Page 73 of More than a Memory
Mitch, who looked pretty beat up himself, responded as he was led away, “Don’t bet on it. Cohen rewards loyalty. Money talks, remember that when I’m out on my get out of free jail card. Don’t take everything so personal, Darcy. It was fun while it lasted.”
“Fuck you, Mitch!” she said. Now that the adrenalin was wearing off, she felt despondent that someone she had thought could be a friend turned out to be a sociopath.
The police radioed in an APB for Conrad Cohen. She hoped that they could find him before he left the country.
An ambulance had arrived, and they had insisted that Darcy get checked out by the squad before they transported Liam to the hospital.
“Darcy, I owe you big time. I’d be a dead man if you hadn’t acted so quickly. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you,” Liam said, choking up with emotion.
“You can pay me back by filling in the blanks to this story. I take it Gina was in the dark about your blackmail attempt?” Darcy had to ask.
“Of course. I didn’t want to put her in danger. It wasn’t blackmail, really. I felt like I was exchanging information for our freedom. Gina was being held hostage, and I held secrets. Cohen Technology has been spying and copying… basically stealing from their biggest tech competitor for the last two years. The competitors are getting ready to launch a new social networking platform that has the potential to put Instagram and Facebook in the proverbial archival broom closet. Cohen decided to help himself to their program.”
“Where does the blackmail come in?” Darcy asked as they were loading Liam into the waiting ambulance.
Looking very sheepish beneath his puffy, black-and-blue face, he said, “Well, I probably shouldn’t have, but I just asked for a little money to help Gina and me get a fresh start. It would have been nothing to Cohen but a fortune to us. I just wanted one year of my salary as compensation, and for him to give Gina a dissolution, no equitable distribution, just her freedom, and she would walk away from any claim to his fortune, period.”
“That was a pretty stupid thing you did, Liam. You’re lucky you came out of this alive,” Darcy admonished. Then she confessed, “I can’t believe I was conned so easily by Mitch, that one really hurts.”
“We all were. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Remember one of the most famous serial killers, Ted Bundy, was said to be charming beyond belief. He didn’t fit their idea of a killer, he fooled everyone, wife and cops included, and went on to murder over 30 women,” Liam said, trying to reassure Darcy.
“I’ll eventually have to let it go, that or never trust another living soul again!” she smiled through a swollen lip. Her hair, long ago pulled free from the confines of its ponytail, was now a chaotic mess of red curls framing her pale face.
“Take care, Liam. I’ll call Gina, but I expect you to follow up with her as soon as you are checked out by a doctor,” Darcy insisted.
“Yes ma’am.” He saluted her as the ambulance doors closed.
* * *
The following afternoon, Darcy could tell that she was going to be very sore for the next week or so, but other than some swelling and bruising she came out pretty good, all things considered. The bruising on her face was a bit unnerving, and she was dreading the first time Sam saw it, which was going to be in about fifteen minutes, when she went over to have dinner with him.
She had tried to prepare him for her appearance, but, honestly, she was shocked herself every time she caught a glimpse in the mirror. She was bracing herself for his freak out.
She pulled down his lane and Bella came out to greet her.
“Hey, Bella girl, how is my favorite farm dog?”
She tentatively walked through Sam’s back door. He took one look at her and rushed over to pull her against him. “Oh my God, my poor baby, that has to be painful,” he said comfortingly. This reminded Darcy that he was, in fact, a veterinarian, used to blood and guts, and gifted with an innate equanimity.
“Oh, Sam, thank you for not freaking out and losing it on me!” she said sincerely.
“Why would I do that? Haven’t you been traumatized enough already?” he replied.
“Absolutely!” she responded, laughing with relief.
“Casey fixed us a pot of chicken and dumplings, along with mashed potatoes and a huge tossed salad.”
“That sounds heavenly, I’m starving,” Darcy said.
“Me too, let’s eat.”
Taking her hand, he led her to the dining room table, which was set with china and cloth napkins as well as tapered candles already lit.
“I see Casey did more than cook the meal,” Darcy observed.
“Hey, I helped,” he protested.
“I can see Casey all over this one, but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, and thank you as well.”