Double Bind by Kathryn Michaela Page A

fall.”
                Sarah found her anger waning.   She was really starting to get worried.   They all seemed so very happy to see her up here.   Other than Jared anyway, he seemed at least a little concerned.   “But why?”   She looked pleadingly at Jared.   “You’ve been with the company for forever, why would you take it down.”
                Jared raised an eyebrow at her.   “Do you think I like to grovel at people’s feet?   I work like a slave and people treat me like garbage.”   He glanced over at the corporate gentleman on the far side, and smiled.   “Mr. Eddison here has finally acknowledged my value.   He has given me a phenomenal offer.”
                Sarah looked incredulously between the two.   “To do what?   To destroy their competition?”
                Mr. Eddison leaned forward, shrugging.   “Not that you should care, but we are planning to buy out BioGen in a year or two.”   He smiled.   “We just want to lower the price a little.”
                Sarah stared at him, her mouth working, but no words coming out.   She couldn’t believe it.   This whole thing was ridiculous.
                “That’s enough of your little question game though,” he said, brushing his hands off and motioning to the large men to move toward her.   “You have unfortunately created a problem that we are now going to have to rid ourselves of.”
                “What?”   Sarah squeaked, as her arms were gripped again in the massive fists of the thugs.
                Mr. Eddison shrugged.   “You have worked wonderfully as a fall-man.   You have even made yourself look even guiltier than we managed to make you look.”   He smiled, then frowned.   “But we can’t exactly let you continue your little personal investigation.   Especially not considering the information that you have seen here.”
                Sarah struggled against her captors, but their grip held.   She could feel bruises forming on her arms.   “Can’t continue.   Of course not.   I promise to be quiet.   I won’t tell anyone.”
                Valerie and Jared both laughed.   Jared shook his head.   “You don’t think we would believe you, do you?”
                “But you’ve got my brother!   Why would I risk him?”
                Jared glanced at Valerie and Mr. Eddison , a question clear on his face.   The older man shook his head, and he gritted his teeth.   “I’m afraid we still can’t trust you.”
                Sarah swallowed hard.   “What are you going to do?   You can’t just make me disappear!   People will try to find me!”
                “Of course not.” Valerie said, shrugging.   “But no one is going to question when you confess and do yourself in.   With the way the evidence is piling up, no one will blame you for giving up.”
                “What?” Sarah squeaked.   “What are you going to do to me?”
                “Oh, we’re not going to do anything,” Valerie said, slipping a glove over one hand.   “You’re going to kill yourself with a kitchen knife.   It’s so terribly sad.”   She wiped at her dry cheek with her clear hand.   “It’s going to be terrible.”
                Sarah struggled some more.   “You can’t do this to me!”
                Valerie shook her head, her smile growing broader.   “Oh hon , you have no idea what I can and cannot do.”
                She motioned, and the two brutes moved Sarah out of the room.   Sarah started to yell again, but one of them clamped a cloth over her mouth.   She struggled, making noise through the cloth, but not enough.   She tried to bite his hand through the cloth, but couldn’t seem to get through the thick fabric.   Meanwhile they were dragging her down the stairs and through the