Chapter 46: Boca Raton, Part I

January 3, 1997, Boca Raton, Florida

“Good afternoon, Sir!” a young man in a VERY expensive suit said, opening the door to the limo.

“You must be Greg,” I replied.

“Yes, Sir. May I get your luggage?”

“I just have my weekender and my satchel,” I replied.

“I’ll take them to the master bedroom for you. Ms. Jaworski arrived a few minutes ago. You’ll find her in the great room. Kenton will take you there.”

I nodded and followed Greg into the house where we were met by Kenton, the butler, who at 6’2” with an athletic build, looked like he could play safety or tight end for the Bears.

“Good afternoon, Sir. I’ll take you to Ms. Jaworski. Is there anything I can get for you now?”

“Sparkling water with a lime would be nice.”

“Ms. Spurgeon instructed us to get San Pellegrino for you.”

“Thanks.”

He led me to the great room where Barbara was sipping what looked like lemonade. She hopped up from the couch and we exchanged a quick hug.

“This is just over the top,” she laughed. “Must be nice to have billionaire friends!”

“She’s not there yet,” I chuckled. “But she’s on her way.”

“You came alone?”

“Company rules that Bob put in place - no C-level people can travel together except in extreme emergencies.”

“Because of what happened to Rob?”

“And nearly happened to Charlie, yes. It’s something that’s been talked about before, but both he and Deborah insisted. The Board agreed as well. And honestly, it makes sense. I did point out that an atomic bomb could take out the entire Chicago leadership team, but my dad rightly pointed out the rest of you would have far bigger worries!”

“No shit!” Barbara agreed. “Colorado Springs has to have a big one targeted on it, so unless some joker puts together a bomb in his basement, I don’t think there would be much for any of us to worry about if Chicago got nuked.”

“Building the bomb is actually easy. We learned enough in physics class to do that. Getting the fissionable material is the problem. Not to mention it wouldn’t be very efficient, but if your goal is terrorism, even what amounts to a ‘fizzle’ would have the desired effect.”

“You think?” she said, shaking her head. “At least so far your Russian friends have kept a lid on that.”

“There are rumors of loose nukes out there, but my opinion is, that if that were true, and a terrorist group had one, Tel Aviv would be gone by now.”

“Probably. Now that we have the depressing conversation out of the way, how about we enjoy Florida?”

“Agreed!”

A few minutes later, Mario and John arrived, and for the next two hours, there was a steady stream until, by 5:30pm, everyone had arrived. At 7:00pm, after everyone was settled, and we’d all had a tour, we sat down to dinner in the dining room for a wonderful meal prepared by Jean-Paul, the chef.

“I know everyone has received the revised agenda,” I said. “We’ve allowed for time for the guys to play golf in the morning, and to keep the evenings free. Because of that, breakfast is on your own. Jean-Paul put up a sign-up sheet so you can list what time you’ll eat. We’ll have lunches and dinners together, and at the request of most of you, we added optional offsite activities. There are several options each evening, including nightclubs, the projection TV with movies here, and a ‘bar cruise’. Or, you can make your own plans. Kenton or Greg can assist you.”

“What are you doing tonight?” John asked.

“Sitting on the patio drinking Pappy Van Winkle and smoking a Cuban cigar,” I grinned. “I’ll probably take a dip in the pool first.”

“You know if Jessica finds out, there will be hell to pay,” Elyse said with a grin.

“If you snitch, Ms. Clarke, you’ll find yourself in a world of hurt!”

We exchanged a look which said ‘and it would be a lot of fun, no matter what happened’, but I couldn’t say that aloud and I also knew she wouldn’t really snitch.

“Snitch?” Skye asked.

“You know his wife is a doctor, right?” Charlie asked.

“Ah, yeah, booze and smoking,” Skye replied with a nod.

“She’s not so bothered by the bourbon or wine at dinner,” I said, “but smoking is a real hot button with all the docs. I smoke maybe three or four cigars a year, and that’s four or five too many for them!”

“With all the exercise you get, your diet, and everything else, I doubt a few stogies are going to do you in!” Terry added.

