by K. T. Tomb
It took him a moment to respond, and for a moment he simply stared at her.
She began to fidget. “Simon, I’m a busy woman. You have exactly twenty seconds to take my offer or get the hell out of here.”
A slight smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. “So, I am to be given an ultimatum? Good day to you, Phoe.”
He left her office first, and when Phoe came out a minute later, she looked shock that Simon and Jonathan Kessler were long gone. Charlotte’s response announced she just realized the closed-door meeting hadn’t gone as well as her boss would’ve liked. Charlotte pursued Phoe into her office.
“Simon was smiling when he left. Did you two make a deal?” She said this sweetly while handing Phoe a twenty-ounce bottle of chocolate milk.
Phoe forced a sad smile, but her bottom lip quivered. Charlotte watched her move to close up the store for the evening. Phoe then grabbed the DVD copy of Raiders of the Lost Ark—one of her personal favorite movies—and moved past her to the living area of the hybrid house. Charlotte pursued her and placed the DVD in the player when Phoe plopped down on the couch and buried her face in her hands.
Phoe began to weep, and as Charlotte moved to comfort her, she was pushed away.
“I owe Simon Kessler forty-five thousand dollars!” she sobbed. “How am I ever going to be able to pay him?”
Chapter Three
A restless night awaited Phoe as she lay in bed.
Watching Raiders of the Lost Ark hadn’t eased her worries. Where in the hell would she come up with Kessler’s money? For a moment, her heart lifted at the thought of not having a legal binding contract. She never signed anything. However, from her limited experience as a businesswoman, she knew that if a plaintiff could prove that certain expenses, or damages, were incurred, she would be on the hook for it all. Legally. Kessler’s high-priced lawyers could very well end up taking Simple Treasures from her. If that happened, she would be royally screwed. Moving back in with her mother was akin to the ‘March of Bataan’ in her mind.
Maybe that was what she should do, anyway. Hell, she could start a store online and sell her artifact replicas without worrying about the overhead of a physical store. But, not wanting to lose something she had worked so hard to get, she started thinking long and hard about Kessler’s proposal. She wondered if he truly planned to pursue what he had hinted at. Not caring for his arrogance, she acknowledged the fact he was highly intelligent, if not delusional. Played her coyly, too...as he had never come out and said what he wanted her to find. Instead, she saw it in his eyes—that childlike fascination.
Since Kessler had never specifically mentioned the artifact, she couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud either. The notion was one beyond ridiculous. He did say he would erase my debt whether I found it or not. It would certainly be the latter, since how could she find something from the land of make-believe? Still, the ‘all expenses paid tag’ gave her pause to consider. After all, as a newbie in this biz, she didn’t have a reputation to worry about ruining. Not yet.
Realizing she had nothing to lose by accepting the task, she started to smile. She could even request an advance, along with her demands. Hell the entire prospectus could be one long demand. That thought especially made her feel good and she chuckled as she climbed out of the depressive funk she’d been in since that afternoon.
She decided to watch a little television to help her fall asleep, now that her mind was at ease. All the while her mind kept returning to her favorite scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Where the angelic guardians melted the evil Nazis. Picturing screams of the unjust getting punished, something about the job offer from Kessler hit her, like a lead-filled boxing glove to the face.
“Oh my God, that’s it!” she shouted in joyful surprise “Why in the hell didn’t I connect it before....Shit, I’ve been so stupid!”
Still tender from the latest expedition, Phoe climbed out of bed and slowly made her way to a small desk in her bedroom, powering on her computer. Once on the Internet, she typed in ‘Thor’ and ‘Nazis’.
“There it is,” she whispered, almost reverently. “Oh...my...God!”
Finding sleep would prove difficult, still, but for a different reason.
“A ‘forty-five thousand and then some’ different reason,” she said, pulling the covers back up once she climbed back in bed. It was the central theme of what floated through her mind, until the rest she longed for finally came.
Chapter Four
Phoe awoke to the smell of Charlotte’s homemade buttermilk waffles and eggs over-easy, making her feel like a child again. A good memory of her mother’s cooking and she loved the way the smell permeated the house.
She got dressed and practically ran to the dining room table. Charlotte sat at the table eating breakfast, having already set a place for Phoe.
Charlotte looked up and eyed her curiously.
“What?” Phoe returned her look with a suspicious one.
“Sorry, Phoe. You look radiant this morning.”
“Well, I feel radiant,” she said, sliding into her seat. She smiled impishly. “I’m going to call Simon Kessler and accept that impossible job.”
She grabbed a waffle and took a big bite.
“What made you change your mind?”
“He didn’t come out and say it, but I think Simon wants me to find Thor’s Hammer.”
Charlotte’s mouth dropped open. She started to say something, but caught herself.
“I’m sorry. Did you say the Hammer of Thor?” she asked, wearing a look of disbelief.
“Sounds totally absurd, doesn’t it?” Phoe paused to sip her coffee. “But, yes...he’s willing to pay me to find what may or may not exist. The Hammer of Thor.”
“Wait, wait a minute, kiddo. “ Charlotte eyed her like Phoe’s mother often did, one eyebrow raised. “If he hasn’t actually mentioned it by name, how do you know it’s what he wants?”
