The Ties That Bind

might be able to get close to you. She went into partnership with her good friend Shannon Raine . Fed her the information Shannon needed about your trip to the coast, made sure she knew about the party and all the other details. Then they contacted Ed Kenyon."
    "He's lying. Garth," Shannon said quietly.
    "I know," Garth stated.
    "Who are you going to trust, Sheridan? The guy who's been with you for over three years or that little hustler? I'm the one who helped you bring off the Kilton deal, remember? I'm the one who worked out the logistics on the Barton order. Hell, there have been more times than I can count that you've relied on me and I've always come through, haven't I? How long have you known her? Two or three weeks at the most. You know something? I could never understand how a sharp guy like you let that wife of yours pull that stunt a few years back, but now I guess I've figured it out. You're a sucker for a certain kind of woman, aren't you, Sheridan?"
    "The mistake I made this time around was in trusting you, Wes. I should have seen the signs and realized you were getting restless. God knows I've seen them in others. But either I haven't been concentrating on my business as much as I should have during the past few months or I've just gotten damn tired of distrusting everyone on my payroll. Did you know it gets to be something of a strain, Wes? Not being able to trust anyone, I mean. A year ago I would have kept a closer eye on you. A year ago you'd never have gotten as far as getting that copy of the bid from Bonnie. I would have sensed something was going on and done something about it sooner. But I've changed during the past year, Wes. And keeping tabs on everyone isn't worth the effort anymore. It takes energy. It wears you out. And it limits you in a way I hadn't quite understood until I met Shannon."
    "You're telling me you're too tired to exercise a little caution around a bitch like her?" Wes shouted incredulously.
    "You're missing the point, but I suppose it doesn't matter. Why don't we call a halt to the discussion, I'm sure you don't want to hear that I'm making new plans for my life, and I sure as hell don't want to hear any more of your idiotic accusations and excuses."
    "You bastard!" Wes exploded. He launched himself toward Garth, fury and desperation suddenly in his eyes. Garth shifted slightly, depriving Wes of his target. The younger man ended up against the kitchen wall, the impact knocking one of Shannon's framed silk-screen prints to the floor.
    "Damn you, Sheridan." Wes struggled to regain his balance, his face locked in a snarl of rage. He swung one arm wildly.
    Garth stepped aside and caught McIntyre on the jaw with a fist that carried the full force of his upper body. Wes staggered back against the wall and slid slowly to the floor, his eyes glazed, although he was not unconscious.
    Garth stood watching him for a few seconds. "There are still a few things you're going to have to learn if you expect to survive in the jungle, Wes. One of them is that sometimes the business gets downright physical. If you're going to spend the rest of your career stealing other people's secrets and betraying their trust, you'd better expect things to get rough on occasion. That, by the way, was for manhandling Shannon, not for trying to cheat me."
    "I never touched her." Wes's voice was strained as he put the back of his hand to his mouth. There was a trace of blood on his lips.
    Wordlessly Garth stepped closer and yanked at the front of Wes's shirt. The fabric tore effortlessly. Garth pushed it back until Wes's bandaged arm was clearly visible. "She used a knife on you last time, Wes. No telling what she would have come up with this time. You should be glad I was here."
    "The bitch."
    "The lady saved Sherilectronics from being screwed by the one man its president was stupid enough to trust. I thought I knew you, Wes. Thought I understood how your mind worked. You always had the makings of a bastard, but I assumed I was paying enough to make sure you were my bastard. What did Kenyon offer?"
    Wes stared at him sullenly. "Go to hell."
    "How much did he offer? What's the going rate these days for a man's loyalty?"
    Wes's eyes were slitted with resentment. "A future. For the past year I've been getting the impression there isn't going to be one at Sherilectronics . Not an important one, at any rate. When I first came to work for you the sky was the limit. You were the most aggressive SOB in the Valley