Taken (Dark Desires 1)

six months later to the day. I had already been running the business but I was touched to see how many people from the beginning remembered and called my father an honest businessman.

It was hard to be an honest businessman these days. Especially with guys like Carson around who had something I needed but wanted to play all kinds of games and make me jump through hoops in order to secure his commitment. It was worse than politics.

Maybe Denise was right. I knew exactly what my mother would say about a guy like Carson.

“For a lesser known client you could get a one hundred percent backing instead of settling for a possible fifty percent backing from Carson. Give it a month and see if he hasn’t changed his mind.”

My mother always said to give things a month.

“Your flunking science, give it a month to really work hard and you’ll see a change.” “Emmy Lou Perkins doesn’t want to go out with you? Give it a month of ignoring her completely and you’ll see a change.” “Thomas Carson will only talk to you if you get him Knick’s tickets. Give it a month and take his competitor to the game and see if you see a change.”

And Denise knew my mother well enough to know the weight of making that suggestion.

I looked at her while she blinked her eyes looking over her long thin nose at her notes as if she were studying something huge she had to present to me next.

Denise was not here to play games. She took pride in her job but she was not a yes man. I had plenty of those whether I wanted them or not. My secretary, on the other hand, had insider knowledge of just about everything that went on in my twenty-eight story building. I valued her opinion more than even the most seasoned members on the board of trustees.

“Why don’t you let me worry about Carson?” I said, buying myself some time to think. “What’s the second bit of good news?”

“We’ve got Bonnie’s replacement.”

“You’re kidding?”

“Nope. She was just interviewed by phone this morning and will be coming in tomorrow for a face to face. But according to Mrs. Ogawa she is perfect.”

“What a relief.” I rubbed my temples. “What a train wreck Bonnie was.” I squeezed my eyes shut and could see the face of the red-headed beast that had worked here until just two months ago.

“That’s what happens when you have a man do a woman’s job.” Denise snapped, folding her pad over as if to indicate the conversation was over.

“Denise, you were having your gallbladder removed. I had two choices. I either send all the applicants to the hospital while you were recuperating or I interview the candidates myself. I chose to do it myself.”

“To make it easy on me?”

“Exactly.”

“So, making it easy on me is hiring a bimbo with dollar signs in her eyes every time she looked at you who couldn’t spell Administrative Assistant, let alone be one. Thank you, Marty. Thank you for making it so easy on me that I almost went back to the hospital with a stroke.”

“It wasn’t that bad.” I said, laughing.

“I am still finding files that she mismanaged and she’s been gone for two months.”

“Now don’t just make up stories, Denise.”

“Believe me, I wish I just made up Bonnie.” Denise said standing up and smoothing out her skirt before she went back to her desk outside my office. It was now 8:12 and I could hear the secretaries chirping away getting caught up on the evening events before Denise made her rounds making sure they were all at their desks and working.

I looked at the only photo I had on my desk that was of my parents. My dad was about twenty-four years old wearing a suit and tie. My mom was two years younger and in a pretty dress that had polka dots and a wide skirt. They stood in front of a 1960 Lincoln Continental convertible. They had been married about a year when the old man bought that car. It was a gift for my mom.

The picture was faded and the clothes were terribly out of style but I liked how real they looked. It was hard to find that kind of authenticity today. Just like Carson as Denise had said.

She was right. My mother would not waste her time on a guy like that. But he had the money I needed and for the backing of an overseas venture that could prove to set Reid Industries apart from the rest of the struggling and climbing competitors in the industry.

Sometimes good business meant making difficult choices and an unsavory partnership could end in a successful gamble. But was it worth it?

“Do you need me for anything else?” she asked seriously.

Looking around my desk I shook my head.

“Maybe while I’m at the chiropractor you could straighten up this desk.”