Chapter 5

Darren made the short hike to the Westmar building and rode the elevator. He stepped into the Walnut Street Capital offices and headed for Marcia’s cubicle. “Good morning, sunshine,” he said.

“Good morning.”

“Your shiner isn’t so shiny today.”

“I know. I’m a fast healer. Rob called again last night.”

“What did he say, this time?”

“He wanted to know my answer.”

“And, what did you tell him?”

“I told him I wasn’t ready to give him an answer. He started listing all the things he contributed to our home -- the things he believes are his and not community property. Things he said he wants back if we break up.”

“Such as?”

“The television and the sound system. He bought those and he said if he goes, they go with him. Also, the carving knives and the microwave ... the leather sofa ... some of the outdoor furniture.”

“He thinks he can influence you by threatening to withhold material things?” Rob asked. “Marcia -- that has to tell you something about his frame of mind.”

“I know, I know...”

“I think you should complain to the D.A. about his calling and bothering you. What part of no contact does this guy not comprehend? You should just hang up on him. Carrying on these conversations is only encouraging him.”

“I know, I know ... I have to deal with this my way. You badgering me is not helpful. Okay, Darren?”

“Okay ... but it’s not okay.”

“I came in early to finalize our Power Points.”

“Let’s flick through them. Our meeting is at ten.”

Darren sat beside Marcia in the Walnut Street Capital conference room. A projector had been placed on the table and he made a dry run through the presentation. “Have you met Kirk Gregory?” Marcia asked him.

“No. I’ve seen him but we haven’t spoken.”

“He talks like a cowboy,” she said. “It’s an affectation. He’s originally from the Upper Peninsula.”

Rebecca stepped into the conference room. “Good morning. Are we ready for this?”

“As ready as ever,” Marcia replied.

Others began to file into the room. Darren recognized Kyle, head of the firm’s Information Technology department. A slightly-built man with a long, narrow face and pencil-thin moustache sat at the table. “Hello, Darren.”

“Hi, Freddie.”

“Marcia -- I heard the news. If there’s anything you need...”

“Thanks, Freddie.”

Rebecca stepped in and hugged Marcia. Then, a tall, silver-haired man wearing a bolo-style string tie and a silver and turquoise slide stepped in. “Darren,” Freddie said, “have you met Kirk Gregory?”

Darren stood and shook Kirk’s hand. “My pleasure.”

Kirk sat and regarded Marcia through narrowed eyes. “Marcia,” he said, “I’m gonna give you the name of my attorney. Ya work with him and really put the screws to the guy who did that to ya. We’re gonna make the sonofabitch bastard pay for what he did.”

She nodded. “Thanks, Kirk.”

“Oh -- and any invoices -- just give ‘em to Cory. We’ll take care of it. We wanna get this business behind us.”

“I appreciate it, Kirk.”

“Well,” Kirk said, “who called this meeting?”

Darren looked up at Marcia. “You’re up, slugger.”

Marcia stood while Darren worked the keyboard on his laptop and displayed the first slide. “I’m a little nervous,” she said, “but, here goes ... As you know, our book of business is growing, and in order to keep our organization lean we must rely on technology. Our current accounting system simply won’t handle the additional complexity of our new products, so we have had to rely on manual procedures. These are time consuming and error-prone...”

Marcia stepped through a dozen Power Point slides that described the benefits and features of their proposed project. Upon concluding Kirk stood and regarded the team in the conference room.

“Ya’ll agree this is how we should go?” he asked.

“Yes, Kirk, they said almost in unison.

“Then, let’s get goin’. Good job ya’ll. Marcia -- you call my guy, ya hear?”

“Yes, Kirk. I will.”

Kirk and Freddie headed out of the conference room. Darren unplugged his laptop. He looked up at Marcia. “Congratulations. Kirk bought it.”

“I couldn’t have done this without you, Darren.”

“This was your project, Marcia.”

“That’s right,” Rebecca added. This was a first-rate effort, Marcia. You should be proud of yourself.”

