Page 56 of Ten Kisses

He was already at the door by that time and he just walked out with her.

"I think people are leaving," she said, whispering almost inaudibly. "We need to get out of here, they might come this way!"

They went outside in a hurry and jogged to her apartment. She was laughing when they made it inside. She was still in a good mood, acting like they were doing some kind of innocent secret mission.

"I can't believe you did that! What were you checking his office for, anyway? What did you think you were going to find?" Molly was smiling and in a great mood and she was so beautiful. She was innocent and sweet, and Salem felt like he wanted violence to ensue.

"I don't know what I thought I was going to find. I'm going back over there to talk to him. You just stay here for a minute. I'm just gonna look him in the eyes and talk to him man-to-man for a minute. I'll be right back."

"Salem, no, what, why… what are you doing?"

"Please, Molly. I have to talk to him. Just please stay right here for a minute."

Salem was trying to stay calm and not let her in on what he had seen. He had to collect himself and evaluate. His dad had been tough on him growing up, and he had learned some hard lessons as a boy. He was calm in just about any circumstance. This moment was testing his composure, but for Molly's sake, he stayed calm.

He kissed her on the cheek. "I love you. Everything is going to be fine. Just stay here for a minute. Those people are leaving, and I'm going to go talk to Darren for a minute."

"What happened in there? What did you see?"

"I'll tell you soon. Just let me ask him something, and I'll be back."

Salem headed over to Darren and Michelle's. They were out front, seeing their friends off, and Salem came in through one of the back doors. He was inside, waiting for them when they came in. He was enraged and trying not to show it in front of Michelle.

"What are you doing in here, Salem?" Darren looked around as if looking for Molly. Michelle walked into the kitchen, preoccupied, like their conversation didn't matter to her. "Where is Molly?"

"She's next door. I came over to talk to you."

"Sure, what you got?" he said lightheartedly.

"Can we talk in your office for one second?"

"Ooh, this sounds good. You got a case for me?" Darren said. "What you got? Are we suing someone?"

"Maybe, actually, I'm not sure."

They walked down the hall, leaving Michelle in the other room. Salem walked quickly and he ducked around Darren when they made their way into the office.

"I saw Molly's kitchen on your computer screen, Darren. You've got a camera in Molly's kitchen. It's right here on your computer."

Salem expected Darren to be caught off guard, but instead he just smiled casually, not skipping a beat.

"Of course I do." He smiled, a snake-like grin. "It's my investment. There's a lot of expensive equipment in there, and I won't let it go unmonitored."

Anger and confusion welled in Salem, and his fists clenched. There was about to be a physical altercation, and this guy was going to come out on the losing end of it.

"Before you go Incredible Hulk on me, Salem, I want you to realize that there is surveillance in this room. I have footage of you in here earlier. I will also have it recorded if you try to physically attack me right now. As far as the surveillance in Molly's apartment, that is all in the updated lease agreement. I have done nothing illegal, I have done nothing but help that girl. I have never once taken money from Molly for rent."

"You can't video a tenant."

"Oh, but I can. I explicitly stated in the updated contract that the kitchen was going to be under constant video surveillance for security purposes. She signed it. I sat there and watched her."

"Did she read it?"

Darren shrugged. "As far as I know, she did. That's not my problem. She signed it. It's all in black-and-white." He tilted his computer screen so Salem could see it. "Did you think you had me on something?" he said stubbornly. "This surveillance is perfectly legal. I specifically said that the new kitchen had surveillance. She signed two different places on the contract, agreeing to these terms." He thought about something and smiled. "I didn't even put it in the small print. She just signed the bottom of each page and handed them back to me. I figured college students these days want to have their lives on camera, anyway."

He spoke seriously and sincerely, but afterward, he grinned. He was smug, and Salem wanted to physically attack him. He was not a violent type, but he was angrier than he had ever been. Salem physically stepped back. He had never been so consumed by wrath and indignation in his whole life. This was a bad man. He was a horrible person, masquerading as an upstanding Christian citizen. Why was Salem not recording this conversation? But even if he had been, he wasn't sure Darren had said anything incriminating.

He envisioned a physical battle. He wanted to pummel this man. It would make him feel so good to physically destroy him. Instead, he took a step back.

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