The Battered Part Four
NICHOLAI
I sat at my desk, going over the plans and contracts for the trip to Bangkok. Jennifer sat across from me in one of the overstuffed, black leather chairs, rambling on as if she was going to accompany me on that venture. But that wasn’t happening. I had another person in mind for the task of my personal assistant while traveling.
I needed my cousin, Jen, to stay there, keeping the place in shape while I was gone. My younger cousin, Demetri, wasn’t in any position to take care of business, CFO or not.
He only qualified because he was family. His wife ran him with an iron fist. She was more suitable for that job than he. “Nicholai, you have to close this deal or your father will vote against you. And we both know most of the board is eating out of his hands. He must have something on them the way they’re up his ass.” She laughed at her own joke.
But little did she know she wasn’t far off base with that. I grabbed the contracts and looked them over once again, trying to see what in the contract would possibly be changed by the client. I always felt once you knew what they’d change, it was better to change it ahead of time so it would be easier to gain their trust.
My phone rang inside my suit jacket pocket. I saw her name pop up on the screen and answered it. “Nicholai speaking.”
“I wanted to know if I could see you for dinner to go over a few things,” her sweet voice spoke softly, making my ear tingle.
I had a broad smile on my face. Natasha always brought something out in me that no one ever had. “Of course, I look forward to our discussion. I’ll pick you up at 8,” I said as I trailed my finger over the contract that was on the desk in front of me.
“I’ll be ready. I’ll be wearing normal attire unless you have somewhere you’ll be taking me that will require something other than that.”
“What is normal attire to you?” I asked her, since I’d seen her in over the top attire and business attire but nothing else.
“Jean, tennis shoes, T-shirt,” she said, making my smile go even wider as I thought of her, cute all-American looking and scrumptious.
“I can work with that. See you then.” We hung up and I looked over to see Jen with a wicked smile on her face. “None of your business, Jen,” I said before she even opened her mouth.
Grabbing my briefcase, I stuffed the contract in it and closed it. I got up, then kissed my younger cousin on her forehead like I always did, and headed out of my office to adjust the contract in peace at home where I could also prepare a menu for my cook to make us dinner that evening.
As I headed to the elevators, my cousin Demetri made his way over to me. Ending his flirting with one on the receptionists. “Nicholai, buddy, what’s going on?” He gave me a light punch as I continued to walk towards the elevator.
“On my way home to work on this contract in peace and quiet,” I said, rolling my eyes.
Demetri was like a brother more so than my own brothers, both of whom I wasn’t on speaking terms with at that time due to the fact I'd gained a job they’d been passed over for. “I’ll be right back, Staci.” He winked at the receptionist.
I looked over my shoulder, pulling a little prank on my younger cousin. “Isn’t that Tabitha right there,” I said with a serious look on my face about his wife.
He had a terrified look in his eyes. “Where?” He turned around so quick I thought he might fall. I burst out laughing when he didn’t see his witch of a wife stalking him. “Man! You damn near scared me to death. Tabitha has bionic ears.” He shook his head.
“Look, I’ll catch you later. I have a lot of work to do,” I said as I stepped onto the elevator. “Go back to sexually harassing the staff, cousin.”
He smiled and blushed a little. “Alright, man. I’ll catch up with you later. Maybe we can go out for a few drinks.”
“I’ll let you know when I can do that. See you tomorrow.”
Just as the doors closed my cell rang. I blew out an exaggerated breath then answered the call. “Hello, Nicholai here.”
“Nicholai, it’s me, Jack, down here in the warehouse. An FBI car just pulled in. You might want to come down here,” he said with a worried tone.
“I’m on my way down. I’ll be right there. Tell everyone not to talk to the agent,” I said, hanging up the phone.
My driver was waiting for me at the curb and I told him to take me to the warehouse. The FBI was a constant thorn in my side and leaving the country to wrap up this damn deal was not a great idea for me at that time. No one handled the agency as well as I did. I knew the law and I knew we were running our business on the right side of it.
I talked no nonsense with the agents who poked around our business. My father always acted nervously as if there was something to hide. That man had many things to hide, I had no doubts. But the company was a thing he made sure ran above board, always.
Once we pulled up to the warehouse I could see the black Tahoe parked outside. I walked in to see Jack talking to the agent with a nervous look on his face.
When he saw me, he looked relieved that I had come to his rescue. The agent saw his face and turned around to see me. “Nicholai Grimm, right,” the agent asked as he extended his hand to me.
I shook the man’s hand, he didn't look familiar to mer. I had never seen that agent before. “And you are?” I asked in an unflattering unpleasant tone.
He chuckled a bit, looking back at Jack. “Just like you said. He is a busy man who gets right to the point.”
I’d told Jack not to talk and he did anyway, which irritated me. The fact he said anything about me, infuriated me. “Goodbye, Jack,” I said, dismissing the man.
I stood, as the agent took a seat at the table in the break room that wasn’t offered to him. The agents liked to come in as if they owned the place. As if they were in charge of all things in the entire world. “Awe, come on, Nicholai take a seat with me. I was brought onto this case because all others are hitting dead ends here. Help me out, man.”
I did not sit down, as I said, “Did it ever occur to your agency that everyone is hitting dead ends because there is nothing to find here?”
“Well, the people who run the FBI think there is something going on here. Illegal gun sales to be exact. I’d like to talk to anyone I can about that.”
“Well, you could’ve come to my office and I would’ve told you there, just as I told the others, your investigation won’t turn up anything. You’re wasting your time and mine. Which, thank God, isn’t slowing down our production.” I gestured to the door. “You can set up a meeting with my secretary. I’ve asked repeatedly for no agents to come to the warehouse or any of our other facilities. We do business at the office. I don’t know what any of you expect to find by coming down here, anyway.”
“So, what you’re saying, is I need to hang around town until I get a meeting set up with you. I wasn’t planning to be here that long, I live in Nantucket, but I have things I can do to entertain myself while I’m stuck here, waiting on you to give me some of your precious time, Nicholai,” he said as he got up and allowed me to escort him to the door.
“I’m a very busy man. I hope you can understand. So, I do hope you enjoy your stay in our fair city. It may be a long visit,” I said with a chuckle.
“I can wait. I have a daughter who goes to school here. I’m sure she could put her old man up for as long as I need to stay to wait for a meeting with you,” he said and something inside me went cold.
“I have an overseas commitment to tend to next week. After that, we have the holiday season and we close our offices for a week during Thanksgiving, and two weeks starting at Christmas. Perhaps you should go home and come back after the first of the year,” I said as I opened the door and let him walk out first. I followed him out and we stood on the sidewalk, sizing each other up.
“There are three more days in this week, Nicholai. Why not make an appointment for us before you leave? I think that would work out much better for us all. Don’t you agree?” he asked as he put his hands in his pockets.
“Like I said, call my secretary,” I held out a business card and he took it. “We’ll see what she can come up with.”
“I’ll do that, Nicholai.” He started to walk away and I realized I didn’t know his name.
“Hey!” I said, making him stop and turn around to look at me. “Who have I just talked to?”
With a smile, he said, “Oh, yes. I forgot to introduce myself. You can look forward to my presence, Nicholai. I’d hate to be on a no-name basis with you. I am Agent Norman Greenwell. I’ll be seeing ya, son.”
My knees locked and I was frozen in place. The man was from Nantucket, his name was the same as Natasha’s father. He was her father and he was investigating my company.
I never saw that coming!