“Burundi, Guinea, Andorra, Chile…” The list was endless.
“We closed on every one of those.”
“By the skin of our teeth.”
“Suddenly you’re afraid of a challenge?”
“This is different, Dom. You’ve got too much riding on this one deal. Don’t tie me up with nonsense when the clock is ticking against us.”
For just a moment, Jake thought Dominic was about to concede that Jake was right.
Dominic said, “I’ve opened a dialogue with two people who have the skills we need and they will be at my house this weekend. If it makes you feel better, I’ll let you finalize the details.”
Jake stopped, suddenly alert. “Who? Who did you find?”
Dominic hedged. “We shouldn’t talk about this on the phone.”
Finally, something that made sense. “Right. Where do you want to meet?”
“I need you in Boston for this Lil thing first.”
An uncomfortable vision of Lil’s taunting smile surfaced, distracting Jake for a moment before he forced himself to refocus on the issue at hand. His irritation with himself was evident in his tone when he said, “Why don’t you go?”
“Abby made me promise not to get involved. She wants Lil to work this out on her own.”
“And sending me doesn’t count?”
A serious tone filled Dominic’s voice. “She’s not safe, Jake. Lil is not prepared for all the media attention she is getting or how that has made her a potential target. She thinks she can handle it, but you know that she and her baby are vulnerable to everything from manipulation to outright kidnapping. I can’t believe you’re not already on this. This interview is just the tip of an iceberg of potential problems.”
It was never a good sign when Jake had to concede that Dominic had a point.
Jake didn’t want to think about Lil being vulnerable. He didn’t want to think about her at all, but now that Dominic had brought up the possibility of Lil being in danger he had to acknowledge the reality of the threat.
“Have you explained this to Abby?”
Dominic groaned. “I tried. Dartley women are stubborn. I sent a nanny, Lil sent her back. I had security watching her house 24/7, Lil threatened to call the police if they stayed. I even bought that girl a damned penthouse in downtown Boston, in a very secure building, but she won’t budge. She said she doesn’t want or need my money. She won’t even use the driver I sent.”
“That’s a lot of involvement for a man who promised to stay out of it.”
“That’s what Abby said.”
“The only thing you didn’t do was drag her down to New York against her will.” Jake pocketed his wallet. How a man like Dominic stayed out of jail was often a mystery to Jake, but it was that unpredictable element about him that made him so successful in business.
“Trust me, I thought about it.”
“Dominic-”
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to do anything rash. That’s why I’m sending you. Consider this a…”
“Don’t say it, Dom. Don’t even go there. I’ve spent the last week flying all over the country trying to save your ass. Your favor account has been depleted.”
“I’m not sure I like the new you, Jake.” Dominic growled.
Jake headed down the stairs to get his morning cup of black coffee. “I’m not the one who changed, Dom. You need to get your head back in the game before you lose everything.”
Which meant going to see Lil was out of the question.
Not a man who could be accused of playing fair, Dominic added, “Don’t force me to bring out the big guns over this.”
“You wouldn’t,” Jake said with annoyance
“I will if you leave me no other choice.”
That was also how Dominic won-with a long history of following through with his threats. It was never a case of if he would do it, but rather a question of whether or not you could handle a particular consequence of denying him.
Often, it was simply easier to work around him instead of against him.
Once Lil was safely deposited in her new, highly secure abode and the interview was a non-issue, Jake would try to reason with Dominic again. “Fine, and I’ll handle the interview while I’m there. Duhamel can arrange the details of the move. I’ll get Lil in the penthouse by tonight but after that, I’m not promising anything. I can’t make her stay there.”
“You can talk anyone into anything.”
Dominic added, “Oh, one more thing. See that she comes down to New York on Friday. This is an important weekend for us.”
Jake leaned against the kitchen counter. “Dom, are they worth this? This family that you’re so attached to? Do you really think they’re going to stick around if you’re a mail clerk next year?”
“Yes,” he said in a tone that took Jake aback. “Yes, I do.”
“I sure hope you’re right, Dom, because I don’t know if we’re going to make our deadline.”
“I’ve got a plan, Jake. Don’t worry.”
It wasn’t the first time he’d heard that claim.
He hoped it was true this time. “I’ll be back by Wednesday and then we’ll talk about who you’ve lined up. I should prep before I meet with them,” Jake said.
Dominic said, “Don’t worry, you know them.”
“I do?” Jake didn’t think he’d left one computer-savvy acquaintance off his list.
Dominic said, “I’m counting on it. Call me if you hit a snag in Boston.”
“Oh, and try to make it sound like it was your idea to go.”
That request did not even warrant a reply.
Jake shook his head at the phone and hung up.
Jake packed an overnight bag and made arrangements for his luxury helicopter. He’d chosen this particular New York building as his home because the generous roof had allowed him to install a private landing pad. Sure, a jet would have gotten him to Boston faster, but he liked the increased landing opportunities that helicopters offered. His could fly six people with the same quiet comfort of a limo directly to one of his buildings without the hassle of dealing with traffic. A helicopter with that level of sound insulation and refinement cost more than many private jets, but it was one of the few luxuries Jake found pleasure in owning.
Once in the city, he usually rented a private car and drove himself. He preferred less pomp and circumstance and found the constant presence of someone, especially those attempting to anticipate his every need, extremely tiring.
For that reason, his house staff came on Mondays and Thursdays while he was at work. They cleaned his home, stocked his shelves, and left a few premade meals that he could microwave if he didn’t wish to order out. The only evidence of the staff’s existence was the constant availability of everything he required.
Nice and neat.
Just the way he liked his life.
Lil peered out the window by pulling down one blind just enough to see through it and groaned. A flock of press had descended on her small house in the suburbs of Boston almost immediately after the promo of her tell-all interview had televised. They had been there all day.
