“I promised you nothing.” Dick kept his back to us. “I finally agreed to come today because you were so hot on the idea. I told you if you could get Vic to listen to you I’d undertake drawing up a proper agreement with her. But I’ve been trying to get you to understand all night that I cannot represent your father and uncle.”

“But Daddy’s counting on you.”

He finally turned around. “We’ve been through this a hundred times, but you won’t hear it. Leigh Wilton advised me very strongly not to represent them—that the appearance of impropriety would be too great, given my position on the Diamond Head board. I would do them more harm than good. And, Teri, I just don’t believe in them. I’ve talked to enough of their employees the last few days to believe they wanted to kill Vic. Your father set me up: he got me to deliver warnings to Vic under the guise of protecting me—keeping her from getting too close to the pension reversion. He must have known I’d never countenance an attack on her life.”

Teri sprang to her feet, spots of color blooming under her blusher. “You’re still in love with her! I don’t believe it.”

Dick gave a tired smile. “I’m not in love with her, Teri. I guess I should have said I wouldn’t countenance their trying to kill anyone, regardless of race, creed, sex, or inquisitiveness.”

Teri’s eyes were bright with tears. She ran to the door. “Find your own way home, Mr. Hotshot. I’m not riding with you.”

I expected him to race off after her, but he stood frozen in the room, his shoulders slumped, long after the echo of the slamming door had died down.

“I’m sorry, Dick. Sorry for the bad time that lies ahead for you.”

“I was sure you’d brandish your gun in triumph and tell me I have only myself to thank.”

I shook my head, not trusting my voice.

“You’d be right. I do have only myself to thank. You’ve always known how weak I am. Teri … if she saw through my—my facade of strength … didn’t let on. She built me up. Turned me into one of those see-through buildings.” He gave a harsh bark of laughter. “It’s not that I think of you often, but I did hope over the years when you saw how important I’d gotten you’d be sorry. Not sorry you left me, but sorry you despised me.”

I felt my cheeks flame in embarrassment. “I’m a street fighter, Dick. I had to be as a kid just to survive, but I’m afraid I never outgrew it. Someone like Teri suits you better than I do. You’ll see; you two will get through this time somehow.”