Lie, Lie Again - Stacy Wise Page 0,64

if I’m on edge. I confronted him with the truth, as anyone would in my situation, and instead of offering me an apology, he made threats.” She shook her head. “I’m sure it’s nothing. He won’t act on any threats, right?” she asked with a forced laugh. She’d learned a long time ago, the more she denied something, the more others would insist.

Belinda placed a comforting hand on hers. “You can’t be too careful. What is he saying?”

She shrugged. “That he’ll kill me if I tell his wife.”

Sarah gasped hard and began hacking. Good thing she didn’t have a slug of daiquiri in her mouth. She would’ve sprayed it across the table.

“I would go to the police,” Belinda said firmly once Sarah’s coughing fit ended.

“What can the police do? To be honest, I just want him to go away. Ignoring him is really the only solution.”

“I disagree. Take action. Far too many women don’t realize how dangerous an ex can be until it’s too late.”

Sylvia flicked her gaze to Belinda. “I really appreciate your concern. Seriously. But I’d rather not think about it anymore. I didn’t want to tell anyone, but I have to admit, telling friends I trust helped more than I would’ve imagined. And I would appreciate it if you will both keep this to yourselves.” She looked from Belinda to Sarah, her expression somber. That should do it. Simple reverse psychology. Sarah would surely engage Belinda in a whispered conversation later, once they were alone. We should help Sylvia! It’s so sad. And without Sylvia feeding them the words, they would come to the conclusion on their own that she had dated a very bad man. Two witnesses locked in, but she needed more. The neighbors would suffice, but it would be smart to have another. When accusations were hurled at him, they would come from all directions. It made things that much more believable.

Sarah slurped the last of her daiquiri, and her eyes looked a little wobbly as she lifted her face from her straw. “I won’t tell a soul.”

“I’m here, okay?” Belinda said calmly. “You can count on me to help in whatever way I can. Angry men can be dangerous.”

“I suppose so.” She nodded, her head swimming with thoughts. “Thank you. Really. It means a lot to me.”

Thirty minutes later, they trailed back to their building. Dowdy Sarah had earned a new nickname—Tipsy Sarah. How one sugary cocktail could hype her up was a mystery, but Sylvia seized the moment. “You should go talk to the man from accounting when we get back. Ask him a question about what he does. Men love to talk about themselves. And you look so cute in that green dress. It’s a great tone for your skin.” She didn’t mention that it looked like something that had been packed in mothballs.

“Really? Do you think I should?”

“Sure! Why not? Maybe he’ll even suggest a Saturday matinee.”

Belinda gave her a stern look. “I’d wait until the end of the day. You wouldn’t want to interrupt his work, right, Sylvia?”

“Probably true.” She smiled innocently at Belinda. “Very good point. And you wouldn’t want him to think you’re a lush.”

That earned her another look from Belinda, but Tipsy Sarah was blissfully unaware, teetering ahead like an excited child at Disneyland.

As Sylvia sat behind her computer, the name Sal Mendel played in her mind. She clicked on the company website and typed his name into the search bar. His profile popped up immediately, along with a photo. Sylvia blinked. How had she never seen this individual before? He had a wonderfully friendly face, just as Sarah had said, and a full head of sandy hair, a square jaw, nice lips, and an unassuming nose. A great candidate for an ally indeed. She set her phone timer for fifty minutes. That would give her enough time to finish her report, brush her teeth, and touch up her lipstick. And a few extra minutes to hatch a plan that would end with a visit to the second floor, where the accounting department was located.

Fifty minutes later, with a manila folder in hand, Sylvia headed to the elevator bank. She was armed with old invoices for orders that had already been delivered, but she planned to feign ignorance and say she wasn’t certain they’d gone through accounting. Maybe she could save the company hundreds of thousands of dollars! It was a bit of a stretch, but she could sell it. When the elevator arrived, she stepped