Zoe pulled another navy tie from the display. This one featured a discreet pattern of tiny gold specks. On closer examination, it was easy to identify them as three-bladed boat propellers and very close in design to the DME logo. “I think this will work and I think the engineers will get it. Although they’re a hardheaded lot.”
“It’s perfect,” Tyler agreed. “It’ll go with anything and I think they’ll get a kick out of it. Can you order them in all three styles as well?”
“Of course!”
By the time Zoe and Tyler sat down in the restaurant, they were famished.
“I think I’ll order a bevy,” Zoe stated. “If you’re ready to drive the beast, that is?”
Tyler, seated across from her in the sequestered booth, nodded while reading through the menu. “Go ahead. Actually,” she added, “maybe I’ll have one too.”
“Sorry gorgeous, but old Georgie Porgie has two rules about her stupid truck. No drinking and driving, and no pulling the dean’s car out of Lake Erie with a mooring line hooked to the back bumper.”
The way she said it, so matter-of-factly, Tyler had to replay the comment in her brain. “Okay—that sounds like a story.”
Zoe’s infectious grin was back. “How ’bout we order?” she asked, tipping her head toward the approaching waitress.
Once Zoe was happily sipping on her imported beer, Tyler pulled out her tablet. “I was surprised to hear the company doesn’t do anything for Christmas. I would’ve thought it would be a big deal in a company that’s basically all family.”
“That’s actually one of the reasons—well, both reasons. The old boys, my granddad and Georgie’s dad, both thought the money and effort should be better spent at home. The other is the first Georgina. You know about Georgina senior?”
“I’ve had a cursory read through the company history.”
“The way I understand it, Winnie, Georgie and Marnie’s mom, and my grandma Gloria used to give out Christmas baskets to all the employees. You know, turkeys and the like during their big Christmas party the day before Christmas. They had it out at the boatyard every year. It was a huge deal with gifts, toys and prizes for the kids, all sorts of bonuses and awards and food galore. Anyway, this one particular year they were out at the boatyard for the party. On the drive back there was a fatal accident on the I-95.”
“Oh my God!”
Zoe nodded solemnly. “Great-granddad Luigi was driving the grandmums home, and Georgina senior hitched a ride with them. They were hit by a drunk driver. It’s still almost impossible to get Henry to talk about it and Georgie, well she was just seven at the time. Marnie, Lori, and Leslie were all just little tots. They were still back at the party with Danny and Henry when it happened.”
“Where was your father?”
“Back at the big house with Georgie’s grandmom. He was just a newborn. I think he was all of three months. Henry said he was lucky not to be with my grandmom. Evidently he had a little fever, so Sophia had stayed home with him so my grandmother could enjoy the party.”
Tyler was silent for a long time. The weight of such a family tragedy was hard to comprehend.
“I can’t imagine what things were like back then but Georgie, our Georgie, refused to be separated from old Danny and Henry. Someone said it was like all three had lost their soul mates. I guess in a way it explains the bond she shares with my granddad.”
“Of course,” Tyler agreed, not really knowing what else to say. The burden of the tragedy was almost unfathomable.
“You want to know the kicker? They said Luigi and the old girls went instantly, thank God, but old Georgina, well she fought like the dickens. The drunk didn’t, couldn’t kill her. It was the bloody post-surgical complications and infections that did her in!” Zoe smacked her beer glass down with such force that most of the restaurant’s patrons turned to look. When curious eyes met Zoe’s stern glare, they returned their attention to their own companions.
“I’m so sorry—what a horrible tragedy. It certainly explains why Christmas is such a sore point.”
“I think it’s why New Year’s has become so important for everyone. You know, put the tragedy of the past behind and all that.”
On her phone, Tyler opened Georgie’s calendar. “New Year’s Eve is in two and a half weeks. John promised to have everything delivered in time. Can we count on that?”
“Absolutely! John may be a big poofter who tries to convince everyone he lost the love of his life when Georgina senior died but the man has never missed a deadline. On the other hand, my beloved brother Skippy has never met a deadline he couldn’t miss.”
