The Ties That Bind

and you were going places. I knew someone like you could take me along for the ride. But this past year everything changed, didn't it, Garth? You've lost your appetite for the business. Oh, sure, the company is still in good shape and this Carstairs job will be a real coup if you land it, but something's changed. You didn't seem to want to dominate the market any longer. You were getting soft. I decided I'd better get out while the getting was good. Damned if I was going to go down in a sinking ship."
    "And Kenyon's ship looked more watertight?"
    "He's going to be number one on the West Coast soon. The top slot could have belonged to Sherilectronics if you hadn't started losing your taste for that kind of warfare."
    Garth studied him. "One of the reasons I hired you, Wes, was that you struck me as being reasonably perceptive. I was right. Unfortunately, you aren't so bright in other ways. You should never have used Shannon. You should have been perceptive enough to realize she was definitely off limits. Maybe if you'd kept her out of it, I might have taken care of you the usual way. You'd have been fired and you might have had a tough time getting another job, but you'd probably have been able to dig up something. You're sharp and you're slick. But you involved Shannon. Don't expect to get away with that sort of stupidity."
    "It's her own fault." Wes groaned, touching his jaw. "God knows I didn't want to get anyone else involved. Having to use Bonnie was risky enough. But that night at the party when I realized Shannon had taken the bid home in that damn tote bag, I figured I didn't have any choice. She had to be working her own game. It was the only thing that made sense. I came after her, hoping I'd find she still had the bid or a copy of it. There was a good chance she would have been stupid enough to make a second copy before selling one to her client. She wasn't a pro. Just an opportunist."
    "Your basic mistake was in assuming everyone else was as ambitious as you are, McIntyre."
    "She's as guilty as I am, Sheridan. If you don't see that, you're blind. She's been using you."
    Shannon shivered. It was clear that as long as he was going down, Wes intended to try dragging her with him. She said nothing, waiting for Garth to make his decision. He didn't even glance at her.
    "Call the cops, Shannon."
    Wes's head snapped around. "What charge?"
    "How about something along the lines of breaking and entering? That wound in your shoulder is going to be an interesting bit of evidence. Then there's your assault on Shannon today. I witnessed it, don't forget. And last but not least, we'll come up with some sort of charge to cover your attempt at industrial espionage."
    "Nothing came out of that," Wes protested. "You can't prove a damn thing."
    "I can make sure you have a tough time ever getting a decent job again. You'd better believe Kenyon is going to play innocent. He won't touch you with a ten-foot pole now. You know that as well as I do. And if you ever go near Shannon again, I won't go through the formalities of calling the cops. I'll take care of you myself. You've worked with me long enough to know I mean what I say, haven't you, Wes?" Garth didn't wait for an answer. He flicked another glance at Shannon. "Go ahead. Make the call."

* * *
    IT WAS A LONG TIME LATER before Shannon found herself alone with Garth. He had spent a great deal of time with the local authorities. Wes was in custody, although how long that would last was anyone's guess. He was already on the phone to his lawyer. Regardless of the outcome, Shannon was fairly certain McIntyre would be staying out of her way. She had seen the expression in his eyes when Garth had warned him.
    Garth had been very subdued since returning from the offices of the town's tiny police department. He hadn't said a word when he'd walked in the front door. Instead he'd gone immediately to the phone and placed a call to his own office at Sherilectronics . When there was no answer, he'd hung up and redialed.
    "Miss Graham? Do me a favor and send someone to cover Bonnie's desk, will you? She's taken emergency leave, apparently. I'm out of town. We'll arrange something more permanent when I get back." There was a pause while Garth listened to the voice on the other end of the line. Then he said, "No, I don't think Bonnie will be returning. Thank you, Miss Graham." He hung up the phone and walked thoughtfully over to the kitchen doorway. He stood watching Shannon as she