CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
-:- Paisley -:-
Tuesday morning and TwoCents has gone to do his weekly collections at the businesses. Seems he usually does them Friday or Saturday, but with everything that is happening, he is behind.
I know he has Colton with him this morning because I watched the pantomime of them getting ready to leave. Meat was in the kitchen and Star was giving Colton new phrases to try out, which had my mind bursting. She has more sayings, weird comments and quotes than you can imagine. Colton, however, thinks they are awesome and uses them wherever he goes, leaving people looking nonplussed behind him.
This morning, I am going to do the next stage on the crib, which is lightly sanding. Now, I’ve not used any form of sander before, so I’m going to handle this the old-fashioned way with hard work and elbow grease.
Crib pieces laid at the ready, coveralls on, mask on and sandpaper in hand, I make a start. This is hard on the arm, and it’s not too long before I have to swap arms because my biceps are screaming. I’m not giving in. This is going to be a darn good crib when I’ve finished.
I have to keep stopping because my hands and arms are hurting. I wait until they calm down then start again, doing as much as I can before I have to stop again. But I’m nearly done, and glancing at my phone, I note I’ve been in here for over three hours.
My mind wanders as I’m working. I can’t help the memories that are flashing across my mind of Maurice, and the good times I have of our marriage. The only bad thing about it was his mother because she was, and is, one lazy, greedy, arrogant bitch.
Davinia took everything she could from Maurice’s father until he died, then she did the same thing to Maurice. Never working, yet she would take an allowance from Maurice and flitter it away on spa days and the like. He should have shaken her off his back years ago, but he always felt guilty that she’d supported him emotionally to become a senator.
I’m going to speak with Specs and see if he can check something out for me. I make a note on the app I have downloaded to my phone, and grin because if my hunch plays out and Davinia ever crosses me, I’ll throw the information in her face.
Satisfied I have covered the sanding of the crib, I put everything away neatly, take off and shake out the coveralls before folding them and leaving with the crib for the next session. I leave the mask along with the coveralls, and put the sandpaper on one side as I’ll more than likely need to do it once more after painting the crib with the primer, but I think I’ll ask Fox about that.
After washing up and taking a bottle of water out of the fridge in the kitchen, I give the Three Stooges a smile as I pass where they are making Black Forest gateau by the look of it. But I’m not getting involved because I’ve seen how territorial they are about the kitchen. I think a war is on the brink between them and Meat!
Opening my laptop in the common room after choosing a quiet corner table, I research the local realtors. One looks promising and the review comments are very good. I think this may be one I can use, but first I’ve got to get the house emptied. I think I need to check what, if anything, I need to take out of the house before contacting a house clearance company.
Walking to Axel’s office, I tap lightly on the door and wait.
“Come in.”
I enter and give Axel a smile, but quickly get to the point because he’s not really a patient man. “I would like to go to my house, see if there is anything I want to keep before I put it up for sale and have house clearance go in. Do you have anyone that can go with me? Or am I good now to go on my own?”
Axel rubs his chin with his thumb and forefinger. “Technically, you could now go alone, but I’d rather we remain cautious at the moment.”
Axel’s phone rings, and he gives me a wait a minute sign, so I take a seat, rubbing my arms because they are still aching.
“Well, hello, Vitale. It’s good to hear from you…”
Not knowing what is being said, I try not to eavesdrop on Axel’s side of the conversation, but it’s difficult when you are sitting in the same room.
“Hm, it is a shame, but we got to Irvin before you. He’s no longer a problem. That’s all that counts, so unless there is anything else I can do for you?” Pausing the conversation for a moment, Axel grins, “Oh, well, good luck, and I’m sure we’ll speak again some time.”
Chuckling when he closes out the call, Axel looks up at me. “You are safe now as far as I know, Paisley, but until this ring is closed down permanently, I’d like you to have a brother on you if you are not at the clubhouse.”
