by M T Stone
“Not really.” I snuggle into him. “Maybe a coffee, but other than that I’ve got everything I need right here.”
Trey
As the warm fuzzy feeling from our encounter with Marvin begins to wear off, my mind turns to a dozen different things that have been stressing me out. Tyler, Vanessa, Tommy, Carly, Aileen and Nolan all weigh on my mind. I’m hoping that Vanessa will come clean, with Mom at least, and then things can take their natural course from there. Everything else will probably come to a head in the next few days, depending upon how much Tommy offers to pay back to the investors. I’m hoping that getting out of the city for a few days will ease my mind a bit. I need a break.
“I talked to Ray earlier and told him our plans,” I tell Mandy as we enter the gates of LaGuardia. “I knew we wouldn’t all fit in his truck, so I had him pick us up an extra car and he’ll meet us out there at four o’clock.”
“I was wondering what you were talking to him about,” she replies, shooting me a suspicious look. “I noticed you got quiet when I came in the room. I figured maybe you guys were scheming or something.”
“No scheming, just planning ahead.” I lean in and give her a kiss. “You can pull right up to the jet,” I tell Anthony. “Now Bolt, like I told Anthony, I don’t want any dents or scrapes in this thing.”
“Hey, no problem, Man.” He nods and gives me a cocky smile. “As long as everyone stays out of my way, it’ll be good.”
“It’s New York City, so you know that’ll happen,” I reply, giving him a slap on the shoulder.
As soon as the vehicle comes to a stop, I’m ready to roll. I reach back grabbing my laptop and my briefcase. The only bummer is that we have to take a Citation instead of the Gulfstream. If we end up going to Lynchburg on a regular basis, I’ll have to see if I can extend their runway by a thousand feet. The Citation is still a pretty nice jet, but there is no privacy whatsoever. I’ll grab the seat in the back and catch up on some phone calls. That will give Mandy and Anthony some time to get better acquainted and they can talk about the case. My first call is to Agent Mitchell, to see when he is going to meet with with Tommy.
Mandy
I feel a bit jilted as Trey deserts me to take his favorite spot, way in the back of the plane. I understand he wants to get a few things done, but it’s not like I’m going to pester him or anything. Glancing back at him, I fail to catch his attention, so I pull a pair of shorts and a tank top from my bag and excuse myself to the lavatory to change. By the time I return, Trey appears to be completely engrossed in conversation so I plop down in a seat across from Anthony.
“Apparently, he’s sick of us,” I mention to Anthony, giving him a sideways glance. “I showered and even put on perfume, so I know it’s not that.”
“Maybe it’s me then,” he quips, giving his pit a quick sniff. “Nope, I’m good too.” He chuckles, reclining his seat. “He seems a little obsessed with Tommy right now. What are your thoughts on how everything is playing out with Carly and Tommy?”
“I think they were both in on things, but Carly realized too late that she was in over her head,” I speculate, giving him my impression of the situation. “Why else would she flee to Belize to shut down the bank account?”
“You think she realized that Tommy was framing her?” he asks, nodding his head as if he is starting to believe it. “Several times, you guys have alluded to the fact that he manipulates and uses people.”
“Trey was talking about that fact earlier,” I tell him. “He thinks that he set up the account in Belize for her and granted himself access to it.”
Anthony gives me a puzzled look, not immediately connecting the dots. “I certainly wouldn’t let anyone else set up my bank account.”
“Trey thinks Tommy offered to set up an offshore account for her to keep Victor from finding out that he was paying her to help sell his company,” I explain. “She probably liked the idea of concealing the twenty-five million from him, but then freaked out when she realized that Tommy was using her account to pay for the crime spree.”
“So you guys think she is innocent in all of this?” he asks, shaking his head and sounding doubtful.
“I don’t think she’s totally innocent, but I can’t believe that she was totally responsible either.” I pause for a moment to reflect upon everything that has gone on. “Trey thinks that maybe Tommy and Carly were having an affair and that’s why Victor didn’t trust her anymore.”
