Kerry glanced up at Dar’s face, trying to judge her feelings on the subject. The taller woman’s expression was mildly interested, and she sensed no violent objection. ”Sure, that’d be great. You can tell me about that arts program the newsletter mentioned.”

They walked slowly, in deference to Dar’s knee, until they reached the restaurant, and sat down at a table near the window with a nice view of the water. ”You hang out here.” Kerry put a hand on Dar’s arm.

“I’ll get you a plate, okay?”

It went against Dar’s grain, but even she acknowledged that trying to juggle a plate on crutches would be stupid at best. ”Okay,” she agreed, leaning back and stretching out back muscles strained by the unusual pressure.

She gazed out the window until the other three returned, Kerry setting a plate down in front of her, then trotting off to get one for herself. Anne and Liz sat down, and settled napkins on their laps. ”So, Dar, what did happen to your leg?” Anne asked, taking a forkful of shrimp pasta.

”We were hiking and got into a little problem with a sinkhole.” Dar answered briefly, selecting a bit of cold crab and dipping it in mustard Hurricane Watch

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sauce. ”How’s the choir doing?” She asked Liz politely.

”Mm, it’d do better if I could talk you into joining,” Liz remarked, taking a sip of her sweetened tea.

Dar smiled briefly, acknowledging the compliment. ”My job prevents me from committing to that kind of thing,” she explained,

”and I get sent out of town a lot.” She glanced up as Kerry returned, settling into the chair next to her with a nicely loaded down plate. ”Got enough shrimp there?” she teased gently, grinning when Kerry stuck her tongue out briefly at her.

”So.” Kerry took a bite of garlic bread. ”Tell me about this arts program of yours. There were some classes there I’d love to take, that oil painting one, for instance.”

Anne launched into an enthusiastic explanation and Liz threw in comments, leaving Dar to listen and consume the plate Kerry had provided. Kerry laughed at some of the comments and reached over to touch Dar’s arm frequently as she replied. Dar was content to offer brief nods and short answers to the two other women.

”Ah, Dar, I’ve got to get you some of these,” Kerry interrupted, waving a crawfish at her. ”You’d really like them. Here.” She pulled a tail out and dipped it in butter, then offered it to her lover. Dar smiled amiably and leaned over, taking it between her teeth neatly and chewing it judiciously. ”Right?”

”Right,” Dar agreed, as they all laughed. A motion caught her eye and she turned her head to see a photographer focusing on one of the tables outside, measuring angles and taking a picture. Probably looking for celebrities, Dar mused, with a silent chuckle as she dismissed the man in khakis and returned to her lunch.


Chapter

Ten

”THIS IS GOING to be a circus.” Dar made her way up towards the office, with Kerry pacing alongside. ”I think I’ll make a sign saying what happened and hang it around my damn neck to save me some time.” The cold wind accompanying a weather front that had come through that morning fluttered against her leather jacket, which she was wearing over a pleated, cotton shirt tucked into very comfortable cargo pants. It had been one of the few bright spots of the morning, aside from Kerry’s insistence on ‘helping’ her shower, and she was actually looking forward to appearing in the executive committee meeting so she could watch her co-workers fidget in their wool suits.

They went past the security guard, who waved, then did a double take at Dar, who just rolled her eyes and headed for the elevator. ”I’m damn glad it’s early,” the executive commented dryly. The trip up was quiet as Dar leaned against the wall, and Kerry fussed a bit with her lapel, which bore a pretty, filigreed rose pin, with delicately traced leaves. ”Did I mention how much I like this?” she murmured.

”About six times.” Dar allowed a grin to cross her face. ”You’re welcome.” They exited the elevator and proceeded down the hall, with Kerry getting a pace ahead to open the door as they reached Dar’s office. ”Well, here we go.”

Maria glanced up as they entered. ”Buenos Dias. Dios Mio, Dar!”

The secretary stood up and stared at her boss as Dar maneuvered into the office. ”What happened?”

Kerry walked ahead and opened the inner office door, leaving it open. ”Rough weekend,” she joked faintly, holding her casted hand up.

”Ended up shorter than expected, as a matter of fact.”

