Chapter 153

"That piece of paper does not prove anything. We need actual proof. We also need to be fully prepared for what we are going to do when we have proof."

"Right! Sometimes I'm impulsive and fly off the handle. We need a plan."

An hour later Helen took down the lunch sign and we continued to talk until almost four. No one came to the open house. We had a plan when I left.

That night I looked on the internet and found a conference in Las Vegas for people in my field and another conference in Las Vegas for realtors. I sent Helen the info and she replied that we should go. I made my reservation and told Mary. I told her about the conference and how I thought I could make some good connections there. I asked her if she wanted to go. She said she wanted to think about it and would give me an answer in the morning. Helen waited until Alex came home to tell him about the conference she wanted to attend. She also invited him to go. He couldn't go. Too much work.

Mary called me at work and told me she just didn't feel up to three days and nights in Vegas and the long drive. Instead, she was thinking about visiting her sister. I acted disappointed. No more was said about the trip.

In my office the next day I called Henry Hawkins, my lawyer. Actually he's the lawyer for my business. I asked for and got his assurance that he had no professional or personal relationship with Mary. Then we talked about the possible implications of a divorce. I made notes into a computer file.

I spoke to him about the family assets and how they would be divided. I asked how I could protect myself so I didn't get screwed in the process. He set in motion a plan to protect me and my assets. He also hired someone to get proof that they were having an affair.

At four my phone rang. It was Helen calling from a pay phone. She had reservations at the Mirage. I was at Treasure Island. She talked about what she needed to bring. I told her to bring her lap top, her personal phone book and a cell phone that she could use from Vegas without it costing a thousand dollars.

That night I packed. Mary came in as I was finishing up and looked over my suitcase. "You forgot a bathing suit."

"I'm not going on vacation."

"A swim with contacts might help."

I packed a swim suit. She didn't say anything else. When I was packed I put the suitcase in the trunk of my car and after my nightly ritual, went to bed. I invited Mary to join me in bed for a pre-trip frolic but she was a little tired.

"Maybe when you get back," she said, smiling.

Before dawn I was up and on the road. My cell phone rang at seven-thirty and I answered. It was Helen.

"Where are you?" she asked.

"Almost to Pomona."

"There's a Denny's there where we get off to go to the fair, remember?"

"Yes. It's about two miles ahead."

"Get off and I'll meet you there in twenty minutes. Ok?"

"Sure. I'm hungry. Want me to order for you?"

"No. I'll wait. Get started yourself though."

I pulled off the freeway and parked at Denny's. A few minutes later Helen walked in. She was wearing jeans and a loose western shirt with western boots. Not at all what I expected.

She smiled and sat down with me. The waitress was right there and left her with a menu and coffee. She came back and we both ordered. I kept looking at Helen like she wasn't the professional woman I had almost always seen her as. Even at parties she usually dressed like she was going to or just came from an open house.

After we ate Helen said how much she hated the thought of driving all the way to Las Vegas alone. I said for her to follow me, I had an idea. She agreed and followed me to a nearby parking structure. At the entrance I asked how much it would cost to park a car there for three days. It wasn't much so I drove in and so did Helen. I parked and she parked next to me. I loaded her stuff into my car and we left her car right there. Neither of us needed to drive alone.

We talked strategies for three and a half hours. I drove and she took notes. In Baker, we gassed the car and took a short break. We had come together because our spouses were cheating on us. Now we were becoming friends. I liked her. I had liked her for years without ever really getting to know her. We laughed sometimes, we were sad sometimes and we got along on the trip.

In Las Vegas I dropped her at her hotel and went to mine. We agreed when and where to meet for supper. At my room I called my lawyer and he laughed.

"You can come back now. Your wife went to his house and they went skinny dipping in his back yard. We have video of them having three kinds of sex in the back yard! You, are free. There is even a copy of Time magazine from today on the table next to them as they were doing it."

"Set things in motion, then. Shall I have his wife call you?"

"Funny thing is, she already has. Between you and her both hiring me I'll save both of you lots of money."

"Thanks. Can I ask you a hypothetical question?"

"Sure."

"What will happen to this case if Helen and I get together while we are here in Vegas?"

"Unless your wife is having you followed or Alex is having you followed, nothing. Mess up both rooms. Do you want her served or him served before you get back?"

"No. I want to be there changing the locks before she is served. Get a restraining order keeping her away from my business and the house if that can be done."

"When do you want all this ready?"

"I'll talk it over with Helen and we'll get back to you."

An hour later I walked into Caesar's and found the restaurant Helen had picked. I sat with her and we talked and ate.

I used my cell and called our lawyer. "Wait to do anything until we get back. Have your guy get more proof while we're gone. Better to have a ton when a pound would do."

When I hung up we paid the bill and walked through the shopping area together. We didn't touch once. I wanted to. The image of Mary skinny dipping and screwing in Alex's back yard kept popping into my head. Mary hadn't skinny dipped with me since Todd, our oldest, was old enough to walk. Now he's married.

Helen said she was getting tired so we walked to the taxi area and she went back to her hotel. Just before she got in the cab I saw and felt her wanting to kiss me. I wanted it too but we didn't.

Half an hour later I walked into my room and the phone was ringing. It was Mary.

"It's late. Where have you been?"

"I went over to Ceasar's for dinner and I walked around afterwards. I saw some sexy clothes I think you would look good in. Shall I get them for you?"

"Sexy clothes? You know I almost never dress sexy. I'm almost fifty for heaven's sake."

"So, that's a no?"

"That's a no. Now if you find a nice necklace or jewelry that would be nice."

"OK. I'll look tomorrow. Right now I'm shutting off the cell phone and going to sleep. Good-night, Mary. I love you."

"Sleep well. Good-night."

She didn't say she loved me. I showered and shaved, getting ready for bed. I sat down on the bed to shut off my cell for the night when it rang.

"Hello."