“Doesn’t change the facts, Gail. You called to speak to Bobby Joe, hoping he’d pick up, and he did. You lured him out of the house after Mary Beth’s birthday party.”

“I wouldn’t use the word lured. Your baby brother is hot to trot, like, all the time.”

“Which begs the question of what you see in him. Used to be you didn’t like competition, Gail.”

Silence.

“I just wanted to confirm that Bobby Joe ditched her to go see you at the motel.”

“Boo hoo. Poor little Mary Beth.”

“What you did wasn’t right.”

“Well, I’m not going to jail for it either,” she pointed out.

“No.”

“I do want to say that it’s very sweet of you to take such good care of her, Parr.”

“Bobby Joe doesn’t,” he said in a level voice. “I can’t check his phone records, but I’m sure you’re not the only one he pursued. But that’s beside the point.”

“Is it? Is Mary Beth going to come after me screaming and clawing and carrying on? I won every catfight I ever started.”

“Get over yourself,” Parr said with disgust. “I don’t think she cares one way or another about you.”

“Oh. Okay. I won’t worry. I’m fired, right? I’ll apply for unemployment tomorrow.”

“You do that. Get your stuff and go. I’ll wait here so you can give me back your key before you go.”

He watched her walk away. He knew she didn’t have much in or on her desk and it wouldn’t take long for her to pack.

“One more thing,” he said as she stepped over the threshold. “Why’d you do it? Why go after Bobby Joe when you could have just about any man you wanted?”

Gail thought it over, taking several extra seconds for theatrical effect. “Because I couldn’t have you. But I didn’t do it out of spurned love. Spite is more like it.”

Parr shook his head and concentrated on his paperwork again as his former assistant walked out of his office and out of his life.

Parr handed over the white box to Mary Beth. She accepted it hesitantly, looking around the restaurant he’d chosen. No one knew them here and the tables were miles apart.

Just as well on both counts, because Parr’s explanation of how he’d gotten the necklace back was difficult for Mary Beth to listen to. As far as Bobby Joe and Gail, she did think it was a shame they couldn’t be faithful to anyone at all, ever, because they richly deserved each other.