Chapter 4: Eagle Flight

“Fancy digs,” Kathy mused as she pulled the Maserati up to the curb in front of the high-rise. She lifted her shades and craned her neck to look up at the glass façade of the gleaming structure. A man in a double-breasted coat opened her door as Peter climbed out of the passenger side. She handed him her keys and thanked him as he took her hand to help her out. “A girl could get used to this,” she cooed as she joined her husband at the entrance.

Maggy was waiting in the Lobby. She wore a short suede skirt, a matching blouse, and knee-high boots with 4-inch heels. Her black hair was freshly trimmed and styled with spiky curls that Kathy gushed over after they hugged. “Oh my God! You could totally rock a Super-Saiyan at Comic-Con!”

“I prefer Forte, myself,” the mulatto woman replied as she kissed Peter’s cheek in greeting.

Kathy squeaked and bounced excitedly as she hooked the girl’s arm possessively. “I LOVE HER!” she burst at the empty lobby.

“Come, I’ll take you to our offices.” She led them to a bronze-finished elevator bank and pushed a button. When the car arrived, she inserted a badge into a reader and pushed the button for the top floor.

After a brief ride, she led them into a posh business suite with a main lobby and a dozen offices visible from their vantage point. Everything was quiet and serene as she walked them to a corner office with smoked glass walls.

Peter could sense the woman’s relaxed demeanor with their presence, and he felt relieved that the old Maggy was back. He smiled, recalling their last night in the private clinic when Kathy insisted the woman join them. She lay between them nervously and fell more at ease as Kathy held her close and spoke to her at length about the relationship she and Peter shared and their comfort with sharing intimacy with Lenna. After a time, she asked Maggy pointedly, “Are you a virgin?”

Peter felt her stiffness from the question and shared in her discomfort. Kathy giggled warmly and snuggled closer. “Oh, sweetheart!” she murmured. “It’d be best if I were there the first time.” She kissed the other girl in the dark and murmured to her. Peter missed her words as he turned to relieve the growing pressure in his groin, wincing at the discomfort. His body didn’t seem to care.

“Fancy-schmancy,” Peter muttered as he looked around.

“The best money can buy,” she replied casually, leading them into the spacious room with huge picture windows overlooking the city. She offered them posh seats and moved to get coffee from a silver service.

“You bought this?” he marveled.

She smirked at him as she bent low to hand him a fine porcelain cup, revealing her olive-toned breasts. His face grew warm as he stared. “You did,” she smiled.

He blinked in confusion while Kathy laughed. Maggy turned to hand her a cup and was caught by a long, slender finger hooked into her blouse. “Oh no, sweetheart!” Kathy grinned, pulling her down, “Not without showing me the goods!” She gazed lecherously at the girl’s chest and licked her lips. “Unh, unh, unh,” she murmured.

“I ... bought this ... office?” he stammered.

Maggy turned and sat behind her desk, “Baby, you bought the whole building.”

Peter coughed and sprayed coffee as he gawked at her in disbelief. “You bought the fucking building?”

She chuckled as she sat back and sipped her cup. “You sure did, Cher. Lock, stock, and barrel.” She winked at Kathy, “This from a guy who’s buying an island—”

He grabbed a napkin and wiped his face as he glared at her.

She blinked back at him with big eyes and a pert smile. “You didn’t think I’d spend MY money on this thing, did you?” Suddenly her tone went from eloquent Cajun queen to ‘Ghetto Betty’.

He sat forward with his mouth open, shaking his head incredulously. “Seriously?” he exclaimed, “How much did I spend on this...?” he waved his arm around.

Kathy gazed back and forth between them with a delighted grin.

“About forty-three million ... give or take,” the financier replied casually.

Fortunately, he set his coffee down before she answered. He shot to his feet, crying, “What?” He gaped at her. “Why?”

“Why what, sweetheart?” she asked with an innocent smile on her glossy lips.

