Chapter 6

Ed looked at the stack of folders standing in front of him and felt like retching. Summoning up every last reserve of his will power, Ed dove into the stack marking the ones that contained definite lies. There were five folders and they were horrible. Line after line of lies drove nails into his brain. Finishing them, he set them aside and looked at the agent. He asked, “How come you haven’t closed any of these cases?”

“I just got them,” replied the agent looking over at Shuana nervously.

Ed could hear the lie and asked, “How many high dollar cases do you close every year?”

“Three or four,” answered the agent. He looked at Ed with definite fear.

“How many high dollar cases do you identify every year?” asked Ed in a friendly manner.

“Three or four. It’s a definite lack of luck in the draw.”

The lies were driving nails into his head. Ed said, “Thank you. Take care of those cases that I marked.”

The agent picked up the stack of files and left the room. As soon as he was gone, he dropped his head to the desk. Shuana stepped out of the room and went to the office of Chad Hutchingson. Within minutes she had brought him back to the conference room. Ed was laying face down on the conference table and struggled to look up when they returned. With the last of his energy, he said, “That last agent was a crook. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t blackmailing some very rich people. Put every investigator you can on him.”

Passing out, Ed slumped back to the table. Following the instructions that Ed had given her in case he should become ill in the course of the work today, Shuana picked up the telephone and called the Carter home. When Cathy answered, Shuana said, “Ed has passed out. He told me to call and ask for John in case this happened.”

Cathy said, “John has been expecting your call. Hold on.”

Holding the phone to her ear, Shuana leaned over and checked on Ed. He was still out cold. John answered the phone and said, “Hello, Shuana. What was Ed doing when he passed out?”

Shuana answered, “He’s been going through all of these IRS files here. Must have been hundreds of them. Each one seemed to take more out of him. Finally, he just collapsed.”

There was silence at the other end of the line for almost a full minute. Afraid that they had been cut off, Shuana was about to call out hello when John said, “Inside his shirt is a medallion. Don’t try to remove it, just pull it outside his shirt.”

Feeling very ill at ease, Shuana followed the directions. When she touched the medallion, it was as though a bolt of electricity shot through her body. She told John, “Okay, I’ve got it out.”

John said, “Put it in the palm of his hand and close the hand around it. Then tell me what happens.”

After setting the phone down, Shuana did as John had asked. When Ed suddenly shook in a spasm, she picked up the phone and said, “I think he’s going into convulsions.”

John said, “Did he jump like he was hit with an electric shock?”

“Exactly.”

Relieved, John said, “Just wait a little while.”

Ed jumped several more times before he finally sat up. He held on to the medallion. Excited and relieved to see him sitting up, Shuana told John, “He’s up.”

Confident that all would be well, John said, “When he’s ready to talk hand the phone to him. I want to talk to him.”

It took Ed several more minutes before he was fully alert. He picked up the phone and said, “Hello. John.”

“Ed, you have to learn that you can’t solve all of New York’s problems in a week.”

The comment made Ed laugh. He replied, “Sure thing. I don’t think they can all be solved in a lifetime.”

John said, “I think you’ve done enough for the office there.”

Ed answered, “I’m going to spend another week here. I’ve completed almost fourth fifths of the agents. I’ll pace myself a little better next week.”

“I knew you would say that. Would you like some company? Ling wants to visit you.”

“I’d love that,” replied Ed.

John said, “That’s good because she flew out there this morning. She’s waiting in the hotel for you.”

Ed exclaimed, “That’s great. Marguerite is in the top ten and today is the last day of competition where only the top ten are cooking. Ling will be able to attend and support Marguerite.”

Laughing, John said, “She knows and she brought formal wear for her and you.”

“A tux?” asked Ed.

“Your robe,” answered John. He added, “Harry died this week. You are now head of the servants of the Two-Sided One.”

The news was met with silence as Ed considered the implications. He was now a recognized leader within the Druid organization. Ed said, “I’m sorry to hear about Harry, I actually liked the guy.”

John said, “I’ll let you get out of there. Get back to the hotel and let Ling work a little magic on you.”

Ed said, “I’m leaving right after you hang up.”

“Bye,” said John as he hung up.

Laughing at the direct actions of John, he set the handset back on the phone. He looked up to see Chad staring at him and Shuana looking at him in concern. Ed said, “I’m staying here next week to finish the case files. I’ll only work two hours a day if that is okay with you. The strain on me has been worse that I imagined.”

