Stranger Than Fiction Page 3

  “Patricia Snow. No, he didn’t say how he got a copy of The Poison Pen Pal.”

  Harrison creaked forward in his swivel rocker, placing his hands on the pristine blotter covering his desk. “We need to find out.”

  Claire shook her head. “I’m sorry I didn’t ask him more questions, but the whole thing was so unbelievable.”

  “You did just fine. Did he say when he’d call back?”

  “No. But I had the impression it would be soon.”

  “Then we need to get started. We must be discreet, and thorough, in our investigation.”

  “Should we hire a private detective?”

  “Good Lord, no. We can’t risk telling anyone else about this. You know how rumors fly around in this business. We’ll do the research ourselves. You’ll have to find out where he lives, Claire, and then go see him. Maybe you could follow him, see if he leads you to a meeting with this Patricia Snow person.”

  “Me?” Claire’s doubts about her credentials as a detective must have shown in her face, for Vincent Harrison got up and came around his desk to pat her hand.

  “Yes, you. One of your greatest assets is your ability to judge the truth about these things. You can tell a promising writer, or a market trend, faster than anyone I’ve ever seen. Just believe in your instincts, and keep your ears open. Tony Nichols won’t be able to fool you.”

  “I don’t know, Mr. Harrison. We don’t have long until the book is scheduled for printing.”

  Harrison shook his head with finality. “Which is why I am counting on you, Claire. If word of this scandal leaks out, we’ll be ruined.”

  “Well, okay. I’ll give it a shot. I’m supposed to be out of the office for a few days anyway. I just hope he doesn’t have a confederate working here at Cauldron.”

  “A spy? At my publishing company?”

  Claire chewed on the corner of her lip as she began to think of things to add to a tablet of paper she had pulled from her satchel, the top item of which read, cancel plane tickets. She had checked that off before she’d left the Waldorf.

  She stared at her boss. “I’ve been worried we had someone with loose lips here since he accosted me. Roz Abramowitz knew we’d rejected some of Sarah’s ideas.”

  This news made Harrison pale further. “Good Lord, if that’s the case, Tony Nichols could be just the tip of the iceberg.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Maybe this scandal has been brewing for some time. Maybe there are several people involved. Several people who would benefit by the damage our company would suffer if this gets out.”

  Claire rubbed her long fingers up and down her arms as if trying to warm herself against a marauding Atlantic gale. In her mind’s eye she recalled Tony Nichols, full of threats, not all of them yet revealed. “Mr. Harrison, I know competition in our industry has never been stiffer. But the publishing houses I know anything about would never deliberately sabotage us.”

  “We can’t be naïve. Usherwood Publications’ new owner, Billings Newcastle, has been known to use every trick in the book to discredit a company he’s interested in buying. Remember what he did in England?”

  The events surrounding Newcastle’s takeover of a conservative, two hundred year-old newspaper in London glimmered to the surface of Claire’s memory. Something about call girls and a cabinet official. Newcastle money had arranged the scandal.

  All the rumors about Vincent Harrison selling Cauldron Press rushed back to Claire as she sat down on the couch next to his desk. “Not to change the subject, Mr. Harrison, but I understand you had breakfast with Newcastle today. Did he make you an offer for Cauldron Press?”

  Harrison looked startled. “How do you know that?”

  “Roz couldn’t refrain from telling me.”

  The two regarded each other closely. Harrison replied in clipped tones, “I was going to tell you. When it was all over. When I’d convinced that bastard corporate raider to go away. When I’d gotten the bank to help.” He stopped and forced a smile. “Let’s discuss this later. It’s probably not relevant to Nichols’s charges at all.”

  Pain burned in her stomach, and Claire reached into her pocket for her ever-present antacid. Mr. Harrison had been loyal and supportive to her these past few years, promoting her and raising her salary frequently. They had a relationship of mutual respect, and she thought she had his confidence.

  However, this trouble with Newcastle was a complete surprise. She had known Cauldron had come through a period of cash flow difficulty, but it was now apparent that the future of the publishing company was in question. Which meant her recent delight in looking forward to a solid future with Cauldron was foolish.

