes as the woman talked。 〃Where do they plan to do the
burning？〃
The woman knew her facts and offered them up； along with a detailed list
of the equipment Chloe would need。 She also advised Chloe on making
arrangements with the local university for the use of their lab。
Hanging up the phone； Chloe was pleased。 With the use of a lab； she
would be able to spend evenings analyzing the samples she collected。
Four or five days out； and the job would be done。
The project was exciting。 More than that； the escape from Little pton
was just what she needed。 It would give her a head start at putting Ross
out of her mind。
Her pencil moved over the paper； making further notes on the Alabama
project。 She would fly down in three weeks； by which time the tanker
would have reached its proposed burn site and started to work。 Three
weeks would take her into the second week in November。 After a week in
Mobile； Thanksgiving would be at hand。
Thanksgiving。 She felt a soft； distant shudder。 Should she go home？
Alabama was in the vicinity of Louisiana。 Mobile was a hop； skip； and
jump from New Orleans。 She hadn't seen her parents in a long time。 She
missed them a lot。 Same with her brothers。 One of them might be there；
too。
But there would be memories of another Thanksgiving； not only in Chloe's
mind but in those of her parents and brothers。 Could she face those？ In
eleven years she had never made it home for Thanksgiving。 They must have
guessed why。 No doubt they were relieved。 Looking at Chloe was seeing
Crystal； too。 She hated to impose that on a family Thanksgiving。
The phone rang again。 〃Chloe？ Howard Wolschinski here。 I just got a call
from Stephenson。 He's ready to talk。〃 He paused。 Chloe didn't know what
to say。 〃Are you still there？〃 he asked。
〃I'm here； Howard。〃 She sighed； resigned。 She should have known。 〃That's
good news；〃 she said with forced enthusiasm。 〃Has he given on all of our
points？〃
〃He hasn't given on anything yet。 But he says that he hears what you're
saying and is willing to have you work with his people to revise the
plans。〃
〃That's fine。 My studies and findings are all clearly outlined in the
report I did for you。 I'll have one of my assistants give him a call。〃
〃He wants you。〃
〃Did he say that？〃
〃Loud and clear。 His exact words were； 〃If it were anyone else； I'd have
doubts。 But Chloe Macdaniel has a spirit that can convince the men of
the Hansen Corporation that they'd be dumb not to follow her advice。' I
wrote it right down； Chloe。 Thought you'd be pleased。〃
〃Oh； yeah；〃 she murmured under her breath。 The snake。 He'd stolen her
own words。
〃What was that？〃 Howard asked。
〃Ah； nothing； Howard。 Just a thought。〃 She cleared her throat。 〃Are you
sure he won't settle for another member of the firm？〃
〃I doubt it。 You'll work with him； won't you； Chloe。 I told him you
would。〃
〃Howard； how can you do this to me？ Why can't you convince him that
another member of the firm…even Lee； my partner…will do just as well？〃
〃I suppose I could try if I wanted to。〃
〃But you don't。〃
〃No。〃
〃You just lost my vote。〃
Howard laughed roundly。 〃Thank goodness you don't live up here。 You'd
have the whole district against me。 Seriously； though； we have to get
moving on this。 The referendum is scheduled for early November。 Ross
wants to meet with you A…S…A…P so that his team can get to work on some
changes。〃
〃A…S…A…R When is that？〃
〃Yesterday。〃
I met with him yesterday； she thought。 〃I can't make it before
Wednesday； Howard。〃 It was just another job； she told herself。 Just
another oh。
〃Wednesday will be fine。〃
〃Should I meet them up at the site？〃 One place would be as bad as the
next。 But if there were others around； the temptation would be less。
Howard dashed her hopes。 〃He wants you in New York。 That's where the
drawing boards are。 He'll make arrangements for your transportation and
housing。 I have to get back to him later to tell him when。 Wednesday；
you say？〃
She gave a low but very audible drawn…out sigh。 〃It's as good a day as
any。〃
〃That's my girl！ I'll call you with the details。 Okay？〃
〃You're the boss。〃
She should have felt victorious； hanging up the phone。 If Ross caved in；
there would be no need for a referendum and the Rye Beach plex would
be built on an environmentally sound plan。 How much better could things
be？
Tossing her hair over her shoulder； she grabbed her now empty mug and
stomped through the living room into the kitchen； where she poured more
coffee and reached for the sticky bun Lee had left。 That was when she
spotted the open door to his office。
〃Lee！〃 She burst in； rousing her partner from the depths of a thick
folder。 〃Lee； you're just the person I need。〃 So much for gentlemen's
agreements。 Despite what she'd told Howard； if Lee would fill in for
her； she would send him to New York。 She could play just as dirty as
Ross。
〃Umm？〃
〃I need you to fill in for me in New York on Wednesday。 Can you make
it？〃
He was shaking his head before she'd even finished。 〃I'll be in
Washington。 Why？ A problem？〃
〃No。 Nothing much。〃 She mumbled the last and turned away。
〃Chloe。 Get back here。 You'd never rush in asking me to fill in for you
for nothing much。〃 A look came over his face。 〃Oh。〃 He cleared his
throat。 〃So he called you； too。〃
She frowned。 〃Howard called you？〃
〃Ross called me。 I think his offer is good。〃
〃Offer？ Ross？ What are you talking about？〃
It was Lee's turn to frown。 〃I'm talking about the phone call I received
from Ross Stephenson no more than a half hour ago。 He wants to retain
our services。 What are you talking about？〃
A furious Chloe leaned on Lee's desk。 〃I already refused him！ I'm
talking about the phone call from Howard Wolschinski saying that Ross is
ready to revise the Rye Beach proposal。〃
〃That's great！〃
〃It's not！ He wants me to work with him and that's the last thing I want
to do！〃
Lee was suddenly very gentle and very serious。 He pointed her into a
chair and rounded the desk to make sure that she sat。 Perching nearby；
he said； 〃Okay； pretty lady。 Tell me about it。〃
She felt utterly helpless。 〃Ross is willing to make the changes； but he
refuses to go by my report。 He wants me to work with his people； in
person； in New York。〃
〃gather；〃 he said； stroking his beard； 〃that you aren't bothered by New
York； per se。〃
〃You gather correctly。〃
〃Chloe； what's wrong？〃 he asked softly。 〃The man seems intelligent and
honest。 You shouldn't have any problem。 You can be in and out of the
city in no time。〃 At wit's end； she said； 〃He thinks he's in love with
me； that's the problem。 If it were only a matter of business； I wouldn't
worry。 But Ross says he wants to marry me。〃
〃So what's the problem？〃
〃can't marry him。〃 She pleaded for his understanding。 〃And I'm not sure
I can take his constant pressure。〃
〃Are you afraid you might give in？〃 He erased the question with a wave。
〃Backtrack。 Why can't you marry him？ You're free。〃
〃Not quite。〃
〃You're not making sense； pretty lady。 From what I can see； there's
nothing in the world to keep you from marrying Ross。〃
〃What if I don't love him？〃 she blurted out。
〃If you don't love him； then you're right to hold out。 And if you don't
love him； you'll have no trouble putting him off。 He'll get tired after
a while。〃 Lee was watching her face very； very closely。 〃That's not the
real problem； is it？ You do love him。〃
She blew out a brea