by Nick James
‘A pain in the ass,’ he thought, then said, “I’d be happy to do that. You just tell me where and I’ll pick them up.”
She gave him the information, told him again how wonderful he was, and then hung up. He got up from behind his desk and walked into Bennett Hinz’s office.
“Oh, Custer. New clients?” Bennett asked raising his eyebrows and pointing his chins toward Bobby’s office.
“Morris Montcreff,” Bobby said, but didn’t add anything else.
Bennett nodded.
“Just wanted to make sure you knew the timing of Noah Denton’s events.”
“Oh, yes. What are they?” Bennett asked then pulled a desk calendar toward him from the far corner of his desk.
“Wake is tomorrow, four till eight, funeral is Friday morning at eleven with a luncheon afterward.”
“Friday luncheon might be difficult,” Bennett said, shaking his head.
‘Yeah, because you usually take Friday afternoons off,’ Bobby thought.
“Now, my thought is we’d want to do some sort of memorial out in the front reception area. You know, like we did for Elizabeth Saunders. Maybe some flowers, a guest book people could sign, maybe leave a little memory they might have of Denton.”
“Do you think that would be a good idea?” Bobby asked.
“Well, after all, he was a founding member of this firm.”
“Yes, a founding member who sexually assaulted a woman in front of dozens of employees. A founding member who had at least one breakdown here on the premises. A founding member who is specifically named in a lawsuit pending against this firm. A founding member who was universally despised by our employees, many of whom threatened to quit unless he left, never to return.”
“Do you think they’d really be that upset?”
“I suppose you could try it. Maybe, given the circumstances, a death and all, people could be forgiving,” he said. He couldn’t believe they were even having the conversation.
“Let me think about,” Bennett said. “Anything else?”
“No, just wanted to make sure you had the funeral information. I suppose I should get back to Mr. Montcreff’s friends,” Bobby said, then left.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Emily phoned him toward the end of the afternoon.
“This is Bobby.”
“Hi. Hey you got any plans for tonight?”
“Not really,” he said looking at the two guys sitting at opposite ends of the leather couch. One was asleep, the other was watching some sort of movie on his iPad. “What did you have in mind?”
“Dinner and some sex, or sex and dinner, or sex with dinner. Whatever works for you.”
“Interesting, here’s my situation,” he said and went on to explain his two accomplices. He didn’t refer to them as bodyguards, didn’t mention Montcreff, Luis, the two guys he buried at the cabin or Antonnini. He did tell her he was involved in a large stock transaction, that he wasn’t at liberty to divulge the name of the company, and that if she was okay with someone on the couch and in the guest room he’d love to have her over.
“I’ll be there a little after seven. I’ll bring dinner, I guess for four if that’s okay? Do they have any allergies, need gluten free, anything like that?”
“No, they’re not the type.”
“See you tonight,” she said and hung up.
It was a little after three when Bennett stuck his head in Bobby’s office, cast a wary eye on the two guys asleep on the leather couch, and asked, “Got a minute?”
“Sure, what’s up?”
“Just wanted to let you know, I’ve touched base with the partners. We all feel it wouldn’t be right not to mark Noah’s passing. I’m having a small memorial set up in the front lobby tomorrow morning. Nothing fancy, just some flowers and a little book to sign. All very tasteful, low key.”
“You’re sure?”
“It’s the right thing to do, as I said earlier, he’s a founding member of the firm. People will appreciate that.”
“Okay, thanks for the heads up. You going to the wake tomorrow?”
Bennett flashed a fake smile, “Going to try and make it. There may be a conflict on the horizon.”
A late sauna, Bobby figured. “Hope to see you there,” he said. Then Bennett dashed out of the office before something happened he’d have to attend to.
* * *
It was closer to eight by the time Emily arrived. She rang the intercom and he buzzed her in. She carried three grocery bags as she stepped off the elevator. By the time Bobby opened the door, the two body guards were standing on opposite sides of the room ready to pull their weapons out.
“Hey, thanks for coming over,” he said and gave her a kiss.
She glanced over her shoulder, looked at the one with his hair combed back and said, “Mmm-mmm. Hi, I’m Emily.”
“They don’t talk much and part of the deal is they sort of stay out here. You know, focused on the door. Here let me take those bags and come on out to the kitchen with me.”
“God, that’s so strange. What’s with the stock release that they send two guys like that to your house?”
“Just security, even the hint of insider-trading or anything like that and the whole thing goes bust. There’s a number of folks who’ve worked very hard for a very long time to put this deal together. So, what’d you bring us?” he asked, then hoisted all three bags up onto the kitchen counter.”
“Thai. Hope you don’t mind.”
“No, I love it. Here let me dish some up for my security staff and then we can take our time.”
“You dish it up, and I’ll run it out to them. That’ll give you plenty of time to get mine ready. I’ve got those chicken skewers in there with the satay sauce that you like.”
“I’m not sharing that with those guys.”
“Don’t be a piggy, I got plenty. There’s some wine in there, too, I’d love a glass.”
