Chapter 12
Steve had been half asleep when he snapped awake at the sound of the front door closing. Nakedly leaping out of bed, he saw Caryn still lying where he had left her. Her eyes were open, and she was now sitting up. He saw a note on the night table to the right of his bed. Picking it up, he read:
Dear Steve, You were a barrel of fun for the last twenty-four hours, but I've decided I don't want to stay with you. I'm leaving the Traveler's National Bank and getting a job elsewhere, but more important, if you try blackmailing me with that material you have, you'll be hurting Caryn who is willing to stay with you. Puts you in a dilemma, doesn't it? How you get out is your problem.
Love, Joyce.
"What are you going to do?" Caryn asked, fearful he would still wreak revenge on Joyce and in the process hurt her as well.
"I'm not going to use that blackmail material," he shrugged. 'To be frank, I'n never intended using it. No one else has any copies of the pictures. What I showed you is all I have. If you want to leave, you can pack up and go too."
"Leave? I'd be crazy to leave," Caryn insisted. "I'll admit I'd love having you for myself, but I think you'd be happier if Joyce was still with us, and in the long run, what makes you happy will make me happy. So if you can convince her to come back, go on."
"I'll convince her, all right," he smiled. "She'll be back, and of her own free will," he nodded as he went to the phone and dialed. A moment later, he spoke, giving Joyce's description and address. Then he hung up, smiled and said, "She'll be back!"