What Can You Not Buy With Money?

“Mary,” Adelmo Bohr and Lila Maddock surprised me in the morning, desperate for me to speak to them.

“What… are you two doing here?” I cautiously asked as I eyed both warily. Adelmo wasn’t on my good side ever since what happened in Florida.

“Lila needs a place to hide from my brother,” Adelmo explained. “Please, could she stay with you?”

“Absolutely not!” Lucy appeared behind me, declaring it with the loudest yell imaginable. “I will not house her!”

Lila winced, which stretched my eyes widely. Lila, phased? It didn’t seem possible. “Please,” she softly begged, her eyes large and remorseful. But what really captured my attention was the fear in her voice.

“I don’t think so…” I bit my lip as I looked at Lucy who was eying me carefully. “Why did you need to hide from Bohr? Aren’t you his lackey?”

Lila looked around her, as though expecting someone to be right behind her. When she looked at me, she gritted her teeth. “I quit—a while ago, shortly after you and Burgess split up. When I found out what Bohr did…”

I felt all warmth and life in my face fade. “You mean the pictures?”

“Yeah. It creeped me out when I found out that Recks had… watched you and your friend for months. Taking pictures of you in those situations.” Lila bit her lower lip and hugged herself. “And he was tyrannical. Possessive. Scary. I couldn’t take it anymore. And you were always so nice to everyone, so I thought that...”

“Bohr’s not going to hunt you down just because you quit.” I tried to reason with the woman, but she looked up at me, her eyes flashing.

“I did more than quit. I… sort of went to Adelmo and Burgess with proof that they were doctored. It was one of Bohr’s employees that photoshopped the images. There were files and records. And Bohr knows I'm the one who leaked them. I’m the only one with any motive. And he's smart. He knows.”

“I’d help you, but it’s not my call. This is Lucy’s condo. I just pay rent.” I turned to my friend, hoping she’d reconsider. “What do you say, Lucy?”

Lucy folded her arms, studying Lila Maddock over. It was clear she was trying to find any sign of betrayal. Despite the anger channeling through Lucy's body, there was a hidden shadow of pity that washed over her face. “I’ll let her stay. But only because I want to keep an eye on her. And,” she raised a finger warningly, “She stays out of the way. If she pisses me off one time, she’s out of here.”

Relief was waning across Lila, and nodded. “Thank you. Really.” She blinked, then looked afar. “I’ll… be back. I just need to get my things downstairs.” She looked at Adelmo with a glimmer of hope that he’d accompany her. But Adelmo leaned against the door, gesturing that she was on her own. I watched her body language as she somberly went to the elevator. It was strange watching my previous enemy look so drained and nerve-wrecked.

“But she’s sleeping on the couch,” Lucy told me as she turned to stare at Adelmo. “I hope you’re not two-timing my cousin.”

Adelmo raised his hands. “No, in fact your cousin broke my heart. Thanks for asking.” His face had been slack at the mention of Marcie Norton. “But enough about that. Mary,” he took my arm. “Now that it all makes sense to you… will you get back with Burgess?”

“No, Adelmo. I don’t want anything to do with him.” I pulled my arm back, feeling weary of it all. I didn’t want my life complicated any more than it was already. I wasn't going to change my mind, and go off on my word. I had chosen Walker.

“He’s a mess. He needs you.”

“Then he shouldn’t have thrown me away,” I snapped. “Leave it be, Adelmo. Why do you care?”

“Because he’s getting reckless, and I’m his only friend. With you gone, and the Slaters stabbing him in the back, I think he’s become mentally unstable. You haven’t seen him lately, but he could die. I’m not exaggerating.”

I blinked, surprised by this revelation. “What did Madame Slater do?”

“She… damn.” Adelmo squeezed his thumb and forefinger against the bridge of his nose, as he winced painfully. “She leaked a large amount of our developing software to Jonathan.”

“No,” I shook my head, with scarcely a laugh about to escape my mouth. Though it was none of my business, I felt I had enough experience to know Madame Salter would never have done that. “She couldn’t have…”

“You’re right; she couldn’t—if her daughter wasn’t involved. Bohr’s using Terra like a mouse, dangling her in front of the snakes. Jonathan told Madame that if she didn’t comply he’d ruin Terra. It was to save her daughter.” Adelmo took my shoulder and squeezed it. “I think you’re the only person who can fix any of this. You can at least help Ben through this emotional time. He's dealing with so much loss. Set Burgess straight; talk to him.”

“Talking to him isn’t going to fix his company.”

“It’s not that his company’s in trouble. In fact, Burgess Incorporated has grown rapidly. But it’s his mentality that’s in trouble. He needs someone to trust—he needs you.”

“No he doesn’t.” I shrugged from Adelmo’s grip.

“Fucking Christ!” Adelmo slammed a fist against the door frame, his frustration clear in his raspy voice. “What does it take? What if I paid you? Anything?”

“Fuck you, Bohr.” I grabbed the door knob, prepared to slam the thick wood in his face. But then a sudden cold chill flickered on the back of my neck, telling me to wait.

“And I can only suggest surgery to remove the tumors. But it’s… expensive…”

“You’re hesitating.” Adelmo blinked, the show that he lost all admiration and respect in me was clear. “You’d truly only see him for money?”

My eyes flashed angrily at him. “You want me to see him or not? And you can keep your money.” I put my hand over my mouth, disgusted by what was going on in my head. I was planning to ask Burgess, instead. I planned to pay him back anyway that I could, even if it meant working for him for the rest of my life. But just the idea of slinking and begging him for it made me feel as slimy and low as a slug.

“Mary,” Lucy put her hand on my shoulder as she whispered warningly, “What are you doing?” She knew about the mentioned surgery, and she was smart enough to know that was why I was about to schedule a meeting with the butcher. But she advised, “Shouldn’t you at least tell Walker first? If… anything happened… it just wouldn’t be fair to him.”

“No,” I shook my head and quietly whispered back, “He’d just tell me not to ask. This is the only way that has any hope. I’ll be fine.” I forced a smile, but winced still. “But Burgess is probably going to tell me to screw off.”

“I wouldn’t be surprise, if you’re only there to see him for his wallet.” Though Adelmo had no idea why my real motive was, his words still stung. I felt like trash. I was trash.

Already I felt my hands shake, and I swallowed readily. “Just take me to him, Adelmo.”