Family Inheritance (37 page)

Robert leaned toward Jeff. “What if Suzanne had been the one behind the camera that
night? Would the pictures have been all that different?”

Jeff flew to his feet. “Wait a minute! She's the boss. She's the one who's in charge.
Why am I suddenly on trial? She's a drunk and a slut. Is that the kind of woman this
company wants in charge?”

“No, it's not.”

“And do you agree she's the boss and should be in charge?”

“I do.”

“Then what are you going to do about it?”

“I'm going to fire the person responsible for this entire mess.”

Jeff settled back into his chair and straightened his tie.

Robert turned to Suzanne. “Suzanne, do you agree that I don't have a choice?”

Suzanne looked at him and meekly nodded.

Robert reached for the envelope of pictures and placed them in front of Suzanne.
“Okay, I have no choice.” He stood and turned toward Jeff. “You're fired.”

Jeff stuttered in astonishment. “Me? I . . . I . . . Suzanne's the boss . . . she's
responsible. Why me?”

Robert clicked off points with each finger. “For falsifying expense reports and activity
reports, for unsatisfactory job performance, and also for blackmail.”

Resembling a deflated balloon, Jeff sunk back into his chair.

“However,” Robert continued, “I'll give you a choice.”

Life returned to Jeff 's eyes.

“You can resign, effective immediately with the realization that no recommendation
will ever be forthcoming from this company, or I can terminate you here and now.
Whatever option you choose, when you walk out of that door, you will no longer be
employed by this company.”

Stunned by the course of events, Suzanne just sat there lost in thought; she'd missed
the rest of the conversation between the two men.

“Suzanne?” A voice broke her stupor.

“Yes, sir,” she answered, shaking her head to clear it. Jeff was no longer in the
room, and Robert was standing a few feet from her closed office door.
When did Jeff
leave?

At the end of her first day back at work, Suzanne gratefully slipped her shoes off
and sunk into the cushions of her sofa. Even though she'd been home for a few days
now, it was so good to be back. The day had taken its toll. Robert knew all about
her problems, and he still believed in her. That was a new feeling for Suzanne.

At eight-thirty that evening, Suzanne went into the bathroom to run a hot bubble
bath. She was just beginning to undress when the doorbell rang.
Re-buttoning her
blouse, Suzanne looked through the peephole. It was Jeff! Her heart hammered violently
in her chest.
God, no!
The doorbell rang again. Suzanne lifted her head, straightened
her shoulders, and opened the door.

“Hi, baby.” He was drunk.

“What do you want, Jeff? I'm not your baby.”

“Oh, yes, you are,” he snickered. “I'm not done with you yet. You're not getting
off this easy. You may have Warren bamboozled, but if these pictures make it up to
the big boys, you and Warren are both dead.”

Suzanne's chest tightened.
Don't let him do it, Suzanne. Don't let him make you a
victim. Call his bluff!

Jeff pushed past her, but Suzanne kept her cool.

“Send the pictures to the top, Jeff. If I get fired, I'll handle it. But I think
you're forgetting something. I was your boss. I can have you blackballed from the
industry. I'm not without power here, and don't you forget it.”

Jeff stumbled backward in surprise, and then he angrily advanced toward her. “Are
you threatening me, bitch?”

Suzanne screamed inside as her fears pounded at the walls of her soul.
Stay cool,
Suzanne. He's bluffing. Be careful, be smart, don't be a victim.
She casually stepped
away from Jeff and headed toward the kitchen.
If I need a knife, I'll have one at
hand.

“No, Jeff, I'm not threatening you, but I'll no longer be used. If you want to send
the pictures to the chairman of the board, that's your choice, and I'll just have
to pay the price for my behavior. Just remember, we all eventually have to pay the
price for our choices, and that goes for you too.”

“It's not going to be that easy,” Jeff threatened as he followed her into the kitchen.

“You're not welcome in here, Jeff. I think it's time you left.” Suzanne stood with
her back against the kitchen counter.

“I'll decide that,” he swaggered, and catching Suzanne off guard, he grabbed a large
handful of hair and roughly pulled her toward him.

Don't panic. Don't panic.
Suzanne calmly looked at Jeff 's face only inches away,
and didn't say a word as she edged herself along the counter.

Jeff plunged his hand into her blouse and roughly kissed her. Suzanne used all the
willpower she had to keep herself calm as she planned her defense.
Reaching behind
her, she slowly opened the drawer where she kept her large knives. As Jeff 's hands
assaulted her body, she curled her fingers around a large knife. At the same time,
using all the strength she had, brought her right knee up and into Jeff 's groin.
He doubled over and stepped backward, swearing profusely. Suzanne kicked him in the
chest, knocking him flat onto the floor. She grabbed a wooden kitchen chair, laid
it across his chest, pushed against it with her foot, and pointed the knife at his
throat.

Her breathing was fast but her voice was steady and cold. “Hear me well, Jeff. This
is over.” She scratched his neck with the tip of the knife. “If you try to hurt me
again, I'll kill you.” She applied more pressure to the knife. “Quit now, Mr. Davidson,
while you have a piece of your life left, because you're not dealing with the old
Suzanne. And I don't think you want to push the new Suzanne to the point where you'll
unleash her fury, because you won't live to tell about it.”

Terror showed in his eyes as Jeff lay completely still.

“Do you hear me?” Suzanne shoved the chair into his chest.

Jeff nodded as he yelped from the pain.

Suzanne moved the chair from his body, and while holding it in front of her with
one hand and the knife in the other, she hissed, “Now get the hell out of my home
and my life before I decide to slice off a body part or two.”

