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voice, Kelly didn't show it. She had made a promise to
Victoria
, and nothing, no pleading, no amount of coaxing would convince her to do otherwise. "May I ask why you feel that way?" Kelly kept her tone even and calm.
    "I didn't want to alarm
Victoria
last night, but I'm going to be completely honest with you. You're a high-profile journalist, Kelly. No matter how discreet you are, if you get involved in the search for Jonathan, someone is bound to find out. And once they do, the news of his disappearance and his connection with a drug cartel will be all over the papers."
    Kelly stared. "You actually believe Jonathan is a drug dealer?"
    "What other reason would he have for staying at that dreadful motel?"
    "We don't know that he was!"
    Cecily made a face as if she had suddenly smelled something foul. "He works for a man who has ties to organized crime, Kelly. What does that tell you?"
    "Those ties were never proven," Kelly pointed out, "or the Casino Control Commission wouldn't have granted Syd Webber his license. But even if he did have such ties, secretly, why would you assume that Jonathan does?"
    Cecily brought her hands down and gazed at them. For the first time since Kelly had arrived, she noticed the woman's unhealthy pallor. Was she really that concerned about a possible scandal? About the Sanders name being tarnished? It was true that her position as CEO of the Norton Trust demanded an impeccable background and not the slightest hint of scandal, but would the board of directors actually blame her for the actions of a relative? Kelly didn't think so. There had to be another reason why Cecily was so overwrought.
    Kelly wanted to reach out to her. She wanted to tell her that whatever was troubling her, Kelly would listen. Maybe together they could find a solution to this puzzling problem. Kelly owed her that much. During those difficult twenty-four hours while she had so desperately clung to life, Cecily had sat outside the I. C.U with Connie and Kelly's brother, Ronny, for hours at a time, bringing them food, coffee and moral support. Kelly hadn't forgotten that.

"What is it, Cecily?" she asked gently. "What aren't you telling me?"
    Clearly irritated, Cecily gave her an exasperated look. "Why are you assuming that I'm hiding some deep dark secret? I'm not. I asked you here because you have a lot of influence on
Victoria
and I was hoping you'd help me get her to see things my way."

"What exactly is your way, Cecily?"
    "Logical." She leaned forward as if ready to explain a difficult problem to a child. "There are three possible explanations why Jonathan disappeared. One is that he did something stupid, will realize it in time and will come home before the press has time to find out about it.
    I won't be happy about his return, but if that's what
Victoria
wants, fine. The second possible explanation is that Jonathan did something stupid and has no intention of coming back. To that I say good riddance.   I never wanted him married to
Victoria
in the first place, and by his actions, he's proven that I had good reason to feel that way.
    If he chooses not to come back, a brief statement will be issued to the press regarding Jonathan and Victoria's separation and that will be the end of it."
    She sighed. "The third possibility isn't so pleasant, for
Victoria
or for the Sanders family. Jonathan did something stupid and paid for it with his life. In the event this proves to be true, we'll need to keep the circumstances of his death quiet--at least from the
Philadelphia
papers. That won't happen if you insist on investigating his disappearance and eventually his death." She gave Kelly a long, level look. "Are we in agreement?"
    Everything had been thought out in minute detail, Kelly realized. Every possibility Cecily had mentioned had been carefully analyzed and weighed in relation to potential damage, not to
Victoria
, but to the Sanders name.

"Kelly?" Cecily raised a thin, well-arched brow. "Do you agree with me?"
    "Only as