Chapter 25. Let's play rough
Randal had waited; it had been a week since his first verbal attack in the paper on Sarah. With not as much as a whisper in return; not even a whimper; it was driving him nuts. He paced the parlor of his penthouse suite, growing more and more annoyed.
Margo bored with watching him paced poured herself yet another martini. "You're wearing a path," she warned.
"You would think the twit would have the decency to respond," he muttered as he paced. When he stopped pacing his toe of his expensive shoe began tapping a tattoo. "I've only two weeks left to me, Margo. On Candlemas my time is up!"
"As is mine," she reminded him coyly. "However you don't see me fretting, do you?" She placed the libation on the fashionable table that sat in front of his custom made sofa. "I'll be having Robert up to my new little penthouse for drinks this evening."
"Drinks?" Barked the angry Jinn; "You can think of being social at a time like this?"
From her pocket the woman produced a vial, filled to the brim with green liquid. Shaking the bottle at the Jinn she wore a smile of triumph. "With this I can," she preened. "A few drops of this and Robert Williams will be hopelessly lost in the depths of sweet despair."
"What is that?" The Jinn frowned as he stayed well back from the Siren and the potion in her hands.
"Tears of Sorrow, from the well of despair," the Siren boasted. "Since the sands of sadness didn't seem to do the trick," She looked at the liquid proudly. "This will."
--
Sarah looked at her assistant Jeanie at the end of the work day with weary eyes. "One more day of this and I swear I'll go out of my mind."
Carmine was reading over her copy over the shoulder of the assistant. "its good work Sarah, and I'm impressed with how hard you two have been working."
Achy and still feeling out of sorts, Sarah stretched. "Carmine, I don't know if it will do any good. Drake wants to take my good name…" she picked up the equipment bag that was to accompany her to the academy. "He hacked into our system, twice… and I don't know if a hand written copy will stop his plans to destroy my writing career. He said in print he'll see me on the cat walk again as that's the only place a brainless girl like me belongs." She winked at Jeanie. "See you in the morning. I'm off to fencing class."
"You could always run him through with a sword!" Carmine called as she stepped into the elevator. "I'd pay to see that!"
Sarah was still slightly embarrassed by what had happened during the weekend's class. Hearing Anise demanding to know if she were going to apologies to Drake had been the last straw. Anise, and her demeaning tones, Sarah found she truly hated the other girl sometimes. There had only been a few times in her life when she'd felt that kind of rage, so blinding. Thank God there'd been the dummy to take the brunt of her anger. She pitied the poor dummy and recalled hearing a voice tell her just before everything went black that she'd killed the dummy. When she'd awakened to find herself in the ladies locker room on the sofa, she had been mortified and self-conscious. Not only had she missed the entire hour of her class but she'd destroyed the schools property. The only relief had been that Anise was no where to be found when she left the school.
There were a few parents arriving to pick up their children when Sarah pulled her little car into the lot. She waved to Enid who was waving back to her. Some of the other mothers seemed to be whispering and were giving Sarah strange looks. As Sarah neared Enid it was clear she was being shunned as women gave her the cold shoulder and a wide berth. "What did I do?" Sarah asked her stepmother's best friend.
"Oh don't mind those old hens," Enid encouraged the girl. "They're just a bunch of rumor mongering louts."
"Drake," growled Sarah as they neared the door of the academy. Enid nodded and moved into the lobby. Sarah paused at the reception desk. "Would you ask Mr. Cortland what I owe him for the damages to his equipment?" she requested politely. "I'd like to make a payment plan for restitution."
"That won't be necessary," Anise answered as she slammed a draw on her desk. "It seems you idiotic antics amused Master Dé Danann and he has paid for the replacement of the Automaton."
"Oh," Sarah felt most uncomfortable. It was one thing to be beholding to the owner of the school, and to work off the payments. It was quite another to be in the debt of the Master. She moved toward the door that would take her to the locker room unaware of the glare she was given by the young woman at the reception desk.