“He must be a busy guy, huh?” He rubs his chin between his thumb and index finger. “I don’t think I could use women like that. I’d have to ditch my conscience.”
“I’m totally convinced that he has no conscience whatsoever,” I reply, expressing my strongly held opinion. “I wouldn’t trust him any further than I could throw him.” I cringe at the thought of him simultaneously sleeping with Liv, Vanessa and Carly. Those are just the three that we know about, there could easily be more. A whiff of Trey’s cologne abruptly interrupts my thoughts.
“So far, Tommy hasn’t gone too far,” he relays. “In fact, he hasn’t left the office yet. Hopefully he is packing up his stuff.”
“So you have been busy tracking him. I thought maybe you were sick of us.” I turn and narrow my eyes.
“No, I’ll never grow tired of you.” He slips into the seat next to me and gives me a kiss. “I could use a little space between us and our chaperone though,” he adds, glancing over at Anthony.
“Yeah, well, I’m getting a little tired of being around two teenagers who keep fawning over each other too, if you want to know the truth.” He turns his head giving us a glare that could cut glass. “It’s like neither of you have ever gotten laid before.” He scoffs, chuckling at his own wit.
“Actually, I’ve just never wanted to be with anyone this much,” Trey whispers, bringing on another eye roll from Anthony.
“Me either,” I reply feeling a fullness in my heart that has been missing my entire life. I can’t wait for this whole thing to be over. To have our lives back and to be able to go and do whatever we want. It’s almost like we have been held hostage. Every move we make has to be planned out, approved by Anthony and even then I still feel paranoid.
I turn and glance at Anthony who appears to be distracting himself with a newspaper. “This is a good exercise in self-control,” I tell Trey, sliding my hand along the inside of his thigh. “I like a man who has control over his wants and desires.”
“I’ll show you self-control,” he says reclining his seat all the way back and closing his eyes. “We’ll be on the ground in about thirty minutes.”
“You can just turn it on and off like a light switch, huh?” I ask, sliding my hand over his protruding bulge. “Hmm, this thing appears to still be on.” I lightly stroke it back and forth with my fingertips.
“All right, you two,” Anthony groans. “I was trying to ignore you but…”
“Talk to her,” Trey replies, without even cracking an eyelid. “She’s the one being a tease over here.”
I look back at him and he is now grinning from ear to ear. “To think, I had a sexy little surprise planned for you.”
Trey
A sexy little surprise, huh? I wonder what that would entail? My mind wanders through a series of sexually oriented scenarios amusing itself for the remainder of the flight. When the pilot says, “Prepare for landing,” it actually comes as a bit of relief. I can’t take another minute of sitting here next to her without being able to do anything. Ever since our first two aerial encounters, I want to make love to her every time we are up in the air.
“Is everything okay?” Mandy asks as I am forced to adjust a few things while bringing my seat back to the upright position.
“Couldn’t be better,” I groan, lying through my teeth. The aching I’ve been feeling only intensifies once I’m sitting straight up. “You’re not allowed to wear shorts or skirts on any more flights, unless there is a chance for some extracurricular activity.”
“Okay, I’ll let you pick out my clothes from
now on,” she replies, jabbing me in the side. “You just wait and see what I wear next time.”
“If there is a next time, I’ll take that seat in the back of the plane,” Anthony says, leaning in our direction. “Maybe I’ll pick up some earplugs and one of those little things you put over your eyes to sleep during the day, too.”
“Those are all excellent ideas,” I concur.
After landing, we begin to taxi toward the hangar. I see a black stretch limousine parked off to the side, so it appears everything is ready to go. “Just grab what you need for now and we’ll send the rest with them in the limo,” I tell Mandy as she pulls a bag from the overhead compartment.
“We don’t have that much stuff,” she scoffs. “I’m sorry, but I’ll never be one of those people who can’t pull her own bag. It’s got wheels.”
“That’s not really the point,” I reply with a laugh. “I just don’t know if we’ll have enough room for everything.”