“You’ve done almost four months worth of work for a hundred and fifty agents in one week. I can imagine that the strain would be a bit rough on you,” said Chad. The speed at which Ed had gone through the files had been awesome. Agents were following up on the folders that he had marked and were already identifying gross inconsistencies in the records.

Nodding, Ed said, “It doesn’t take me long to identify the lie, but it can take some time proving the lie. Your agents have a lot of work ahead of them. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to go back to the hotel and see my wife.”

Opening the door to the hotel room, Ed was immediately met by a naked Ling. Smiling at her husband, she said, “I talked to John and Beth. Dr. Hayes has prescribed a treatment specifically for recharging your energy levels.”

Grinning, Ed said, “I hope the first step is a great big toe-curling kiss from my wife.”

After giving him a hot passionate kiss, Ling proceeded to strip his clothes off him. Not for the first time, she wished he would stop wearing cowboy boots. They were so hard to get off and there was no way to do it sexily. From Ed’s perspective, having a woman help him get his boots off was sexy. After he was undressed, Ling said, “Come into the bathroom, I’ve run a bath for you.”

Following her into the bathroom, Ed saw that the tub was filled with hot water and bubbles. She put him in the tub and then got in behind him. With a great deal of care, she massaged his back thereby working the tension out of his body. As she rubbed his neck, he sighed in pleasure. Slowly she worked her way around to his chest, washing him with a massaging motion. As he relaxed, Ed began to feel sleepy. As she was washing his arms, he sagged against her and fell asleep.

Ling finished washing him before waking him. He stood as she rinsed him off. Feeling weak as a kitten, he followed her to the bed. In minutes, he was in the land of sweet dreams. Looking down at her sleeping husband, Ling realized just how much she loved him. She understood that he didn’t have the infinite energy of John, but would work on something with all of the energy that he had. This was the first time that she really realized why John respected Ed so much.

She went into the living room of the suite to wait for Ed to wake. A knock on the door surprised her. Putting on a bathrobe, she answered the door finding Shuana standing at the door staring at her, surprised to learn that Ed was married to an oriental woman. Shuana whispered, “Is he okay?”

Smiling, Ling said, “You must be Shuana.”

“Yes, I am,” answered Shuana. Looking over the small oriental woman, she not surprised that Ed would be married to such an attractive woman. She said, “You are his wife?”

Ling said, “Yes, I’m one of his wives. Would you like to come in?”

Shuana came in the room and accepted a seat on the couch. With a smile, Ling brought over a soft drink for her and then sat down on the other end of the couch. She said, “Ed has been quite complimentary about you. He’s very happy with how you’ve watched over him.”

The conversation seemed surreal to Shuana, she hadn’t been doing much except running little errands while he was working. She had kept his iced tea filled and snacks at hand. The only thing that she had done that was even close to exceptional was helping him get back to the hotel every night. She said, “I haven’t done that much.”

Ling replied, “You have done everything he asked without disturbing him. You took care of him when he was weak.”

“Is he okay?”

Smiling at the continued concern, Ling said, “He’s sleeping like a baby.”

“That’s a relief,” said Shuana.

“You care for him,” said Ling.

As the week had progressed, Ed had treated her like a perfect lady. The dinners were an unexpected benefit as well as the hotel room that he had provided for her. Shuana said, “Yes, Ma’am, he’s been a wonderful person to work for. I’ve never been treated so well on a job. In the dining room, he has always treated me like an equal and not an employee. Never once has he mentioned race or my figure.”

Smiling at the kind of things that she mentioned, Ling said, “He would never say anything about your appearance other than to appreciate it. Have you been to bed with him yet?”

“Pardon?” asked Shuana amazed that this woman could even suggest such a thing. She hadn’t had a man hit on her in years. Why would a man married to such a lovely woman want to sleep with her? It was ridiculous.

Tilting her head to the side, Ling repeated, “I asked if you had been to bed with him yet.”

“Look at me and answer that question for yourself. If you hadn’t noticed I’m a big woman,” replied Shuana. With a grimace on her face, she added, “You don’t have anything to be jealous about.”