When she emerged from the locker room, fully dressed in her uniform, she found that the master was giving Toby some intense tutoring. One could not help but admire the dedication this man had to his students. Nor the handsome figure he cut in his one of a kind uniform. She watched in appreciation and wonder as he showed the move to Toby over and over. Sarah felt her pulse race as she watched.
Knowing she was observing, the man in the mask slowly turned toward her. "Are you ready for me?" he asked in a teasing tone.
"I'm beginning to think I'll never be completely ready for you," Sarah replied as she took her place on the mat. "I understand I am in your debt."
Tapping the foil on the side of his leg, the master chuckled. "I am indebted to you for the amusement." He motioned for Toby to leave the practice mat. "I confess I never cared for the mechanical equipment that is so popular these days. I prefer an opponent who is flesh and blood, don't you…Sarah?" Gracefully he began a slow and well practiced sweeping maneuver about her.
"Always," she purred back, and then blushed. To hide the heightened color of her cheeks she placed the mask on over her face. "Shall we begin?"
Bowing curtly to her, he growled deeply. "We already have, Mon chérie," he saluted her and received her salute in return. He then began the first exchange of blades with her. "You seem distracted, chérie." He commented gently; "Problems at work?"
"A few," she admitted as she met each of his thrusts with a blocking move, concentrating on not using the moves Knable taught her. "There's a lout who's out to steal my reputation."
"Ah as long as he's not out to steal your heart as well," teased the man who was leading her in a circular dance. "I really don't like competition."
"And if I were to tell you my heart is already spoken for?" she found herself fumbling but recovered quickly and moved beyond his foil only to find herself locking foils with his.
"I would say that whoever thinks they have a claim to you had best beware," with a flick of his wrist he sent her blade flying across the room before he pulled her into an embrace. "I'm not accustomed to losing chérie."
Standing so close, her body pressed to his, Sarah found her heart pounding. She heard her own breath, and wondered if she should struggle or surrender. "Neither am I;" she panted softly.
"If you two are going to kiss, I'm gonna yak," Toby said from his seat across the room.
Sarah knew she was blushing, and was glad the mask was hiding it. "It seems I've lost my foil," she observed as she disentangled herself from the man's embrace. "I'll just go pick it up." When she turned she found her bottom swatted once more with the flat of Master Dé Danann's blade. She yelped and turned to look at the man.
"I've warned you about turning your back on an enemy, have I not chérie?" He scolded in an arousing tone.
Sarah rubbed the round fleshy portion of her derrière. "Point taken," she conceded to the male.
He tapped his leg protection with the tip of his blade. "Go retrieve your blade chérie, and let us start again." The reverberation of his throaty command was enticing.
--
Robert was unhappy with being forced to meet with Margo at her penthouse. He would have preferred to have the meeting in his office. He liked to keep control of meeting in his court not in that of a client. He had argued that he'd be distracted if they didn't meet in the office, but Margo was unrelentingly insistent. He was beginning to wish he had taken the other road, gone home and called to reschedule as the weather was beginning to look stormy again. She met him at the door with a little too much friendliness for Robert's comfort level.
"Darling," she cooed as she opened the door. "Welcome to my new digs." She waved a dramatic hand toward the interior of the penthouse. "And all of it is possible because of you." Tucking her arms into the crook of his left elbow she pulled him into the foyer space. "I've no way to thank you."
"I'm just happy to have been of service," he stiffened slightly as they walked into the expensive housing unit. "I've got those contracts you wanted drawn up, they are ready for you to sign."
Margo ushered him into the white on white formal parlor. "Oh I am so lucky to have found you," she cooed again. "You make my life so easy."
"Our firm has built its reputation on good service," he said in a noncommittal tone. "The senior partners will be very glad to hear that you're satisfied."
Margo sat down and poured a martini for herself, and one for Robert. She had treated the glass she intended to hand to him with the tears solution, coating it thoroughly. "Here's to the success of all my ventures." She toasted knowing he could not refuse to drink.
