Tommy Taylor wisely excused himself. Vera Wave had already met him once yesterday, so when she saw him appear again, her imagination immediately ran wild.
She certainly didn't think Kris Cooper was some local tyrant; she just assumed the car she'd seen yesterday was Tommy's and, consequently, naturally took Tommy for the person in charge here. No wonder this guy became a leader as soon as he went straight; so, there was someone backing him… no, someone *behind* him! I've heard of women gaining status through men, but this is the first time I've seen a man climb the ladder using another man. Indeed, Isla Hawskin was right; in this day and age, looks are everything. She cast a sideways glance at Kris Cooper, seated in his chair. To get where he was, she wondered how many times his 'chrysanthemum' must have been ravaged. Sigh, relying on your body to get ahead is truly an art!
COUGH!