“Well,” Darren replied, “now the hard work begins. We need to get a contract hammered out, the custom reporting specs written and into Kyle’s hands. We need to put together an implementation and conversion plan.”

“Don’t forget training,” Rebecca interjected.

“Right. Training.”

“To celebrate,” Marcia said, “I want to invite everyone involved in this project to my place on Saturday for a pot-luck dinner.”

“That’ll work,” Rebecca replied. “Saturday Ray is taking the girls and his boy Kenny camping.”

“You don’t camp?” Darren asked.

“No. I have a serious allergy to the outdoors. What time on Saturday?”

“Six-ish,” Marcia replied.

“That’s fine. I was coming into the office Saturday to wrap up some client reporting. Darren -- I can give you a lift to Marcia’s.”

“Great. Thanks.”

“I’ll pick you up from the hotel.”

Darren sat with Rebecca and Marcia around her patio table. “Another delightful evening,” Rebecca remarked. “Too bad Kyle and Lisa had to leave early.”

“There’s a little bubbly left,” Marcia said. “Let me top up your glasses.” She drained the bottle.

“This was a good idea,” Darren said. “It’s a chance to bask in glory before we head into the real battle.”

Rebecca drained her glass. “I really had better be going. I’ll see you on Monday.”

“To Monday.” Darren drained his glass.

“I’ll make sure Darren gets back to his hotel,” Marcia added. “Good night, Rebecca.”

Rebecca headed out the front door.

Darren locked his fingers behind his head. “I don’t suppose you feel like talking shop,” he said.

“Can’t it wait ‘til Monday?”

“Yeah ... I suppose.”

“I have some brandy,” she said. “Would you like a nightcap?”

“Are you having one?”

“To be social,” she replied.

“Can you handle it and drive?”

“If I make mine a short one, I can...” She looked up and gasped.

Darren turned and saw a man standing in the townhouse, regarding them through the screen door. “Rob!” Marcia exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

“I saw cars in the driveway from the freeway,” he replied. “I thought I’d stop by and see who’s visiting.” He faced Darren. “You must be the asshole who’s been fucking my wife! You had better stay away from her.”

“YOU stay away from her,” he replied. “What part of no contact do you not understand?”

“How did you get in?” Marcia asked.

“Your friend left the front door unlocked, Marsh. I’m going to get some of my things. Then I’ll be on my way.” He turned and bounded up the stairs.

Darren patted down his pockets and realized he had left his cell phone at the hotel. He headed inside and picked up the handset of a wall-mounted telephone and punched in 9-1-1.

Rob bounded down the stairs with an armload and carried it outside. He returned, approached Darren and slapped the handset from him. Then, Rob made a swing at Darren who ducked out of the way. “You stay away from my wife!” he shouted.

Marcia grabbed the telephone handset. “Yes ... Please hurry!” she said into it.

Rob lunged toward her but Darren managed to trip him and he went face-down onto the laminate floor. Darren sat on him. In the distance he could hear police sirens approaching.

Rob struggled free and bolted out the front door. Darren heard an engine start and tires squealing. Soon there were flashing red and blue lights illuminating the curtains and a pair of officers came inside. “You folks okay?” one of them asked.

“Shaken up,” Darren replied. He looked toward Marcia. She was white and trembling.

“Tell us what happened.”

Darren closed and bolted the sliding door to the patio and then checked the lock on the front door. He regarded Marcia. “Still have the shakes?”

She nodded. “I know he was lying. There’s no way you can see the driveway from the freeway.”

“He must’ve been stalking you.”

She nodded. “That thought really creeps me out. You might have been right. It might have been him following us the other night, after all.”

“Well ... I doubt he’d be foolhardy enough to come back.”

“Don’t underestimate him,” she remarked.

“Agreed. I wouldn’t have thought he’d be foolhardy enough to come here and confront you ... in front of a witness, no less.”

“Thinking things through is not Rob’s strong suit.”