Robert looked at the glass with dread, "I really should not drink, I'm driving you know."
Placing a hand under the base, Margo tipped the drink to his lips. "One little sip won't hurt," she told him softly, her tone now cunningly soothing. She'd been a Siren for a very long time, and knew every trick. His lips touched the rim of the glass; he closed his eyes and took a sip of the martini. As the liquid slid down his throat the poisons of the potion went as well. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" she simpered.
--
Toby was in the locker room changing, when the lights began to flash off and on. Something inside him told him that he or someone he loved was in danger. "Sarah," he gasped as he ran out of the locker room. "Master Dé Danann," he called out urgently. "Master Dé Danann!"
Jareth also felt the shift in the fabric, and came out of the coach's room at a quick clip. "Toby," he called to him in as firm a tone as he could find. The boy ran straight for the open arms of the protective master. "It's alright boy, I'm here." He shifted his weight, getting down on one knee. "It's alright."
"No," Toby said darkly. "Something is very wrong."
"I'll handle it," Master Dé Danann promised. "Right now, I'm going to help you find Sarah." When Jareth stood, they both walked quickly to the ladies locker room. They found Sarah in a dazed state, staring. Jareth shook her gently to break the hold, "chérie," he said sharply. "chérie!"
Sarah blinked, took a gasping deep breath and broke free of the arms holding her. She stumbled back, until she backed into the lockers. She gasped for air, and then her knees buckled.
--
Margo tipped the glass, upending it and forcing the man to drink down the contents. "Very good…." She said darkly. "That should do the trick." She watched a glassy eyed glaze fill the eyes of the lawyer. "In a moment, my dear Robert, you will feel all the despair you are so richly deserving of…. The despair of having failed in your first marriage… Of failing Sarah and of failing Karen…." Her voice became a wicked drone that could not be drowned out. "Karen was too frail to bear a child and still to keep you she did just that… her death is blood on your hands…."
Tears began to flow from Robert's eyes, tears he'd long kept welled up inside. "Karen," he whispered.
Her hands moved over his shoulders as Margo intensified the drone of her accusations. "You were a bad husband and an even worse father… So bad that Sarah didn't tell you how many times she went without in the City. You abandoned her just as her mother had…. You showered all your love on that boy and forgot you had a daughter!" The shoulders beneath her finger tips began to shudder, as the man sobbed. "Feel it, Robert, wallow in despair." The Siren commanded.
--
Blinded by pain, and hearing a droning she could not recognize, Sarah covered her ears and screamed. Toby rushed forward, but the Master prevented him from making contact with the woman in agony. Sarah opened her eyes, and gasped as her heart pounded so hard she feared it would break her chest open. "Daddy!" she shouted in anguish before collapsing into the arms of the master.
--
Margo watched as Robert walked, dazed and despondent, out of the building that her penthouse was housed in. She leaned with satisfaction as she watched the doomed man enter his vehicle and start up the engine. "Good bye Robert," she said with a nefarious gleam in her icy eyes. "Nice to have known you…." She began to laugh callously.
--
Sarah moved swiftly to the lobby, oblivious to the fact that she was in a disarrayed state of dress. She shoved Anise out of her way and picked up the phone, she ignored the protests of the other as she began to franticly dial. Anise complained to her uncle as he came into the lobby. Sarah began to whisper a prayer, when the line was not answered at her father's office she hung up and began dialing the number of the home of the senior partner, Matt Banning. Banning's line was also not being answered. Sarah looked at Toby, fearfully. "We need to go home," she dialed one more number.
"Hello?" a friendly female voice answered.
"Daisy, I need your help." Sarah said franticly. "Daddy's missing."
"I'll meet you at your house," promised the firm voice on the phone. "I'll have Della meet us there."
Hanging up, Sarah looked at the owner of the fencing school. "I'm sorry for any inconvenience I just caused you."
"Not at all Sarah," Talbot said glaring at his niece.
