Page 37 of Contention

Anything so that you won’t give me a stern talking to. Anything so you won’t fire me for something so utterly asinine.

Leaning over the table, Kara dials the number she’d been given by the private investigator. The phone rings and rings before hitting voicemail. Derrick gestures for Kara to dial again, so she does. This time someone picks up, voice dull and sleepy.

Kara introduces them as the lawyers prosecuting theDark Mirage.“I understand you were prepared for us to call?”

“Oh. Yes. Hello.” The woman sounds like the saddest being on earth, like every word is far too much for her to speak. “You wanted to ask me…about before. I remember. Yes.”

Feeling her face shift, Kara stares at the speakerphone. The woman just sounds…disturbing. Like she’s mentally not there anymore. Any empty shell with a voice. “Yes. We have a few clarifying questions for you, but we’d like to set up a time to meet. I understand Sunday is good. What-”

Derrick is leaning over the table now, interrupting her, voice calm and soothing. Like xanax in human form, because Kara has likely jumped to the punchline too fast, like a bull in a china shop. Derrick’s so subtle and precise; Kara’s always liked that about him. He says, “Let’s start with something simple. Can you please confirm your name? For the record?”

There’s an uncomfortable pause, so long that Kara fears the woman has hung up on them. Then, there’s a soft response, “Number Ten. Like the roman numeral. The X.”

Pin pricks of discomfort travel up and down Kara’s flesh. Derrick’s brow furrows, his head tilting to the side. His gaze flickers over to Kara and she shares a vaguely troubled look with him. “We understand the need to protect your name, due to the NDA, but wouldn’t you prefer an actual name?”

“That’s what they called me,” she replies, her voice almost robotic. “You aren’t cops, are you?”

Derrick replies no. “Just lawyers. We understand there is a group of abusers who have found refuge in theDark Mirage. There are likely others like you. We just want to put an end to it.”

Silence. Then, “Not everyone at theDark Mirageis bad. The…Room isn’t there. But you have to know the right people at theDark Mirageto get inside. It was a bad mistake. I thought I wanted it. I didn’t realize-” Her voice cuts off sharply, stifling a sobbing noise. “The Room is not a nice place.”

“It’s alright,” Derrick says calmly, despite his expression looking vaguely troubled. “We understand. We just want to help.”

After a few more moments of silence, X gives them an address and a time on Sunday before hanging up on them.

Derrick sits back heavily in his chair, looking upward. He’s silent, likely mulling over what they just heard.

“That was worrisome,” Kara says, trying to fill the empty room with sound.

He nods. “She could be an interesting nail in the coffin. The question is, which coffin? And how does that change this case? If Max Dotaire isn’t even involved in this ordeal, it may not be relevant to Debra’s case. However, if Paxton Brooker knows about it, which I assume he does…that implicates the club itself.” Derrick pins Kara with a serious look. “Are you sure you want to come with on Sunday? I can take Bob. This might be…disturbing.”

Always the resolute gentleman, worrying about female sensibilities. It would have been thoughtful if Kara actually had any of that. Sensibilities.

Kara shakes her head earnestly, ready to prove herself. “I can handle this. I want to go with.”

His cellphone beeps again and Kara glances at it nervously. Derrick doesn’t seem to notice, already shifting to make a note on his laptop. Derrick sighs. “Alright. Just…be prepared for something unpleasant. She’s afraid. The whole thing reeks of something bad.”

Oh, Kara’s been prepared for unpleasant things her whole life.

Then, Derrick’s phone rings and Kara feels her heart seize again.

At that very moment, an enraged scream cuts through the office air. Kara tenses and turns to glance out at the main floor through the glass window of the conference room. Derrick is already on his feet opening the door, cursing under his breath, leaving his phone on the table.

Looking down at his phone, Kara sees the name she’s been dreading all morning. Glancing up to make sure no one sees her, she screens the call with glee. “Not today, bell end,” she mutters caustically.

She can’t believe Havenwood-Calais actually called Derrick before noon! Well, she can; it just infuriates her. The fucking nerve.

Another screech pelts Kara’s eardrums and she turns to look at the commotion happening on the main floor, in between all the cubicles and desks.

There’s a woman that Kara doesn’t recognize, facing off with their other named partner, Gale Clarke. Just as Kara follows Derrick hesitantly out of the conference room, she gasps when the woman she doesn’t recognize hauls back and slaps Gale across the face, practically spitting with fury as she yells, “How does it feel, homewrecker?”

What-

Derrick reaches them and is starting to pull the raging woman away, Gale staring on in horror, face red before she retreats to her private office with haste. Derrick is wrangling the wild cat away, who now starts yelling at him, hissing, “You told me she was leaving!” For good measure, the woman pounds on his arm, trying to pull away.

Oh. Ohhh boy. Kara feels her eyebrows rise precariously. She’s sure everyone else in the office is listening and watching with guilty interest; think of the gossip! Not wanting to continue witnessing this extremely uncomfortable exchange Derrick is having with his wife,it has to be his wife,Kara sneaks away to go join Gale in her office.

Gale Clarke, prestigious named partner and apparent homewrecker. Whatever Gale Clarke may be, one thing rises above it all for Kara; Gale is her mentor and she looks to her for everything. Inspiration. Advice. A perfect career role model.

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