Bobby filled two bowls with fried rice and chicken, then pushed them across the counter to Emily. “Be right back,” she said, picking up two forks and bowls and hurrying out to the living room.
Bobby took his time, dishing up the fried rice from the white takeout containers. He set two places at the kitchen counter, folded napkins and placed them beneath the silverware. He opened a bottle of wine, filled their glasses and placed the bottle in the refrigerator to chill. He called to Emily from the kitchen. A few minutes later, he walked down the hall to the living room.
Emily was sitting on the arm of the couch talking to the two gentleman. They were both shoveling the fried rice in as fast as they could. She was speaking Spanish to them and seemed to sort of hover over the one closest to her, the guy with the combed back hair.
“Emily, dinner’s ready.”
“What? Oh sorry, just sort of getting acquainted. Nice meeting you both,” she said, sliding off the arm of the couch. She seemed to direct her comments to the one. He looked up and grinned as she pretended to innocently rub her leg against him.
“Both very interesting and in such good shape,” she said, then held her glass as Bobby refilled it. They were almost finished with dinner. “His name is Miguel, and he grew up in the mountains, in a little village.”
“Yeah, you already mentioned that,” Bobby said, setting the fork on his plate.
“Did I? Well, I just found it fascinating.”
“Where did you learn Spanish?”
“Oh, high school for starters, although I really wasn’t the best student,” she rolled her eyes. “Probably dreadful when it comes right down to it. Then I was down in Mexico for a long week, Acapulco, and I just fell in love with the place and the people and so I took a bunch of classes. I try and get down there once or twice a year. Have you ever been?”
“Only once, a million years ago. Nothing against it. I guess the opportunity never really presented itself. You go down with friends?”
“Yeah,” she said, but didn’t say anything beyond that. Bobby chalked it up as one of her “b
usiness” trips. They lingered over a glass of wine, Bobby loaded the dishwasher, folded the paper shopping bags and placed them in recycling. It wasn’t quite ten.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for bed,” Emily said, then flashed her eyes, maybe suggesting something in addition to sleep.
Bobby watched her from the bed as she undressed, definitely putting on a show for him. She strutted toward the bed, naked, and stood there letting his eyes run over her before she slipped under the covers. She settled up against him, slowly working her hands over his chest and then down his stomach, back up to his chest. Each time running her hands just a little further down.
He was close to exploding when she finally climbed on top of him, then sat back on his thighs and took him in her hands.
“Don’t you want to…”
“Shhh-Shh, I’m doing what I want to do,” she said and proceeded to demonstrate her particular skill. Three minutes later, she kissed him goodnight and rolled over on her side. He was asleep in less than a minute.
He was vaguely aware of her getting up and out of bed in the middle of the night. He gave a sort of half thought that she was running to the bathroom and drifted off. He woke some time later, aware she wasn’t in bed and went to look for her. The bathroom was empty. The short haired guy, stockier of the two, was snoring on the living room couch. Bobby walked back down the hall thinking maybe she was in the kitchen when he heard the unmistakable sound of Emily’s moans coming from the guest room. They were rhythmic and left no doubt as to the activity on the other side of the door. He listened for some time, considered barging into the room, then thought better of it. Figuring Miguel would shoot him just as an automatic reflex and from the sounds Emily was making, she was in no position to stop him.
She was back in bed when he woke. A slight smile on her sleeping face and bruises on her breasts. He quietly got dressed and went out to the kitchen. When Emily finally strolled into the kitchen Miguel and his partner had been up for an hour, and all three men had eaten. She wore one of Bobby’s black t-shirts with apparently nothing on underneath. Miguel gave her a long glance before he and his partner hurried out of the kitchen.
“Hey there, sleeping beauty. How’d you sleep last night?”
“Fine, thanks. How about you?” she said bringing the coffee mug Bobby had just filled to her lips.
“Okay I guess, up a couple of times.”
Emily seemed to choke on the coffee, coughed, then cleared her throat a number of times.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, just went down the wrong way. I guess. Hey, I better get dressed and let you head to the office.”
“Yeah, full day. I got the Denton wake later this afternoon, funeral’s tomorrow morning.”
“Sorry I can’t join you, not,” she said.
“Don’t worry about it. Hey, it’s business, Emily, I have to do it.”
He was still in the kitchen, reading the morning’s headlines when he heard her out in the living room. She was talking Spanish again, apparently to Miguel although the conversation ended the moment Bobby entered the room. “All set to head out?”
“Yeah, thanks, lovely evening. Nice to meet the two of you,” she said, then turned to Bobby and gave him a kiss. “Call me when things loosen up after tomorrow.”
“I’ll be sure to do that. Thanks for bringing dinner last night.”
“The pleasure was all mine,” she said, then gave what she thought was a private wink to Miguel and was out the door.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Miguel was in the passenger seat, his stocky partner crammed behind the wheel of the SUV as they chauffeured Bobby down to the office. They walked around the end of the parking ramp where the elevator was, checking things out before they waved Bobby out of the vehicle and rode up with him in the elevator. Miguel seemed a little distant this morning and Bobby was tempted to ask him how he’d slept.
