CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
-:- TwoCents -:-
The morning news catches my eye as I walk through the common room. Stopping to look at the TV, I watch and listen.
Breaking News
This Just In: Senator Maurice Brooks, Independent of Georgia, was shot while leaving an award dinner earlier this week. Our news crew is on scene outside Senator Brooks” home, and we will give more details as and when they become available.
“It seems nobody is giving away any information, TwoCents,” BS says as he stands next to me.
“No, they will keep it under wraps if something is going down.”
“I hope they all get taken down. They are all scum, let’s face it. Senators, judges and the like should be above this type of shit. Give them all a bullet. It’s cheaper than incarceration for the rest of their lives, and why should we all pay for them to keep breathing?”
“I agree, and the people involved in this ring will open a lot of eyes on Capitol Hill, I’m sure. Maybe the President knows and has been doing nothing about it?”
“It’s going to be interesting to watch, but let’s just monitor it because the last thing we need is Paisley being put in a risky position. From what I’ve seen, she is under no threat, but if it comes to light she is the one who supplied all that damning information, that could change in the blink of an eye.”
“Pais is making a lot of changes to her life. Decisions that I’m not being involved in because I want her to do what she feels is right. The one thing I won’t allow is for her to turn away from me in any shape or form.”
“TwoCents, can I have a word?” Specs asks as he’s standing in the doorway of the common room.
“Yeah,” I give BS a squeeze on his shoulder, then I follow Specs to his office.
“Yesterday I spoke to the lawyer, Laurance LeBrun about the Senator’s Will reading. He is refusing to allow a FaceTime meeting. He said Paisley has to attend either now or in the future because the will cannot be concluded without her in attendance.”
“Fuck. Pais really didn’t want to attend the reading, but I’ll make sure she does. When is it?”
“Friday, 2:00 pm.” Specs gives me a smack on the back and walks away after landing that in my lap.
Meanwhile, I’ve had an idea in the back of my mind, but I’m going to need some help to pull it off. Mia is going to be the one that can best organize this and keep it under wraps.
This time of the day, Mia is going to be with the twins and, more than likely, in the playroom, so that’s where I’m headed.
Seeing Mia on the play mat with the twins, bikes and truck toys all around them, I step inside, push the door so it’s only open slightly, then mumble because I don’t want anyone hearing.
“What can I do for you, TwoCents?”
“Well…” and I lay it out for Mia, who listens quietly, nodding every few moments.
“Yes, I can do that. When do you want it done?”
“Hmm, how about a month? Would that be enough time?”
“I can do that. Now, as long as you are sure it’s all in my hands, I’ll get to it.”
“I’m sure. Thanks, Mia.” I kiss the top of her head and walk out of the playroom with a grin on my face, until I come face-to-face with Axel, who is looking at the door behind me, and my smirking face. I don’t hang around. I duck past and dash to my office, where I close the door quietly, and sigh. I’m living to see another day.
Spending the next four hours paying invoices, sending out invoices for work the construction company completed, and making sure everyone’s salary is going to be paid accordingly. It’s important work, but it gets boring, especially as the office is so quiet. I’ve placed earbuds in this morning, and listening to some rock music from a new band has made a pleasant change, and I think I’ve found a good band to follow too.
Taking my earbuds out, I clear off my desk, which is normal for me. I never leave invoices or financial information lying around. I open the safe and take out the petty cash, renew the balance for the coming week, and place the business takings into a money bag ready for Buzz and Wings to take to the bank.
Turning to the door when I hear knocking, I see Hammer leaning on the door frame. ”Do you have a little time, TwoCents?”
”Yeah, what”s up?”
”Nothing”s wrong. But I wanted to go over the blueprints with you. The new construction crew I have taken on has broken ground, but I had an idea and wanted to run it past you before we went further.”
”Okay, what”s your idea?”
”How do you feel about having another room built on the side of the house? We could link it to the kitchen, bypassing the utility and mudroom.”
Hammer has laid the blueprint on my desk and I”m leaning over, watching where he is pointing. ”Why do I need another room?”
”Studio, TwoCents, a studio. One that will have the morning and afternoon light coming through large windows. We can have shutters on the windows so Paisley can darken the room when she takes her photographs or whatever. But it would be better than the barn you had built for her.”
Mulling over what Hammer has suggested, I can see the worth in his idea, and give him a smile and a nod. ”Yes, I like this idea Hammer, and the sketch you have is perfect. I can see it in my mind. I”m sure Pais will love it, and I can turn the barn into a workshop. It”s plenty big enough for two vehicles and four hogs.”
”You only have one hog.”
”Well, I only have one now,” I chuckle, and Hammer shakes his head, but he”s chuckling too.
Specs walks into my office as Hammer is leaving and I give him a questioning look because he doesn”t leave his office often and rarely visits mine.
”Well, I”ve spoken to lawyer Lebrun again about the will reading. He won”t budge on the FaceTime. He is adamant that Paisley has to be there in person. I don”t see a way out of it, TwoCents. I put some feelers out with our lawyers to see if they knew a loophole, but they haven”t come up with anything. I think she”ll have to attend.”
”Fuck, she”s not gonna like that.”
”No, but its gotta be done if she wants to get past all this shit. If he needs Paisley at the Will reading, then it indicates the Senator left her something.” Specs gives me a quirk of the eyebrow before leaving the office.
Walking out of my office, I head to the common room, and not seeing Pais, I walk into the kitchen. Here she is working side-by-side with the Three Stooges, rolling out pastry for what looks like pot pies. Pais has flour on her cheek, and her apron front is covered too. I walk up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist, kissing the back of her neck. Picking her up, she shrieks and grabs my forearms, but I give the Three Stooges a wink and walk out carrying Pais with her back to my front.
