Act 1: Discovery

I looked up from the merger documents that had kept me busy for the last several months. I was in the back seat of the town car that had brought me into town from the San Francisco International. I was as happy as I had been in months. This was the deal of a lifetime and I had taken my law firm to the big time by putting it together. I was proud and couldn't wait to share the news with my wife Helene. Now we could go on that long-awaited vacation we had planed for months. Even better I had wrapped it all up two days early.

As we passed the Palace Hotel on Market Street my tired eyes were greeted by a fabulous set of long legs encased in sheer dark seamed stockings topped by a short blue skirt wrapped around a taut ass. She had on impossibly high heeled blue pumps that made her legs even more alluring. From behind I could see she was wearing a business suit top and she had shoulder length auburn hair. She looked familiar from behind and as the car drove past her I was amazed to see it was my wife Helene. Helene always wore business suits with a skirt but nothing even approaching this daring. She was also wearing a gold ankle bracelet. Now where the hell had that come from? In the past she had rejected such jewelry as "tacky". There was no mistake as I watched her turn the corner onto New Montgomery Street. It was Helene

"Dimitri, stop the car."

He pulled over on the next corner as I watched my wife go up the steps into the Palace Hotel.

"Dimitri, I'll walk from here. Would you take my suitcase up to my office please and leave it with Susan?"

"Yes, sir, Mr. Connors!"

He smiled and tipped his black-billed cap as I handed him a twenty.

I walked down the sidewalk toward the Hotel, excited to see my wife. I was bursting with good news, and still holding the slim black leather folio that contained all the required signatures that merged two large pharmaceutical companies. The firm would make millions from this transaction and I had pulled it off.

I was about halfway to the entrance of the hotel when I began to wonder what Helene was doing at the Palace. I hadn't had a chance to call her from Los Angeles or from the airport since I had my phone stuck in my ear with final instructions to my office in San Francisco until the flight attendant had threatened to take it away and stomp on it.

As soon as I got off the plane I had called Helene's office and spoke to her assistant Beth. We rarely called each other's cell phones during workdays since we were often in meetings.

"Beth, is Helene around?"

"Hi, Michael... sorry she's out... said she had a late lunch meeting and then would be gone the rest of the day. Have you tried her cell?

"Thanks Beth... guess I will... but I hate to interrupt."

"Michael... I can't imagine anything more important to her than a call from you... I know you've been gone a lot."

"Thanks again Beth, bye."

At that point I was out on the curb of San Francisco International and the town car had arrived and my phone rang with a question about one of the merger documents.

I had slowed my pace as I neared the entrance to the hotel. Maybe Helene was meeting her best friend Suzanne for lunch. I knew they met for lunch a lot of late. But why the sexy suit and the five inch heels?

I walked into the hotel lobby and looked around and didn't see her. I walked toward the restaurant that was under the huge glass pergola, and then I finally spotted her. Actually she was sitting in one of the large high-backed chairs that were against the lobby pillars facing the restaurant in the intersecting grand hallway. Had she not been leafing through her notebook planner she would have seen me.

Quietly and quickly I stepped away back to a corner of the lobby where I could watch her from the side and have a view down the long hallway and into the restaurant. She looked up expectantly and picked up her phone and dialed. Obviously there was no answer. She looked annoyed and closed her phone. She tugged at her short skirt with little affect, her legs were beautifully displayed. At 45 she was still a knockout and in my eyes the sexiest woman alive. She was about 5 feet eight inches tall, maybe 110 pounds with wonderfully long legs and very nice C-cup breasts. She always looked like she stepped out of a fashion magazine. As she looked up and down the deserted hallway I wondered who she was meeting.

I pulled out my phone and called her.

"Hello darling!" Helene had a special ring on her phone that identified me. "How are you?"

Her false tone set my senses into warning overdrive. What the hell was she playing at?

Hello darling yourself... I just wanted to check in... let you know how much I miss you..."

Why didn't I tell her I was in town? Something held me back.

"Oh Michael... you know how I hate it when you're gone... I just mope around... missing you and making everyone else miserable."

I forced myself to chuckle.

"I know... I know... I miss you so much... I can't wait to see you."

'Michael I wish you'd hurry home... when are you going to come home?"

Just then I saw him. I was Brian Taylor, one of the partners in Helene's firm. He was walking down the big hall, a smile of anticipation on his face looking directly at Helene... or I should say at her legs. Helene caught sight of him when he was a couple of feet away and she held up her hand indicating he should stop.

"Are you still there?"

I was so flabbergasted I had stopped talking.

Brian raised his eyebrows and mouthed "Who?"

Helene quickly covered the mouth piece and mouthed "Michael".

