“So your chef has a place on Deer Lake? That’s a pretty nice lake.”
“Don’t say that like I should reconsider my feelings because he has some high-priced property. It’s not his, anyway. It’s his aunt’s. I’m not looking for a man because he has money. Unlike you, I might add,” Liv said with a grin. “And I say that in the most respectful way.”
Shelly laughed. “So we’re looking for different things in men.”
Liv smiled. “Haven’t we always? And it’s not as though your choice of a husband was jim-dandy. Darren might have been a rich, brilliant lawyer, but he couldn’t keep it in his pants.”
“Maybe I’ll have the next one vetted first; you know, have a detective check out his amusements.”
“Whatever. Look, I’m not questioning your life goals. Finding the right man’s a crapshoot however you look at it.”
“You really liked him didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I liked him. Too much.”
“But you just fought over your wines-right? That was it?”
“Hey-that’s enough. It’s not as though I make wines between my duties on the Supreme Court and taking care of homeless cats. This is my life.”
“I know, I know. I was just wondering if maybe there was some other reason you two had a falling out. Like, in my case, other women-lots of other women.”
Liv grimaced.
“I knew it,” Shelly rapped out. “I knew there had to be more.”
Liv put up a restraining hand. “Don’t get all excited. It wasn’t about a woman per se, although, I admit, the reason I even heard him trash my wines was… I suppose… Okay, who am I kidding? I wouldn’t have heard him criticize my wines if I hadn’t gone downstairs because I was worried about this woman who had just come in from L.A. She’s from Peru, absolutely stunning, and is his-I don’t know- personal something or other. Everyone apparently has some speciality in the kitchen. Anyway, she’s the kind of woman who can literally silence a room when she walks in-”
“As if
“Believe me, this woman radiates give-it-to-me hot sex. And Jake hasn’t turned it down. I’d bet the farm on that.”
“You
“And say what? I forgive you for thinking I make shit wines? Come over and screw me?” Liv snorted. “I’m not that hard up.”
“If you like him, you should at least
“Jeez, Louise, since when did you turn therapist? You threw all of Darren’s clothes out the window and set them on fire when you found out about his extracurricular activities. Then, while his designer duds lit up the neighborhood, you called a divorce lawyer.”
“That was one great fire, wasn’t it?” Shelly murmured, her smile one of satisfaction. “And with that memory in mind,” she said a tad more briskly, back on track, “I understand you being pissed. Your wines are really good. And he’s an ass. Maybe we should go out tonight and see what’s out there? You know, get right back on that horse-”
“No way. Right now, the entire male gender is on my shit list,” Liv muttered. “Give me a few days to decompress and reconsider my feelings on the opposite sex. In fact”-Liv glanced at the clock-“I think I’ll do what I like best. I’ll go window shopping at those two new wine shops on Seventh and Eighth and get in a better mood. A little wine tasting, a little wine talk, and life will be good again.” Liv smiled and came to her feet. “What time should I be back?”
“I’ll quit early. Say four.”
“Why don’t I buy you dinner on the way home? Considering the balmy weather, how about somewhere on a lake?”
“That place that makes those fabulous French martinis on White Bear Lake.”
“You got it. See you at four.”
Thirty-four
Roman received a call from Vinnie at noon. “Rolf’s on the line. Wanna talk to him?” “Give me a minute.” Everyone was at the kitchen table eating the lunch Amy had made. “Janie and I have a phone call,” Roman said with a glance for Amy and Chris. “It shouldn’t take long, okay?”
Amy looked at her husband. “We’ll watch Matt.”
“Sure will,” Chris said, giving Roman and Janie a thumbs-up. “Take your call.” The next phase of dealing with Leo had been discussed before everyone pulled up stakes for Deer Lake.
Roman escorted Janie outside and well away from the house before getting back to Vinnie. “We’re ready,” he said. “Put him on.” He handed the phone to Janie. She wanted the satisfaction of personally settling the score with Leo. Even more so since they’d been terrorized by Leo’s hired guns.
“Hello, Leo,” Janie said, cool and calm. “Do you have the custody papers and my money ready?”
“Are you finished, Leo? Because I have something to say,” Janie said, her voice smooth as silk. “FYI, I still have several copies of that flash drive. So, send the papers giving me sole custody of Matt to Roman’s office no later than Tuesday. Then wire the fifty million to my personal account on Wednesday at two o’clock. Did you get all that? Would you like me to repeat it so you can write it down? Leo? Are you still there?”
“You mother-fucking cunt.”
Ignoring her husband’s murderous growl, Janie smiled. “You didn’t really think you could outsmart me, did you, Leo?” she murmured. “I mean, consider what it takes to get from a trailer, as you mentioned in our last conversation, to my current position. If any fool could do that, Leo, don’t you see-every trailer park in America would have to close. Now, then.” Her voice shifted from soap opera diva to ice queen. “The papers on Tuesday, my money on Wednesday, or I’ll start sending this flash drive to interested parties in the government. Are you still there, Leo?”
“You goddamn, son of a bitching, no-good-”
“Don’t waste your breath. Just send the papers and the money ASAP or plan on spending your retirement years in jail. It’s your choice. If I get what I want, you get all my copies of the flash drive.”
Janie held the phone away from her ear for a second, then said, “I’m hanging up now. If you have any questions, talk to Roman’s office.”
Flipping the phone shut, she handed it back to Roman.
“I’ll give Vinnie a heads-up,” Roman said, punching his speed dial. “You were awesome, baby.” He grinned. “Remind me never to get on your bad side. Hey, Vinnie, listen closely. Here’s the deal.”
Thirty-five
While Janie’s party was enjoying a summer day at the lake, Liv was wine-tasting downtown, and Jake was busy with construction; Leo was strategizing with his personal accountant.
The custody papers were in the works. He’d given orders to his attorneys shortly after talking to Janie.
But Leo didn’t lose gracefully.
He planned on suing for custody just as soon as the flash drives were in his hands. If she said she’d give them all back, he was pretty sure she’d do it, because she wanted Matt and the money. Even if she held on to a copy for insurance, it wouldn’t matter, since she was going to be in jail so fast her head was gonna swim. This wire transfer