“It’s all about risk assessment,” I replied. “And how you use statistics. Smoking does increase your risk of lung cancer, but the risk associated with a couple of cigars a year is LESS than simply living in a city like Chicago with pollution. But forget that! Nobody is going to tell Jess, so it never happened!”

“The ‘Jesse Stephen Block’ theory of hockey penalties!” Terry declared.

“He’s right,” I chuckled. “It’s not a penalty if the ref doesn’t see it!”

“So we only follow the rules when the regulators are watching?” Deborah asked.

“They’re ALWAYS watching!” Elyse groused. “But you know Steve’s rule on that one. And besides, what Jesse is talking about doesn’t leave evidence the way cooking the books would. And Steve insists we follow every regulation that applies to us to the letter. We could probably cut our tax bill, but he won’t even allow us to use things which are untested in the courts.”

“Why invite MORE scrutiny?” I asked. “Is saving a few thousand dollars in taxes worth the potential trouble?”

“Of course not. That’s why they leave us alone!”

“Speaking of that, are we going to talk about the eight-hundred-pound gorilla in the room?” Cindi asked.

“He’s more of a jackass than a gorilla,” Julia replied.

I shrugged, “There isn’t much to talk about at this point. I’m confident our strategy is sound, and neither I, nor Deborah, nor our outside counsel, think he has any chance of getting a preliminary injunction based on equity. If you really want to discuss it, I’m sure Deborah can entertain you later with all the details of money damages as a cure.

“So, given he can’t interfere with the execution of our plan, we simply continue executing and let the attorneys do what we pay them to do - defend us from other members of their own profession. You know, like Mafia protection money!”

“Hey!” Deborah groused.

“Tell me it’s not true! I pay you to protect me from other lawyers. That’s EXACTLY like the Mafia, only you guys wrote YOUR protection racket into the law!”

“Here we go again,” Sam said, shaking her head. “Can we save this for some time when I’m NOT here?”

“I was just about to ask Kenton for popcorn,” Alonzo chuckled, “and somebody has to spoil all the fun!”

“Back to Cindi’s point - I have this all in hand. Just execute our plan and don’t worry about what Dante does in court. Dante’s entire goal is to get us to take our eyes off the ball. Don’t. Let ME and my lawyers worry about it. You just kick his ass, Cindi.”

“Literally!” Charlie added.

We finished our meal and I did as I’d said, and took a dip in the pool. I hadn’t swum in a LONG time and it felt good to do so, though my endurance wasn’t what it had been back in High School, despite running and karate. When I got out, I dried off, and Greg brought me a glass of Pappy van Winkle and a Cuban cigar, and I sat on a chaise on the deck.

“OK with some company?” Eve asked.

“Sure. Want a drink?”

She held up her glass, “My dad would KILL for Pappy van Winkle!”

“I think Samantha might have had to!” I chuckled. “A cigar, too?”

“What? Girls can’t smoke cigars?”

“They can,” I grinned. “Pull up a chair.”

Eve sat down and we quietly sipped our bourbon and puffed our cigars.

“What made you change your mind about the evenings?”

“You mean agreeing that we didn’t need to be together?”

“Yes.”

“Because of my trip to Ohio. I was going to use this to try to hold on to what I saw slipping away, but I became convinced that nothing I could do would change what had to happen with our expansion. I won’t be able to know everyone closely in a company of two hundred people, and it’s a fool’s errand to try. In the end, the ‘Kitchen Cabinet’, and a few select others, will be who I’m close to.”

“But aren’t you close to everyone here?”

“Not everyone, and that’s part of what triggered the feelings that led to my trip to Ohio. And that’s why I’m doing what I said - giving up my veto for anyone below director level. I’m going to trust Mario, Zeke, and Barbara to manage their teams. They have full veto, if they wish to exercise it. I prefer they do, but I have to let them run their regions as they see best.”

“That’s giving up a lot of control.”

“It is, but I don’t see any other way. And, to be honest, I’m going to be tied up with the Dante bullshit for the next three months or so. Right now, I need everyone to focus fully on executing our plan with no distractions from Georgia. Dante’s entire goal is to distract us.”

“Not to win?”

