Trust Me

loves you?”
    “I think he will learn to love me,” Desdemona said carefully.
    “Good God. He hasn’t even told you that he loves you?”
    “He will. Eventually.” Desdemona mentally crossed her fingers. “He’s really quite bright. A very fast learner.”
    “Oh, darling,” Celia sighed. “Why couldn’t you have fallen in love with that nice Ian Ivers?”

    “Coffee?” Tony set a mug down on the desk.
    “Thanks.” Stark didn’t look up from the computer. The buried patterns were very clear now.
    Jason, seated next to his brother, elbows propped on the desk, gave Tony a brief glance. “Stark says we’re almost there. He says he can feel it.”
    “Shush,” Kyle whispered. “He’s trying to concentrate.”
    Tony dropped into a chair and sipped coffee. Together with Jason and Kyle, he watched intently as Stark punched in more commands.
    A string of letters and symbols appeared.
    “Hell, that’s another email address.” Tony was on his feet. He leaned across the desk to get a better look.
    “Let me see, let me see.” Kyle crowded closer. Jason was right behind him.
    “That’s the anonymous client’s real email address?” Jason asked eagerly.
    “ARCANE says it is.” Stark contemplated the string of characters that had materialized.
    [email protected]
    “But it still has the word anon in it,” Jason pointed out. “Doesn’t that mean it’s still just an anonymous address?”
    “The client’s name is still a secret,” Tony explained. “But now we have a location, don’t we, Stark?”
    “Yes, we do.”
    “The sss.com part of the address is the place where the client’s computer is located?” Jason asked.
    “Yes.” Stark said.
    Kyle frowned intently. “How do we find out where sss.com is?”
    “No problem,” Stark said.
    Tony glanced at him. “You know that address?”
    “It’s a Stark Security Systems email address.”
    “Shit,” Tony said.
    “My sentiments exactly.” Stark took off his glasses, closed his eyes, and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

    At seven o’clock that night Desdemona’s door bell rang. She punched the intercom button.
    “Hello?”
    “It’s me,” Stark said.
    Relief rushed through her. “Thank goodness. I’ve been wondering what the heck was happening. Do you realize that I haven’t heard from you since last night?”
    “If you’ll let – “
    “And where’s Tony? Is he with you?”
    “No. At least not right now. Desdemona, open the – “
    “Well, where is he?”
    “If you’ll let me into the building – “
    “The least you could have done was call occasionally to let me know what was happening. When you get right down to it, we’re supposed to be business associates, remember?”
    “I remember,” Stark said. “Desdemona, if you’ll open the damned door I’ll come upstairs and tell you everything. It’s raining out here.”
    “Oh. Sorry.” Desdemona pressed the button that unlatched the downstairs door.
    When she heard the click that indicated Stark had entered the building she raced to her apartment door, opened it, and leaned out into the hall to watch for the elevator.
    After what seemed like forever, it opened. Stark, looking weary, unshaven, and more rumpled than usual, got out. He walked toward her with a grimly intent look.
    Desdemona forgot all about her annoyance at being left in the dark for ages. She rushed into his arms without a word.
    He caught her close. One of the pens in his plastic pocket protector rammed into her cheek. She ignored it.
    “What’s wrong?” she mumbled into his corduroy jacket. “What did you learn?”
    “ARCANE traced the anonymous address to Stark Security Systems.”
    “Oh, my God.”
    “Let’s go inside.” Stark draped a heavy arm around her shoulders. “I’ll tell you what I know.”
    “Where’s Tony?”
    “He’s at my place with Jason and Kyle. They’ve ordered takeout. I needed a break so I decided to take a couple of hours off to see you. I have to think, Desdemona.”
    “Have you had dinner?”
    “No.” Stark ran a hand over the rough stubble of his beard. “Tony, Jason and Kyle ordered pizza. I just couldn’t face it.”
    “I’ll whip up some pasta primavera.” Desdemona ducked out from under his arm and closed the door. “Have a seat.”
    He shrugged out of his jacket, tossed it aside, and settled on a counter stool. He folded his arms in front of him.
    Desdemona opened the refrigerator. “I take it you have no way of knowing who Mr. Anonymous is at