  Time to dig in, Claire thought. While Tony Nichols’s vile suspicions had hurt her pride, the precariousness of the company’s future was what she had to concentrate on. “I’ll set up another meeting with Nichols as soon as I can, Mr. Harrison. Are you going to advise our attorney about the plagiarism accusations?”

  “Yes. But we’ll tell no one else, not even Tillie.”

  Swallowing her protest, Claire nodded. Tillie was her right hand. Damien’s aunt knew everyone in the East Coast publishing business. If Tony Nichols was involved in a plot that was somehow connected to Billings Newcastle, Tillie would be able to track down the conspirators more quickly than anyone. Her network of editors, writers, ex-publishing friends and office personnel were legendary.

  But if Mr. Harrison was paranoid about anyone except her looking into this mess, she would simply get Tillie working on it without telling her the whole story. Ha, Claire thought to herself, and I was worried about the challenge of finding out about Nichols.

  When the chimes from the antique mantel clock signaled the half hour, Claire said gently, “I’ll get right on this tomorrow. Why don’t we both go home and get some rest tonight?”

  Before he could answer, the intercom buzzer sounded. He pressed it. “Yes?”

  It was his secretary. “Mr. Harrison? There’s a Tony Nichols here to see you.”

  Claire’s skin flushed and her eyes met her boss’s. “How brazen can he get?”

  “Shhh, Claire. This is good. Let’s invite him in. Maybe he has come to his senses and has decided to drop his phony charges. Don’t overreact.” Harrison pressed the talk switch. “Please send Mr. Nichols in, Tillie.”

  * * *

  Tony’s dark eyes bored into her own from across the spacious reception area. Leaning against the doorframe for support, Claire’s skin grew cold in anticipation of the coming verbal showdown with a man who seemed to enjoy them.

  Though she had grown adept at confrontations, the thought of them still filled her with dread. As a small child, Claire had always chosen to run and hide from her parents’ nightly brawls. This impulse had finally been conquered during the last years she had spent with her ex-husband. But only after she had learned that silence, and lack of passion, were just as damaging as screaming insults. “Please come in, Mr. Nichols.”

  Tony walked toward her, not glancing into the office beyond. “Thanks. Let me forewarn you that I won’t be bought off, Miss Kennedy, no matter what you offer.”

  “We don’t pay for the truth at Cauldron, only fiction.” Claire gestured widely with her arm. “After you.”

  His eyes traveled down her body but Claire ignored his glance. She turned abruptly and said in a too loud voice. “Mr. Harrison, this is Tony Nichols. Mr. Nichols, the president and owner of Cauldron Press, Vincent Harrison.”

  Harrison rose and extended his hand. “Mr. Nichols, please understand first of all that I am as interested as you are in seeing this matter cleared up.”

  Sitting down in a Chippendale chair facing Harrison’s desk, Tony relaxed his muscles in a single breath, the way a cat does before it pounces. He saw that Claire was even more uptight than when he had first sprung the news about Patricia.

  Which proved nothing about the extent to which she and her boss were involved. Some people handled pressure better than others d
id, he thought. “I am glad Miss Kennedy had time to fill you in on the problem. I’m going to speak with Patricia tomorrow, and I hope I’ll be able to give her some good news.”

  “News?” Claire did not keep the contempt out of her voice.

  Tony turned to her. “Maybe news is the wrong word. Information might be the better choice. Information about what Cauldron Press plans to do on her behalf. After all, I understand the book’s about to go to press. You may be able to get a signed contract with Patricia before the cover is done. In which case you’ll only have to change the author’s name and the title.”

  Exchanging a look with Mr. Harrison, Claire pressed her lips together tightly. Her hunch about a leak had to be right if Nichols even knew the printing schedule.

  She cautioned herself to remain calm, deciding to let Nichols lay his demands on the table before she said anything.

  “May I ask what your business connection is to Patricia Snow?” Harrison asked.