“That’s a nice bonus for him, but no, the entire point of this exercise is disruption. It doesn’t really cost him much at this stage. It can be an effective tactic, but not against me because I won’t allow him to distract NIKA from her mission.”

“Which is why you simply pocketed the papers when you were served and didn’t let anyone know until much later.”

“Exactly.”

“What’s your end game?”

“A decisive victory.”

“Which is?”

I chuckled, “I would love to see Dante on his hands and knees, kissing my feet, begging me to buy out the shattered remnants of Peach Software.”

“Going for the jugular?”

“I’m done with him. And counterintuitively, that’s why I need to focus my efforts on him, and not let it distract anyone else.”

“But isn’t he distracting you?”

“That’s why I said ‘counterintuitively’. What is it I do day-to-day at NIKA that others can’t do? That’s why I hired Deborah and Bob, for example. And why you have the duties you do. I’ve been delegating for the past ten years. This is just the next step.”

“I have to say, you have nerves of steel - ‘Little Tony’, Dante, Scuderi - you’re unflappable.”

“In my dreams! There are a few things which can get me off my game, but Dante isn’t one of them, and neither are the Italians.”

“What, then?”

“I’m not going to give up that secret to anyone!” I chuckled.

“I’ll talk to Jesse or Birgit!”

“And you think either of those two will rat me out? If so, you’re on serious drugs!”

“Can anyone join this party?” Deborah asked.

“Sure,” I chuckled, “grab a cigar and a bourbon. That’s the price of admission.”

“Can I pass on the cigar?”

“What do you think, Eve?”

“Well, the Surgeon General says these things will kill you, so I suppose so. Of course, in YOUR case, it’s a specific surgeon who WILL kill you!”

“Nah, she’ll just sic Birgit on me.”

“What?” Deborah asked.

“At one party, when I was smoking, my daughter announced that it was bad for me. I get the evil eye now if she sees me smoke my pipe or a cigar. I don’t do it very often, and I make sure she doesn’t see me.”

“Birgit or your wife?”

“Who do you think?” Eve laughed. “Everyone who knows Steve well enough knows who runs his life, and it’s not either of the doctors he’s married to!”

“She only THINKS she’s in control,” I objected.

“Uh-huh,” Eve replied. “Of all the women in your life, that’s the one you actually answer to!”

Greg came out to check on us and refilled our bourbon glasses, fetching a glass for Deborah. A few minutes later we were joined by Kimmy, Elyse, and Charlie, completing the ‘Kitchen Cabinet’.

“What did people decide to do, Kimmy?” I asked.

“The guys all opted for a nightclub. Some of the girls went to the club, and some of the others are watching a movie. You won’t believe the collection of tapes!”

“Oh, I would,” I replied. “Samantha sent the entire collection from Chicago here. There was no room in her condo and she sold the Chicago house because neither she nor her mom wanted it.”

“Where’s her mom now?” Kimmy asked. “I thought she stayed here most of the time.”

“She’s in Saint Martin,” I replied. “A place I’d love to go back to.”

Elyse smirked, “You and Samantha and her six friends?”

“Samantha is married,” I replied. “AND she’s pregnant.”

“You and Samantha?” Deborah asked.

“I only gave you the list of girls in the Club,” I chuckled.

“And that was done before they started their business relationship,” Elyse quickly interjected. “He may be generous with his affection, but he’s not a complete idiot.”

“You might want to verify THAT with his sister,” Charlie teased.

“Little sisters do NOT count in that regard!” I protested. “Just ask Jesse and Matthew!”

“I do believe that was a universal sentiment,” Elyse teased. “Shared by American, Swedish, and Russian girls alike!”

“Teenage guys aren’t exactly known for their common sense,” Eve said with a grin.

“Nor older ones!” Deborah smirked.

“And that’s why you play for the other team?” Eve teased.

“There’s a LOT to be said for soft and cuddly!” Deborah replied, without missing a beat.

“There is a long line of girls who can attest to Steve’s cuddliness!” Elyse replied. “You guys have never met Katt, have you?”

“I did, remember?” Charlie asked. “She was around when Steve first started college.”