Laughing at the concerns of the woman, Ling said, “First, I’m not jealous. Second, just because you’re big doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t sleep with you if you asked him. Third, you’re a nice woman and he appreciates that.”

“You’re one crazy woman. I never heard of such a thing,” replied Shuana. In her mind, she had thought that this was one crazy bitch, but had refrained from putting it that way.

Gracious, Ling asked, “Do you have a proper outfit for tonight?”

“I didn’t think I would be going tonight once I learned that you were here,” she replied.

“Why on earth would my being here keep you from attending the dinner tonight?” asked Ling surprised at the suggestion. She wondered about Shuana and her strange sense of place. It was as if she felt inferior to everyone.

“I’ll go pick up something to wear,” replied Shuana.

Ling asked, “Do you need some money to buy something special?”

Puzzled at the care that Ling was showing her, Shuana asked, “Why are you doing this for me?”

Not understanding the question, Ling asked, “Doing what?”

“Being so nice to me.”

Floored at how difficult it was for this woman to accept descent treatment, Ling said, “You are a human being that is deserving of respect. To treat you in any way that is less than that, would be wrong. You must understand, our family lives by two main rules. If it harms none, then do it. Protect the weak from the strong.”

These words echoed exactly what Ed had said to her that first day. She hadn’t believed him then, but now it was clear that was exactly how Ed lived. Assessing Ling, she said, “Okay. I can accept that.”

With an abruptness that surprised Shuana, Ling stood up and walked across the room. Grabbing her purse, she came back and rifled through it. After a minute, she pulled out a debit card that had a picture of gifts on it and said, “Here, take this and buy yourself something that will make you look like a million dollars. Of course, don’t spend quite that much on it. Maybe keep it under ten thousand.”

Shuana looked at the card like it was rattlesnake, afraid to touch it. Taking her hand, Ling dropped the card in it and said, “Go shopping.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Shuana replied. She left and went to her room where she cried for a full ten minutes before going shopping.

Walking to the door to the dining room, Ed was dressed in his black Druid robe, Ling wore an emerald green evening dress, and Shuana showed up in white evening dress. The man at the door frowned as Ed approached, afraid that this was going to be a problem. He looked around for someone to help him.

When Ed arrived at the door, he said, “I’m a Druid and this is the formal attire of my office.”

John had been edging over to see how this would play out. When he heard Ed say that he was a Druid, he took a deep breath in surprise. The stories that he had heard about the Druids were fantastic and almost unbelievable if proof didn’t exist. The Druid organization was a powerful force that was able to influence events far more than a mere politician. He recalled the Druid’s Revenge operation in which twenty two of them had brought down criminal organizations that had resisted law enforcement for decades. Moving over to the door, he leaned over to whisper in the man’s ear, “Treat him like he was a Cardinal in the Catholic Church.”

Other people in the area, wealthy and influential, were aware of the Druids. When a group of people gave solid advice, and solved problems of significant social consequence; the powerful listened with great attention. Several of them approached and asked, “You are a Druid?”

Looking over at the crowd of people that his announcement had drawn, Ed decided it was time to give them proof. He reached inside his gown and pulled out the medallion. He said, “I’m a Druid and I serve the Two-Sided One.”

The result was electric as people suddenly looked at Ed in a completely different manner. Many of them that had viewed him as Nouveau Riche immediately changed their opinions. His actions and lack of concern for their opinions suddenly made sense. He was a holy man serving his Gods and Goddesses directly.

Of everyone in the room, Shuana was the most surprised by the effect that Ed had on the people there. Everyone in the room was suddenly treating him like royalty. She glanced at Ling and could see her glowing at the reaction that Ed had engendered. This wasn’t the first time that she had been surprised by Ed, but she expected that this would be the last. Tomorrow, her temporary services would end and she would return to her life in dull surroundings being treated like a fat black woman of no real value.

The crowd moved into the dining room and selected their dishes. As had been the case all week, John joined them at the table. This evening he was joined by his wife Beatrice. After the introductions were exchanged, John said, “I didn’t realize that you were a Druid.”

After looking around the room, Ed answered, “I was not aware that the Druids were so well known.”

Laughing at the observation, John said, “There are powerful people in this room. When a group gives good advice, performs miracles, and serves a greater good; these people will listen. To do otherwise would jeopardize their wealth. Believe me, they know about the Druids, particularly after the Druids Revenge Operation.”