“I don’t know!” he grumbled, looking around uncertainly. He collapsed back into his seat and grabbed his cup. “Why couldn’t we have just leased this part ... or something?”

She regarded him as a kindergartner, asking his teacher what ‘bum’ meant. “At the rates we’re charging? Ah, hell no!”

He set his cup back down. “Come again?”

She sighed patiently and winked at his grinning wife. “Darling, this building is full of clients, companies, groups, and special interests. You have architects, realtors, doctors, psychologists, dermatologists, law firms, venture capitalists—like yourself, beauticians, counselors, corporate headquarters, employment agencies, union offices, two fund managers, Edward Jones, a regional bank manager, six state and federal government offices, and many more, that I can’t think of at the moment.” she stated confidently, “And they each pay us, or rather ... you, extortion-level lease rates.”

“So, it’s a business venture and an office?” he asked, suddenly interested.

She nodded, “This building earns $1.2 million monthly. It will pay for itself in three years.”

“I see why Jeremiah picked you,” Kathy replied proudly.

“I see why he always drank Vermouth,” Peter muttered.

“Absinthe, Cher,” she smiled back. “Vermouth is for Godfathers and stevedores.”

“Shaken, not stirred,” Kathy quipped in her best Sean Connery voice.

“My investment spreadsheet is sorely out of date,” he retorted. “Soon, we will sit down so you can explain where my money is going.”

She sniffed disdainfully and opened a drawer, removing a thick folder that she slid across the desk to him. “Up to the minute—down to the penny,” she smiled. You’re doing very well, I might add.”

“I really love her!” Kathy chortled as she leaned into Peter in a warm nudge.

He picked up the folder and began scanning through it. The first section reflected all the stocks he owned in various sectors and companies. His eyes widened at the figures. Last September, he owned roughly $7 million worth of stock in less than ten companies. He whistled, seeing that the 30,000 shares of MSFT had grown to over 100,000. And there were dozens more companies, some unfamiliar. Asterisks led him to pages of options contracts he held with the underlying companies.

A buzzing alerted them to a pager, which Maggy removed from her pocket and glanced at. “Your sister just landed at Sky Harbor,” she said, standing up. She opened a cabinet, revealing a large wall safe. “Since she will be here shortly, let’s get this paperwork out of the way.”

Peter was caught up in his stock portfolio, so after removing several bound files, she began speaking to Kathy, “My primary job is helping your husband manage his money by handling his investments, properties, and capital ventures.”

Kathy scooted closer to the desk, listening attentively.

“Now that you’re married, it simplifies things for me,” the other woman said as she opened the files. “I’d like you to sign the same affidavits that he did when Jeremiah took him on.” She set several forms on the desk facing Kathy. “Since you share his interests, I need you to give me limited power of attorney to act in your best interests as I do for Peter.” She indicated where she required signatures and initials.

Kathy made a scrunchy face as she began signing. “What do you mean, ‘interests?”

“Like this building,” the woman replied, sipping her coffee.

Kathy looked up. “What about it?”

“Well, you now own half of it.”

Kathy gazed back at her with wide eyes, “This building? That we are sitting in?”

“Mmhmm.”

“I own half of it?”

“Yup.”

Kathy finished signing and held the pen in her hand, thoughtfully tapping it against her bright teeth. “Which half?”

Maggy paused mid-sip and looked up at the Native girl, staring back at her with wide doe eyes, “Pardon?”

Kathy dropped the pen on the table and bounced out of her seat, turning around the office. “The front half? The back half?” She stepped over to run her fingers through Peter’s short hair. “The Top half?” she peered around and tapped her teeth as she sat down. “Which half has the best view?”

Maggy dipped her chin, swallowed, and looked back at her with her head tilted sideways, “Um...”

Her confused expression faded when she saw Peter quivering with the financial statement against his face. He glanced over at her and laughed at her shrewd gaze.

“What’s so funny?”

