Likely Suspects by G.K. Parks

come over?” I typed the message and hit send. It was incredibly childish, but I couldn’t blame him any longer. And I was too proud to apologize in person. He responded immediately.
    “Cease fire accepted ,” his message read. I took a deep breath. Be calm, try to understand, and resist the urge to argue. I repeated these things a few times before opening my office door and going across the hall.
    He buzzed me in, and I sat on the couch closest to his desk and watched as he worked. Checking the time, Denton was going to be here in a few minutes.
    He glanced up at my still form. “Nice to see you back to work.”
    “I’m sorry this is the only way I know to keep you safe,” I muttered. That was as close to an apology as he was going to get. We locked eyes. He opened his mouth as if to speak and then decided against it and went back to reading the forms for temporarily signing over his company.
    “I guess you can be the witness. ” He stared at the paper. “Someone from legal is coming up to notarize it, but it’s good form to have a third party witness the event.”
    “Okay.”
    “Maybe you could also play the part of doting girl friend when Denton’s up here. It might help sell the fact you aren’t my added security.”
    “Sure.”
    “Look.” He dropped the paper on the desk and was about to say something, but there was a knock on the door. We both turned at the intrusion. “Never mind,” he mumbled as he changed the glass from opaque to clear and buzzed in Denton and someone else, presumably from legal.
    The papers were signed , and all the formalities were completed rather quickly. “Let’s toast to your temporary job,” Martin said jovially, going to the wet bar and pouring some scotch into two glasses for himself and Denton.
    Denton picked up a glass. “No,” he raised it in the air, “to returning to your rightful position as quickly as possible.” They clinked glasses together, and Martin turned to look at me. I was leaning against his desk, playing with the hem on my jacket.
    “I’m sorry , Alex.” This was his way of apologizing. “What would you like?”
    “Nothing, dear. ” I beamed at him. The sweetness factor was going to give me cavities; I was sure of it.
    “C’mon , Alexis,” Denton was pouring liquor into a glass, “drink with us, at least to the good fortune of having Jimmy around more. I know it must be tough being in a relationship with such a workaholic.”
    “It is tough. ” I walked over to the men, eyeing Martin, and Denton handed me the drink he had just poured.
    “To us,” Martin toasted, clinking his glass with mine.
    “I’m going to leave the two of you alone, but if you n eed anything, man, let me know.” Denton was almost to the door when Martin spoke up.
    “Just so you know, the o ffice doesn’t come with the job.” He grinned, trying to convey it was all in good fun.
    “ No problem. I already have a nice office,” Denton said as he left.
    “So, Jimmy,” I couldn’t resist, “are we okay with this arrangement?”
    “As long as you never call me Jimmy again.”
    “Deal.” He didn’t want to fight anymore either, and what was done was done. It was time to move on and wrap this thing up so we could both get back to our lives. 
    We spent the rest of the afternoon packing up anything he deemed essential or private. I went to my office and retrieved my laptop, notes, and handgun since the cleaning staff didn’t need to think I was part of the threat.
    It was before four when we walked out of the MT building. The police were still in the lobby and patrolling the area out front. It would probably be a few more days before they were gone, and then it would be as if nothing happened at all. Marcal brought the car around, and we got in and rode back to Martin’s compound in silence.
     
    *       *       *
     
    A few hours later, Mark arrived with a truckload of equipment. He had some surveillance cameras, flak jackets, a shotgun, box