Semiautomatic Marriage

“We have to make certain that doesn’t happen. You did very well tonight with Rosie.” He smiled reassuringly. “If you can fool your closest friend, you shouldn’t have any trouble with a bunch of strangers.”

“I’m going to be dumped into the lives of people who have every reason to hate my guts. You can bet that there won’t be any welcome mat put out for me. I have no idea how I should behave in such a high-class environment. I’ve never known any people with money, never even visited anyone who lives in a mansion.”

“That’s all right,” he replied quickly. “Maybe you’ll do something that doesn’t quite fit, but people will expect you to make mistakes. And that’s good, because it will disarm them.”

“So the dumber I look and act, the better?” Her tone was slightly caustic.

“I didn’t mean that at all,” he said with a chuckle. “I just meant that you will be faced with some unexpected challenges, and I want you to be careful, that’s all.”

“Careful not to make a fool of myself? I can’t promise anything in that regard.” Carolyn had had some unpleasant experiences at the hospital with people who tried to throw their weight and wealth around when the rules and procedures didn’t suit them. “I have no idea how to relate to rich people,” she admitted.

“You’ll learn. Their focus in life is fashioned by tradition and the affluent world in which they live. They have hidden agendas and structure their behavior according to what’s deemed acceptable in their social stratum.”

“You know all this because…?” As the lines on his forehead deepened, she had her answer. “You come from money, don’t you.”

“Not anymore. My father was a New York stockbroker,” Adam told her. “I was an only child and had every advantage when I was growing up—prep school, college, the whole works. My senior year, the market dropped out from under my father’s investments, and he lost almost everything. His heart couldn’t take the strain, and when he died, my mother was left with a small income. She moved to New Mexico to live. When I came back from Brazil, I spent some time with her.” He gave Carolyn a rueful smile. “So you see, I was almost telling the truth when I said I was from there.”

She should have known. Everything about him suggested a privileged upbringing. His polished manner and easy confidence. His suit had obviously been tailored to fit. His fingernails appeared nicely cared for, and the cut of his dark hair accented his strong, masculine features. He could enter any elite social gathering and blend in without effort. How could she even make a pretense of being his wife?

She lowered her eyes as she imagined him in a tuxedo, perfectly groomed at a country club party, or lounging beside a fashionable swimming pool, a martini in his hand. The vision of him in only swimming trunks stirred an unbidden warmth—one that caused an instant denial to shoot through her. She couldn’t be attracted to him on that level. There absolutely couldn’t be anything sexual between them. He’d made it clear that he was only interested in her as a means to conduct his investigation. She’d be a fool if she allowed herself to make anything more of it than that.

“I’m not sure I’m up to playing out this charade,” she said defensively. Not only were her own emotions getting in the way, but the likelihood of her causing him embarrassment seemed too great. She had an unpleasant childhood memory of the time some rich woman had invited a bunch of orphans to her house for a party. Carolyn had been so nervous she’d turned the whole plate of ice cream and cake over in her lap. Even now, she shuddered at the recollection. Just making the lifestyle transition she faced would be difficult enough, but having him privy to every word and mishap made it even worse.

“I want to make this as easy on you as possible, Carolyn. I’ll do my best to arrange things so you don’t feel threatened in any way. I promise to make no demands that aren’t vital to the success of my investigation.” He paused. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”

She knew then that he was aware of the attraction that had flared between them. She nodded. “All of this is just part of a business arrangement. Nothing more.” She realized she was addressing herself as much as him.

“Right. As for getting married, there’s no need for anything but a civil service, one we’ll have as quickly and quietly as possible. We can dispense with everything else.”

Everything else? All the dreams? All expectations of someday being a bride in white lace and satin? To love and to cherish? She had always thought that someday she’d hear those poignant words, and she’d never feel lonely again. Getting married would be a beginning of a new life and the ending of an old one.

“All we need are the official credentials of Mr. and Mrs. Adam Lawrence,” he assured her. “And you’ll need to go by Carolyn Lawrence until this is over. For your protection, Mr. Bancroft will go over any legal matters that might come up while the investigation is going on.”

Investigation, he had said, not marriage. Just a business arrangement. Of course, that was all it was. No reason for her to get sentimental about taking vows that meant nothing. In a way that was what her life had been up till now. Pragmatic. Realistic. No reason for her to view a wedding ring on her finger as anything but a cold circle of metal.

