“Ohh,” she says. “Then yes, let’s go. We can follow him around and record him doing stuff. Good call.”
“He’s leaving, gotta run. I’ll let you know the details about the Aquarium.”
I hang up before she responds. Howe looks across the street and for a moment, I wonder if he sees me, recognizes me. He steps toward the edge of the sidewalk, but a car passes and he’s forced backward. I take the opportunity to turn and look in a window display, pretending to admire the dresses. In the glass, I can barely make out his form. He’s standing motionless, still staring at me. My heart is beating extra loud in my ears. Should I run? If he comes up to me, what will I say, other than you’re a piece of shit? Actually, I’d like to say something to him. I half turn before I realize he’s already gone.
Deflated, I walk up to the corner to hail a cab. When I get back to the office, Jake is gone. There’s a white envelope taped on the door and inside is a note with words on it. I frown, because even though I know Jake wants me to read, he usually leaves me a voicemail. It takes me several minutes to read the two sentences, but when I do I realize it isn’t from Jake at all.
Don’t poke a hornet’s nest. You’ll get stung.
I look around, an odd sense of dread gripping me. Nobody’s staring at me. Everything looks normal, just another day at the office. I read the message again though and realize with a chill little feeling in my veins that someone is on to me. Someone knows I’ve been following Howe. Or…someone is following me.Feeling uneasy, I tuck the message in the desk and try to brush it aside. That afternoon, the phone rings several times but no one ever says anything. Hangups, I realize after the fifth one, are f**king creepy.
SIX
IAN
THAT EVENING I TAKE TINY to rooftop restaurant in Brooklyn on an invitation from Kaga who claimed he wanted to get to know Tiny better.
“Talk about a lonely motherfucker,” I tell Tiny as Steve takes us across the river.
“Have you been friends a long time?”
“For many years. We met at one of his nightclubs, in fact. I believe he thought I was selling drugs, isn’t that right Steve?”
Steve grunts.
“That’ll be a yes,” I dryly tell Tiny. “There was an employee of a pharmaceutical company who wanted to sell me secrets. They were worthless and I gave Kaga the tip to stay away from the company. If anything, the chemist’s willingness to spill secrets indicated a rather ill run company. Others bought into the fake inside information and lost quite a bit of money.”
“But you and Kaga came out friends. Filthy rich friends,” she grins up at me. “I’ve lost so many of mine,” she admits. “I’m so glad Sarah called me. I can barely remember the names of everyone I graduated with, let alone keep track of their marriages, divorces, and jobs.”
Since I don’t like Sarah very much, I stay quiet. Not that I have anything against her, except I don’t like thinking Tiny’s being used. God, I’m such a jaded motherfucker. Tiny doesn’t seem to think that way about Sarah. No sense in tainting something she enjoys with my cynicism.
“Did I mention how lovely you look tonight?” Tiny’s hair is stick straight and her gorgeous br**sts appear unbound again beneath a heavily sequined top in navy and a matching navy satin skirt. On her feet are silver sandals. I want to take them off, dip her toes into my mouth, and suck.
“What color today?” I ask, sliding a hand over her knee
“Ian,” she hisses, pushing my hand away and nodding toward Steve.
I chuckle and assure her, “He doesn’t care.” I pay him a lot of money to not care. Steve hits a button and the privacy screen goes up but not before I see his eye roll. It’s hard to say who he thinks is sillier—Tiny for being embarrassed or me for not being able to keep my hands to myself. “And now he can’t see.”
“But he knows,” she protests weakly.
“Who cares?” I whisper in her ear. “Tell me what color.”
“Mint green,” she answers with a happy little grin, “But you won’t be seeing it until tonight, Ian.”
“Don’t tempt me, Tiny. I can have you on my lap faster than you can blink.”
She laughs and swats my arm. “I hate you,” she whimpers. “I’m worked up. My panties are wet and we’re about to get out of the car and have dinner with one of your closest friends.”
“You look gorgeous and unmussed,” I assure her. “No one would ever know. If you do feel particularly restless, I’m happy to address any issues in the bathroom.”
“You’re out of control, Ian.”
“With you, all the time,” I vow with a wink and a chuckle.
Kaga waits for us on the rooftop, enjoying a drink at the bar. There are three women surrounding him.
“Miss Corielli, so nice to see you again.” Kaga squeezes both her hands and leans down to kiss her cheek. We’re seated in the corner of the rooftop, a small screen separating us from the rest of the dining area. Kaga prefers his privacy as do I.
“How are you enjoying your new job?” Kaga asks.
She gives a self deprecating little laugh, “I think Jake is a very kind person to give me this job.”
“I don’t believe Jake does anything out of kindess,” Kaga says, slightly bitter. “If you’re not competent you wouldn’t be there.”
“Maybe.” She sounds unconvinced. “I know that Jake could have someone do my job ten times better than me. Plus, he knows I don’t enjoy working there, which makes me feel bad,” she finishes with a big sigh.
“Don’t worry about Jake’s feelings. He’s a big boy,” I say, simmering with irritation.
I swiftly change the subject for her sake and we end up spending the rest of the evening arguing about the shitty city traffic. Tiny’s solution is for all of us to ride bicycles, a suggestion Kaga greets with utter horror.
“It’s good exercise,” she insists.
“There are plenty of other ways to get one’s blood pumping,” Kaga replies, his eyes sparking with amusement.
My hackles raise, and in the next instant, I have a rather appealing image of my fist slamming into Kaga’s face. “No one gets to make innuendos of those kind to Tiny but me.” I growl, low.
He inclines his head. “I apologize Ian. Of course. I would not like that either.”
“You guys are cavemen,” she shakes her head in reproof. I try to settle down the next minute but holy shit, does she definitely bring out my caveman.