“There will be plenty of room.” She pauses, looking at her bag then looking over at Anthony.
“Just leave the bag,” Anthony tells her. “You aren’t going to want to drag them around with you. Ray and I will make sure they make it to the B&B.”
“Okay,” she relents with a sigh. “Aren’t we all going together?”
“No. You and I have a few errands to run, so I had Ray bring us our own vehicle,” I explain, trying to leave things as vague as possible.
“Oh, so we get to take the truck?” she asks, crunching her brow. “Are you sure you want to be seen getting out of that thing?”
“Maybe he had another bulletproof Land Rover delivered this morning,” Anthony chimes in. “He only likes black vehicles you know.”
“Shit, I didn’t even think of that,” I reply with a smirk. “You’re still offended that I don’t like your diarrhea colored Suburban, aren’t you.”
“Ouch, now it’s diarrhea colored?” He slaps his fist to his chest as if he’s been struck with a fatal blow.
“You can be such an ass,” Mandy chides, shaking her head at me.
“I know, I’m sorry Anthony,” I reply, as we make our way to the front of the plane. I can’t wait to see Mandy’s face when she sees our ride.
CHAPTER 21
M andy
Dad comes running over to greet us as we make our way down the stairway. He definitely seems anxious to see us. I suppose it’s been pretty quiet without Mom around. I set down my handbag and give him a big hug.
“I’m glad to see you,” he says, squeezing me tight. “I’ve been worried about all of you.”
“I know.” I pull back and give him a smile. “This is Anthony,” I tell him, introducing them to each other. “He saved both of our asses a couple days ago.”
“I knew you two couldn’t resist playing with fire,” he replies, instantly showing his irritation. “I’ve about worn out the kitchen floor from pacing.”
“I know. I could just picture you pacing back and forth with a steaming cup of coffee in your hand.” I give him another quick hug. “But, everyone is safe.”
“I haven’t let them out of my sight since we met,” Anthony assures him.
“Yeah, he’s been sleeping in between us and we even shower together,” Trey adds with a convincing cringe. “He’s there… all the time.”
“Jesus Christ! Is your brain still a little messed up or what?” Anthony asks with a shocked look on his face. “What the hell has gotten into you?”
“I don’t know.” Trey laughs and slaps him on the shoulder. “I think I’m just really overtired or something. I really shouldn’t be giving you any shit.”
“Not when I’m the one savin’ your ass.” He narrows his eyes. “I’d hate to see you wake up dead.”
“Okay boys, lets get your stuff loaded in the car,” Dad suggests, reaching for a couple of my bags. “Ya’ll got better things to do than sit around bickering.”
“They’re just messing around,” I assure him. “These guys all have a pretty good sense of humor. Where’s your truck?”
“At home. Why?” He shoots me a curious look.
“Well, Trey said you brought an extra vehicle for us to run errands with,” I reply, glancing back at Trey.
“Yeah, but I figured you’d rather have a car than my old truck,” he replies, nodding his head toward the hangar. “I dropped it off last night, so they let me park it inside.”
While the guys stop at the limo to load the bags, I continue on into the hangar. My jaw nearly hits the floor when I turn the corner and see a shiny black sixty-five Mustang GT convertible. It is absolutely perfect with flawless black paint, shiny chrome and sparkling chrome wheels. Walking around the car, I can see that it’s just like Mom’s but this one literally looks like new.
“Where did this come from?” I ask Trey as he strolls into the building. “It’s just like the one Mom had, I think it’s even a K-code.”
“It is the one your Mom had,” he replies with a grin. “I bought it from your sister the day after we went back to the city.”
“But this one looks like new and there is no dent in the fender.” I run my hand along the perfectly polished front right fender. I turn to him nearly speechless, looking for an explanation.
“I had your dad drop it off at the body shop for a couple days. It looks like they did a great job on it,” he replies, walking around the car. “It’s amazing what a good buffing and a some clear coat will do for an old car.”
“Darla let you have it?” I ask, my mind still reeling in shock.