“Weren’t you just mentioning something about pulling the dean’s car from Lake Erie?”
Zoe tried to suppress her amusement as the waitress delivered their lunch and refilled Tyler’s coffee cup.
While they launched wholeheartedly into their meal, Tyler had to consider all that she had learned. It was only her first week at DME and it had already included an impromptu inspection of her boss’s home. What an eye-opener. When they’d stepped off the elevator on the penthouse level, the first thing Tyler had noticed were the three separate, ornately framed oak panel doors. While beautifully detailed, there were no door numbers or placards to indicate which door belonged to which unit. “How do visitors know which door to knock at?”
Zoe waved a hand at the marble floor. A compass rose was inlaid in fine detail. “Henry’s in the northeast unit, here,” she pointed before swiping her hand over some unseen sensor. As the lock released, she pushed the door open for Tyler to take a peek. “My aunt Leslie owns the southeast unit, there,” she explained, indicating the door opposite Henry’s. “Back in the seventies, long before our time, old Luigi converted the top two floors into condominiums. He had planned to convert others. Of course the economy collapsed, changing his mind for him. These suites were already done but never sold. Years later, Henry took one and Uncle Danny—Georgie and Marnie’s dad—took the other. We used to call them the old bachelor pads.”
“I take it Georgie is now living in her father’s unit?”
“No actually. My Aunt Leslie got Uncle Dan’s flat. Georgie took one of the empty ones. She wanted to design the layout herself. It’s this one: west. Luigi named this one the Bow Suite. Let’s try your pass card to make sure it works.”
Tyler removed her employee badge from her suit jacket, swiping it along the oak molding where Zoe pointed. Hearing the lock release, she pushed the heavy door open and held it for her to lead the way. Following her along the darkened foyer, Tyler was forced to a stop, suddenly overwhelmed by sunlight, needing a moment for her eyes to adjust. Like Georgie’s office downstairs, sunlight pouring through the uncovered windows was temporarily blinding. Once her eyes became accustomed to the brightness of the room, she took a long moment to scan the generous living space.
Georgie’s flat, as Zoe kept calling it, turned out to be very nearly identical to the executive lobby and her office. While the apartment lacked the custom two-story windows that the executive level featured, the prowshape of the building’s west end featured just as prominently. Zoe pointed out that the bedrooms were actually up on the mezzanine level while the living room, library and the open concept kitchen and dining room were down the circular staircase. Following her down, Tyler couldn’t help but admire the highly polished antique brass. “What’s with the space around the center pole? I’ve never seen a circular staircase quite like this. Did they have it custom-made?”
Zoe all but snorted her amusement. “Actually old Luigi found this one. That man was a bargain hunter of the extreme sort. Have you noticed the carved brickwork and all the big brass fixtures on the outside of the building?”
“Of course I have. The DiNamico building has always been Buffalo’s best example of art deco.”
“Completely by accident,” she asserted. “Way back during the Depression, old Luigi and the family fared better than most. His way of giving back was to go about buying up building materials and such before c
reditors could grab assets and send them to auction. It made him quite a local hero at the time. Henry says it was a bloody good thing. It made a reputation for the old boy that protected him and the company during the Second World War.”
“Protected?”
“Italy was our enemy. Remember? And DiNamico is definitely Italian!”
“Yes of course but…Sorry, finish your story.”
“Well from what I understand everyone loved the old boy. This, well,” she said, patting the railing of the circular staircase, “there used to be an old fire station out on Route 5. When they tore it down, old Luigi scored it and more, all for a few hundred bucks.”
“Oh my God!” Tyler got it now, looking back over the circular staircase from the bottom step. “It’s a fireman’s pole in the middle! That’s too funny.”
“Except when Georgie decides to go down that pole; makes the dog crazy!”
“Oh God…” Tyler was still laughing, “That’s something I can see! I love it!”
Zoe just shook her head. “You and old Luigi would’ve got on fine.”
