Chapter 14

“Emma and I had had a number of what might have been termed semi-platonic dates. Meaning we shared expenses, and lots of cocktails at Abby’s and occasionally The Hoarder.

We were at the Hoarder now. We were full. Eating at the Hoarder could, if you finished the offerings, leave one in a state of caloric panic. Well, that was my opinion. That said, I was still the skinny nothing I’d been when I’d been released. I’d been five-eight and 165, when I went in; I was five eight and 120 when I was released. I was 125 now, after four years; go figure.

“That was good,” she said. “Your turn to pay.” I smiled.

“Yeah, I guess,” I said.

“You still holding out for divine intervention to make things good with your family?” she said. It was a topic of conversation that came up maybe every third date we’d had. This was one of the thirds.

“Oh, like I’ve said, what, maybe ninety times, they are not my family.”

“Sorry, I forgot. Your blood relatives then,” she said.

“You’re pushing it,” I said.

“Hmm,” she had a look. There was something else coming. I had no clue what it was.

“Adam, I might need a little help,” she said. She sounded worried.

“Okay. Whatever I can do, I will,” I said. She nodded.

“Margo...” she said.

“Your sister?”

“Yes,” she said.

“Emma, you above all know my situation. There’s no way...” I started.

“She needs a job,” she said. Boy, was I off base! I thought that she was about to be doing the matchmaker thing. Hah!

“Okay?” I said, “How can I help?”

“Could you maybe ask your brother if he could see his way clear to help her?” she said.

I didn’t wet my pants, but almost.

“Emma, like I just got done saying. Them and me ... We don’t get along. And you know most of the story,” I said.

“Okay, okay, I guess I understand,” she said.

I could’ve been wrong, but I thought I detected a few incipient tears clouding up her eyes. But she was smiling her understanding; fatalistic though it might have been. I sighed.

“Emma, if it was anybody but you ... Okay, I’ll try. But if I end up back in prison for killing the asshole, I’m gonna be blaming you,” I said.

“You mean...!” she started.

“Yes, I’ll ask the man. But be aware, it’ll be the first time since I got out that I will have even so much as spoken to him let alone seen him, apart from that time I caught them dissing me at Abby’s,” I said.

I didn’t even know for sure if I had his phone number. But, I knew that Horace did. I’d be making some calls.

“Yes, Horace I need the number,” I said. “It’s about Emma.”

“Emma?” he said.

“Yes, she’s having problems with her sister. I know you know that Margo is living with her, and things have not been going too good. Not sure exactly why except the sister seems to be kinda desperate; she needs a job. Emma’s gotten me to agree to talking to the rich guy about helping her out. I’m gonna hate doing it, but I will try.” The lawyer across from me at my condo’s dinette table smiled the smile of a winner.

“Okay,” he said. He took out a pen and a small note pad, jotted down the number and passed it to me. “I’m sure he’ll be glad to hear from you, Adam, really.”

“He’ll probably tell me to go to hell or set requirements that it will be all but impossible for me to live with,” I said.

“Au contraire,” he said. “You know damn well that he will give you whatever you want. And as for setting up conditions. That might happen. Like maybe insisting that you take a million dollars yourself for the favor you’re asking of him.”

“Like I said, something impossible for me to live with!” I said.

“Deal with it Mister. The man cries in his beer nightly, and so does she, hoping you’ll call and listen to their side of things,” said Horace.

“Hmm,” I said. “Whatever. Thanks for giving me his private number. I really didn’t want to be calling the LLC; I know she works there, and that could be a serious problem for me.”

“She’s only there part time anymore, maybe two days a week; I mean the kids, the youngest one of them is just now coming of high school age. I mean you know,” he said. “Plus, she works charities and such.”

“Like I said, whatever.”

“Yes,” I said. “I need to see you and talk to you.”

“Adam, of course. When would be good for you?” he said.

“How about now, well, an hour from now,” I said. It was 7:00 p.m. the day after I’d confabbed with Horace.

“You got it,” he said. “So, 8:00 p.m.”

“Yes,” I said. We hung up.

“Who was that?” said Riley coming into the room and noticing the look on her husband’s face.

“Him,” he said, very quietly.

“Him? Him who?”

“Adam. He’ll be here in an hour,” said Rodney.

Riley Barnes fell into the nearest chair. “Jesus! I want to ask for what, but I’m afraid to,” she said.

“He didn’t say, and I didn’t have the balls to ask. I guess we’ll both know in an hour,” he said.

“Okay,” she said.

I parked on the street. The gate was wide open, but I didn’t want to park on their property. I was here for Emma’s sister, not for me. I just hoped that they’d make it easy for me. I say I hoped, but I was not actually hopeful.

I went up to the door, and paused before pushing the buzzer. The door opened just as I was about to do so.