“Dang it, Honey!” Kathy giggled, slapping his arm. “You ruined it! I had her going.”

Maggy sat stiffly in her chair and collected the forms mechanically while the two giggled across from her. She sniffed again, “I thought you said you loved me!” she sulked, throwing them into another fit of laughter.

“Mmhmm,” she mumbled as she opened another file. She dumped a thick pile of legal forms before Peter and slapped her pen on top. “Here you go, chucklehead. Start signing. Those are for your Castle; those acknowledge the proposed merger of PSAS with Schroeder Industries—a Fortune 500 robotics and prosthetics giant. That affidavit acknowledges your stake in the company as a future SCI shareholder. Those are the SEC Filings dealing with your updated financials and ... oh yeah ... since you’re turning 18 in a month ... you can start doing your own taxes!” She smiled at his stricken face as she stepped from behind her desk and refilled her coffee.

Peter gaped at the stack of papers in disbelief as he began signing where she indicated with a tap of her lacquered nail. Kathy sat back and grinned as he muttered about the injustice. It took him 20 minutes to complete the stack before he sat back with a drawn expression. “What’s with all the SEC Filings?”

“Just trying to stave off the wolves for another year,” she replied.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

She gave him a pitiful look and nodded toward the folder listing his financial assets in his lap. “Did you read any of that?”

He nodded. “Yeah, and I can tell you are way better at watching my back than I am.”

Her gaze softened at the compliment, but then she sighed, “Cher, there are many wealthy people in the world.” She rearranged the forms to her liking and continued, “There is only one seventeen-year-old, self-made Billionaire among them. A teenager who started with half a million dollars at fifteen and doubled it a thousand times in two years.”

“Yeah,” he shrugged, “Nothing wrong with that, right?”

She shook her head. “Not at all. But in the eyes of agencies like the SEC—things like that don’t happen when you are on the straight and narrow.”

“Hey, I didn’t do anything illegal!”

“I know,” she replied calmly. “And I’m doing my best to make them believe it.” She scoffed and nodded at the folder. “Half of your money is safely tucked away in undisclosed offshore accounts they know nothing about,” she smirked. “Well ... they know about them but can’t touch them. And they have no idea how much is in them.” She gazed at him patiently. “That is a big part of my job,” she said. “To help you grow, protect your wealth, and hide many of your assets from greedy government eyes. They only know about half of what’s in that binder ... So don’t leave it out.”

He handed it back to her. “Shred it,” he said, having memorized its contents.

She nodded and slipped it back into her desk.

“Look,” he stammered. “You were kidding about the taxes thing, right?”

“Is that the best apology you’ve got?” she simpered as she tidied her desk and put the affidavits back in her safe.

“Would it help if I kissed your feet?” he replied, half joking.

Kathy giggled, “Baby, you better crawl under her desk and start kissing her where it counts!”

Maggy’s pocket buzzed, and she studied the message, returning to her chair. “As appealing as that sounds ... your sister just arrived,” she replied. “Courtney is bringing her up.” Then she smiled at him with a slow wink, “Raincheck?”

A musical ding sounded before he could reply, and they all got up to watch as an elegant black woman with severely cropped hair and a flashy pantsuit led a curious blue-haired, pixie-cut woman into the lobby towards the corner office. Veronica gasped when she spotted her brother and hugged him tearfully. She wore a short-sleeved, soft blue, pleated cotton dress that fell to her knees and Birkenstocks with warm wool socks. A Burlington winter coat hung open around her shoulders. He hugged her back while Maggy nodded appreciatively to the black woman before she turned and left.

“Oh my God!” she sniffed as she stepped back and looked him over. “What happened to you? Your hair...” She touched the pink scar on his scalp.

“It’s okay, sis. I’m fine.”

She hugged Kathy tightly, then turned and gazed coolly at the olive-skinned woman standing apart. “And you must be the saucy wench who couldn’t invite me to my brother’s wedding!” she growled.