“Okay. I’m good with that. I’m just happy that the evil bastards are being taken down.” I can see I’ve surprised Axel with my bastard comment, but I really don’t care. These people are evil and need to be eliminated.
“I’m sending Buzz with you, but don’t take hours, Paisley, as I have that Boardman Charnwood coming to see you after lunch.”
“Oh, I’d forgotten about him. Okay, I’ll not take long because I don’t want furniture. It’s anything in the safe, and any clothing I still have at the house I’m looking through.”
Buzz walks around the house and remains quiet. He isn’t one for talking much, but I have noticed he has a good sense of humor, although he is as tough as nails otherwise.
“What do you want to keep, Pais?”
“No furniture, so we can contact a house clearance company. I want to pack up the rest of my clothing, trinkets and empty the safe of my insurance policy, and other information I need to keep.”
“What other information?”
“Well, my parents’ death certificates, my marriage and divorce things. That sort of thing, you know, information.” I give Buzz my best frown before turning and making my way to my bedroom, where I’ll quickly pack up the rest of my clothes, and the few trinkets I have in the jewelry box. The rest, apart from the safe contents, can be left behind.
Forty minutes is all it takes to get the things I want to keep, then I hand the suitcases to Buzz, while I carry the large envelope with all the things from the safe inside. I’m done with this place, and it can be emptied and put up for sale.
Back at the clubhouse, Buzz helps me carry the suitcases to my room, and I carry the envelope. I feel lighter for the decision I’ve made about the house. Yes, it would have been an income if I’d leased it out, but I really didn’t want the responsibility of what that entailed.
“Buzz, do you know why the studio was empty? Where all my equipment is?”
Chuckling, Buzz gives me a look I don’t recognize. “Ask your Ol’ Man. He has the answers to your questions.”
“Okayyyyy.”
“Oh, I picked this up from your mailbox.” Buzz hands me a white envelope, and looking at it, I notice the return address is from Laurance Lebrun, a lawyer.
I place the envelope on the dresser and get started on emptying the suitcases of clothing, finding somewhere to put them in the closet and dresser. Once finished I look around satisfied I’ve not left a mess anywhere and notice the envelope.
Picking it up, I take a seat in the easy chair next to the window. Slide my finger under the flap and pull out the letter inside. Oh, shit, it’s a call to a will reading. Maurice’s will reading. Damn, his mother isn’t going to like this. But, I’m not willing to travel four hours or more for this, so they will have to set up a FaceTime or whatever they want to do to get the will read to me.
TwoCents walks into the bedroom, straight to me, and kisses me gently. “What’s up, Pais? You look distressed.”
I hand the letter over to TwoCents and wait for him to read it and then give me his thoughts, but he needs to know I’m not traveling to it.
“I’m not going. They can set up a FaceTime or something else, I don’t care what, but I’m not traveling four hours to sit with Davinia. That’s Maurice’s God-awful mother.”
“I’m sure they can set up a FaceTime reading. You go show this to Specs. He’ll contact them, or PT will. They both have longstanding experience dealing with lawyers.”
“Okay. I think I’ll speak to Specs first.” I take the letter, stand from the easy chair, kiss TwoCents, then saunter down to Specs’ office.
Walking into Specs’ office, I take a seat without knocking or announcing my arrival. He looks over and gives me a quirk of the eyebrow, followed by a grin. I think he’s getting used to my waltzing into his office without a care.
“What can I do for you today, Pais?” Specs calmly asks.
I give him the details I need him to check for me, and the go-ahead to get my house emptied and sold. “Can you arrange a FaceTime meeting with Maurice’s lawyer because I don’t want to travel if I don’t have to?”
“I’ll find what you need.” Specs gives me a conspiratorial look, and I grin before walking out of the office to find TwoCents because I forgot to ask about my studio.
I look into TwoCents” office and see him behind his desk, speaking with PT. They are both looking at something on the desk, but I give a small rap of my knuckles on the door to get their attention.
“What’s wrong?” TwoCents quickly asks.