“How soon should we do this?” she asked, putting her hands in her lap and clasping them tightly.

“Bancroft will make arrangements for you to move into the house and will finalize all the business arrangements. Just a matter of a few days, I think.”

“So soon?” She forced a light laugh. “You really know how to rush a girl off her feet.”

“The sooner we get into position, the better.”

Get into position. That’s the way he was viewing this whole marriage arrangement. Professional. Unemotional. Nonpersonal. The moment had come when she was either going to believe him or walk away.

“I’ll check my wardrobe and see if I have something decent to wear to a pretend wedding.”

They went back to making idle conversation, and as soon as they’d finished their coffee and apple cobbler, they left the restaurant.

The silence between them on the ride back to her apartment was like a thick curtain as Carolyn’s sensible nature began to question everything Adam Lawrence had said. Was this so-called investigation of Horizon just an elaborate scheme to swindle a naive heiress? Bancroft was the only one vouching for Adam Lawrence, and what did she really know about the lawyer? Had she bought into some sophisticated hoax?

“How would I go about verifying everything you’ve told me?” she asked as Adam walked her up the stairs to her back door. In the dim light of the back-door bulb, she could see his eyes widen in surprise. It was obvious he was taken aback by her question.

“You could decide to initiate a background check on Adam Lawrence.”

With sudden insight she said, “That’s not even your real name, is it.”

“For the moment it’s the only legal name I have.”

She wanted to laugh, but the mirth caught in her chest. She turned away and went in the house without even responding to his, “Good night. I’ll call you in the morning.”

BACK IN HIS HOTEL ROOM, Adam called his supervisor, Angelica Rivers, a woman whose crisp, businesslike voice matched her appearance. Adam guessed that at this early hour, she was probably still wearing her tailored white blouse and the straight linen skirt with its matching long jacket. Angelica had been with the agency since she was twenty, and now in her forties, she brooked no nonsense from agents, male or female.

“It’s a go,” Adam told her.

“Carolyn Leigh agreed?”

“Yes,” he answered, and mentally crossed his fingers that the arrangement with Carolyn was still a go.

“What kind of woman is she?”

Adam knew he had to be careful. Angelica would weigh everything he said and probably read between the lines. “We can trust her. She’s ready to cooperate fully.”

“I repeat, what kind of woman is she? Are you afraid to offer a personal evaluation, Adam?”

“No, not really,” he lied. His personal evaluation of Carolyn Leigh demanded honesty about how attractive he found her—in more aspects than he was willing to admit to his boss.

“You don’t like this woman who is going to pretend to be your wife?” Before he could answer, she added with knowing perception, “Or is it, as I suspect, just the opposite?”

“That’s what I like about you, Angel,” he said, using her nickname. “Nobody can accuse you of holding back. Why don’t you just ask me if she turns me on?”

“Well, does she? You know darn well you can’t get emotionally involved when you’re on a case—especially this one. Maybe I should send someone else in right now. You could get yourself killed if you let things get out of hand.”

“I’m not going to let anything get out of hand. That’s a promise. And you don’t need to worry about Carolyn not sticking to the cover.” He told Angelica about the Mexican couple and their baby. “She’s a dedicated humanitarian, and she convinced herself that she wanted to cooperate.” Unless she’s changed her mind.

“What’s the plan?”

“We’ll arrange a civil marriage ceremony as soon as the lawyer has all the legal ends tied up in a few days. Then we’ll move into the Stanford mansion and meet some of the players.”

“So the curtain goes up.”

“Yes.” Adam drew in a deep breath, and as confidently as he could, said, “And the drama begins!”

Chapter Four

Carolyn spent the next three days verifying every fact she could about her inheritance, and she satisfied herself that she could trust Mr. Bancroft. The lawyer’s personal reputation and that of his firm was without blemish. As promised, he had arranged for a substantial amount of money to be deposited in her bank account and had given her the assurance that it was only a fraction of the assets that would follow. She requested that he draw up a prenuptial agreement to protect her inheritance, and when she expressed her concerns about Adam’s plan to use her to expedite his investigation, the lawyer was quick to assure her that it was important for her to know the truth about possible criminal activities at Horizon as soon as possible.

“The suspicions about Horizon need to be proved or laid to rest.”