  “As I told Miss Kennedy, I’m a friend. A friend who discovered what you people were up to when I received a book titled The Poison Pen Pal to review for the Times. I realized immediately that it’s a ripped-off version of a book Patricia Snow worked on in my seminar last year at Immaculate Sisters College in Rhode Island.”

  Claire nodded as his name rang a bell, then quickly stopped for fear Tony would think she was agreeing with him. She knew his work as a reviewer; he was good, tough but fair. A very annoying recollection in light of the fact that she wanted to nail him as a con man. “So you called her to ask her about it?”

  “Yes. It took me a few days to track her down, but she finally got in touch yesterday. She asked me to speak to Cauldron Press for her, since I know my way around New York publishers a little better than she does.” Tony folded his hands and put them on his knees, a flush creeping up his neck. “But if you’d rather deal with a lawyer, that can be arranged.”

  This small misrepresentation of what Patricia had asked was minor, he thought. Even though she had given him the go ahead to confront Cauldron, her reluctance to offer a complete explanation about how she’d gotten herself into this mess made it clear there was something underhanded going on. He just was not sure who the chief culprit was.

  But if the rumor he heard last month was true, and Billings Newcastle was set to take over Cauldron Press, then he was ready to hazard a solid guess as to who the culprit was. Having once experienced Newcastle’s greed firsthand, he was not surprised to hear the mogul was involved.

  “Lawyer?” Harrison replied. “No, no that won’t be necessary. Miss Kennedy and I can take your word for your relationship with Miss Snow, especially since you have these pages of manuscript. We’re just very anxious to speak with Miss Snow herself.”

  “I heard Miss Kennedy in action today. Great speech. No wonder you want to let her negotiate on Cauldron’s behalf. She may be able to persuade Patricia to cooperate with keeping the plagiarism lawsuit out of the papers.”

  Claire could keep silent no longer. “I resent your outrageous charges and innuendos. We will do whatever it takes to uncover the facts about The Poison Pen Pal. Including unmasking you for the fraud you are.”

  Vincent Harrison glanced quickly from Claire to Tony. “Mr. Nichols, forgive us for being somewhat brutal in our judgment of your character. But I’m sure you can understand our distress at being accused of a crime we are, in fact, quite innocent of.”

  Claire was appalled at her outburst, but felt even more remorse that Mr. Harrison had not used stronger language. Of course Sarah Winesong had written The Poison Pen Pal.

  She herself had edited it, line by line, and had even worked out a couple of bugs in the plot with Winesong through their weekly exchange of mail. Claire was proud of the book, and as possessive of it as if it was her own.

  Tony’s voice cut into her thoughts. “Someone is guilty of something, Mr. Harrison,”

  “Most assuredly, sir. Which is why Miss Kennedy and I would like to work with you to discover just where the problem is.”

  Claire shuddered. She really did not want to work with Tony Nichols. She wanted to punch him for accusing her of being the worst kind of thief. However, she could not have him arrested, or sue him, or even slap him. Because despite his rudeness, two questions screamed for answers.

  Was Sarah Winesong’s book almost identical to a college student’s unpublished manuscript?

  And if it was, and that fact was not due to some hideous coincidence, the odds of which had to be a billion to one, which book was the genuine article?

  Claire rose from the sofa and walked closer to Tony. “I’d like to ask you a few more questions.”

  “Ask away.”

  “Did Patricia Snow say how Sarah Winesong supposedly got a hold of her manuscript?”

  Tony was quiet for a moment. Patricia had not known that Sarah Winesong had submitted the work as her own. But she had promised to fill him in tomorrow on the whole story. “I’d rather not reveal all the details until I know what Cauldron intends to do for Patricia.”

  “Without the details, we intend to do nothing,” Claire shot back.

  Tony leaned forward, patting his jacket pocket for his cigarettes. “I’ll have to ask Patricia just what she wants me to tell you. I’m not really at liberty to tell you everything, for her protection, you understand.”

  “I assure you, Mr. Nichols, Miss Snow will not need protection from anyone at Cauldron if she’s telling the truth,” Harrison interjected.

  “I think the quickest way to handle things is for me to meet with her,” Claire added.