“They say the mind is the first thing to go when you get old,” I chuckled.

“So explain YOU!” Elyse retorted.

“He’s a guy!” Deborah exclaimed. “They think with a MUCH smaller part of their bodies! And I’d say our boss is the perfect example of that!”

“You’re wrong,” Kimmy said softly. “He doesn’t. That’s not what motivates him at all.”

“I agree,” Charlie said. “It’s not.”

“For a guy who gets laid as much as he does, how is that even possible?”

“Why do you think that happens?” Kimmy asked. “Not because he’s driven by his ‘boy parts’,” as I’ve heard Birgit call them.

I chuckled, “Not anymore. She’s graduated to using proper anatomical terms.”

“She’s going to be a hellion when she’s a teenager!” Eve laughed.

“Going to be?” Elyse asked.

“Deborah,” Kimmy said, “I know I’m out of line, but ask him to cuddle. I think he will, because that doesn’t violate the policy.”

“As if THAT matters!” Deborah said, shaking her head.

“We’re all adults here,” Kimmy continued. “Nobody here cares about that policy because none of us are going to say one word against Steve in ANY context. And that goes for ALL the girls in the Club. And let me tell you something in complete candor - he won’t violate marriage vows, or I’d be going to his room tonight.”

“You’d cheat on your husband?”

Kimmy smiled, “Steve is that special.”

“Steve, can I ask why that rule is so important when you pretty much thumb your nose at social convention about sex?” Deborah asked.

“It all goes back to High School, when now Deputy US Marshal Pete Carston, then just my friend Pete, bounced me off the hood of his Mustang after I threatened to screw Melanie into the next century while they were a couple. The rule evolved in stages, with some nuances here or there, but in the end, no, I won’t facilitate cheating. You know what I do isn’t cheating because I maintain fidelity to my vows to my wives.

“To be completely candid, that’s the issue with Kimmy. Gary isn’t going to agree. But it’s a bit more nuanced - it has to be real agreement, not acquiescence. I’ve had one ongoing affair with a married woman, but she and her husband have what amounts to an open marriage. When she and I met, she had me call him and we interrupted him banging their teenage au pair!”

Deborah laughed and shook her head, “Unreal!”

“Deborah, does society agree with your choice of sex partners?” Eve asked.

“The ignorant, backward, cretins don’t, obviously.”

“Do you care?”

“Not particularly.”

“Then why care about Steve’s sex life? Or mine, for that matter. True confession time here - my first time was when I was sixteen with an older, married guy who is a friend of my dad. He’s still married and we still screw every Summer when we have our family visit. I’ve had several affairs with married men.”

“But why? You’re gorgeous, smart, and totally in control!”

“Because that’s what I want. It turns me on, I guess. Their issues with their wives are their problem, not mine. Sex is, well, sex.”

“And if your husband cheats on you?”

“Not acceptable. He has to make a choice at that point.”

“A double standard?”

“I won’t cheat on him because I’ve given my word. I’d expect him to do the same.”

“But you, well, I’m not sure this is the right word, encourage them to cheat!”

“As I said, that’s between the guy and his wife. Just as it would be between my husband and me. Actions have consequences.”

“I think I’m missing something,” Deborah said. “How can you hold him to a standard you don’t hold other men to?”

“Pardon me,” Eve grinned, “but stop being a damned lawyer and demanding logical consistency when it comes to sex!”

“Steve seems to have a logical consistency to his sex life, even if the logic escapes me.”

“He’s spent the last twenty years working out that consistency,” Elyse said. “He wasn’t quite so consistent in the past. He just pointed out how his rule about married women came about. Want to know another weird one?”

“At this point?” Deborah asked, smiling wryly, “why not?”

“Except for his first, who was nine years older,” Elyse said, “he’s never been with a woman more than three years older. Jessica is at his outside limit, because two years is his norm.”

“What the heck caused that rule?” Deborah asked.

“It’s not a rule,” I replied. “It’s a preference. A strong one. And actually, as I’m older now, it’s best expressed that what I consider my ‘type’ is between sixteen and twenty-two, athletic, small breasts, and, most importantly, intelligent.”