wondered how it had happened. He couldn’t remember thinking about it but, well, Brenda had a way of getting what she wanted. He heard the key in the lock and hastily found a chair, sat, and opened the paper.
“Hi.” Brenda tossed her bag on the bed and strolled to the bathroom. He didn’t like that. Why did she need a bathroom right after she came in the door?
“Where’ve you been?”
“Around, you know shopping and all. What else have I to do with my time? I mean, I thought we were coming to Africa and see wild animals and things, not mope around a hotel all day. This could be downtown Cleveland, for crying out loud.”
“You left me an hour ago. So, what did you buy?”
“I didn’t see anything. The stuff in the gift shop is, like, real tacky. Like I said, this could be Cleveland.”
“We’re supposed to go to some river where there are the animals and things, the day after tomorrow. Leo is going to send the engineers and most of the others back home and we’re flying out to a resort or something.”
“Resort? You’re kidding, right? What kind of resort are you going to find in the middle of Africa? Geez, Bobby, use your head. It’s gonna be tents and MREs.”
“No, no, look at the brochure on the table. It’s where we’re going.”
Brenda scanned the pages. “You’re sure this is the place? Do they have a spa? I don’t see one in this thing? I could use a massage.”
“Come over here and I’ll give you a massage.”
“Can’t do it, Babe, I have to meet somebody.” She slipped out of her jeans and into a short skirt and blouse. The neckline made Bobby frown.
“You’d be better off if you wore a bra with that blouse. Who’re you meeting?” Bobby’s jealousy antennae were up.
“Nobody. It’s, like, business. Don’t look at me that way, Bobby. It really is business.”
“The only business you know is—”
“Don’t even say it. You are going to have to learn to trust me. It might as well be now. I say it’s business with a capital B, and that’s what it is.”
Brenda applied lipstick, gave her hair a pat, and left. Bobby waited until he felt certain she’d reached the elevators and rose to follow her. He’d find out soon enough what kind of business she was up to.
Chapter 12
Leo found Henry Farrah in the lobby turning out his pockets. He watched as his lawyer checked and rechecked them. He inspected the floor close to where he’d been sitting, and then he seemed to have an epiphany, stood upright, and headed for the hotel bar. Leo followed. As Farrah disappeared around the door jamb at the bar entrance, the double set of elevator doors opened. Brenda exited from the first, Travis Parizzi from the second. The corridor to the bar suddenly seemed crowded. Neither saw Leo, who slowed his pace and edged to the wall out of their line of sight. The two followed Henry into the bar. Leo continued his walk and nearly ran into Bobby Griswold who bolted from the stairwell.
‘You headed for the bar as well, Robert?”
“What? No…ah, yes. Maybe. Should I be?”
“Everyone else is. Henry, your wife, Travis, and I’m thinking I might join them. Then again, perhaps I should let the children plot and scheme for a while before I embarrass them with my presence. What do you think?”
“Um, I don’t know, sir. Whatever.”
“Articulate and decisive as always. Are you waiting for me to die, too?”
“Sir?”
“Never mind. Walk with me, Robert. We need to have a word.”
***
When Travis and Brenda entered the bar, Farrah and the barman seemed to be having an argument. The barman pointed in their direction and said something to Henry.
“What’s that old bag of—?”
“Oh, oh, he wants his notebook back.” Travis waved to Henry.
“Henry, I’ve been looking all over for you. I have your notebook. Here,” he reached into his pocket and produced the book and its pen. “You left it here earlier. The bartender asked me to return it.”
Henry squinted at Travis.
“Hi.” Brenda tossed her bag on the bed and strolled to the bathroom. He didn’t like that. Why did she need a bathroom right after she came in the door?
“Where’ve you been?”
“Around, you know shopping and all. What else have I to do with my time? I mean, I thought we were coming to Africa and see wild animals and things, not mope around a hotel all day. This could be downtown Cleveland, for crying out loud.”
“You left me an hour ago. So, what did you buy?”
“I didn’t see anything. The stuff in the gift shop is, like, real tacky. Like I said, this could be Cleveland.”
“We’re supposed to go to some river where there are the animals and things, the day after tomorrow. Leo is going to send the engineers and most of the others back home and we’re flying out to a resort or something.”
“Resort? You’re kidding, right? What kind of resort are you going to find in the middle of Africa? Geez, Bobby, use your head. It’s gonna be tents and MREs.”
“No, no, look at the brochure on the table. It’s where we’re going.”
Brenda scanned the pages. “You’re sure this is the place? Do they have a spa? I don’t see one in this thing? I could use a massage.”
“Come over here and I’ll give you a massage.”
“Can’t do it, Babe, I have to meet somebody.” She slipped out of her jeans and into a short skirt and blouse. The neckline made Bobby frown.
“You’d be better off if you wore a bra with that blouse. Who’re you meeting?” Bobby’s jealousy antennae were up.
“Nobody. It’s, like, business. Don’t look at me that way, Bobby. It really is business.”
“The only business you know is—”
“Don’t even say it. You are going to have to learn to trust me. It might as well be now. I say it’s business with a capital B, and that’s what it is.”
Brenda applied lipstick, gave her hair a pat, and left. Bobby waited until he felt certain she’d reached the elevators and rose to follow her. He’d find out soon enough what kind of business she was up to.
Chapter 12
Leo found Henry Farrah in the lobby turning out his pockets. He watched as his lawyer checked and rechecked them. He inspected the floor close to where he’d been sitting, and then he seemed to have an epiphany, stood upright, and headed for the hotel bar. Leo followed. As Farrah disappeared around the door jamb at the bar entrance, the double set of elevator doors opened. Brenda exited from the first, Travis Parizzi from the second. The corridor to the bar suddenly seemed crowded. Neither saw Leo, who slowed his pace and edged to the wall out of their line of sight. The two followed Henry into the bar. Leo continued his walk and nearly ran into Bobby Griswold who bolted from the stairwell.
‘You headed for the bar as well, Robert?”
“What? No…ah, yes. Maybe. Should I be?”
“Everyone else is. Henry, your wife, Travis, and I’m thinking I might join them. Then again, perhaps I should let the children plot and scheme for a while before I embarrass them with my presence. What do you think?”
“Um, I don’t know, sir. Whatever.”
“Articulate and decisive as always. Are you waiting for me to die, too?”
“Sir?”
“Never mind. Walk with me, Robert. We need to have a word.”
***
When Travis and Brenda entered the bar, Farrah and the barman seemed to be having an argument. The barman pointed in their direction and said something to Henry.
“What’s that old bag of—?”
“Oh, oh, he wants his notebook back.” Travis waved to Henry.
“Henry, I’ve been looking all over for you. I have your notebook. Here,” he reached into his pocket and produced the book and its pen. “You left it here earlier. The bartender asked me to return it.”
Henry squinted at Travis.
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