“You’re right, it does make a big difference. I can’t imagine going back to coach seating. Think I’d rather drive cross-country.”
Finally, Dave settled back in his seat. “You haven’t said much about the staff in your office. What’re they like?”
“Like family,” I said, smiling. “Tony Bacca and Marty Jackson were in the Army with me. We managed to save each other’s worthless hides a few times, and tend to be like brothers. When we first got out of the Army, we stuck together…”
The rest of the flight passed quickly while I regaled Dave with some of our past deeds and misdeeds. The black knot of anger buried inside eased its grip while the miles passed under our wings.
* * *
“…And this is Nathan Fisher, Alice’s brother. He came to work full-time
for us about six months ago.”
Dave shook Nate’s large hand, smile widening. “So you’re the one he talked into taking over his dirty jobs.”
Nate threw his head back in a rumbling laugh. “Hey, somebody’s gotta clean up his mistakes.”
His chocolate complexion glistened as sweat beaded his face and stained his t-shirt. Still ran a couple miles in the late afternoon, rain or shine. God, he was a muscled-up bruiser. Glad he liked me. “You can insult me all you want, just so you take over those kind of jobs. I’m not as good at pulling security details and audits as you are.”
“Long as I don’t have to leave these new digs,” he said, gesturing at the office.
I’d just informed him the space we’d shared for several months was now his, and I’d be in a smaller office next to it. “Nope, it’s all yours. Along with the headaches and responsibilities that go with it.”
The sound of a door closing brought us around. Alice, baby bump and all, came hurrying across the room. “Francis! ‘Bout time you got home.” She enveloped me in a hug, and turned to Dave with a smile. “And this must be Dave. He didn’t say much about you, except to treat you like family when you got here.” She surprised him with a hug.
“Um-yeah, hi. It’s really good to meet you,” he stammered as she stepped back. “And you’re right, Francis. She does look like Queen Latifah. Except a lot prettier.”
She laughed and gave him another hug. “Man, you’re so much nicer than the butt-face you’re standing next to.”
We moved towards her desk where she picked up a flash drive and inch-thick folder. “Here’s the information we’ve gathered so far on William Franks and Marianne Crosby. Franks seems like your normal up and coming hood, but Crosby is a different story. Not much on her from our legal sources, but lots of bad stuff from our not-so-legal contacts.”
I handed them to Dave. “You want to go through this stuff? Use the office on the left. Just be careful, the computer tends to screw up a lot.”
“Don’t you believe it,” Alice said. “Old fumble-fingers just hasn’t gotten past the fourth grade in his ability to use a computer.”
As Dave strode off, Alice hooked a finger at me. “We gotta talk about all this money you came up with.”
I sat next to her desk with a smile. “Thanks for treating Dave like that.”
She plunked into her chair. “I was hoping you’d get him out here to visit. From what you told us, he’s been through a lot. You can still see it in his eyes, too.”
With a mental shake, I re-focused on the paperwork blizzard we were about to start. “First of all, did you happen to get the legal forms I need to open a publishing company?”
She handed a blue file folder over. “that I did. And listed myself as the Financial Officer like you said.”
I put the file in my briefcase. “I’ll check these over and sign ‘em tonight.”
Alice turned her computer screen towards me. “As far as dividing the funds you just came up with, I’ve worked out a spread sheet we can work on.”
For the next thirty minutes we planned and plotted while moving numbers from one column to another. Finally, we came up for air.
She hit the print button on her computer. “Okay, let’s look at a summary, make sure it’s where you want the money.”
I glanced down the column of figures on the document she handed me. “Let’s see, in original money I’ve got almost two million that’s in my public account, and over seven mil in two hidden accounts. The rest is the new money. I need to have four point nine million go to Charlie and Wilbur, six and a half million to help start up the publishing company, and the rest divided six ways for you, the baby, Marty, Tony, Dave and me. That’s six point two million each.”
She shook her head. “I’d object, except you cheated and included the baby. Why d’you think we all need to share money you came up with?”
I shrugged. “We’re not only in business together, but you’re sharing the risks. Only makes sense you should get some of the reward.” I stood and gave a huge stretch. “Plus you’re the one who’s gonna be doing the hardest job, in my opinion. Making the money appear in our accounts as if it’s already been taxed.”
Marty came hustling through the door, closely followed by Tony. “Bout time you’re back,” he boomed from his six foot plus height. His dark brown face was all smiles as he enveloped me in a bear hug. “Alice’s been gettin’ tired only havin’ Tony and me to beat on.”
Tony was a stark contrast to Marty. Dark four inch hair tied back in a short pony tail, pale skin, and not quite five-nine in height. “Hear you picked up some new help along the way,” Tony said after a quick handshake. “How many times he saved your butt so far?”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Only once so far. C’mon, I’ll introduce
