Diana Palmer - Merciless

The attractive blonde sitting on the chair beside Jon Blackhawks desk in the San Antonio FBI office was as irritating as most of the prospective brides his well-meaning mother threw at his head. He was impatient and half out of humor already, with testimony on an upcoming court case awaiting him. This womans fascination with the latest trend in hairstyles was leading him to think of bars. And he never took a drink.

See, mine was done by Mr. James at Sherigans, she continued, indicating her haircut, which looked quite frankly as if someone had put her head in a blender. He bit his tongue trying not to make the comment out loud. He could do wonders for you. That long hair is so retro!

There was a perfunctory knock at the door and his administrative assistant, Joceline Perry, stuck her head in the door. Excuse me, Mr. Blackhawk, but youre due in court in ten minutes.

He nodded, forcing himself not to dance on the desk with glee. It would have been totally out of character, but the past thirty minutes of fashion information had left him feeling brainless.

He got to his feet. It was good to see you, Charlene. Please give my love to my mother when you see her.

Ill be seeing her tonight, since were going to the theater together. Its a production of that romantic comedy that Shakespeare wrote, in a modern setting, she enthused. Your mother has three tickets to it, she added with a hopeful smile.

He cleared his throat and tried desperately to think of an excuse.

Joceline, her blue eyes twinkling, interjected, Theres that meeting with your informer tonight at seven, she lied.

Oh. Oh, yes, thank you, he said, trying not to sound as relieved as he felt. Another time, perhaps, he told Charlene.

She shrugged. I suppose your job requires you to do things at odd times, she said. You might think about another profession, she said with a thoughtful frown. I mean, if you get married, you wont have time for these evening job-related thingies.

His black eyes glittered. I have no plans to marry.

She gave him an odd look. Your mother said you were ready to start a family, she said blandly.

The glare darkened. My mother has plans of her own. They are not mine, he added firmly.

Charlene gave him a charming smile and touched the sleeve of his gray suit jacket with a well-manicured hand. Well, most men dont want to marry and have a family, until they realize how nice it is.

He didnt bend an inch.

Charlene sighed. Rome wasnt built in a day, she ventured.

It was, however, sacked by Charles V and his forces in one of the most violent attacks in military history, Joceline said with a sigh. The Pope was forced to flee for his life. Her blue eyes went dreamy in their frame of short, straight black hair that just covered her small ears. Charles V was the father-in-law of Mary Tudor, who was the sister of Elizabeth the First. Mary was in her thirties and Philip II was in his twenties when they married. It was a very strange match. But royalty in the sixteenth century was somewhat different in attitude. She smiled. Do you study history? she asked Charlene.

Ugh, Charlene said, and shuddered dramatically. What a sick and horrible subject. Old dead people.

Jocelines eyebrows arched. The past determines the future, she said. For instance, did you know that in seventeenth-century America, women were accused of witchcraft and hanged for any sort of misbehavior? She cocked her head. That blouse youre wearing would have landed you in a river in Massachusetts in no time. You see, there was a common belief that only witches floated when thrown into bodies of water, she added helpfully. She smiled again.

Charlene gave her a blank look. This is the latest fashion, she pointed out. She glared at Jocelines neat black skirt, small-heeled black shoes and blue button-up blouse. You might have been jailed for having such awful fashion sense, she countered with contempt.

No, no, they didnt jail people for that, Joceline replied smoothly. They put them in stocks, but not for being conservatively dressed. She cocked her head again. However, women who cheated on their husbands were branded with a large letter A.

Charlene cleared her throat and glared even more. I am separated from my husband and we are in the process of a divorce.

Really? Joceline asked, all eyes. Well, isnt it lucky this is the twenty-first century? she asked.

I did not cheat on him! Charlene raged.

Jocelines blue eyes were innocent. I never insinuated such a thing!

Charlenes face flushed. Beside her slender hips, against the expensive fabric of her slacks, her manicured hands were clenched. The gentleman in question and I were merely having supper together after the theater! It was all lies!

Im certain that it was, Joceline said with a bland smile.

Jon had been enjoying the repartee, but he quickly collected himself. Ms. Perry, arent you working on a case? he asked deliberately.

She blinked. A case, sir? she asked.

Follow-up interviews in my kidnapping court case?

The court case. Right. But she didnt leave.

Charlene was more irritated than ever. She grabbed her purse. I see that its an inconvenient time for us to talk, she told Jon. She went close to him, enveloping him in expensive perfume that made him cough. Ill talk to you again later, in a morepersonal environment, okay?

He cleared his throat. He wished to goodness that shed just leave. KK, he said, using a gamers abbreviation for okay.

She glared at him. Those abbreviations are silly. You play those stupid video games, too, like your brother, dont you? she demanded. Well, thats another thing youll have to work on. No woman is going to tolerate a man who games in every free minute!

Unless shes a gamer, too, Joceline said, smiling sweetly. So many of us women are, these days.

Jon gaped at her.

Charlene glared at her. It figures, she said curtly.

Joceline kept smiling. She stared pointedly at the other womans haircut. My goodness, did your head get caught in a blender or something?

Jon coughed enthusiastically, trying to conceal laughter.

Ill have you know I paid a hundred dollars for this styling cut! Charlene raged.

Joceline held out a hand. Please lower your voice, maam, she urged. This is a federal office. No verbal outbursts are allowed.

Charlene glanced from one of them to the other with exasperation. I will never come here again! Ill see you at Cammys house, when you have time for civilized conversation, she said haughtily.

Jon didnt answer her. Joceline pointedly held the door open and smiled vacantly.

Have a nice day, she told the departing woman.

Charlene was muttering to herself as she reached the outer office.

Jon let out the laugh hed been concealing. That was rude, he told Joceline.

She gave him a blank stare. Was it, really? She glanced toward the door. Should I call her back and apologize? she asked innocently.

You do, and youre really fired, he threatened.

She shrugged. Jobs arent that hard to get for a woman who knows how to type and give free video game advice, she said. She smiled.

He waved a hand. Go work on that brief. And what meeting do I have with an informer tonight? he added with a frown.