Was she being lured for something nefarious? Given that she’d beaten Cleo to a pulp, I had hopes that they just wanted to thank her, to talk to her about her life, maybe. I was glad to get that response from Lisa and then her quick note that the other girl had warned her about some Kruna test we’d be facing.
And it was good that she’d told me just what that was. I had a good poker face and growing up in the Ferrano household, tests were part of the normal, but you could never be too careful when it came to a game like this where your life could easily be at stake.
After the cocktail hour, then dinner, I was invited by Delgado, Chen, Lucas, and another partner named Bart Shaw, who was an investment banking billionaire, for drinks.
They didn’t tell me where so there was no point in looking to my wife for a ‘tell’ about whether the room was a safe sex-free zone or not. This might be their test for Angel.
They had slaves in tow. None of them was a redhead so I guessed the girl who tipped Angel off wasn’t in attendance. We walked down a long hallway on the second floor in an area of the place I hadn’t spent much time in.
“Girls, wait here.” Chen said and then we turned down another hall, leaving them behind.
We stopped in front of a set of double doors. Everyone moved so that Angel and I were in front of a door with a black-taped plaque that overlapped both doors, split in the middle.
There was a beat of silence.
“We’re breaking in a new room tonight, folks. Dario, may I ask your wife a question?” That was Delgado.
“A question?” I asked.
Gan Chen spoke up, “It’s something you won’t disapprove of. I assure you.”
“Go ahead,” I said, but giving Delgado stink eye.
“Mrs. Ferrano, what do you think of this room’s name?” he pulled tape off the bottom to reveal a golden plaque that read
AEM: 2013-2015
in a small font.
“What’s this?” I asked.
The eyes of the partners were on my wife.
She stared blankly at the sign.
“This room honors your wife’s contribution to Kruna. What do you think, Mrs. Ferrano?”
“Thank you, Sir,” Angel said softly.
He peeled the rest of the tape off, revealing in script,
David Macleod, esteemed member. 1990-1993.
Macleod Room
Angel stared blankly at the plaque. I stared blankly at it. I had to hide my thoughts, my reaction. I gave Delgado a quizzical look.
He gave me a smirk. Everyone looked at Angel. She looked at me and gave me a smile.
“Shall we?” Delgado opened the door and we all filed in.
Angel was completely composed. I saw Shaw and Lucas exchange looks. Satisfied looks.
We sat.
“Gentlemen?” I inquired.
Someone came over with a tray of drinks. The room was nice. This wasn’t like the Townsend Room. It was less like a library and more like a western saloon theme. Bronze horse statues. Stuffed deer, bears, birds around the room. There was a long bar and the wait staff were dressed in western themed clothing. Girls came in, dressed like 1800’s prostitutes.