Free Fragrance of Revenge by Dick C. Waters

first,” I said.
    “No, you better go.”
    “Okay, let me tell you what I found when I got to the apartment yesterday.” I went through spotting them on the sidewalk and getting into the cab. Then I told her about the condition of the apartment.
    “I’m going to kill him,” she responded.
    “I thought you were going away with him for the holiday weekend. The fact that you didn’t clean up what happened, I mean what looked like what happened in the apartment, made me think you were really upset with me and running off with him.”
    “Now I know why you were so short with me on the phone. I suspected something when I talked with Ralph this morning, but this goes beyond what I ever thought he would do. I’m still going to kill him…or worse.”
    “Mercedes, calm down a minute. If he went through that much trouble to split us up, can’t you imagine how much he likes you and wants you?”
    “I guess you’re right, but I’m still going to find a way to get even. I love you Scott.”
    “I love you too.”
    “So, where were you last night that I couldn’t reach you?”
    “Do you want the bad news, or the bad news?”
    “I’m not sure. What is the first bad news?”
    “Remember Maggie from the Harvard Pub?”
    “Yes, and you better not have spent time with her.”
    “Define ‘time’?” She didn’t respond. “Given what I thought happened with you two, I went to see her dance.”
    “And?”
    “And she was good.”
    “How good?”
    “Unbelievable.”
    “Are you talking about her dancing, or something else?”
    I didn’t immediately answer.
    “So, what is the other bad news?”
    “I can’t say.”
    “What do you mean you can’t say?”
    “You’ll only get mad at me.”
    “Oh Scott, tell me you didn’t.”
    “I didn’t.”
    “Then why can’t you tell me?”
    “I’ll tell you later, when we’re together.”
    “You’re right Scott, it will be later…much later.”
    I heard the click and the dial tone.
    I don’t know what is worse…her thinking I spent time with Maggie, or my keeping the secret of doing her father’s investigation? I guess the good news is that she didn’t have sex with Ralph. Oh shit, she thinks I did with Maggie, and now things are reversed. Will she now spend time with him to make things even in her mind?
     
    *.*.*
     
    I pulled into Stephen’s parking lot. It was a Friday, but it was the day after the 4 th , so it was a long weekend for most people. The only car in the parking lot was Stephen’s.
    As I went up the stairs I could smell the freshly brewed coffee. I entered Stephen Strong’s office.
    “Well, what is slowing you down this morning?” Stephen asked turning in his chair from the window to face me.
    “I don’t understand.”
    “Well Scott, since I’ve known you, you take those stairs two at a time. So, what has got you down today?”
    I knew I couldn’t share what had happened with Mercedes. “I got to bed late last night.”
    “Yeah, I hoped you were able to spend enough time to see who’s behind this scenario. Coffee?”
    I started to get up, but Stephen held up his hand. “I’ll get it, while you think about last night, or this morning.”
    A minute later Stephen handed me the cup and I tried to take a sip, but the cup was shaking too much.
    “Would you like something a little stronger?”
    “I could use it, but no thanks.”
    “I got a good look at the blackmailer. He came out of the station and spotted three men coming in his direction from across the street…he was motionless while his brain kicked in.”
    “Tell me about him.”
    I took a deep breath, but my mind was going back to my last conversation with Mercedes. “I would say he’s in his mid-thirties, about six feet tall, slender build with brown hair and good looking. He wasn’t what I had pictured. I thought I would see an ugly creep with a beard. I could id him again if I saw him. I didn’t get a look at his vehicle as he went around the building on foot followed