Lake News by Barbara Delinsky Read Free Book Online Page A

had just given notice. When I found a teaching position here, it was like it was meant to be.”
    Terry looked thoughtful, walking with his hands in his pockets and his eyes on the brownstones ahead. “Neat club, the Essex. Isn’t it pricey for a Cardinal?”
    â€œNot when his nephew owns the place,” she said.
    â€œIs that kosher?”
    â€œUsually the people he’s with pick up the tab. Big donors to the church.”
    â€œIs that kosher?”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œBribery. Favor seeking.”
    â€œFrom a Cardinal? What does a Cardinal have to sell?”
    â€œPolitical clout. A good word to the gov, or the prez.” He wiggled his brows. “Maybe a kiss.”
    She leveled him a look. “I don’t think so.”
    â€œI’m kid -ding,” he chided.
    She wasn’t sure she liked the joke, but then, she tended to take things too literally. At least, that was what the last guy she dated had said when they called it quits. Actually, he had used the word “dour,” and though she didn’t believe she was that bad, she made an effort now to go to the other extreme. “A kiss?” shekidded back. “Why not a weekend? Auctioned off for charity.”
    Terry laughed. “Warmin’ up, Lily Blake. It’d bring in a bundle for his favorite cause. I’m telling you, dozens of women would bid.”
    She smiled. “Can you imagine some woman telling a friend, ‘The Cardinal and I are having an affair’?”
    â€œA passionate affair?” Terry asked in the voice of that startled friend.
    Lily played along. “What other kind is there? Forget the auction. We’ve been doing it for years .”
    He put back his head and laughed.
    She laughed, too, then said, “Cute. But not Father Fran. If anyone gets anything from those dinners, it’s the church. This is it,” she said, coming to a stop in front of her building. She turned to him, thinking that the laughter had been nice.
    â€œYou’re an interesting person,” he said, grinning. “Think you could fit me in between dates with the Cardinal?”
    She grinned back. “I don’t know. He takes a lot of my time.” She made a pretense of mental calculation. “I could probably fit you in some time next week. I’ll have to check.” As she moved past him, she tossed him a dry “You have my number.”
    She went into the building without looking back and slipped into the elevator feeling buoyed. She didn’t know if she liked Terry Sullivan, didn’t know if they had another thing in common besides admiration for the Cardinal. She hadn’t felt an instant attraction to the reporter, but things like physical attraction sometimes took time.She did know that she wasn’t interested in Peter Oliver, Tony Cohn wasn’t interested in her, and she wasn’t getting any younger.
    She had never dated a reporter before. If nothing else, it might make for an educational dinner or two.
    She never dreamed that the education would come so soon, and at her own expense.

CHAPTER 3

    Since Lily worked nights and rarely had an early class, she usually took her time waking up. This morning the phone jolted her out of bed at eight. Her first thought was that something was wrong back home.
    â€œHello?” she asked, frightened.
    â€œLily Blake, please,” said a man she didn’t know. His voice was all business. Poppy’s doctor? Her mother’s doctor?
    â€œSpeaking.”
    â€œThis is George Fox. I’m with the Cape Sentinel . I wonder if you would comment on your relationship with Cardinal Rossetti.”
    â€œExcuse me?”
    â€œYour relationship with Cardinal Rossetti. Can you tell me about it?”
    She didn’t understand. The newspapers had already covered almost everything about the Cardinal that there was to cover. She was irrelevant, only one of many of his friends, and the one least