Chapter 15

I hadn’t had too much to drink at the bad guys’ place, so work was not a trial on Thursday; that was a plus. And then it was 5:30 p.m. and I was home and sacked out for my daily late afternoon siesta. And then it was 6:15, and some evil spirit was at my door and buzzing for entry. I rolled off the bed; I was still dressed, and I was rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I answered the door.

“Riley!” I said, suddenly majorly awake. She smirked which I did not appreciate. She apparently saw that I didn’t appreciate her implied happiness and wiped the smirk off of her face.

“Sorry, I shoulda called,” she said. She clearly had my number? Had to have gotten it from Briana or James. I’d gotten a new one almost as soon as I’d gotten out and moved back into my place.

“Yeah, you should have,” I said. But I stood aside to allow her entry. “So?”

“No, nothing big. I just needed to come by and thank you again for being willing to come to dinner tomorrow night,” she said. “Got any coffee?” She remembered, apparently, the truth that I drank coffee morning, noon, and night.

“Some left over from this morning,” I said. “Help yourself.” She looked down, but did go to help herself. I was not being especially welcoming, but I hadn’t told her to get the hell gone either. I guess I was mellowing out in my old age; well, I was forty-seven.

I could hear the microwave running. I took a seat and finished rubbing the sandmen outta my eyes. She was back in a short two minutes. She set the reheated cup of java down in front of her, picked it up again, took a sip, and set it down again.

“Good,” she said, referring to the coffee. I nodded.

“So, what are you really here for?” I said. She looked away.

“I’m sorry, for everything, Adam. I did bad,” she said. I didn’t say anything. She waited, but then spoke.

“Adam?”

“What? You expect me to disagree with you?” I said.

“No, I guess not. I wish you would. But no I don’t and can’t, expect you to forgive me,” she said.

“Good because I don’t. But don’t worry, I’ll be there tomorrow night with the ladies. I’ve already arranged it with them,” I said. She nodded.

“Well, good on that score,” she said.

“I didn’t come to you people yesterday for me. I hope you understand that. I did it because I owe Emma for what she did for me when I was in prison, and that’s the only reason. I don’t want anything for myself. You understand that, right?” I said.

“Yes, we know. Of course you can have anything you want, anything,” she said.

“Except you and the daughter that should’ve been mine, right?” I said.

“Adam, that’s different,” she said.

“Whatever you say,” I said. I was getting emotional and she could see I was. She sipped some more coffee.

“Adam, it was so long a time, and Rodney raised her. Things kinda took on a life of their own. I mean I don’t know. I guess I was just guilty of letting things take on that life of their own.” She said.

“Well, and there’s fact that the two of you hold me in contempt and likely have for all those many years,” I said.

“Adam, no, that’s not true. I know what you heard, but in truth we were just expressing our frustration with your being unwilling to even sit down and talk things out with us,” she said.

“Hmm,” I said. She made to change the subject.

We talked briefly about the kids and their past visits to my place. She appreciated that I had allowed them to come; yadda, yadda, yadda. And then we said our goodbyes and she returned to her castle on the mountain.

After she left, I noticed that she had finished the whole cup of coffee. It made me smile; well, it was MJB.

It was 6:30 p.m. I parked at the curb outside of the compound as I had before. I hit the buzzer at the gate. I didn’t have the code to open it. Another buzz came in answer to my buzz. The gate opened and we entered. Cassandra was waiting for us with an open door and a smile. I’d always liked Cassandra.

Inside they were waiting for us: him in a blue blazer and white dress pants and her in a knee length lavender evening dress: very formal. She looked absolutely dazzling; well, to me she did.

“Greetings,” said Rodney, in his most welcoming tone of voice.

“Yes,” echoed Riley. She kept her glance primarily on me; it made me kind of uncomfortable that she did so. “Please.” She waved us toward the dining room.”

The dining room wasn’t just a long table and chairs. There was what I called a visiting area across from it where drinks could be had and seats around a small kind of half-circle of a bar, unique in my limited experience at any rate.

Cassie was bartending and Sam had been pressed in service to aid her in that regard as well. Just as I was beginning to wonder all three of the children showed up. They, like their parents, were dressed to the nines. The girls especially were adorable. James was wearing a more casual black blazer; he was clearly well versed in the etiquette of the well to do and the upper reaches of the upper classes.

Oh, and me and my entourage were dressed Walmart-casual. Well the three of us were middle class at best. And one of us was a convicted murderer and everybody knew it.

I stood near the bar and sipped the martini that Cassandra had already provided me. Riley was conversing with Emma. Rodney was talking with Margo, no doubt giving her an unpressurized version of the third degree. She’d get the job, of that there was no doubt, but the big man did want to know the lay of the land regardless as one might have been wont to say.

Sam joined me as I stood by watching the tableau unfold. I guess he was supposed to make sure I was not neglected.

“Nice to see you again,” he said.

“And you too,” I said, “Sam right?”

“Yes, Sam Dorne. I drive for mister Barnes among other things,” he said. I nodded.