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Darius listened intently, his fingers gently stroking her arm as she talked. “I looked at the money transferred to the suppliers for stock that we ‘bought’”, Sara giving a small groan, “It is worse than even I thought”, her eyes looking apologetically at him. “He siphoned money into that account for items that were never used on so many jobs, as well as ones made up with the fake customers”
He dropped a small kiss on her head. “How much?” Groaning softly, she lifted the pad to show the amount. Darius gave a small whistle. “He really did a number on your family’s company” Sara gave a small nod, “Yeah”, her only response, a rueful smile on her lips, “Not such a bargain now” She looked up at him, “I imagine that you are regretting getting involved with us again”, her voice sad.
Darius sighed, a long slow exhale of air, his expression solemn, his voice soft. “I have no regrets...and I am sure that the detective I hired will find him” Sara frowned. “You hired a detective? We already have one working for us” A slow smile spread over his face. “This one has never failed. The best bounty hunter in the business...give him a lead and he can find anybody. He is looking for leads even as we speak”
Sara gave a large grin, her eyes dancing. “A lead like......this?”, pulling a slip of paper from the pad she waved it before him, his fingers taking it and reading the contents, a frown of confusion on his face. “What is this?” Sara chuckled “Well...I went through the delivery sheets and found that in all cases the person signing had been a Miss Seymour – not really helpful -except for one which was sighed Anne Seymour”
Darius gave a small grunt, “Sounds like a fairly common name...but somewhere to start I suppose” Giving a smug laugh she chuckled again, “Oh...like I would stop there. I found a hundred and thirty two Anne Seymour’s in our area, and by age elimination brought that down to thirty six” Darius regarded her with a quizzical look, “Why age?” Sara sighed, “I never wanted to tell Angela this...but I never thought that Nick was working alone. The man is a snake...and a womaniser. Seemed to me to make sense that he probably found some stupid woman to work with him”
He gave a small nod. “Sounds reasonable...do you have the list...my detective can work through them” She smiled wider. “Like I said...why stop there? I ran some online searches of the different Anne Seymour’s – took me hours – but I got lucky. I found a picture of one woman with Nick...Anne Seymour, 28, attractive and just his type. If you look on the other side of that piece of paper you will find her address and phone number”
Darius stared at her, his eyes full of respect, flipping over the sheet. “OK Miss Marples...You are amazing”, he finally murmured, his tone full of admiration as he pulled out his mobile phone, placing a call to his detective, giving him the information she managed to glean. “Well Sara. I think that perhaps we both managed to find some good news. If I know Kane this is all he will need to find your brother-in-law” Sara’s expression became more serious as she bit her lip, “I hope that you are right. The sooner we find him the sooner that money can be returned...and...”
“And you can get away from me?” Darius finished, Sara giving a return frown. “No...No that is not what I meant”, her shoulders shrugging, as a more guarded look fell on her. “It is complicated” “Did it ever cross your mind Sara that I might be able to help?” Sara gave a small nervous half-laugh, her eyes avoiding his as the laughter left her features, her look more guarded. “I...if I find anything else I will let you know” Darius sighed as she ignored his comment.
Chapter Seven
Living with Darius was starting to feel normal to Sara she realised, as the two woke up the following morning. At that time he would shower and get dressed for work; she found herself enjoying this private time they shared, as the two would laugh and joke, telling each other their plans for that day. As he moved forward to give her a farewell kiss, she smiled up at him suddenly reminded of her appointment later that day. “Darius...I might be late tonight” His brow rose with interest. “Oh? Anything I should know about?”
Her lovely face gave a soft smile, “No...Just that I have an appointment with a realtor...with you leaving in three days I need to find somewhere to stay” She tried to keep her voice light, her nails digging deeply into the softness of her palms. “Best start my search before I am forced to move in with ... The mother”, the words uttered in dramatic horror, Darius giving an appreciative chuckle.
“Oh...yes I forgot to tell you” His tone was casual, nonplussed, as he moved to stand at the window, “There is no rush for you to do that...my business here is going to take longer than I thought so I have extended my stay” Sara felt her legs start to shake, her eyes moving to stare at him with shock and disbelief. “W...what do you mean? How long?” the fun leaving her tone, her voice almost a whisper as he looked over at her in surprise. “Not sure...about a month...maybe more. So there is no hurry for you to find somewhere else to live” “NO!” Her loud cry saw him scowl as he turned around his eyebrows knitted together in annoyance. “What do you mean ‘no’?”
She stood, eyes wide open in horror, her hands nervously pulling at each other, Darius seeing as she tried so hard to pull herself together, to calm herself. “In three days that will be our two weeks... I need to find a job and a home... I need to sort out my life... so thank you but I can’t stay”
Sara saw as he stood taller, his eyes narrowing, “Our agreement Sara was that you stayed with me until I returned to Italy” Shaking her head, she groaned. “No...I asked you for a timeline...you told me two weeks” Waving his hand dismissively he gave a small snort of irritation, “What I said was that I thought I was returning to Italy in two weeks, that you would stay with me until I returned... well things have changed so deal with it”
Anger filled Sara as she moved closer to him, glaring at the man she both loved and hated in equal measures. “No”, her body rigid, “Two weeks. Our agreement was for two weeks - no more. I stuck to our agreement Darius and you have to stick to it too” He stared back at her in surprise, a small superior smile touching the corners of his mouth. “Well I guess that as I am the one holding all of the cards Sara, you will just have to adjust YOUR timeline because if you want to walk feel free...just know that your sister will be in prison the next day...and I am sure neither of us wants to put little David through that”
Sara stumbled backwards, her horrified expression clear in her lovely eyes as she stared back at him. “Y...y...you wouldn’t do that”, she mumbled, her voice full of shock. Darius gave another smile, one devoid of any humour, “Push me and find out Sara”, his low answer as she turned from him, her whole body trembling, her hands moving to her mouth in stunned disbelief.
With a sigh he strode forward, his fingers wrapping around her shoulders as she stood shaking. “Has it been so bad Sara? We get on well...in and out of bed. I really didn’t think you would mind spending more time with me...so you put off looking for a job and another place to live for a month or so...does it really matter?” To his surprise, she tore herself from his hold, turning to face him, tears magnifying her eyes.
“Yes...yes it matters. It matters Darius, and I will not stay any longer. We had an agreement and I am sticking to it” Darius felt the clenching coldness deep within him. “Wow...you have had me fooled Sara. I actually thought you were happy here” Standing tall, his features became colder, “Well it doesn’t matter. You are going nowhere. You or your sister...the choice is and always has been yours”
Sara moved to sit on the edge of the bed, the anger leaving her as she looked somewhere above his head, desperation clear on her face. “It isn’t right...it isn’t fair”, she murmured. He frowned, realising that she was talking to herself, before she lowered her eyes to his. “Then you have to do what you have to do...because I am leaving”, a tear winding its way down her cheek, the words spoken softly and with grim determination.
“You would see your sister in prison?” His disbelieving harsh words whipped over her as she dropped her eyes to the ground; her whole body slumped in defeat, Sara nodding silently. “Then so be it Sara. You leave this house then tomorrow Angela will be rotting in some damn prison cell and you can explain to her son why”
She heard as he moved from the bedroom, slamming the door behind him as he left, Sara raising her head to hold back the choking sob which rose to her lips. Her hand covered her mouth as she fought to control the way her whole body shook, the tears spilling unchecked down her pale cheeks. She had done all she could. She could not do any more she told herself over and over, willing herself calm. If she did not leave as they agreed then it would destroy all her own chances of happiness, a long steadying sigh leaving her still quivering lips.