"Oh... sorry... I got distracted..."

Helene smiled and looking around at the deserted post-lunch hallway she smiled at Brian and reached for her hem and slowly pulled it up a couple of inches, never loosing eye contact. She uncovered reinforced stocking tops and then silver garter clips holding the stockings.

He smiled and licked his lips.

"Michael?"

Sorry again... things are not going well here right now."

"Well... my love... maybe I better let you get back to whatever you're doing... you can call me back in a few hours when you are less... less... distracted."

Her own bit of distraction was caused by Brian stroking her warm nylon-covered knee.

"Okay..." I managed to choke out.

"Call me tonight at home why don't you Michael? Michael... are you all right?"

Brian had looked around and quickly moved his hand up under the hem of her skirt. Helene grabbed his wrist and shook her head. She was smiling though.

"Good bye Helene." I closed my phone

"Michael? Michael?" I was close enough to hear her call my name into the now dead phone.

I was in shock. I knew what she was playing at... It was called adultery! My soul shriveled and I felt nauseous. I had to get away... get away to think and figure out what the hell to do.

I stepped back a little more into the shadows of the lobby and I flipped my phone back open and called my assistant Susan.

"Michael... where the heck are you? Your bags arrived and everyone figured you'd be in right away. A couple of the partners are asking about you. They're looking for those final agreements... you do have them with you don't you?"

"Yes, I've got them... I had a few things to do."

I watched Helene push Brian away. He looked shocked. She got to her feet. She looked agitated. My phone beeped telling me I had an incoming call. I knew it was from Helene. She paced as she left a message. I could see the frown and perhaps doubt on her face. I had tried to keep my voice neutral as I said "Good bye Helene" but I knew some of the despair I felt had insinuated itself into my Good bye. Perhaps her intuition told her something wasn't right.

Susan... I need you to get me on the 7 0'clock Alaska Air flight to LAX."

"Okay..."

I could hear the doubt in her voice. She knew I'd just come from there. What excuse could I tell her? Guess I could just blurt out that Helene was having an affair with Brian Taylor and I needed some time to figure out what I was going to do about it.

Finally something came to me.

"Susan, I brought the contracts... but I need to get back there tonight. Old man Charos is having a big celebration and he insisted I join them.

Oh... okay Michael... I'll get you on that flight. You need a place to stay?"

No... the invitation said to plan on staying there... but I will need a car." I was improvising like hell now.

"Oh Susan... if Helene calls... please don't tell her I've been in town... she's mad enough about me being gone all the time so the fact I was in town and left... well... you... see..."

"Michael... I understand. Guess you both really need to get away on that vacation." I winced at the thought.

She chuckled. "Speak of the devil... Helene is on my other line. Congratulations Michael."

I closed my phone. Helene had walked a few steps away from Brian as she spoke to Susan. Each time he came near she waived him away.

She snapped her phone closed and stood there for a moment looking... well... thoughtful and a bit put out.

Finally Brian moved to her and grabbed her elbow and steered her to the elevators. She was still looking pensive as they moved away. Helene was a litigator and her intuition had won her lots of cases. Right now her intuition and perhaps the connection we had all those 25 years were screaming at her. She just couldn't figure out what the hell was causing those feelings, other than perhaps guilt.

They got in the elevator. Brian guided her in with his hand on her ass.

Why didn't I break them up when Brian started rubbing her leg or as they walked toward the elevator? It was obvious to me that he... they were meeting for one purpose and that was to fuck each other. From what I had witnessed the fucking had been going on for a long time. I wanted to confront them... to smash Brian's leering face. He was maybe 35 handsome in a boyish way and one of the newest partners — a real fair-haired boy. Of course Helene protested that she couldn't stand the sight of him. Ah... how the lady did protest too much.

As I said Helene is a litigator. Her job is to convince judges and juries that despite all the clear and unambiguous evidence that her client's position was the right one. She had buffaloed many a judge and jury and left opposing parties just shaking their heads, not knowing what hit them. In many ways Helene had used her skills, in a softer manner, to get what she wanted from me. I had pretty much caught on over the years but it was a game we played. I knew that if I confronted them that in no time Helene would have me convinced that I was mistaken in what I had seen and probably would insist I apologize. I wasn't going to let that happen. I wasn't a litigator I was a contracts and a mergers and acquisitions guy. There was no flash to what I did, just the plodding along and the detail work. The devil is in the details, and for Helene and Brian I was going to be the devil with all the details.

I sat in the chair so recently occupied by my soon to be ex wife. I could still smell her perfume. She even wears that for the bastard! And when was the last time she wore stockings and garters for me? Some time ago she had given them up. She said she couldn't understand men's fascination with those bits of apparel — meaning my fascination.

