Family Man

black Porsche. He smiled at Matt.
    “Hello, Matt. Haven't seen you in a while. How's it going?”
    “Okay.” Matt looked past him to where the Porsche stood parked in the drive. “Nice car.”
    “Thanks.” Darren handed him the keys. “Want to try it out?”
    Matt's eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you kidding?”
    “No. Why don't you take a run into town? Grab a burger or something while I talk to your sister. Go on, take off.”
    “Hey, that's great. Thanks. I'll take good care of it.” Matt was out the door in a flash.
    Katy watched uneasily through the window as her brother reverently opened the Porsche door and eased himself into the cockpit. “I really don't know if this is a good idea, Darren. He hasn't had any experience with cars like that one.”
    “A car's a car. I've seen Matt drive. He'll be fine. Don't worry about him.” Darren closed the door. “Mind if I sit down?”
    “No, of course not.” Distracted by the sound of the Porsche engine, Katy waved vaguely toward a chair. When the black car started slowly out of the drive she sighed and turned away from the window to confront her guest.
    Darren's finely etched mouth curved in the devastating Gilchrist smile. “I appreciate this, Katy.”
    “No problem. I'll fix us some tea.”
    “That sounds great.” He got up quickly and followed her into the kitchen.
    “What did you want to talk to me about?” Katy asked as she filled the teakettle and set it on the stove.
    “It's a little complicated.” Darren's smile disappeared. Its absence only served to underline the hint of grim bitterness in his eyes. “I'm in trouble, Katy. Big trouble. And you're the only one who can help me.”
    Katy took the announcement with the grain of salt she applied to all such dramatic Gilchrist statements. “I'll be glad to do what I can, Darren, you know that. What kind of trouble are we talking about this time?”
    “The kind that adds up to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”
    “ What ?” Katy nearly dropped the mug she was in the process of taking down from the cupboard. “Darren, is this some kind of joke?”
    “I wish it were.” Darren shoved his hands into his pockets and looked down at the toes of his shoes. When he raised his eyes to meet hers his expression was bleak. “I owe some people some money.”
    “A hundred and fifty thousand dollars?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Oh, my God. Darren, what have you been doing? Have you gotten hooked on gambling?”
    “No. It was a partnership deal. Real estate. It had the potential to go big, Katy. Real big. If it had worked, I could have proven to Justine that I have a talent for business.”
    Katy winced. “I see. What happened?”
    “The partnership folded because it couldn't get a financing commitment. The developer who set it up, Milo Nyle, told my broker that some of the early purchasers who bought on spec are going to sue if we don't come up with the cash to pay them off. My share is a hundred and fifty grand.”
    “Oh, my God.”
    “I need a loan, Katy. Fast. Nyle claims we're all going to be left hanging out to dry if we don't pay up. We could go to jail.”
    “Jail.” Katy stared at him. “Darren, I don't have that kind of money. You know that.”
    “Yeah. But you could get it,” Darren suggested.
    “How on earth am I supposed to get a hundred and fifty thousand dollars? Rob a bank?”
    Darren's mouth twisted. “Not quite. I've got a plan.”
    “I don't think I want to hear this.” Katy poured boiling water into the teapot. “Go ahead. Tell me your plan.”
    “It's real simple. You ask Justine for a start-up loan for Pesto Presto. You know she'll help you.”
    “I do not want to take money from your grandmother,” Katy said tightly. “In fact, that is the last thing I want to do. I'm trying to get free of Gilchrists.”
    “Katy, the money's not for you, it's for me. You get the loan from Justine and turn the money over to me. I'll use it to pay off the investors. Then I'll pay you back.”
    “It won't work.”
    “Yes, it will. I won't be able to pay it back all at once, of course,” Darren said, “but I can manage it eventually. I'll find a way.” He hesitated and then added wistfully, “I suppose the Porsche will have to go.”
    “Oh, certainly,” Katy said grimly. “The Porsche will most definitely have to go. Darren, this is never going to work. You're going to have to approach your grandmother yourself.”
    Darren slammed a hand against the side of the wall.