Before heading back up to survey Georgie’s wardrobe, Zoe took her for a complete tour of the apartment. The open concept living area was about the same size and setup as the executive office downstairs but featured a very traditional finish. Built-in bookshelves and cabinets lined the walls, but there was relatively little in the way of furniture. A single well-worn leather couch sat facing the stone fireplace and was draped with an old wool blanket and mismatched pillows. The bookshelves, in contrast to the empty room, were chock-a-block with books and mementos, making the space warmer and much more personal. Tyler couldn’t help but admire the overwhelming number of books. In between the volumes, several personal keepsakes were displayed or used as bookends. The end tables too were loaded with stacks of books neatly piled beside yellow pads of paper and assorted cups full of pens and pencils. “Wow, she really loves books!”
“I know,” Zoe grumbled, as if being a bibliophile was a bad thing. Tyler was about to challenge her assumption when she added, “You haven’t seen the rest—it gets worse!” Leading them past the fireplace and the only furniture in the room, Zoe headed for the double doors behind them. She waved a hand for Tyler to take a look. “This is the library. Although the whole flat looks like a library to me!”
Inside the medium-sized room was more wall-to-wall custom cabinetry. Only about half of the shelves were stocked and all with binders and manuals. While there was plenty of shelving for more, the entire floor was littered with stacks of books and several boxes overflowing with documents and reports. The only furniture, a folding table, was stacked with reports and an inch thick layer of technical drawings, plus more cups of writing utensils and more yellow notepads. A pair of mismatched folding chairs bracketed the isolated worktable and made the space seem confusingly attractive, forcing Tyler to scold her own academic inclinations. They made her feel sympathetic to the creative desire for organized chaos. It was easy to imagine getting an amazing amount of work done in a room like this. In her parents’ home, the kitchen had always served as her study hall. She understood this room. “Why no furniture?”
“I guess she hasn’t gotten around to it. It’s not like it’s a priority for her. Anyway, it works for us.”
“How’s that?”
“Oh, I guess I forgot to mention, we’re in charge of the New Year’s Eve party.”
“What?”
“Relax,” Zoe said, offering her most charming smile. “My Aunt Leslie takes care of the catering. So that’s done. And, we have it up here and open up the empty unit. Actually, we open all of the units but the party will be here and next door. So that takes care of the location.” She checked off points on her fingers. “Marnie handles the invites, so that’s done. We’re well on our way to getting Georgie squared away as far as clothing and such. Now all that’s left,” she added, pointing to her baby finger, “is to get this place squared away and order the tables and chairs, linens and that sort of thing. If you help me with the numbers, I’ll make all the calls. How’s that sound?”
Tyler nodded her agreement. Taking another look around the room, she had to ask, “What will we do with all this? I mean, if I were working on something this involved, the last thing I would appreciate is having it all put away on me.”
“My gorgeous Tyler—you wound me,” Zoe said, dramatically placing her hand over her heart. “I am not a beast. I know this all means something to Georgie. We’ll just lock this room and the other. No one needs to see Georgie’s safe place.”
“Safe place? Do you mean a safe room?”
“Sort of. Come on, let me show you the rest.” Leading her back up the circular staircase and down the hall, Zoe waved Tyler into a large bedroom. Like the other rooms, this one too featured built-in cabinetry that had been designed to complement the room’s furnishings. The antique sleigh bed and matching dressing tables, desk and end tables were darkly stained burled oak finished with a French polish. “This was great-aunt Georgina’s bedroom suite,” Zoe explained quietly. “Back when the whole family was living out at the big house and Georgina senior passed, they moved our Georgie into her auntie’s room.”
“Whose idea was that?”
“Georgie’s!” Zoe answered. “Granddad and Uncle Danny must have thought it fine or it never would have happened. It’s funny, when everything went tits-up with Margaret, this old set was the only thing she fought for. In a way, it really helped her. Sort of put the wind back in her sails. You know, just when we all thought she’d given up.”
Tyler nodded, acknowledging the logic. Not completely comfortable discussing her boss’s mental health history, she took one last look around the room. “Ah, where’s this closet you promised me?”