“Trust me, Char. I’ve been doing this for a while now. I’d bet everything I have in the store right now that I’m right about this.”
“Can I call the store Needful Things if I win?”
“Very funny,” said Phoe, a bite of waffle drizzling syrup back onto her plate as she regarded her pal, and wearing a near-identical scornful look. “Are you saying that I’m not successful?”
“How exactly would you describe the word ‘successful,’ dear? I’m just being honest.”
Phoe’s cell phone chirped, and she waved off Charlotte to answer it, pausing only to wipe stickiness from her fingers.
“Simple Treasures, Phoe speaking.”
“Good morning, Phoe. Simon Kessler here.”
“Good morning, Simon.” Phoe winked at Charlotte.
“I have considered your offer....I accept your terms.”
Phoe could barely contain her excitement, motioning with a big thumbs’ up and matching smile to let Charlotte know a sweet deal was going down. “Okay. So, just to be clear, you’re accepting the entire contract terms we discussed yesterday, right? Including erasing my recent debt and giving me a no limit credit card? Oh, and one last thing. I get to choose who goes with me as I see fit.”
“Yes.”
Phoe placed her hand over the phone to keep from squealing, turning to Charlotte. “What else should I ask for?”
“Dear, have you heard the fable of the ‘Fox and the Grapes’?”
Phoe rolled her eyes and resumed the phone conversation. “What about my finder’s fee?”
That one earned a long silence on the other end of the phone.
Shit! Did I just blow it?
The Dog and His Bone fable popped in her head, a favorite of her mother’s. Phoe saw herself looking at her own reflection in her mind’s eye, holding the original contract. The greedy Phoe decided to override the original deal, and like the dog losing his bone to his reflection in the stream, she now pictured the real contract going poof. To add further insult, her imaginary self smiled smugly and waved playfully goodbye.
“Do you actually believe you can find it?” Simon asked.
Phoe is shocked and relieved, but doesn’t dare show a weakness in conviction. “Don’t you believe I can find it?”
“To be clear.” He suddenly sounded hushed and muffled, like he was covering up his handset. “You do know what I’m hiring you to find...don’t you?”
“Yes. But why are you hiring me to find something you don’t think I can find?”
Her question earned her an extended wait in agonizing silence. The deal was flimsy and getting more precarious by the moment. She decided not to risk it further by asking any more questions. But, before she backtracked with an empty guarantee she could find whatever he hoped she’d find, Simon spoke.
“Good point, Phoe,” he said, chuckling, as if he could see her antics over the phone. “All that matters is you are the right person to try and find it. If you can’t find it, I’m not sure anyone else can. Anyway, I’ll have my lawyer contact you with the paperwork. He’ll see you tomorrow morning at nine o’clock sharp, at your store.”
She was unsure how to respond, straddling a dangerous line thus far of almost inserting her foot firmly in her mouth.
“Thank you, Phoe. You won’t regret this.”
He hung up before she could respond, leaving her staring at the handset. Charlotte clapped enthusiastically, and Phoe expected to feel just as excited. But her mind was catching up to her elation, and she realized she had almost too easily agreed to pursue a quest wrapped in ancient myth. A fairy tale. Not usually a good thing, she hoped she didn’t soon regret trying to hunt down the Hammer of Thor.
Chapter Five
Phoe knew the one phone call she needed to make would be one conversation she’d have the most trouble with. Charlotte helped her pack and organize her itinerary, which was always a blessing. Phoe stared at the phone; pondering the last thing she told herself she needed to do.
Planning an unpleasant, but necessary, conversation in her head drained her mentally. Tough to do when she had nearly talked herself out of making the call six times in the past hour. But it needed to be done.
“You know, some things are better done without a plan,” Charlotte offered.
Maybe she was right. Phoe smiled at her and moved to another room to make the call in private. She punched in his number and sighed repeatedly while completing a task that suddenly made her fingers feel clumsy. She smiled as she thought he might be away from his phone. He might not accept the call anyway, because....
Phoe prepared to leave her message for voicemail after the fourth ring. She took a deep breath that was cut in half when she heard a click.
“Hello, Phoe.”
She could almost see the Cheshire grin he probably had when he saw who was calling him.
“Hello, Peter.”
“The answer, my dear Phoe, is ‘no’.”
“What? How do you even know what I’m going to ask you?”
“I was born at night, but it wasn’t last night.”
She hated it when he used cheap clichés. “Hey.”
“You want the Head of Olmec. I don’t think there’s anything you could possibly trade me for this little gem.”
“I don’t want the head,” she said. “Well, I do, but that’s not why I called.”
There was a silent pause, and Phoe hoped he wouldn’t be more difficult.
“What do you need from me?” he asked, sounding curious.
“I’m going on a quest for something different.” Asking him became harder than she originally anticipated. Her mouth suddenly felt as if it was filled with sandpaper.
“And you want my expertise. I know...go on.” The callous, yet simplistic way the words came out of him made her regret this even more.
“All right, damn it! I’m asking you to accompany me on a quest.”
“Of course I’ll come along.”
