by Bill WENHAM
“Of course it wasn’t. You had been targeted by me but fortunately for you it was with a business opportunity and not with a handgun.”
There was a knock on the door and Factor’s new secretary came in with a tray of coffee. She placed it on his desk and discreetly withdrew again. Torrance poured himself a cup and sat back in his chair.
He said, “I’d had my eye on you for a long, long time, before you and your wife even started your little Easy Green stand, in fact. Luckily, you already had all the land that was needed.”
He took a sip of his coffee and Factor, who had also poured a cup, did the same.
“When the second woman was killed, I very nearly came here personally to take you out of circulation. But I soon realized your innocence was never in question for any of those murders, Dean. If there had been any doubt at all, like I said, I’d have done away with you myself.”
As he said it, he glanced down at the phone jack on the floor. It was unplugged. Factor had done that as soon as his visitor had arrived in the building. Torrance smiled, nodded his approval and continued.
“All of that was Willoughby’s doing. Not personally, but he cheated a man out of his land unnecessarily. I didn’t tell him to do that and unluckily for him, all of us and you in particular, the guy turned out to be a bloody psycho, a murdering maniac. Willoughby didn’t have to cheat me either and he paid the consequences for it. I treated him like one of the ‘family’ and he betrayed me.”
He stopped for another sip of coffee.
“I’m very proud of my ‘family’, Dean, but I even had a real one once. My poor wife died giving birth to our child, a daughter. Like most fathers I wanted her to fall in love and I looked forward to giving her away at a lavish wedding someday, but she wanted no part of that. She told me to keep all of my dirty money. She was ashamed of me, her old man, of what I was and what I did.”
The old man obviously wanted to get all this off his chest so Factor sat back, sipped at his coffee and let him.
“She was eighteen when she found out what I was actually doing and the following day she was gone. She moved to another state and changed her name when she got there. The name she took was actually her grandfather’s, and mine too once, even though she didn’t approve of what he was supposed to have done either.”
He gave a short, bitter laugh.
“She didn’t want anything to do with me, Dean, but blood is thicker than water, as they say, and I’ve always watched over her from a distance. She even got an inheritance from an old but obscure aunt that got her through university.”
He smiled at Factor.
“Naturally, there was no ‘obscure aunt’, but my lawyers are very, very good at arranging that kind of thing.”
Factor wondered why this hard hearted, vicious but elegant mobster was telling him all this. He felt just like a priest hearing a confession and he realized that perhaps it was.
Torrance said, “She was still my daughter and I loved her in my own way. Then later, when she was killed, I became obsessed with bringing her killer to justice – my kind of justice, Dean. A very hard, extremely painful and very final kind of justice.”
He stopped speaking and stared at Factor. Then he added softly,
“You probably don’t want to hear this, Dean, but nothing I ever did at Easy Green Garden World was for you at all. It was all for my daughter.”
Suddenly the truth of what Torrance was saying and why he was saying it hit Factor like a thunderbolt. He sat there, open mouthed, staring at the older man. This was the very last thing he had expected!
“When we first met, Dean, I had never been here to Michigan before and I told you then that you were like family to me.
But that wasn’t strictly true. You weren’t just like family, Dean. You actually were family. Real family, because I wasn’t just your boss, your benefactor and your guardian angel – I was also your father-in-law!
Delilah Tarrantino, the beautiful girl you fell in love with and married was my daughter. Now do you see why all this has happened to you and for you?”
Torrance sat in front of Factor’s desk, shaking his head back and forth. Finally he looked at Factor and there were tears in his eyes.
He said gruffly, “Even mobsters like me have feelings for their own children, Dean, and a father, no matter what he is or what his child thinks of him, must always protect and care for his young - its one of the laws of nature.”
Factor then did something he would never have thought possible until this conversation had taken place. Whatever he was, he owed the man sitting opposite him for both his life and his livelihood.
Factor stood up, walked around his desk and pulled his father-in-law to his feet. Then he put his arms around Torrance and hugged him. The old man let him and no words were necessary. The contact was only very brief but it sealed and recognized what was a most unlikely friendship.
Factor realized too that something else was also sealed. His lips were sealed as well. No matter that this man, by normal standards of conduct was a murderous monster, but as he had just pointed out, he was also family. Dellie’s family.
They broke apart and sat down again.
Torrance said, “One last thing before I go, Dean. I’ve never liked cops and that’s because they are nearly always a threat to me but, just so long as you know, there’s one of them that I can accept.”
He held out his hand to Factor and Factor shook it.
“In that cop lady, you’ve found yourself another very good woman and she’s stood by you. She’s a real keeper, Dean, and I want you to know that you have my blessing with her. My Dellie is gone now and it was through no fault of yours. She’ll never come back but I know you will always keep a place in your heart for her whatever you do.”
Torrance got up again and patted Factor on the shoulder.
“Just give Val a buzz for me will you? Its time I headed back to New York. He can drive me and I want to fill him in on what’s happened here on the way to the airport.”