“Nothing. I just wanted to ask where all my equipment is from the studio.”
TwoCents gives PT a grin before walking around his desk and wrapping an arm around my shoulders, guiding me out of the clubhouse and to our plot on the compound.
“See that Dutch barn?” I give a small nod as I look up at TwoCents. “That’s your new studio.”
Gasping with shock, I step up to the barn and open the door. Inside is all my equipment, set up for all my photographic needs. I’m amazed at what I’m seeing. I look up at TwoCents and give him a watery smile. “Thank you.”
“I know you said you didn’t want the photography business anymore, but you have the equipment and I thought it would be nice to have a studio so you could do whatever you like with it. Fun or business, it’s up to you.”
I wrap my arms around TwoCents neck, and kiss his jaw, then his cheek, before whispering in his ear, “You want to christen the studio?”
Grabbing me around the waist with one arm, TwoCents slides the bolt on the door and gives me his most wicked grin. “Oh, yeah.”
Sitting in Axel’s office later in the day, I’m looking at Boardman Charnwood. I’m keeping a blank face because I really didn’t want to have this meeting, yet here we are.
“What is it you want, Mr. Charnwood?” I ask.
Axel covers his mouth with his hand, but I can see the slight crinkle on the side of his eyes that tells me he is trying not to laugh. I know I’m being cold, but I really don’t care at this point in time.
“I wanted to personally give you my condolences. Maurice was a good man.”
I butt in because all this shit is going to get on my nerves. “Yes, he was, and he was doing your bidding to get information on every crooked asshole that works for our government. He lost his life, but here you are, sitting alive and well.”
“I have the information I need to take down the ones above me in the chain of command. Watch the news and you will see the domino effect happen. But know this is all happening because of the intel that Maurice was able to get for us.”
“Well, bully for you. You get the bad guys. You get to walk away. Maurice gets to be ashes,” I snarl because all of this makes me sick. “You contacted Maurice, made him an informant, placed him in extreme danger, and he died because of you.” I get to my feet and walk out of the office without another word. Charnwood can kiss my ass. I’m not interested in a word he has to say.
After the evening meal I walk over and sit next to Mia, and with TwoCents sitting on my other side, I look at Axel. “I’m thinking of passing on the Swap Shop. Do you think the club would be interested in owning it? I’d like Sentry to keep 51% of ownership, mind you.”
Axel frowns, “Why?”
“I just don’t want to do it anymore. With everything that has happened since my marriage to Maurice, I just feel like I want to step away from it. I’d still work a day or so if Sentry needed me to, but he’s running it so well that I think with maybe another staff member he would be okay without me.”
“You sure, Pais?” TwoCents asks.
“Yeah. I’m not sure what I want to do, but I feel that I need to leave my old life behind and create a new one. Here, with you.” I kiss TwoCents jaw so he knows I don’t mean leaving him.
“I’ll speak with the brothers in church, Paisley.”
As Axel”s eyes open wide, we all turn our heads and can”t help but be amused. Behind us are Meat and Star, and I’m holding back the burst of laughter as I take in their attire.
Meat is dressed like a circus ringmaster, whip and all. Star, however, is dressed like a tiger, and she has a perfectly painted tiger face. Meat has a diamond-studded collar around Star’s neck, and a damn lead attached. Star is strutting behind him with a huge smile on her face, and when I turn to look at TwoCents, he shrugs his shoulders and continues drinking his beer.
Everyone else continues doing whatever they were doing and I watch as Star trots out of the common room behind Meat. I’m not thinking about it. Nope, I’m not asking.
An hour later, Specs walks into the common room and heads over to where I’m still sitting next to Mia, who has the child monitor sitting on the table in case the twins wake.
“I have the information you wanted, Pais. I’ll get it printed out for you tomorrow morning.” Specs grins, gives me a wink, and walks away.
Mentally rubbing my hands together, I think, got yah…. If Davinia tries to cause me any trouble now, she could find herself in deep and boiling water.