Smiling, Zoe led her through the master bath to the walk-in, or in this case walk-through closet. Like the rest of the condo, the room was fitted out with custom cabinetry. Spacewise, she guessed it was probably as large as her entire bedroom at home. “All the custom moldings and cabinets must have cost a fortune!”
“You’d think,” Zoe huffed disapprovingly. At Tyler’s raised eyebrows she added. “’Bout three years ago my dad realized the millwork was losing a lot of money.”
“You have a millwork too? What for?”
“We did. It was for the boatyard. They used to turn out all that fancy wood trim stuff they use on the sailboats. Before that it turned out all the shiplaps and such for the original DynaCraft line. You know about those? The old wood runabouts?”
Tyler nodded, then pushed Zoe gently back on point. “So Lou shut down the mill. And?”
“And, Georgie hired back the men who had been laid off until they could get their retirements all sorted. And…she bought all this oak at cost, before the millwork stock auction.”
Tyler ran her hand across the closest cabinet. The dark stain was rich in deep chocolates and crimson reds and like the cherished bedroom furniture was finished with a deep French polish. “Still…I can’t imagine.”
“I guess it helps that Georgie’s filthy rich. Well,” Zoe said with a grin, “not Oprah filthy rich but at least she doesn’t have to worry. Not like the rest of us. Come on, I’ll show you the safe space then we can get the inventory out of the way and be off on our adventure!”
“Sounds good to me.” Tyler was unwilling to be drawn into a conversation about family and money, two topics she knew from experience could get quite explosive. Following Zoe, she entered a virtually empty room. Unlike the rest of the condo, there were no cabinets or shelving of any kind. The only woodwork was the painted builder-grade baseboards. The sky-blue walls did nothing to alleviate the clinical feel of the room. The one prominent furnishing was a standard hospital bed. Close by, on the floor, lay a large dog bed. Across the room, next to another door, sat an antique upholstered dining chair that looked remarkably out of place.
Zoe pointed to the two other doors leading from the room. “That one’s the laundry room, and that one,” pointi
ng to the one by the chair, “leads to Henry’s. They keep it open at night, just in case.”
“Just in case?”
“Just in case Georgie has one of her nightmares.”
“Does she sleep in here every night?”
Making her way back to the walk-through closet, Zoe shrugged. “Damned if I know. Come on. Let’s get this done then we can head over to the tailor’s shop.”
Tyler had followed without comment. Switching on her ever-present tablet, she had opened the document Marnie had given her listing her sister’s clothing needs. “Okay, where do we begin?”
Chapter Four
Georgie sat in the backseat of her sister’s Navigator, arms crossed and head down, protesting, “No—I am not, no!”
Standing by the open back door of the Navigator and shivering in the freezing night, Lori Phipps begged her cousin with zeal and an exaggerated grin. “Oh come on Georgie Porgie, let’s go kiss the girls!”
“Make them cry…” Georgie finished the last words of the well-worn stanza.
“Goddammit Georgie!” Marnie, still in the driver’s seat, softened her tone as she said, “Okay, okay, it’s not like we expect you to go in there and get laid like Jack suggested. It’s just time to do a little socializing. Lori and I will be with you the whole time. Just like always. We’ll go in, have a beer, and if you feel like it, you can even drag my old bones onto the dance floor. How about that?” she bargained.
Hesitating a few moments more, Georgie finally pushed herself from the safety of the SUV.
Looping her arm through hers, Lori reminded her, “Relax Bender, tonight’s just about reconnaissance, and beer. Recon and beer! And, maybe we can find some big butch broad to drag Marnie out onto the dance floor! Whadya say?”
“Butch…Broads? Really? Oh Aunt Glory Bee…”
“Don’t worry, I would never call any butch a broad to her face. My mamma didn’t raise no fool!”
“No,” Marnie said. “Your father raised you to be a lady. Now act like it. I’ll pay the cover while you two cover my back. Every time we do this, Jack worries I’ll come home with my own lez-be-friend.”
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