Factor reached down and reconnected his phone. Then he called Petrov.
“Max is ready to leave, Val,” he said. He was about to add, “And so am I”, but that could wait until later.
A moment or two later Petrov opened the door.
“Good meeting, Dean, and thanks for listening,” Torrance said as they shook hands again.
Factor just nodded and his new found father-in-law left the office accompanied by Petrov.
Then he sat at his desk for several minutes just waiting for his nerves to stop jangling. He felt that he’d just been dragged back from going over the brink of a precipice.
It was all over, he thought. They’ve cut me loose but I’m alive, I’m free and everything now makes sense. Sometimes, he thought, you get yourself in so deep you think you’ll never get out. Your train has jumped the tracks and is racing towards certain oblivion, and then something unexpected happens. Someone, somewhere steps in, stops your train and gets you back on track, just as if that dreadful pit of depression and hopelessness never even existed.
That is what had happened to him today and he was grateful to Torrance for the lifeline of support he’d given him today. He would never forget it.
At that particular moment, he couldn’t think of anything he wanted more than what he’d just received – and then he thought about Streeter.
He really should advise Ted Shelton he was leaving first, but he had taken the morning off for a doctor’s appointment. Since the demise of the Nellie Cardilli, Ted had hired another secretary for him.
She was a married woman in her mid thirties and had been with the company since the beginning. Her name was Lorna and she’d picked up her duties very quickly. Factor was very pleased with her.
He buzzed her now to come into the office. When she arrived, he asked her to sit down in the seat just vacated by Torrance.
“Lorna,” he began, and made sure he got what would be the most important to her out of the way first, “As of tomorrow, you
will have a new boss. Paul Thatcher will be taking over as President and CEO of Easy Green Garden World. He is a very good man and I know you’ve met already.”
Lorna looked shocked but covered it up very well.
“I have, Mr. Factor, but may I ask where you are going and when?”
Factor smiled.
“You may, Lorna. I’ve been offered a retirement package and even though I’m really too young to retire, its -,” he paused and used Torrance’s own words, “- an offer I couldn’t refuse. I’m going to Florida in a couple of weeks but I’ll be leaving the office for good tomorrow. ”
“Well, Mr. Factor, I’ll have to organize a party for you, then. I’m sure all the staff would love to give you a good sendoff, with the franchisees and the preferred suppliers invited as well.”
Factor held up his hand.
“I’m sorry, Lorna, but I have to stop you right there. There won’t be time for me to attend a party. However, as my last official act as President, I’ll authorize the money for a party to welcome Mr. Thatcher aboard. After all, he can’t be expected to pay for his own welcoming party, can he? And you can all raise a glass to say goodbye to me in absentia.”
Lorna had tears in her eyes as she said, “I really don’t blame you, after the trouble you’ve had, but we’ll all really miss you, Mr. Factor.”
Factor stood up, intending to shake her hand but was immediately engulfed in a huge hug.
“I’ll miss all of you, too, Lorna, and thank you but if you’ll excuse me, I have a number of calls to make. And please advise Mr. Shelton of what I’ve told you when he gets back and I’ll be here in the office tomorrow morning. I’ll talk to him then.”
Lorna nodded and left, drying her eyes on a tissue as she went. She closed the office door behind her.
Actually he only had one call he had to make and that was to Streeter. He had something he wanted to tell her, something he wanted to ask her and there was also something he realized he could never tell her. He would make the other calls later and he also needed to visit one very, very important store.
He punched in her number. She answered on the first ring.
“Streeter.”
“Hi, Plain Liz,” he said cheerfully. “Have you got time for a bite of lunch?”
“Uh, huh, Dean. Where do you want to meet?” she asked.
Factor mentioned Jake’s Old City Grill, a good seafood restaurant on South Hamilton St, just off Court. He knew she liked the place and they agreed to meet there. Streeter arrived right on time. Factor was already there and waiting for her at a table.
“So,” she said, as he got to his feet to hold her chair out for her. “To what do I owe this pleasure? Naturally, I assume you’re buying?”
“Of course I am. This is a celebratory lunch today, Liz.”
“Celebrating what? Won the lottery, have you?”
“Kind of. It certainly feels like it. I resigned as President and CEO of Easy Green today. Well, retired, actually and thanks to you I’m a free man now – unless you’ve got any more murders you’d like to pin on me,” he said.
“Not bloody likely, Dean. I’d just be wasting my time. They call you Slippery Sam, the Teflon Man at the station. Nothing that gets thrown at you ever sticks. But we’ll keep trying. Like I’ve told you, it’s what we do. But, all kidding aside, what are you going to do now?” she asked.
Instead of replying right away, Factor reached over, took her hand and once again that electric-like tingle rippled through her but she didn’t draw back.
“I’m going down to Florida to live, Liz. I’m going to buy a huge ocean front estate and the biggest damned boat I can find down there,” he said.
Streeter was astounded at his words. This was the very last thing she expected him to say. He was leaving Saginaw, for God’s sake!
