“I'm sure that you handle them in the same manner you do your job.”
“I wish. With this new project I barely have time to sleep.”
“What are you working on, if you don't mind me asking, Mondrya. And by the way, that's a very pretty name.”
“Thank you for the compliment, Marcus. And no, I don't mind telling you. My current project is to develop and implement strategic and tactical plans to offer and deliver services to small and middle market businesses. Develop, close, and integrate business and portfolio acquisitions. And in addition, I have to develop and implement distribution using multiple channels.”
“How do you plan to accomplish all that?”
“Through direct sales, direct marketing, Internet, alliances. It won't be hard. But it will be time consuming.”
“You have to learn to rule the day or the day will rule you. I try to rule every day, Ms. Foster.”
“Carpe diem.”
“Excuse me. But what does that mean.”
“Carpe diem is Latin. It means Seize The Day.”
“Thank you for the translation. Are you fluent in Latin?”
“No, that's the only Latin I know,” Mondrya said and her phone rang again. “Excuse me again, Marcus. Mondrya Foster.”
While Mondrya talked, Marcus thought that he had gotten all the information from her that there was to get.
“Good, Gloria, I'll see you next Monday night at Starbucks. Six is good for me,” Mondrya said and turned her attention back to Marcus. “I'm sorry, Marcus, lawyer this time.”
“I know how annoying those lawyers can be, so I won't take up anymore of your time.”
“I hope I was able to help you, but somehow I don't think I was.”
“What makes you say that?”
“You're looking for, fishing really, for some connection between what happened to Frank and his wife, and Mrs. Ferguson's murder.”
“You've given me some interesting information.”
“Interesting, maybe. But nothing I've told you, and I think I've told you quite a bit, would seem at the surface to be of interest to you. It might if you were investigating Frank and Suzanne.”
Marcus smiled and got up from his chair. “But it was still a pleasure talking with you Mondrya.”
“It was a pleasure talking with you as well, Marcus. And you feel free to talk with anybody else you like. Just coordinate the interviews with the receptionist.”
“I don't think that will be necessary, Mondrya. You've told me what I need to know. If I have any more questions, can I call on you again?”
“Please do, and when you see Mr. Ferguson, tell him I said hello and that I wish him well. He probably won't remember me.”
Marcus sat down. “You know Roland Ferguson?”
“Yes, I worked very closely with him during the time of the merger.”
“Merger? What merger?”
“There was a proposed merger between Hudson Financial and Atlanta life. But the deal fell apart at the last minute. We had the press release all ready to go and everything.”
“Who backed away from the table?” Marcus asked.
“Ferguson.”