Jeff scrambled from the floor and hobbled to the door, clutching his groin.

Suzanne held her breath until she heard the sound of the door closing. Then she ran
to it, turned the dead bolt, fell onto her knees, and sobbed.

Chapter 43

Dallas, Texas

“Well,” Melanie smiled at Suzanne. “We made it to Friday afternoon. One week down
and an eternity to go.”

Suzanne returned the smile. “Melanie, you're wonderful. I was really worried that
we wouldn't be able to work together now that you know so much about me, but you
are as absolutely terrific as ever.”

It was Melanie's turn to blush. “Thanks, boss. But changing the subject, what are
you doing this evening?”

“I don't know, but I was thinking that I haven't seen Richard all week. Does he have
a girlfriend or something?”

Melanie smiled softly at Suzanne. “I don't know, but I do know he asked about you
every week you were gone.”

“He did?” Suzanne placed her hands on the desk and looked at Melanie.

“Uh-huh.” Melanie slipped into one of the chairs.

“What office does he work in?”

“You don't even know that?” Melanie's mouth dropped open. “What planet did you live
on?”

“A very lonely one,” Suzanne admitted.

“He works for the engineering company down on the fifth floor.”

“I'll be right back, Melanie.” With a smile, Suzanne got up from her desk and left
her office.

Suzanne convinced Richard's secretary that she was an old friend, so she was permitted
to walk down the hallway and stand in front of his open door unannounced. Suzanne
leaned against the doorframe. “Hi. Working hard?”

Richard glanced up and seemed confused. Then he jumped to his feet. “Suzanne! Hi!
When did you get back?”

“I've been here all week. I thought you've forgotten about me, so I thought I'd look
you up.”

“Forget about you? Never! It's been one of those weeks. How are you? Welcome back.
You look beautiful!” he gushed.

Suzanne blushed. “Thanks.” Then clearing her throat, she said, “I've turned down
so many invitations from you that I was wondering if perhaps you were more gracious
than I and would accept a last-minute dinner invitation from me.”

Richard's eyes danced. “Dinner? Tonight?”

“Yes, if you're free.”

“I'll make sure I am.”

“Great! I can finish up by about six. Is that a good time for you?”

“Suzanne, I've been trying to take you out for over a year. Finally, you're willing!”

Suzanne stepped from one foot to another.

Richard smiled. “I've embarrassed you.”

“Well, not really. Sort of. I guess I'm not used to someone being anxious to go out
with me.”

“I don't know why it should surprise you.”

“Well . . . I . . .” she stuttered to a stop and then started again. “See you at
six.” She smiled as she turned and left.

When she returned to her office, Suzanne tried to work, but her thoughts kept wandering
to her decision to meet Richard for dinner.
How can you go out with someone as nice
as Richard if Stephen is still implanted in your brain?

Since Christmas, she had been dreaming a lot about Stephen. The dreams were always
the same. He was standing in the distance surrounded by fog and his arms were outstretched.
Suzanne ran toward him, but no matter how fast she ran, she could never reach him.

Stephen had been on her mind so much that finally last night, Suzanne dug out an
old address book. She'd put it in her purse and had brought it to work. About three
years after their divorce, he had been transferred to Boston and had wanted her to
have his number. She didn't know if he even worked for the same company, but she
had to try. She closed her office door, sat down at her desk, pulled the number out
of her purse, and with shaky hands, dialed it.

Suzanne had to talk to a receptionist, a secretary, and an assistant before she heard
Stephen's voice. “Suzanne? Suzanne, is that you?”

“Stephen? I can't believe you're in the same company. But considering what I had
to go through to talk with you, you must have advanced up the ladder.”

“Well, I've got a plush office with a view.”

“Impressive.” She smiled.

Silence settled over both ends and finally Stephen broke it. “Why are you calling,
Suzanne? After all these years?”

She leaned back in her chair and looked out the windows at the Dallas skyline as
she softly answered. “To say I'm sorry.”

“Sorry?” Stephen asked.

“Yes. For all the hurt I caused you because of all my childhood pain. You are a beautiful,
caring man, Stephen, and I did love you very much. I wanted you to know that.”

“Suzanne. I don't know what to say. All these years . . .”

“I know.” She quickly got up from her chair. “I'm sorry if I'm upsetting you, but
I've made a lot of changes in my life, and I'm trying to clear up all the loose pieces
so I can move forward.”

“You never remarried, Suzanne?”

“No.” She leaned against the edge of her desk, once again gazing out the window.

“Will you ever?” His voice was soft.

“I don't know.” She tugged at the collar of her blouse, which suddenly felt tight.

“I don't know if I'll ever remarry either,” Stephen said.

“Oh,” she paused, shocked. “Oh, I thought you had, or I wouldn't have called.”

“Why not?” Stephen asked.

“I don't want you to think I'm . . . not . . . I mean . . .”
He never remarried!
The phone felt hot to her touch. “I've got to go, Stephen.”

“Are you afraid, Suzanne? Since I'm not married, does that scare you?”

“No . . . yes . . . I still feel too much.” Her eyes scanned the room as if she was
a caged animal trying to escape.

“Is that bad?” he insisted.

“Yes . . . no . . . it didn't work then, so it wouldn't work now.” She paced around
her office.

“Maybe not. Maybe we wouldn't even like each other now,” Stephen said quickly, “but
I can't get rid of your ghost from my mind. You haunt me in my dreams. I couldn't
help you all those years ago. I didn't understand, but now I would learn how to be
there for you.”

No! This isn't what I wanted. I wanted to close an old chapter with Stephen, not
open a new one!

“Suzanne?”