Dar exhaled. ”Long story, Maria. Let’s just say be ready for all kinds of crap to hit all kinds of rotary air movement devices today.” She paused in the doorway and half turned. ”In addition to the usual Monday disasters, I’m sure Mariana will be in here as soon as she gets in. We made a mess of things.” She turned back around and moved towards her desk, sitting down in her comfortable chair with a sense of relief and setting her crutches down on the floor next to her. She flipped on the computer and leaned back, hearing Kerry’s low voice in the outer room as she filled in Maria on the weekend. Her mail program came up and she winced, watching the new messages scroll rapidly down the screen.


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It used to be fun, she recalled. She used to even look forward to Mondays, when most of the really interesting disasters lifted their ugly heads. Now, she had other priorities. One ear focused on Kerry and she sighed.Her phone rang and she punched the button. ”Yeah?”

”Dar.”

”Mariana. Good morning,” Dar replied, lacing her fingers together and leaning back.

”Not very, it isn’t. We’ve got real trouble,” the personnel VP stated quietly. ”The police are on their way here. Fabricini pressed charges.”

Dar sat up and leaned on her elbows. ”Pressed charges? For what? I didn’t touch him!”

”Not against you,” Mariana replied, ”against Kerry, for assault. She broke his nose.”

”Oh, you’ve got to be kidding,” Dar snapped back disgustedly. ”He can’t be serious.”

”Dar, I’m not kidding, and he is serious. I’ve already talked to him and he’s not backing down. He’s going to press charges for assault and file suit against her for pain and suffering.” Mariana’s voice was very tense. ”I don’t know what he’s after, but...”

Dar gazed across the office quietly. ”I do,” she answered. ”I know what he’s after.” She exhaled, then nodded once. ”All right, thanks Mari. I’ll tell Kerry what’s coming.” She disconnected the call, holding the knowledge inside her as Kerry poked her head into the office.

”I’m going to run downstairs for coffee, want some?”

”Sure.” Dar mustered a smile. ”I’d love some.” She watched Kerry leave, then she studied the top of her desk for a few moments. Fifteen years. Her eyes strayed to the gilded clock resting on the shelf across the room, her ten year marker. Fifteen years. She took a breath and dialed a number, waiting for an answer. ”Get up here,” she stated quietly when it was answered, then hung up, and simply waited.

It didn’t take long. Fabricini walked into her office, his face half obscured by a white bandage and his skin covered with blotches and smears of lotion. He sat down without being asked and tossed a folder on her desk, with a quietly triumphant air.

Dar opened it, regarding the contents with an expressionless face, then glanced at him. ”What do you want?”

He didn't even pretend not to understand her. ”You out of here,” he answered with vicious satisfaction.

Dar gazed quietly at him. ”All right,” she answered, very simply.

”You call the cops and withdraw your charges, and you’ve got it.”

”Oh no, Dar. I want my pound of flesh out of that whore of yours,”

Steve replied, with a smile.

”You withdraw the charges, or no deal,” Dar answered, ”and you get countersued for sexual harassment.”

He kept her waiting for a long moment. ”Do you know how sweet this is?” he purred. ”It’s perfect. You’re sitting there, completely 118

Melissa Good

helpless and I’m loving every second of it.” He paused. ”All right, Dar.

I’ll leave your little piece alone, but I want you out of here today.”

Dar glanced aside at her mail, which had just finished downloading four hundred new messages. ”All right,” She agreed, handing him the handset of her phone. ”Call.”

She listened to him speak charmingly to the police, then hang up.

”Goodbye, Dar. It’s been a pleasure working with you.” He got up and left. Dar closed her eyes briefly. Now came the hard part. She picked up the phone and dialed Mari’s extension. The personnel VP answered immediately. ”Mari.”

”Dar, oh, good, glad it’s you. Listen, I was brainstorming with Duks, maybe we can find a way to—”

”I fixed it,” Dar interrupted her. ”He dropped the charges.”

Silence. ”Oh.” Mari was obviously startled. ”Well, I...I didn’t think he’d back down, Dar. I...”

”He didn’t,” Dar stated quietly. ”I just gave him what he wanted.”

She took a breath. ”I’m resigning.” A soft sound made her look up to see Kerry standing in the doorway, staring at her in shock. ”I’m going to put the paperwork in, just get it through, Mari,” Dar finished, then hung up. ”Shut the door.”

Kerry did, then she came right around the desk and put the coffee down, kneeling at Dar’s side and putting a hand on her arm. ”What do you mean you’re resigning?” she asked in utter confusion. ”Dar, what’s going on?”

Sad blue eyes regarded her. ”The police were coming here, Kerry.