  “Meet with her?” Tony raised his eyebrows and dug his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “That can probably be arranged.”

  “I’d like to meet with you both as soon as possible. I can come to Rhode Island tomorrow morning. Will that be convenient?” Claire spoke quietly, but a tangle of unspoken questions filled the room.

  Instead of replying to Claire, Tony bent his head and lit a cigarette. He rubbed the thin tube between his long thick fingers as he dragged heavily and blew the blue smoke toward the ceiling. He should have asked if either of them minded if he smoked, he realized.

  Claire could not move her eyes away from his mouth. She swallowed hard and looked at Mr. Harrison, who sat as if mesmerized by the smoke.

  “Does this bother either of you?” When he looked up, Tony’s eyes seemed to have gotten darker, his beard more pronounced.

  “Yes. It does.” Claire’s skin blotched with nervousness. She wished she was anywhere but this place with this man. Not only did he threaten her job security, but he also seemed to be staring at her in a very intimate way, plucking personal facts out of the air around her.

  “I’m sorry. I’ll put it out right away.” He crushed the burning end into the ashtray on Mr. Harrison’s desk. “Now, that’s terrific that you’ll come to Rhode Island. Tomorrow will be fine. Do you have any more questions?”

  “Are you going to be financially compensated for your help if Patricia Snow publishes?” Harrison asked.

  Anger speared through Claire as the implications of Mr. Harrison’s question sank in. A lot of money was at stake with this book. Hundreds of thousands of dollars. In her life, she had seen people gamble a lot more on a lot less.

  “I edited Patricia’s book as a favor to her. I have no monetary stake at all in the project,” Tony said.

  “But you wouldn’t be averse to her rewarding you, would you?” Claire’s accusation landed like a slap.

  “Truth has its own rewards, or have you forgotten all the basic tenets of the law, Miss Kennedy?”

  “Claire, Mr. Nichols, please, there is no need for rancor.” Vincent Harrison got up from behind the desk and stood next to Claire. “I think we need to look at each piece of this puzzle slowly and carefully. We have a book from a well-known and respected author. You have a manuscript from a student you know and respect. All we have to do is get together with Miss Snow and discuss how she came up with this material.�
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  “And when do we get to meet your Miss Winesong and see what she knows about all this?”

  Mr. Harrison laughed easily. “As everyone knows, Mr. Nichols, Miss Winesong seldom sees anyone. Let’s first concentrate on having Miss Snow meet with us. Claire can report back to me and then we’ll figure out a way to go forward. Okay?”

  Tony realized at this instant that he had not come to New York solely on Patricia’s behalf. He had wanted to erase his own blighted past the minute he had realized The Poison Pen Pal was cribbed. He would have to be careful not to let his own quest for vengeance ruin things for Patricia.

  It was time to turn the heat up a little. “Okay. I think it’s great Miss Kennedy is willing to meet with Patricia. Or should I say, meet with her again.”

  Claire stared at Tony. “Again?”

  “Again?” Harrison echoed.

  “Well, I assume you’ve already met. At least on the phone or something. After all, Patricia Snow told me to contact you personally.”

  “What?” Harrison’s voice was filled with disbelief. His gaze shifted from Claire to her accuser. “She specifically asked for Claire?”

  “She mentioned my name?” Claire walked up to where Tony sat, drawn like a moth to a flame.

  “Yes. When I told her I was going to come and see Cauldron, she said to be sure and ask for Claire Kennedy. ‘If anyone knows how Sarah Winesong got ahold of my work, she does,’ was her direct quote.”

  The three of them waited for someone to speak. Finally, Claire broke the silence. “This gets more insane by the minute. I don’t recall ever meeting her. And I’ve checked our files, called research, contracts and finance. We’ve never received any material from her, nor have we ever sent her anything.”

  “Patricia gave me the impression you’d been interested in her book for several months.” This was a small lie on his part. Patricia had only said “someone” had promised to show it to Claire Kennedy.

  “I’m telling you, I’ve never even heard of this girl.”

  “So you say.”

  Tony Nichols’s laugh closed over Claire like a blanket, smothering her.