Chapter 271: a New Glock

The families, of the kids involved, just wanted to hang their heads in shame. They had been given a second chance in America and their kids had almost blown it for them. It would take years for the community to change its opinion of the immigrants. Even I wasn't happy with the immigrants at that moment. It had been too hard to get the information. They had chosen to hang together, instead of becoming part of the community at large. It might be understandable, but that didn't mean I forgave them. That was pretty much where I was, when Helen called me in the middle of the next week.

"Maxine I have finished the plans for your banquet hall. Would you meet me there this morning, so that we can go over them?" she asked.

"Sure do I need the guys from 'HLF'?"I asked.

"I would rather it just be me and you." she said.

"Pick a time and I'll be there," I replied. Eve and I had time to go to breakfast before the meeting. We also worked in a walk at the mall. I was a little concerned about a blood feud between me and the immigrants, so I was packing heat. Okay I would have been anyway, but that morning I made it a little easier to get to. Instead of a short sleeved sweat shirt, I wore a tight tee shirt and a sweat jacket hanging loose over my .38.

I had Helen at 10AM, then I had a meeting with a gun dealer to look at a .10mm Glock. He usually sold his weapons at gun shows, but he was close enough for me to meet him at a highway rest stop halfway between our homes.

Of course it wasn't just any Glock 20. The ones he had were from the government's surplus sell. Supposedly they had been part of the 'Fast and Furious' operation. They were part of the group recovered in a cross border raid. He had the paper trail to prove it, or so he said.

When I met with Helen, she had a big brown folder full of things for me to look at. One was a brochure for folding tables she wanted to buy. If she bought them, then she would have exclusive use of the space. Even though Helen was one of my few trusted friends, I didn't like to share. Hell my mom was all bent out of shape, because I was the only kid to fail sharing in play school.

"They are not the least expensive tables, but Jack assures me they are very well made." she said. "I think the size is just right."

"As long as he isn't getting a kickback," I replied only half kidding.

"I am positive that he isn't. I am not sure who he would fear most if he did that. You might have all the guns, but he has to sleep in the same bed as me." she said laughing.

"Excellent point," I agreed, "All your furniture choices look fine to me. Just be sure I have all the order information and I'll take care of it this week."

"Good," she said. "Now this is the wallpaper I want, and the lighting fixtures, all of it is here."

"I'm sure you did your homework Helen. I am just going to buy what you say and have 'HLF' install it. I know we are not going to include a working kitchen, but what do you need to serve the food?"

"I have a list of small but commercial grade appliances suitable to reheat the food. You won't need to be a licensed commercial kitchen for what we are doing. I checked," she said.

"Well sweetie it doesn't look like much of a job for the Few to handle in a short time. Don't book anything till it is completely ready to go. I would rather wait a few weeks for the first event, than to have to rush completion," I said. That's how we left it.

"Can you handle this?" I asked Eve, as I handed her the folder.,

"Of course, do you want the best price, with fast delivery, from a reliable company?" she asked.

"Of course," I replied. I sat my ass down on the sofa looking out at the second floor of the Drugstore Condos, while I drank my coffee. I don't know why but I thought of the empty luxury unit and the empty utilitarian unit and then of Kate the real estate tycoon's daughter. I wondered if she had fond enough memories of me and our time together. It might help her agree to handle my real estate needs and those of my new friends.

I had to go onto the Internet to get her phone number, but I went there at least ten times a day in search of some minor bit of information. "Kate it's me Maxine. I need to speak to you hon and it's business, not monkey business. Give me a call when you have a minute." The message went right to voice mail. I felt pretty sure she would call back, since the phone was answered Kate Burke Realty, I'm out of the office leave a message please.

Being out of the office wasn't a big deal it was lunchtime. I went to the fridge and found a sealed plastic bag of salad courtesy of Helen. She and Eve kept my refrigerator filled with healthy stuff for some reason. I suppose it was just in case I had an urge as I did at that moment. Most of the healthy stuff wound up in the trash after a while. The salad wasn't too bad with Helen's special recipe dressing.

I was on the road to meet the gun dealer when Kate called. I didn't like talking while driving but I made the exception just long enough to explain what I needed. Kate agreed to meet me at the Drugstore Condos at 5PM. I rang off without going into old times.