They stepped off the elevator and the two of them headed down the hall toward Bobby’s office while he stopped to examine the flowers and the remembrance book sitting out for signatures and heart-felt messages. The first page of the book looked like someone had crushed a cigarette out across the page, then dropped the butt in the vase holding a dozen white long-stemmed roses. Bobby turned the page in the book figuring he’d sign his name on page two. In a very feminine hand someone had written across both pages, “Fuck You!” with black marker. Bobby turned the page and what looked like pink lipstick spelled out “Kiss my gorgeous Ass.”
He shook his head. He’d warned them. He’d told Bennett it wasn’t the best idea, but then again the three people who were most removed from the vast number of employees thought they knew better. He set the book back on the little stand. He thought he caught one or two heads watching him from afar, wondering if he was going to sign the book, but when he looked up everyone had returned to whatever they had been doing.
He worked through the morning. Miguel and his partner took turns taking a thirty-minute lunch break. It felt like there was an extra bit of pressure in the office when it was just the two of them, Bobby and Miguel, but neither one said anything. He phoned Luis once they had both returned from lunch.
“Si.”
“Luis, it’s Bobby.”
“Is everything all right?”
“Yes, just letting you know, I’ll be leaving shortly for Noah Denton’s wake, and I…”
“I thought it didn’t begin until four?”
“That’s right, but I’m picking up some flowers for his wife. One less thing she’ll have to do this afternoon. I’m planning on staying there until it’s over.”
“Eight o’clock?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll see you there at some point. Miguel and Jesús, they’re working out for you?”
“I’m still here, so yes, thank you.”
“I have it on good authority this silliness will be over shortly. It’s bad for everyone’s business.”
“It would be nice to get back to normal, whatever that is. I look forward to seeing you this evening.”
“And I, you. Oh, Camila sends her best wishes by the way.”
“Wonderful, she continues to improve then.”
“Yes, but it all takes time. Until this evening then.”
“Thank you,” Bobby said and hung up.
They left an hour later to pick up the flowers. Waiting on the elevator, Bobby stepped over to the remembrance book. Nothing had really changed other than a half-dozen more negative comments had been added. Someone had apparently set the thing on fire, leaving a half page of scorched remnants. Marci had to have seen whoever had done it, but apparently she’d said nothing. Four of the roses had been clipped leaving just the thorny stems.
They rode the elevator down in silence, Miguel was beginning to look a little more guilty with every passing minute, or was he just worried after Bobby’s phone call with Luis? The two of them walked through the area leading to the SUV before they let Bobby off the elevator, waving him forward once they were sure the coast was clear.
Jesús was driving as usual, and Bobby gave him directions to the flower shop Cori had used. He paid for the flowers, two matching arrangements of carnations at a hundred and twenty bucks each. A flower shop employee carried the arrangements out to the SUV, gave a cautious glance toward Miguel and Jesús, then quickly thanked Bobby and hurried back into the shop. They pulled into the funeral home a half-hour before things were due to start. Bobby climbed out of the SUV in search of Cori, Miguel went with him.
He found her in the room labeled ‘Family Only’ setting out plates of hors d’oeuvres and filling the small refrigerator with bottles of water. A ten-cup coffee pot was already brewing on a counter. Paper plates and napkins were piled at the end of a table that looked like it had been taken from a church basement.
“Cori,” Bobby said, then gave her a hug as she turned round.
“Oh, Bobby, thank you for coming. I’m here doing all of this myself. Addison was s
upposed to be here over an hour ago. God.”
“I can give you a hand. Let me get those flowers in here first. Where would you like them?”
“On either end of the coffin, there are a couple of stands you can set them on. I told them to keep the damn thing closed. I’ve already put in enough of my time with Noah. I don’t need him in the way today.”
He wondered if she had been the one to write “Kiss my Ass” in pink lipstick, then figured she’d never set foot in the firm’s office to begin with. “I’ll get those flowers set up and be in to help you.”
Cori smiled, then looked back and forth from Bobby to Miguel waiting for an introduction.
“Cori, this is Miguel. He’s helping me for a few days.” Miguel nodded, sort of flashed a smile, maybe. The cowboy boots, black jeans and the t-shirt stretched over his muscular frame along with the large biceps stuffed into the grey suit coat seemed to give her pause.
“Helping you?” she said, the term not seeming to make any real sense.
“We better go get those flowers. Be back in a few minutes.”
Bobby pointed to a spot not too far from the door and Jesús parked the car. Then he and Miguel carried the flowers into the viewing area and positioned them on the stands as Bobby directed. They glanced at one another, but didn’t say anything once the flowers were in position. They simply both stepped back and made the sign of the cross. Bobby figured it might be one of the few prayers Noah Denton would get tonight. Then they headed back to the ‘Family Only’ room to see what else they could do to help Cori.
Bobby waited until she was off the phone. From the look of things, she wasn’t too happy. “Anything else I can help you with?”
“God, right now I could kill Addison. She’s late and now her phone is turned off.”
“Do you know where she is?”