“No two ways about it, Marcia. You must go for a restraining order.”

She nodded. “I know. I’ll give Kirk’s attorney a call on Monday.”

“The cops said they’d report this to the D.A.’s office. He shouldn’t have any trouble getting Rob’s bail revoked.”

Marcia nodded. “That will be a relief.”

“That might take ‘til Tuesday or Wednesday. Until then -- my offer stands. Come lodge with me. You’ll be safer there.”

Marcia nodded again. “I think you’re right. Let me pack a bag.”

She came downstairs with a small suitcase. “I have enough to hold me through ‘til Monday,” she said. She held up her left hand.

“You took off your rings.”

“I am officially done with him.” She picked up her purse and dug her keys from it, dropping them on the floor. Darren stooped to pick them up. He handed them to her. “Thanks.”

“Are you okay? Would you rather that I drive?”

“I’m okay.” They headed to her car and she set her bag in the trunk. Darren sat in the passenger seat and she started the motor. “Keep an eye out for someone following us,” she said.

“Oh, I sure will. If he does -- head straight for the police station.”

“Got it.” Marcia drove out of the condominium complex and onto the street that served it. “Tell me -- how did you end up married to a guy like Rob in the first place?”

“Ten years ago ... I went to college in this town and stuck around afterward for work. I met Rob. There was a ... an animal magnetism. What you said about purely physical relationships not enduring ... That’s what ours was. As I worked my way from a nine-to-five job into a professional one ... my circle changed, but Rob’s didn’t.”

“It was sort of like that with me and Steph,” he replied.

“Darren -- you warned me. You were right.”

“I watched my sister go through this. You need to look out for yourself, Marcia. The first order of business is survival.”

“Understood.”

“I really do have your welfare at heart...”

“Also understood.”

“ ... to the point that if your welfare was best served by me letting you go -- I would do it in an instant.”

She looked toward him. “Do you really mean that?”

“I do. I wouldn’t be happy about it -- but I would do it.”

She smiled and nodded. “I needed to hear that, Darren.” She turned onto the boulevard heading into town. “Any headlights?” she asked.

He turned around to look out the rear window. “None close enough to be tailing us. You might want to take an alternate route, though.”

“Good idea. I’ll turn down Atkins, go through the second ward and approach the hotel from the opposite direction.” She slowed at an intersection and signaled a turn. “When I was upstairs packing I discovered one thing that Rob took.”

“What was that?”

“The cable TV box.”

“He took the cable box?”

“He’s the one who wanted the premium channels,” she replied, “and he was the one paying for them. The condominium provides basic cable as part of the common fee.”

“He can’t use that box on another circuit,” Darren remarked, “once it’s registered.”

“He probably thinks he’s hurting me by taking it. He’s wrong -- I hardly ever watch TV and never any of the premium channels. The hotel’s up ahead...”

Marcia parked her car and pressed a button to release her trunk. Darren hopped out. He took her bag from her trunk and closed the lid. Together they went into the hotel. He opened the door to his room with a passcard. “This is it -- my home away from home. Actually, my home, now, since I don’t have a home at home any more.”

“This is really quite nice.”

He led her into a bedroom. “I’ve been using this as an office but I can move my stuff out.”

“Oh, don’t bother.”

“I’ll at least take all these binders off the bed. You can make this your base of operations... pro tem, that is.”

“I’ll get changed and use the bathroom.”

“Be my guest.”

Darren undressed to his briefs and slipped into a robe. Marcia stepped from the bathroom wearing a pale green, short-sleeved cotton sleep tee that came halfway down her thighs. How it clung to her ample bosom left little to the imagination. She headed into the room Darren used as his office. “Good night,” he said to her from the doorway.

She turned down the covers. “Good night.”

He switched off the light and closed the door. Then, he headed into the other bedroom, stripped off his robe and slid between the sheets. He switched off the lamp on the nightstand.

Shortly he heard a rap at the door. “Yes?”

Marcia stepped in. “Darren?”