A Negro and an Ofay (The Tales of Elliot Caprice Book 1) by Danny Gardner

Author:Danny Gardner [Gardner, Danny]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Down & Out Books
Published: 2017-05-14T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

Jon II was not his daddy’s favorite, yet he still wielded enough power to dictate the bread and circuses. A lesser lord, yet still a McAlpin, thus to cross him was a risk. Elliot didn’t want to confront him cold, so he called Elaine from Miss Betty’s and asked her to check the files for intel related to the elder McAlpin’s first marriage, the shipping company, anything that could even the odds in their sit-down. Or toe-down. He needed an angle. Elliot bet it could be found in the manner of his father’s death. Maybe his stepmother, too. Or Margaret’s advantageous union. If Jon Costas, McAlpin or whatever, was the stand-up guy Molak suggested, that’d have to piss him off. He’d start there.

Alistair’s satchel in hand, he walked into the office as it was just hit by Hurricane Mikey. Tom Molak’s boast rang true. Margaret had disclosed to the trust board she’d hired Elliot to seek out Alistair. They informed their probate attorney of their severe displeasure. Mike pulled Elliot into his office.

“Who are you to book yourself out for investigative work?”

“It just fell in my lap.”

“You work for us, Elliot. It’s our lap. I don’t want some messy business—the wife screwing the driver while the husband’s body is still warm—in our goddamned lap!”

“Margaret made her intentions quite clear.”

“Margaret? She’s Margaret now?” Mike struck the top of his desk. “Are you and the wife schtuppin’?”

“What?”

“Are you fucking Margaret McAlpin?”

“I can’t believe I need to answer this, but no.”

“This is what she does, Elliot. Pouring on the charm is how she casts a wide net. She’s not naive.”

“Neither am I.”

“A lady that looks and sounds like she does? It’s the most disarming thing she could be.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

“I think you’re under pressure to do something for your uncle. You may not see it, but you wear your desperation like a Sunday suit.”

Elliot took Mike’s overreach as an affront but bit his lip. He tried reason.

“I heard what you said the day you gave me the assignment. How you wanted to be able to wrap this McAlpin thing up. All I have to do is get a line on Williams.”

Mike looked up at Elliot.

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“I only want to help, blah blah blah…you sound like my father.”

“So do you.”

The words shut Mike’s mouth, if only for a second.

“I thought we were friends,” Mike said.

“Friends trust one another’s judgment.”

“You should have come to me.”

“Stop the world from spinnin’ to get your permission for what only I can do?” Elliot shook his head. “There he is.”

“There’s who—”

“Isadora Rabinowitz. I figured he’d show up sometime.”

Mike seethed.

“You insult me, just because you took an opportunity for yourself behind my back.”

“I took an opportunity for this firm, that worked for us three ways!”

“I don’t need you taking opportunities. I need you doing what I need you to do!”

Elliot resented nothing more in this world than being treated as the white man’s nigger. He took off his hat and held it in both his hands as a means of self-restraint.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.