Master Dé Danann moved forward, taking Sarah's hands into his, "I'm here when you need me, chérie." He assured her. As she stepped out of the door he added, "Just say your right words."
Anise stood with her mouth open, not believing he could possibly be interested in the little brunette.
--
Robert drove, not really seeing the road he was on. His mind on Karen as the torchy French song played on the tape deck 'La Vie en Rose', haunting and taunting. His song, her song, their song… He was now blaming himself for every little ill she'd ever felt. He had no business getting involved, he told himself. If he had known that she was so fragile, he'd never had allowed her to even attempt carrying a child. Tears began to slide down his face. He missed her so much, his wife, his friend…his lover. The male voice singing made him think of all the times he'd told her that she was everything to him. He'd begged her, begged her not to leave him, not to die….
La Vie en Rose played on and on, as if it had become the only song on the tape deck. Haunting him with its passion, with its sweet sentiment. He remembered the last time they had heard it. He had danced with her at the Twelfth Night Ball… she'd been a vision in pink, and he loved her so much. She was gone and it was his fault.
He didn't see the turn in the road until it was too late. Hitting the patch of ice the car spun out of control, Robert fought with the wheel to maintain control. The icy road spilled onto the icy embankment and the car would not respond to the frantic efforts of its driver. It rolled down the embankment on its side his head connected with the door frame dazing him. Then it was dark, and he was surrounded by cold black water as the words of the song played on. It was quiet in the car expect for the sad male voice singing the haunting words. 'Je vois la vie en rose'… The air in the car began to peter out, as the water displaced it. Soon it began to fill his lungs, and he didn't fight.
A faint light began to glow just beyond him; his eyes could make out a delicate tenuous figure robed in soft pink. She smiled gently and called his name. "Robert, Robert…"
"Karen?" he reached out his hand toward the figure. "Karen."
--
Sarah made call after call, even calling Margie the secretary at her home. Explaining that Robert was extremely late, and she was worried. She called the Police station, but was told he was not officially a missing person unless he'd been gone for twenty four hours. She called friends, acquaintances and business associates, all gave her the same answer. They had not seen him, nor had any of them expected him. Margie the secretary came to the house with his planner from the office; he had no appointments that she knew of.
Sarah paced, Daisy had taken Toby up to his room and was reading to him, trying to keep his mind off what was happening. Della was keeping the coffee and sandwiches coming. As more and more people showed up to brain storm as to where Robert could be. Enid and Thomas were going over the appointment book with Margie one more time. Banning had taken to driving about looking for a trace of Robert's car.
The hours were passing, and Sarah had sent the Dalton's home. Wanting them to be with their own son; in her heart she feared the worst. Della, Daisy and Sarah were seated in the parlor when the doorbell rang. Sarah stood up, as she moved to the door she could feel Toby watching from the upstairs hall. She looked at the officer in the snow covered uniform.
"Is this the home of Robert Williams?" he asked politely. Sarah nodded, "Mrs. Williams?" he asked gently.
"Miss Williams," Sarah said softly. "Robert Williams is my father… "
The officer, a man with children of his own the age of this girl looked at her with sympathy. "Miss, there's been an accident." He took off his cap. "I'm sorry to tell you this…"
"Where," Sarah heard Toby coming down the stairs behind her, she found she didn't dare look back at him.
"Miller's Road cut off," he said. "We… need someone to a make a positive…ID." He reached out a hand, "I don't think you should come, miss… not with…" He looked back at the boy.
Della turned to Daisy, "Miller's Road…"
Daisy groaned softly, "Margo."
Toby was now standing beside Sarah, his hand reaching for hers. "Sarah." His little voice quivered. The officer looked down, and Toby moved behind his sister.
Preparing to speak, Sarah saw Matt Banning coming up the walk. "Mr. Banning," she moved past the officer, Toby still in tow. "They…found…" horrified, she paused.
Matt looked at the officer, and placed a hand on Sarah's shoulder. "Take the boy inside, Sarah…I'll take care of this."