The Dark Side Of Cybering

The knock at the door made her jump a full foot. She began to shake all over before realizing that if the robber had returned, he surely would not be knocking on her front door. She laughed at her silliness and opened the door.

There on her doorstep was Officer Chaims. Nathaniel Chaims, she soon learned. She smiled widely, and greeted him, “Officer Chaims! What are you doing here so late?”

Not a hint of smile touched his lips, but in his eyes was another story, “I was just getting off duty and thought I’d stop over. Sometimes a victim can get pretty nervous about being in a home that has just been robbed. I just thought I’d come and make sure you weren’t staying up all night with a loaded gun pointed at the door. That has happened before, you know.”

She smiled wide and motioned for him to step through the doorway. He did, looking a bit nervous, his hand clutching tightly to his cell phone.

“That is so nice of you. Would you like a drink since you’re off duty now and all?”

He seemed to hesitate, then gave in, “Why the hell not? This has been a long day. Four burglaries, seventeen assaults. It was like the city went crazy for the day.”

She walked him over to the sofa and left to get the crown and 7 he had “ordered”. Her face still flushed from the erotic phone call she had had earlier, her breath still running quick, she poured the drink and started to think thoughts that had her giggling at herself.

“You gonna let me in on the joke?”

Again she jumped, this time dropping the rocks glass full of crown and 7-up to the floor. She looked at him mortified, “Oh god, you scared me.”

“I’m so sorry! Let me clean that up for you.”

‘No, no, I’ve got it, I’m so damned clumsy!”

Both of them knelt on the floor picking up the larger pieces of glass and ice. He started laughing. “I’m so suave. Here I was in the other room trying to think of a way to ask you out and then I make you break your nice glass.”

She stopped cold, looking at him, her mind crazy in thought at what he had just said. He wanted to ask her out? What the hell was going on in her life? “You were what?”

He suddenly looked uncomfortable and rose looking around for the broom, “Um, I just had a thought, it was nothing.” He found the broom leaning in the corner and grabbed it, making one sweep before a soft touch on his arm made him turn.

Not able to say the words she so longed to say, Joan simply stared up at Nathaniel, her eyes wide. He looked down to her, a smile twitching at the side of his full lips. He had to bend way down, but he did, and their lips touched, their breath combining. He slid his hands down her sides firmly then grabbed her by the waist and lifted her to the kitchen counter. Her arms around his neck as they kissed so deeply, so intensely. Her small breasts pushed against his large hard chest.

Nate stopped the kiss, looking at her high rose colored cheeks and plaintiff black eyes, “I shouldn’t be doing this. You were the victim of the crime, and I’m in charge of the case. This goes against every ethic code ever written.”

Putting her head down, Joan nodded. She knew how much trouble he could get into being with her. Making love to her. As much as she needed him, wanted him to touch her and ignite the flame that MasterD had laid in her, she knew she had to let him leave.

One short peck to her lips, and he helped her back down to the floor. She stood there, her knees weak, touched his face with light fingers, “After the case is over, I would love for you to come back, and we can finish up were we left off.”

Nate’s smile was wide, his teeth gleaming white, “You better count on it.”


Feeling fatigued but not sleepy, Joan went to her computer and turned the starfield screensaver off with a short movement of the mouse. Her eyes went wild when she saw a large window staring at her. It was a program to delete files automatically. And it was running.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She stood in the high office in the Stoneberg Publishing House building, looking out over the pretty serene city. Her editor was in a rant. He could not believe she had not backed her novel up on disc, or at the very least made a hard copy, “Your deadline is in five weeks. You will never beat it. It’s impossible, Joan. How could you let this happen!?”

Instead of once again trying to explain that she had tried for hours to stop the files from deleting. Had cried and screamed and thrown things, so instead of repeating herself, she simply shrugged her shoulders without even trying to turn and face him again. Knowing his face was bright red, his eyes bulging and accusing. His hand shaking hard. He slammed him fist over and over again on his rich maple desk, making the cup full of pencils fall over, number 2’s rolling off to the floor. “I don’t know what I can do about this, Joan. I only have so much pull here. The lawyers will be called in, I’m sure. Your book tour has already been set up, the cover painted and printed.”

Turning then, tears streaked down her face, she stood slumped. All at once, she stood straighter, and looked Collin in his eye and said, “I will have it finished on time. I’ll just have to start over.”

His head fell, and he shook it, “There is not enough time, honey. I wish there were, but if you can get most of it down, I may be able to swing you some slack.”

“Collin I have never let you down before, and I don’t intend to start now.”

He looked up with disbelief written all over his face, and gave her a crooked smile, “I know, Joan. Give it a shot.”

She nodded and started for the door. Collin stopped her, “Joannie?”

“Yeah?”

“Was anything even LEFT on your computer?”

Yes, my internet service. Go figure.”