too,” Ella called after him. The moment he closed the door, she picked up the letter opener from her desk and sliced open the envelope. Willing herself to be calm, she eased the single page of unlined paper from its casing. As she spread open the folded missive, she prayed that it wasn’t what she thought it was.
Have you been thinking of me? I’ve been thinking about you. Bad thoughts. Dirty thoughts. Thoughts that would make you cream your pants.
Ella stopped reading. It was from him! Another sexually explicit, harassing letter. A crude, threatening love letter just like the one she’d received three days ago. Just like the two Reed had sent her from prison fifteen years ago.
This had to stop. She couldn’t continue ignoring the matter. Three heavy-breathing phone calls and two menacing letters. She’d thought she could handle the situation without involving anyone else, but she’d been wrong.
Ella picked up the telephone receiver, dialed the familiar number, and waited.
“Porter residence,” the housekeeper said.
“Bessie, this is Ella. Is my father there?”
“Yes, ma’am. He’s in the library.”
“I’d like to speak to him, please.”
“Certainly.”
The moment she entered Callahan’s, Ella saw her father at the bar. She lifted her hand and waved. Smiling, he returned the gesture, then motioned for her to join him. Making her way through the crowd of waiting customers in the entrance foyer, she moved steadily toward the bar. The moment she approached him, Webb grabbed her and hugged her.
“I can’t think of anything nicer than your inviting me to lunch,” Webb said, then winked. “Unless it would be inviting me to your wedding.”
“Now, Daddy.”
“You know how much your mother likes Dan. She’s been after me to remind you that he’d make a great husband and father.” Webb ran his hands down her arms and then grasped her wrist. “Sit. Our table should be ready soon. What can I order for you?”
“Perrier with lemon.” She took the bar stool next to her father. “Thanks for meeting me on such short notice. I hope Mother didn’t mind my taking you away from the house. I know how much she treasures your days at home with her.”
Webb’s smile faltered. “I realize your mother thinks I neglect her, but—”
“She understands how busy you are and how important your career is to you.”
“Your mother’s life hasn’t been easy. We’ve both done the best we could with the hand fate dealt us.” Webb lifted his bourbon to his lips and downed the last drops, then ordered another when he asked the bartender to bring Ella’s bottled water. “You mustn’t worry. I told Carolyn that you’d invited me to lunch and she was delighted. You do know that your mother adores you.”
Ella sighed. “Yes, of course, I know.” There were times when Carolyn’s actions proved without a doubt that she did indeed adore her only child. But sometimes Ella sensed just a little envy coming from her mother. She understood that Carolyn often felt left out of the numerous activities Ella enjoyed with Webb. Things like tennis and golf and swimming. And being so acutely aware of her mother’s discontent broke Ella’s heart and made her all the more determined to be a good and loving daughter. There was nothing she wanted more than for her mother to be able to walk again. It had been her fondest dream since childhood.
“So, to what do I owe this honor?” Webb asked. “I know that you often eat lunch in your office, so why take the time today to have lunch with your old man?”
The bartender set Ella’s Perrier in front of her and then placed Webb’s second glass of bourbon on the bar. Ella lifted her drink and took a sip.
“Before I tell you anything, I want you to promise me that you aren’t going to lose your temper and rush out of here half-cocked.”
Webb eyed her curiously. “Well, you’ve intrigued me, princess. I can’t imagine what you could say that would have that effect on me.”
Callahan’s hostess approached them. “Your table is ready, Senator Porter.”
Within minutes they were seated at the best table in the restaurant. Webb ordered for both of them, the way he’d done since Ella was a child. Even though she wanted to remind him that she was thirty now and not six, she didn’t protest. One of the things she loved about her father was the fact that he never changed. He was her rock, her support, her friend, and her hero. She had always worshiped the ground Webb Porter walked on.
“I promise not to lose my temper, so feel free to share this upsetting news with me. It isn’t something about Cybil, is it? If it is, I hope we can keep it from your mother. You know how she gets upset over her sister’s antics.”
“No, Daddy, it isn’t about Aunt Cybil.” Ella laid her purse on the table, opened it, and withdrew two white envelopes, both wrinkled from having been crushed in her hand. “I received one of these three days ago and the other this morning. And I’ve had three phone calls when the person on the other end didn’t do anything except breathe heavy.” She handed the letters to her father.
Webb removed the first letter from the envelope and read it slowly and thoroughly. His face darkened with rage, but he didn’t say a word. Then he read the second letter. His breathing quickened.
“If you received one of these letters three days ago, why didn’t you tell me then?” Webb slipped the letters inside his coat pocket.
“I thought…well, I hoped that it would just be the one letter.”
“You realize who sent these, don’t you?” He tapped his jacket, where the letters rested inside his pocket. “But if he thinks he can get away with harassing my daughter, he’d better think again.” Webb’s voice grew louder with each word he spoke. “I’ll put his ass back in prison where he belongs.”
“Daddy, you can’t be one hundred percent sure it’s—”
“Of course it’s Reed Conway. Who else could it be?”
Patrons seated nearby turned their heads to stare at Webb. Ella reached across the table and laid her hand over her father’s big fist. “Calm down. People are staring.”
Webb glanced around at the curious faces. Placing a fake politician’s smile on his face, he nodded at several acquaintances, then opened his tight fist and clutched Ella’s hand.
“If that man ever comes near you, I’ll kill him!” Webb spoke in a low but deadly serious voice.
“I was afraid you would react this way. That’s why I hesitated to tell you.”
With a large serving tray hoisted on one hand, their waitress paused by the side of the table. Webb released Ella’s hand and offered the waitress a smile.
“Please let me know if you need anything else, Senator Porter.”
“I’ll surely do that.”
The minute the waitress served the food and went on to take the order at another table, Webb lifted his steak knife and cut into the thick T-bone. Blood oozed from the rare meat.
“You leave everything to me,” he said. “After lunch, I’m going straight to Frank Nelson’s office. Reed Conway won’t be bothering you again.”
Ella eyed her filet mignon. “You have no proof that Reed sent those letters. Without proof, what can Frank do?”
“First of all, he can have these letters tested for fingerprints other than yours and mine. And in the meantime, he can put the fear of God into that boy. Let him know that we won’t tolerate such behavior from him.”
“Daddy, Reed’s fingerprints will be on the first letter,” Ella said reluctantly. Although she didn’t want to explain how Reed’s fingerprints