“She and Bill just needed the money, they weren’t all that interested in the actual car,” he explains. “I talked to a classic car dealer in New York and he thought it would be worth about fifty grand, so that’s what I offered. She took it on the spot.”
“Fifty grand? I wouldn’t have paid a nickel over thirty-five,” I tell him. “No wonder she let you have it without a fight. How much more did you put into it?”
“Only five,” he says, sliding his hand behind my head and pulling me in for a kiss. “It’s no big deal, I just wanted you to have the car. Now lets go for a ride.”
Trey
Seeing the look on Mandy’s face when she realized that it was actually her Mom’s old Mustang was worth every penny I spent on it. I know how much she loves driving it, so I was determined to get it back for her. I’m glad Darla and Bill didn’t really want the car after all.
“Thank you, sweetie,” she says, turning the key and starting the engine. “You have no idea how happy it makes me to drive this old thing.” She slips it in gear and drops the clutch causing the tires squawk just a bit.
“You drive careful now,” Ray tells her as we glide to a stop next to him. “Your mother’s urn is in the trunk, so you can spread her ashes if you want.”
“You don’t want to do it with me?” she asks with a disconcerted look.
“No. You and her shared a love for that place, so you go ahead,” he replies giving her a pat on the arm. “Come back to the house afterwards and we’ll have some dinner.”
“Okay, Daddy,” she replies with a pensive smile as she slowly lets out the clutch and we begin to roll smoothly down the road toward the highway.
“I’m glad to see you know how to properly let out a clutch,” I tease her in an attempt to lighten the moment.
“Hmm,” is her only response as she turns onto the highway and hammers through the first three gears. “You have to admit, that’s a lot more fun!” She winks and flashes me her beautiful smile.
“Hopefully that urn isn’t flying around back there,” I laugh, reminding her to be a little careful.
“Oh, Mom would probably like to have a little of her riding around in this thing too,” she replies with a reflective smile. “After all, she’s the one who taught me to drive like that.” I can picture the two of them flying down the highway with their hair blowing in the wind.
We both fall silent as we wind down the highway with the warm breeze swirling around us.
Being out here among the trees and driving along the creek is so relaxing compared to anywhere you can go in the city. People who believe a walk through Central Park is relaxing have never been somewhere like this. The trees begin to open up as we come to a long bridge that crosses a river, so I know we are getting close to her favorite spot. After crossing the bridge she slows down and turns off onto a gravel road. With each turn I can see the anxiety building on her face with each passing mile. If she only knew what was waiting for her around the next corner.
Mandy
I had romantic aspirations earlier today. The thought of throwing a blanket down and making love in the warm sunshine was teasing my brain. That thought evaporated once Dad mentioned spreading Mom’s ashes. Those two things just don’t mesh in my mind. It’s too bad; it would’ve been the perfect day to do something a little crazy. Instead, I have a feeling of dread as I turn the final corner and head up the tree-lined driveway. This will probably be all developed by the next time I’m out here.
“I actually feel sick to my stomach,” I tell Trey as we drive toward the big oak tree in the center of the space. “Someone has already put up some kind of a marker,” I add, seeing triangle-shaped rock structure standing next to the tree.
“Does it say something on the base of it?” he asks, as we pull up next to it.
“Yeah,” I lean out the window to get a closer look. “It says, Maggie’s Acres.” I turn back to see a smile on Trey’s face. “What did you do?”
“Your Dad had that made,” he says with a smirk. “This way you can leave her in the urn and take her for a ride like you said.”
“But it says Maggie’s Acres and all those little flags are gone,” I reply as the fact that they are gone suddenly occurs to me.
“I thought it was such a beautiful little spot, that I hated to see it split up and developed,” he says with a glimmer in his eyes.
“So you bought it?”
“I did,” he replies with a shrug. “I was feeling so good after buying the Mustang from your sister, that I thought what the hell. They were happy as hell to sell the whole thing to one buyer. I told them I would take it as is, so they didn’t have to turn a wheel.”