“Technically, it wasn’t a wedding,” Peter replied earnestly, holding up quotation fingers.

“It was a marriage ceremony,” Kathy agreed innocently.

Peter’s sister gawked at her in disbelief. “I don’t care what the fuck it was!” she snapped. “I wasn’t there! And I should’ve been!” She took Kathy’s hands and gasped at her wedding band. “Oh my gosh, how pretty!”

“Thank you,” Kathy tittered eagerly. “Peter didn’t pick it out.”

He snorted behind Veronica’s back, and she bristled, “Why are you being so flippant? You almost died!” she blurted, looking back at him. She turned back to Kathy, who continued smiling warmly. “And you—”

Kathy cut her off by pulling her into another hug. “It’s okay,” she whispered, kissing her cheek. “We’re all good.” She took a cleansing breath and spun her to face the pretty financier. “Ronnie, this is the spicy harpy, Magdelaine Desormeaux, or Maggy. She is Peter’s financial assistant and ... business partner. And she’s one of my best friends.” She smiled as the two women regarded each other. “Maggy, this is my favorite sister-in-law, Veronica.” Her voice caught, and she squeezed her tightly. “Oh God, I can’t believe you’re finally my REAL sister!”

“I love you,” Veronica sniffed emotionally before they separated. She glanced sheepishly back at the Mulatto woman.

“May I take your coat?” Maggy offered softly, reaching for it with one hand.

Ronnie nodded with a sniff, allowing her to help her out of it. “I love your hair,” she claimed softly.

“I love your hair!” Maggy replied brightly, taking the jacket to the door and hanging it on an elegant coat rack. “Can I offer you a coffee or tea?”

“Got anything stronger?” the oldest Shipley scoffed.

Maggy smiled furtively as she returned to the desk. “Perhaps a measure of absinthe?”

Veronica blinked in surprise. “Isn’t that illegal?”

Peter and Kathy struggled to keep straight faces.

“Not as illegal as murder or grand theft auto,” Maggy replied while fetching two glasses and a crystal decanter. After setting them on her desk, she poured them four fingers each. Smiling, she handed one to Veronica and saluted her with her own, “À votre santé,” she cheered before tossing her drink back in a single swallow.

“Merci,” Ronnie replied hesitantly, pausing to sniff the glass. “Smells funny,” she remarked with a wrinkled nose.

“No, it’s good,” Peter assured her quickly.

Kathy nodded encouragingly, “Very smooth.”

They watched wide-eyed as she shrugged, tossed the drink back, and swallowed it like a college kid at a frat party. Half a second later, Kathy reached for the glass while Peter steadied his wide-eyed sister. Her eyes watered as she struggled to breathe. “Whoa!” she gasped soundlessly as she staggered back against him. “Sacré bleu!”

Kathy collapsed in her seat laughing while Maggy set down her glass and fetched another chair. Peter helped Ronnie sit in it and grinned as he returned to his seat.

“All better now?” Maggy asked innocently as she returned to her desk.

His sister tucked her chin to the side, giving a thumbs up as she shuddered, “Je vais bien,” she gasped.

Her breath was once more taken away when Maggy revealed the purpose of summoning her. “I knew he got rich from those video games,” she frowned. “He gives me freakin’ ten grand a month to live on!” She squeezed his hand appreciatively. “He’s such a good baby brother,” she cooed, feeling tipsy.

Maggy nodded with her fingers laced together. She glanced from Kathy to Peter and seemed to resolve a thought. “Veronica,” she began softly, “May I call you Veronica?”

Ronnie blinked at her and smiled coquettishly, “Mmmhmm. Just Ronnie,” she purred. “Can I call you ‘gorgeous’?”

Peter snorted beside her, and Kathy giggled.

“Ronnie, then,” the financier began, “Because you are family, I can’t force you to sign a non-disclosure agreement. However, what I’m about to share is very sensitive and ... well, you know what they say about loose lips.”