His answer surprised her as much as it relieved her. The answer was too quick, the agreement too easy.
“You’ll have to pay your own way.” Her strategy changed to trying to make him beg to join her.
“Knowing you, dear girl, I was planning on it.” He chuckled. “What are we looking for?”
“You won’t be in charge. I was put in charge and was given the freedom to pick whoever I wanted to join me.”
“And you chose me. Yes, yes, we’re good on that. So, what are we looking for?”
The more she delayed telling him, the greater the agitation in his voice. No way to get the upper hand.
“The Hammer of Thor.” She cringed, eyeing the phone as if it had become a viper ready to sink its fangs into her wrist.
A longer pause of silence, and her belief in the legendary relic’s existence began to waver.
“You do realize that Mjölnir doesn’t exist, don’t you?” Peter said.
“I believed that it didn’t exist, yes.” She tried to phrase her words so she wouldn’t discredit the quest and end up with a dial tone on the other end.
“So, you believe it exists now?” His voice betrayed his mischievous grin
“I’m on a quest for it, aren’t I?” she asked, testily.
Another pause.
“You poor girl! Have you seen a doctor? Wait! I know what it is! You have simply lost your mind trying to figure out a way to spend some time with me. You need not play me so desperately, Phoe.”
“I’m not lying, Peter. I’m going on a fully funded quest for Thor’s Hammer and I want you to come with me! Are you in, or not?”
“Well, I—”
“No more questions, and no more bullshit!” she interrupted. Losing patience with Peter Kellerman, images of going it alone began replacing the ones with him by her side.
“Very well, then. I’ll be there for the duration. No questions asked, except for one. You must give me this one question. After all, I trust you explicitly.”
“One question, but then no more after that!”
“What’s in it for me?”
She figured he’d ask this from the outset, and it was her biggest hurdle in the vacillating decision to call him up. She had no choice but to relinquish some control of the situation, and she hated having painted herself into a corner. “What do you want?”
“Let me think about it and I’ll get back to you,” he replied.
She lowered her head and sighed in disgust. “All right, but I will tell you what it won’t include! Our deal will not include any artifact expedition or artifacts past or present. It will not include giving you any kind of ownership in Simple Treasures, either. And...I will not become your wife, concubine, or anything where control over my person is allowed! And...and....” She couldn’t think of anything else that repulsed her.
“Fair enough,” he said, laughing warmly. “I still need to contemplate the possibilities. Please allow ‘compensation’ to remain open. Meanwhile, when do we leave? I do need a moment to prepare for a journey that I’m sure will take us to some exotic locale.”
She smiled. “Simon Kessler’s lawyer will be here at nine o’clock sharp with the paperwork. I was told we’re leaving immediately afterward. So, if you can be here, say...ten-ish?”
“Tomorrow morning?”
“Yes.”
A longer pause this time. Phoe worried she’d lost him.
“Why did you ask me to come?” He asked, the previous glee absent.
“Uh-uh. No questions asked. Remember, Peter?”
“Ten-ish it is.” As she hung up with Peter Kellerman, she thought about how weird it would be to have him along.
She walked into the store to find Charlotte cleaning shelves without any customers around.
“How are sales?” Phoe asked, forcing a smile.
Charlotte shook her head, and went back to cleaning.
“Nothing all day?” Phoe glanced out the front window. The parking area sat deserted. “I thought for sure the King Tut stuff would start moving...eventually.”
Charlotte’s frown deepened, but then as if she caught h
erself, she smiled and walked up to Phoe, giving her a big hug.
“Thanks, Char. If I thought that hugs would pay the bills, I’d put yours on the shelves.” She laughed.
“You don’t want to go there, dear,” countered Charlotte, pretending to be serious. “Hugs are free for people who care about each other. Others have to pay.”
They both shared a good laugh, and Phoe thought about how good Charlotte had been to her. An even better friend than she’d been to Phoe’s mother.
“I’ve seen some crazy things in my time, but I think you going after the Hammer of Thor beats everything hands down. I wonder what your mom would say?”
Phoe gasped. “ Oh shit! I didn’t tell her.”
“Actually, I wouldn’t tell her either, if I were you.”
Chapter Six
The next morning, Kessler’s lawyer showed up at five minutes before nine. Phoe and Charlotte read and reread everything in the contract. The deal was a little more complicated, since Phoe was required to keep credit card receipts for everything purchased. That was in addition to the usual boatful of legal mumbo-jumbo. But after several run-throughs, everyone was pleased. The lawyer handed her the card once the contract was initialed and signed.
“When can we send the car for you?” he asked.
“You probably should plan on picking me and my associate up around eleven this morning...seeing as he is not here yet.”
“I’ll make sure to let Mr. Kessler know,” said the young attorney, named Jason. He had a nice smile and soft brown eyes. “The car will take you to the Taos Regional Airport where Mr. Kessler’s private jet awaits. Thank you...uh...you just used your first initial. What does the T. stand for, Ms. Phoenix?”
“What do you think it stands for?”
“I’m not paid to guess.”
“Then I ‘guess’ that answers the question, doesn’t it?” She had made it legal several years ago, where her first initial and her last name would be sufficient as a signature.