Placing Pais on her feet in my office, I turn her so she”s facing me and kiss her ignoring the flour on her face. Once I have kissed her thoroughly I walk her to the easy chair in front of the window, and sit her down before squatting in front of her ready to tell her about the lawyer.
”Pais, Specs has spoken with the lawyer regarding Maurice”s Will reading, and the lawyer won”t budge on the FaceTime meeting. He will only read the Will if you are physically present in his office. Friday morning we”ll go early and get the meeting over at 2:00 pm, then come back, but we can stop somewhere on the way back and have a meal. I was thinking we could take one of the brothers with us.”
”You know I didn”t want to go, but if we have to, then can we ask Jo and Knuckles?”
”Yeah, of course. I can ask Knuckles if he can get the day off and come with us. Jo will be able to still work on her laptop, and you can do whatever you want to.”
”While we are traveling, I”ll email my clients and close the accounts with them. I can pass them to Specs” friend and then work out what I want to do with my time.”
”Okay, I”ll organize the run for Friday, get it cleared with Pres, and get Knuckles onboard with it. I”m sure Jo will need to get her things for the trip, too.”
”Yes, um, do you want to waste some of your time?”
I give Pais a look because I”m not sure what she”s referring to, but the look on her face has me smirking, locking the door, and wasting some time with her on my desk. Thank fuck, I always keep it clear of paperwork.
Friday came around fast and all four of us piled into the Club”s SUV and got on the road. We traveled for two hours, then stopped for a break. It”s never ideal in roadside diners, but the one we stopped at wasn”t bad. The coffee was decent, and the burgers were good.
Knuckles drove the last two hours, and I chilled out with my eyes closed, listening to Pais and Jo talking. They are friends and it shows in the easy way they talk and laugh together. Jo never seemed to fully click with anyone previously, so it”s nice to see her enjoying being around Pais.
Arriving at the lawyer”s office, we park in the lot behind the building and walk around to the reception area. The woman behind the desk gives us a small smile, asking if she can help.
”I”m here to see Laurance LeBrun. My name is Paisley …”
”Oh, take a seat, please. I”ll let him know you are here, but we are waiting for two others before the reading can start.” Again, giving us a soft smile.
We all take a seat and I can see Pais getting a little too nervous, so I grasp her hand in mine and rub my thumb over the top of her hand, hoping it is a calming move. ”You okay, Pais?”
”Yeah, nervous. I just want to get this over with because honestly, I cannot think what he would want to leave me in his Will anyway.”
”Well, it won”t be long before you find out,” I say, squeezing her hand to give comfort.
The door opens and a tall, stick-thin woman of around sixty walks through the door. She”s a bleached blonde and has had some Botox, if her frozen face is anything to go by. She notices Paisley and her nose curls. Now, that is a bad sign as far as I”m concerned, and I”m ready for whatever the fuck is about to happen.
”If it isn”t Paisley, the …”
”Shut your mouth. We don”t want to hear a word from you.” I”m still in the dark as to who this bitch is, but I”m not having anyone say shit to Pais.
”Davinia, sit down and be quiet. You are making yourself look ridiculous.” Paisley is outwardly calm but is squeezing my hand hard, which tells me all I need to know. ”This is Maurice”s mother, Davinia.”
”Oh, you”re the gold-digger who sucked her husband financially dry, then started on her son,” I say loudly, and the woman behind the reception desk covers her mouth to keep the huge smile on her face from being seen.
”Mrs. Brooks, please take a seat. Mr. LeBrun won”t be too long.” Miss. Receptionist is still trying to contain her smile, but it”s not fully working out as it”s pretty obvious to everyone she”s finding this amusing.
The door opens again, and a man walks into the office. Now, surprisingly, he looks identical to Maurice Brooks. He is definitely related, but in what way we don”t know as yet. ”Soloman Brooks, here to see Mr. LeBrun.”
”Who are you?” Davinia snaps with her nose curled up.
”You know, you shouldn”t keep doing that nose curl thing because it”s gonna stay stuck up like that in time, and you”ll look like you can”t stand your own smell,” I snarl, which has Jo giggling while Knuckles grunts in agreement.
The man turns and looks at Paisley, giving me a nod before stepping closer to her. ”You are Paisley? Maurice”s ex-wife?”
”Yes, I am,” Paisley quietly says, I”m not sure who this is and what”s going on.
”I”m Maurice”s son. One he didn”t tell his family about, but eventually claimed me as his and gave me his last name. I”m Soloman Brooks.” Holding his hand out to shake Paisley”s.
”He told me he had a son but to not tell anyone. You are around my age, I understand, and he didn”t claim you because of his political career.”
”That”s correct. He did financially support my upbringing. He didn”t want…” eyeing Davinia with a look of disgust, ”his mother to know about me. He was a good man, and I was the result of a mistake, but he didn”t turn his back on us. He did what he could and was going to bring our relationship to light when all the bad was dealt with.”
”You”re Maurice”s son? How did I not know that? You are here to claim whatever you can get your hands on, right?” Davinia nastily states, but it doesn”t bother Soloman at all. He gives her a vicious look but doesn”t respond.
The tone in Davinia”s voice doesn”t go down well. I stand at my not-so-tall height but at least I’m taller than this bitch, but Knuckles stands to his 6” 4” height and looks down on her and she visibly gulps before turning her back to all of us.
The door behind the reception desk opens and we hear, ”The three of you here for the reading of Maurice Brooks’ Will, please follow me.”