“He tried to warn you. He went about it the wrong way. He should have called us first. But we have his word he won’t be bothering you the rest of the night.”
I folded my arms over my chest.
The police gave me a quick rundown of what to do in case Karl does show up. They reminded me to lock all my doors and just be aware of my surroundings. If I needed them, just dial 9-1-1.
"Thank you, Officers," I mumbled after they wished me a pleasant night. Once inside my house, I shut and locked the door then leaned against it.
“What a night.” I looked at Spike who was sitting patiently in the hallway by the kitchen.
“Meow.”
Chapter 27 – Lucas
"I don't know who else to talk to about this." I sat in Ned Miles office. It was a large room with mostly windows on the corner of the third floor of a four-story building. His desk was an immense block of oak because Ned was an immense man.
I wasn't sure what to expect almost three months ago when I arrived here. My father, with the help of Jenna I'm sure, made all the proper phone calls to inform Ned and the other high-level managers that I'd be arriving to help streamline the business. The VP of this branch, Dan Depew, immediately quit since he had banked on taking over Ned's job when Ned retired. A handful of others did, too. That was a common enough occurrence when these kinds of transitions took place. To be honest, it saved me a good bit of tears and arguments from the staff if people left on their own.
I got the same treatment from the staff as I always did. The secretaries made doe eyes at me as I passed by. The middle managers either smiled brightly or had permanent scowls on their faces because the news was great or it could be better. Isn't that how all of life is?
I was surprised that the place I liked the best, besides being in my own office at the other corner of the third floor was in the shipping department. The guys didn't like me down there. The chatter and banter would cease as soon as word spread that I was on the floor. Loud rock music that seemed to me to consist mainly of the Rolling Stones, John Segar and Heart played almost constantly.
Maybe it was the noise. Maybe it was the fact that these guys didn’t care what I thought of them. I couldn’t tell. But I liked coming down here.
But I couldn't talk to any of them. There had to be a division between them and the guys who made the rules. Otherwise, they'll start to think they were on equal footing with me. Maybe down at Rose's Pub, we were equals. But in the Cambridge Logistics offices, I was the boss. There would never be any doubt about that.
"This looks serious," Ned replied. His face and neck bulged over the crisp white of his collar. I never saw the guy wear casual clothes. It was always a suit with cuff links and a tie.
“It’s really not. I mean, it’s a personal issue.” I grumbled.
“Have you thought to talk to your father?” Ned said with unflinching eyes and his baggy jowl firmly clenched.
"With his heart and all the recuperating, I've found it difficult to get a hold of him. When I do he's usually only got a couple minutes before he's got to rest or deal with the nurse or take a conference call. You know how it is."
"I do," Ned replied, his eyes still studying me.
“So, I’m going to come right out and say this. It’s about a girl.”
I told Ned what had happened with Tilly over the past several years. I didn’t go into detail. I kept her reputation private. But I was brutally honest about myself.
It was easy to tell Ned all of this. Some guys were just easy to talk to. You knew that if you said anything they’d keep it to themselves. Plus, Ned had about two more months before he stepped aside. I had heard him on more than occasion making plans to go fishing in Aruba and off the coast of Maine. He and his wife of over forty years were planning a cruise and with over a dozen grandkids he figured he’d be kept busier at home than he ever had been in the office.
It was funny. I knew Ned's salary. He made seven figures a year. But the guy brought a lunch from home every day. He spent on his suits but he drove last year's car and it was a Chrysler to boot. He would also take the day off every once in a while. He couldn't be more, unlike my father. That's probably why the Minnesota office needed a little help. At least that is what I told myself. Truthfully, after looking at the files and finances the place was running in the black but could have been doing better. I couldn't help but think my father thought the Minnesota office might be just enough rope for my leash. I'd be far enough away to be out of his sight but close enough for him to reign me in if he thought I needed it. I wasn't really in charge I was just standing in for my father.
Ned listened to me prattle on but before I could finish he interrupted me.
“Do you love this woman?” He asked bluntly.
“I don’t know?” I stammered. “We don’t even r
eally know each other. All I know is that when I’m with her…”
"When you are with her you feel good. You feel safe. You feel special. A dog can make you feel the same way." He snapped. "But do you love her? That is, would you lose everything you've got to start over from scratch to be with this woman?"
I felt like I had been slapped.
"I've never done that for anyone," I answered back smartly.
"I know that." Ned balked. "That's why I'm asking the question. You said when you heard that man threaten he might hurt her something in you shifted, it snapped like a switch was flipped and you wanted to protect her. Since when? From the sound of it, you were the one she really needed protection from."