Chapter 17

“Horace,” said Rodney, shaking his lawyer’s hand, “this must be Leonard.”

“Yes, sir,” said Leonard Denier, “answering for himself.”

“Good to meet you. This way,” said Rodney. As they trod in the direction of the library, Leonard Denier, like so many before him, was all but awestruck by the mansion’s accoutrements.

“A very nice place,” said Leonard, as they entered the library’s confines.

“Thank you,” said Rodney. They all took seats by the table near the picture window that looked out on the personal forest of the Barnes clan.

“So, your lawyer here tells me you’ve already spoken to my brother,” he said.

“Yes, sir, he was the first one I went to see when I got back here, to Phoenix,” he said.

“I can understand that,” said Rodney. “I’m sure mister Hollins has informed you of the conditions under which you were granted parole,” said Rodney.

“Yes, sir: gotta hang out at the Halfway house for the next three months; gotta meet all of the parole reqs especially not to be missing any meetings with the man, uh, I mean my parole officer; and gotta get a job,” said Leonard.

“Yes, and you’ve got the job, and the job will be working for me at my offices downtown; I know you know that. Mister Hollins will be introducing you to my managerial staff and you’ll start work, next Monday, a week from today. That all good with you then?” said Rodney.

“Oh my, yes sir,” he said. “I know you and mister Hollins here, went out of your way for me. Adam told me so. I will never forget that, not ever.”

Suddenly Rodney Barnes had an idea. His brother thought enough of this guy to want to help him out. Would mister Adam Barnes consider listening to him if he, Leonard, asked him for a favor, another one. A favor relating to his, Adam’s, relations to his family! Intriguing. Mister Leonard Denier had just become a Barnes clan ally; he just didn’t know it yet.

“It’s all good,” said Rodney. “Horace...”

“Yes, I’ll be arranging the meet up with the staff, and be getting him down there for the first week or so, so he can be properly oriented and get used to the route and routine. It’ll all be fine,” said Horace.

“Good, good,” said Rodney.

It was Tuesday evening, and I was kicking back. I was alone. I was bored—seemed like I was always bored anymore—but I was at peace. My bud was out. He’d be having a job. Horace and my so-called brother were seeing to that. He’d be good. We’d be sitting down to a beer or two, on occasion, and maybe a ball game on the tube at the condo or at the bar. Things could be worse.

And then they were worse. Somebody was knocking, not buzzing, but knocking. Odd. I went to answer the door.

“Briana! LeeAnn! It’s a work night, for me,” I said, in my not very welcoming tone.

“Hmm, yes, Uncle Adam. I’m off shift already, and I knew you would be too. So...” she said.

“So?” I said.

“Yes, well, can we come in?” she said. LeeAnn was smiling as only teenage girls can.

“Yes, sure,” I said. Everyone was seated in approximately forty-eight seconds.

“Okay?” I said.

“Well, it’s been a little bit since we’ve been around, and well, LeeAnn and I thought that we’d come by and make your day—evening,” she said. I had to laugh, and I did.

“And I have a dead-mortal-lead-pipe-cinch-of-a sure-thing at Pimlico tomorrow in the 6th. Oh, and the name of the horse is ‘no-way-in-hell’,” I said. She posited me a smirk in recognition of my fairly successful attempt at a humor.

“Funny,” she said. Oh, and LeeAnn did giggle; well, she was sixteen.

“Okay, dad suggested that we drop by and ask if you might agree to come to dinner, next Saturday night, 6:00 p.m.,” she said.

“A dinner, Saturday,” I said, I was playing for time. I wanted to come up with an acceptable excuse to not come, acceptable to the girls. But, it was LeeAnn that put my hopes to the sword.

“Uncle Adam, I heard dad and mister Hollins talking. Dad really needs you to come and mom too. But...” she said, and stopped.

“But?” I said.

“They caught me listening. They kicked me out, but not before I heard some stuff, big stuff,” she said.

“Uncle Adam, please don’t tell them that I told you this,” said LeeAnn.

“LeeAnn, I don’t think...” broke in Briana.

“Bri, uncle Adam needs to know,” she said. Briana threw up her hands. It was clear the sisters were tight. One twenty-seven the other sixteen, but tight nonetheless.

I looked from one to the other with a degree of concern. I was about to discover just how justified my concern was.

“Uncle Adam, mister Hollins did some legal stuff that helped get your friend out of prison, but dad had to donate to different people or charities, not sure which, to help out too. It cost him one million dollars, Uncle Adam,” she said. “I know he doesn’t want you to know, but anyway...” said LeeAnn.

Well, okay, I was stunned. I looked over at Briana for confirmation; I got it. She didn’t say anything, but her look said it all.

“Okay, I guess I’ll be coming to dinner Saturday night,” I said. The girls smiled their smiliest.

“We’re glad you decided to come, Adam. I know there are still some things...” said Rodney.

“It’s okay. It’s all good. I hope the food is up to Cassandra’s usual standards,” I said. Rodney snorted.

“That is one thing about which there is not the slightest doubt,” he said. My turn to snort.

It was gonna be a strictly a family dinner: me and the Scottsdale clan; well, and Horace. Horace was family regardless of blood line.

“How’s all in all?” said Riley, coming up to me. I shrugged.

“Okay. I eat. I sleep. I work. A helluva lot better than prison trust me on that one,” I said. I could see I’d stung her.

“Adam...”

“No, no, I didn’t mean to upset you or anything. It just came out that way, I guess,” I said. “I mean really.” She nodded and walked off.

I felt like shit. James and Horace came up to me next, everyone else was either helping Cassandra or yakking about nothing important.

“Something wrong?” said Horace.

“I think I said something that might have upset Riley a bit. Unintentionally, really,” I said.