“And when is all this going to happen?” she asked quietly.
Factor grinned at her.
“Well, that kinda depends, Liz,” he said.
“Depends on what?” she asked curiously.
Factor’s grin broadened.
“It depends, Plain Liz, on whether you’ll agree to come down there with me.”
For a moment or two, Streeter was speechless as a myriad of thoughts crowded into her mind. Suddenly she was aware of Factor releasing her hand. He reached into his jacket pocket and produced a blue velvet covered ring box.
“I wouldn’t insult you by asking you to live in sin with me down there. Luxury, maybe, but not in sin. So, Plain Liz, will you please marry me and let me whisk you away to a life of luxury in Florida?” Factor said.
Streeter just stared at him for a long moment. She was a career policewoman now, for God’s sake and couldn’t just up stakes and go waltzing off down to Florida.
But, by the same token, she also knew she’d been in love with Factor for quite a while. From the very first time she’d ever touched his face probably, she thought. She began to shake her head but Factor’s next words stopped her.
“Before you turn me down flat, perhaps I should tell you that there are openings on the St. Augustine police force for experienced policewomen with the rank of Lieutenant.”
He frowned then as she continued to shake her head.
“That would make a huge difference, of course, but let me ask you a question,” she said, gesturing at the ring box, “was this just a spur of the moment thing or have you given any thought at all to this?”
“Well, I admit, I got you the ring on the way over here, but I’ve been looking at them for weeks,” he said.
“Well, then, Mr. Factor, I have to tell you that I think you’re going about this all wrong. Because it seems to me that you’ve completely missed out the most important part of your sales pitch. Right now I’m just not buying it and I also think you should stop and start this all over again.”
Factor grinned at her and she smiled back.
“Okay, you’re right, of course. So, here we go then, from the top. Liz. I love you with all my heart and I have done almost from the first day I met you, I think. At the time, though, I thought it was because I hadn’t quite sobered up yet.” he said.
She gave him a mock glare.
“Okay, that’s nice, pal, but I haven’t got all day so you’d better just fast forward to the next bit,” she said with a grin.
Factor said, “Right. So, as I was saying, I love you, Plain Liz, I want to marry you and I want us to both to live in the lap of luxury in Florida for the rest of our lives. I can spend all of my time fishing and you can spend all of yours catching kids who are surfing too fast down at the beach.”
He grinned at her.
“What do you think? Was that any better? Wanna to do it?”
Streeter kept a straight face.
“Wanna do it, Mr. Factor? Is that the best you can do? Wanna do it? Is that supposed to be your proposal?”
Factor nodded, anxiously watching her face. Streeter deliberately kept it straight and didn’t answer.
“Well?” Factor asked.
Streeter rubbed her chin as though she was thinking.
“I’m considering it, Mr. Factor, badly put and as brief as it is, I really am, but there would have to be two conditions,” she said, continuing with the straight face.
“Two conditions?” Factor asked, surprised. “And what the hell are they?”
“The first is that…” she paused and gave him a hard look, “if you ever call me Plain Liz again, I’ll slap you into the nearest damned slammer I can find so fast it’ll make your head spin.”
“And the second?” he asked.
“Ah, yes, the second. That’s the important one. The second…” she paused again but was smiling now.
“… is provided that you don’t take three bloody forevers to give me that damned ring!”
They grinned at each other as Factor carefully opened the box. He took her left hand and slipped the beautiful diamond solitaire on to her finger.
Then he raised her hand to his lips and kisse
d the ring.
“Of course, you can change it if you don’t like it,” he told a glowing Liz Streeter.
She looked at him indignantly.
“I’ll have you know, Mr. Factor, unforgivable suggestions like that one are good for at least a month in the slammer,” she said.
Factor frowned at her.
“Then tell me, Ms. Streeter, are there any benefits at all to this proposal of mine?” he asked.
She grinned at him.
“Those benefits of mine are like Christmas presents, Dean. You never really know what you’re going to get until you open the package,” she said. “And speaking of packages, this ring is absolutely fabulous. Thank you.”
She held up her hand so that the ring’s sparkling facets could catch the light.
“So are you, Plain Liz, and does thank you mean yes, I’ll accept your kind offer and I’d love to marry you, Mr. Factor?”
“It most certainly does, kind sir,” she said as she got up and came around the table. She pulled him to his feet and kissed him in front of all the smiling restaurant patrons. Streeter smiled happily back at them, held up her ring and said,
“We just got engaged!”
The restaurant erupted in applause as Factor and Streeter sat back down in their seats.
Factor grinned happily at her. Streeter said briskly, “So, now that’s all out of the way, let get back to the real business of this meeting. Let’s eat! I’m starving, pal, and I’ve got a whole bunch of bad guys to go out and catch this afternoon.”
“And now that you’ve caught me, I guess you can scratch me off your most wanted list now, right?”
She waggled her beautiful new engagement ring right under his nose.
“No way, Mr. Factor, you’re at the very top of my most wanted list, and you always will be!”