I flipped open my phone and hit the speed dial.

"Sarah... Michael Connors... is your boss in?"

Sarah was Teri Blanton's right hand person at Blanton and Tellar Investigations. I had known her for several years and my firm used their services exclusively. I had helped her get set up in San Francisco after she had left her idiot husband and the FBI nine years ago.

Sarah usually traded banter with me but somehow the urgency in my voice caused her to put me right through to Teri.

"Hi boss... what's up?"

Teri always called me "boss". I had been her supervisor for about a year before I had left the Bureau. We had been friends since.

"Teri... I need to see you right away."

"Okay, say... ten minutes... your office?"

"No, if you're available I'll be at your place in about five."

"Okay, Michael..." her voice softened... she rarely called me "Michael" but astute investigator she was - had caught the edge in my voice. "I'll have a cup of coffee waiting... or do you want something stronger?"

"No... see you in about five. I'd been on the move from the time she picked up. A plan was starting to form and I needed her skills and her help.

I was now mad as hell and someone was going to pay.

Teri sat next to me on the big brown leather couch in her office as I gave her the facts. She asked me a couple of questions but mostly let me pour out my anger at this betrayal by Helene.

"You done?" I had gone on for about ten minutes.

I looked at her and nodded.

She took my hand. Her fingers were cool as she stroked the top of my hand.

"Michael... I know you're angry and this is a terrible time for you but if you want me to go forward with an investigation... I want you out of it."

I looked at her.

"Okay."

"What we find may be very hurtful to you... do you really want me to pursue it?"

I nodded.

"Michael... sometimes when a woman reaches a certain age she, like a lot of men, need... well reaffirmation... reaffirmation they are still sexy and desirable. A lot of marriages go through this... lord knows I've seen plenty... but eventually most of these people come to their senses and they realize that what they have at home is ever so much better than what the were getting on the side. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes."

"Do you love Helene?"

"God yes I do... she's the only woman I've ever loved... that's what makes this so awful"

"If we go forward the truth may be worse than what you're imagining right now and there might never be a chance you could get back together. Usually these affairs are only about sex. The person compartmentalizes his or her infidelity but they still love their spouse."

"Pretty damn hurtful way to show it."

"I know... but if we go forward you'll probably decide to toss out twenty-five years of marriage. Right now you can confront her and tell her to stop... and unless she is not the Helene Connors I know... she... will... stop. Once she sees the hurt she's done to you and how close she came to losing you then she'll have to make up her mind and Michael... no one can hold a candle to you.

"I wish I was that confident, Teri. Seeing them together... I wouldn't bet on me."

Teri waited.

I had heard her words and she was probably right but I wanted to teach Helene a lesson that she would never forget — a lesson about fidelity and about how her actions could harm her too. The moment she got in the elevator with Brian Taylor, I was convinced our marriage was over. The sight of them together would be forever burned in my soul. In my methodical way, I wanted all the facts before chucking out 25 years of marriage and if she intended to toss me out for some young asshole I would come armed with enough evidence to counter even her best litigator's skills.

"Start the investigation Teri."

She looked at me with those wonderful blue eyes... she was truly beautiful and I could see the hurt in them... the hurt for me. I had seen that look only one time before. That was a long time ago and I had lay bleeding in an ambulance while she held my hand.

"Okay Boss... we'll do it."

She moved to her desk, flicked back her shoulder length blond hair, and picked up the phone.

"George... Teri B. I need a favor. Yes... again... you do owe me big time. I need to know if you have a room reserved for a Brian Taylor or Helene Connors.

She waited.

"No? How about in the name of the Williamson and Jenkins Law Firm?"

"Yes, that must be it... hospitality suite... leased to the law firm... okay, I see. She nodded and wrote a number on her legal pad. Okay thanks. George, one more thing. I'm going to need 807 and 803 and the room across the hall. Is that a problem?"

"Yes... we'll pay rack rate... yes today... and tonight and maybe for a few more days. Get it done George and have the keys waiting at the desk... Harry will be by in say..." she looked at her watch. "Twenty minutes. You'll be there to take care of things? Okay, thanks George... but don't forget... you still owe me."

She dialed another number.

"Harry... drop whatever you're doing... I want you at the Palace 30 minutes ago. Williamson and Jenkins has a leased suit on eight... there should be a man and a woman there right now... no I don't know how long they'll stay... just get over there and take all your equipment."

He got moving as she continued to brief him and she agreed when he suggested two other operatives in the firm join him. She said she would call them and he should get to the hotel and get set up.