Chapter 35

I had two jobs now. Lawyering during the day, and playing the currency markets after hours. It was kinda fun actually, playing the markets. I’d fooled with it some in the past and I knew the game. I’d never tried to make any money; I just studied the systems—the international systems—and figured it out. The biggee? I need to make me a minimum of four million, maybe five, in six months. I used the second million that I’d gotten from the sergeant as my seed money, and the other million to get my ex-wife’s hubby out of trouble; well, almost out of trouble. He was still being punished, just not very badly. If he kept his nose clean inside, he’d be out in October. Maybe he’d be buying me dinner.

“I was paying his bills so his family could eat and sleep and well live until he could get out and take over. He did have an apartment building that he owned, but it operated mostly in the red; though somehow, he’d been able to make the bills on it when he had money. Now he didn’t have any money. I didn’t want to fool with it, but I took Glory and Tina in hand and showed them how it should be run.

They were smart enough to listen to me and they were now actually keeping it in the black. I found myself being proud of my daughter; she it was that was doing most of the actual work, and that by her choice though Glory did help some. Tina’s husband helped a little, but he still had school, and only made a few bucks working in one of the libraries; he was busy all the time. Oh, and he about my rules; that at my insistence.

Sergeant Biggs and I, and yes, I did still refer to him that way, often met for lunch anymore. I had arranged with him to pay off the loan in two installments. I paid the principal off in late July. He was surprised, but I could see that he was glad because it would take the pressure off of him per his board. He actually brought me lunch and that at the Harrington, where else.

“Jesus, Lee, if you can do this shit why don’t you live in Scottsdale in some too big house,” he said.

“Why? I ain’t trying to impress anybody. Cherry and I are doing good. We screw a couple of times a week; yes, even at my age. Eat out on weekends. And we talk to each other a lot. How the hell do you think I’m gonna improve on that. She works, I work, we like our jobs and we’re good at them. We let other people worry about status. That’s just shit to me,” I said.

“You do know you’re weird as hell,” he said.

“I’ve been told that,” I said, and we laughed.

At any rate things had been going good. I hardly noticed that the Hardys hadn’t been by in something like three months, especially Zoe. I did see Ronald a lot, but he was married to Tina, so that made sense. It almost seemed as if he were part of my family not the Hardys. But he was a Hardy and he finally made that plain to me, sort of, well, today.

“Sir, mom is coming by tomorrow. Says she wants to connect with you and Cherry. I think Zoe will be with her,” said Ronald.

“They don’t know...” I said.

“No, sir, not as far as I know,” he said. I nodded.

“Good,” I said.

“Reconnect,” the boy’d said. I guess it would be a reconnection. We sure as hell had not been very connected for a goodly length of time. No shared holidays. No impromptu lunches. No planned dinners for sure, and apart from a few brief drop-bys nothing. Thinking back, Zoe had brought me lunch one time from her favorite local deli. It was good. We’d eaten together that day, but it had been quite a while back. I decided I’d mention it. The Rueben had been especially good.

I had a table near the back of the bar area. I saw them coming toward me. They seemed to be yammering at each other. Zoe was likely getting her marching orders, I figured.

“Lee, it is so good to see you,” said Penelope, taking her seat.

“Yes, Dad, it is,” chorused Zoe.

“Yeah sure,” I said. “Been a while.”

“Yes, and we take the blame for that. It’s been crazy,” said Penelope. Zoe was nodding her support of her mom’s excuse. I decided to let them get away with their neglect. It was getting to the point where it just didn’t matter to me anymore. I mean it did, but I was able to deal with it at this stage.

“I understand,” I said. The waitress arrived and took our orders.

“Lee, I know you know, I mean Ronald and Tina; but Ian’s in jail. Some kind of money scheme,” said Penelope.

Thank God! She didn’t know much. I did not want to be listening to her nonsense or Zoe’s.

“Yes, I’ve heard,” I said.

“But you aren’t his lawyer?” said Pen. “You should be their lawyer.”

“Think so?” I said.

“Yes, well, if they ask you...” she said.

“Yes, Dad, you’re smarter than anybody,” said Zoe. I laughed.

“Think so, do you,” I said.

“Yes,” she said.

“Well, if they ask me; I would consider it,” I said.

“You gotta talk to them,” said Penelope. I shrugged.

It was strange as hell them assuming that I had not talked to the Longstreets. But they were likely assuming that the Longstreets had been as neglectful as had been the Hardys per being around me. Interesting. And it kinda pissed me off.

“So how is Grant?” I said, changing the subject.

“He’s good. Sends his apologies for not connecting sooner or more often or something,” said Penelope.

“No problem for me. I’ve been busy too,” I said.

“Yes, I know you’ve been busy. Ronald told me so,” said Penelope.

“You need to take things a little easier,” said Zoe, clearly feeling like she needed to say something supportive of her mother.

“Hmm, I’m fine,” I said. “Doing good.”

“And you and Cherry? I hear you’ve moved in together,” said Penelope.

“Yes,” I said. I had to assume that Ronald was getting the third degree on more than one level, also interesting.

The gabbing went on for a while. They just couldn’t believe that Glory hadn’t contacted me to be her husband’s lawyer. Penelope actually said that I needed to let bygones be bygones and offer to help the Longstreets. I said I would consider it, letting bygones be bygones which did not seem to satisfy the Hardy girls.

“Really, Lee, see if you can help them, really,” said Penelope.

“I’ll talk to them,” I said. “But it’s their choice.”

I had not outright lied to the women across from me, not about anything; but I had misled them which was almost the same thing. Their interest in having me help the Longstreets was interesting; well, it was to me.

Lunch was over. The two women were about to abandon me, but Pen had one more shot to take before departing.

“Lee, please forgive us for neglecting you, again, it’s not been intentional. Things have been just so crazy for us as much as I’m sure they’ve been for you. Please, okay?” she said.

“You got it,” I said. “No problem for me. Do come by when you can. The welcome mat will be out,” I said.