him. But he thanked his luck and worked hard to give her anything she wanted. He would do anything for her.
While he was lost in thoughts, Rachel mentioned running into Stephanie Wright at the post office. As soon as he heard Stephanie’s name he turned his thoughts to Michael. He smiled and nodded to pretend he was still listening to Rachel but his blood began to boil, recalling the incident in his office yesterday. How could he embarrass Derrick like that? In front of a customer. After all he had done for Michael over the years. He felt betrayed and was bent on getting even. Moves like that could slow down the debt collection which was a critical part of his plan to land the job as CEO. Nothing could derail those plans, especially Wright. Heck, he just saved his ass from Martin Pike, his own personal debt collector. Martin is a sick bastard and would have carved Michael up and left his dying daughter and family to nothing. What had Michael done for that family besides rack up huge debt and not save for the future? What kind of animal doesn’t take care of his own flesh and blood? How can a real man look himself in the mirror knowing that he couldn’t provide the best of life’s treats to his precious family? Michael Wright, that’s who, he thought. He suddenly lost his appetite and looked at his watch. It was getting late and he needed to meet up with Martin about this shortly.
Derrick wiped his mouth and folded his cloth napkin over the plate. Rachel had finished speaking and Derrick excused himself to go to the gym for a quick workout. He said he needed to sweat off the calories of his delicious meal and he circled the table, giving each girl a peck on the head. He saved Rachel for last and he kissed her for a prolonged second on the lips. He brushed his hand down her shoulder and she closed her eyes, smiling and leaning her head into his arm. Derrick left the dining room and went upstairs to change into his gym clothes. He had to at least look like he was going to the gym so nobody thought anything different.
Chapter 13
Derrick pulled into a parking spot across the street from the duck pond. It was almost completely dark now but he could make out the faint outline of a hulking man on the bench. Besides, he had seen that stupid truck parked up the street and around the corner. At least Martin is trying to be less obvious this time around, Derrick thought. But he was reckless two nights ago at the park in Dumont.
Derrick arrived at the bench and stopped before the seated man. He needed to set the tone immediately. “Your actions the other night were out of line. I don’t pay you to have your sick jollies. I pay you to get the job done, quickly, cleanly and quietly.” He glared down at the huge man.
Martin kept tossing crackers into the dark duck pond with no ducks on the water. He never once looked at the banker the whole time he approached, nor did he look at him now. His disheveled dark hair itched him, so he paused to scratch his head with one of the crackers. Then tossed it into the pond.
“Whatever.” Derrick said as the debt collector never responded. He sat down on the bench next to Martin. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and stared off into the woods beyond the pond. “The board meeting is coming up and I need things to go smoothly if I am to get that promotion. Do you understand the stakes here?”
“Nice track suit.” Martin finally spoke in a raspy voice. He continued to fling crackers into the pond. There was a flotilla of white crackers piled up near the water’s edge.
Derrick chuckled and looked down at this workout gear. “Yeah, well you wouldn’t know about pretending so your family stays safe since you live alone like an animal, wearing the same garbage flannel shirts and old jeans. You’re pathetic.”
“I like my clothes. They keep me warm and I know them intimately. When they lose their usefulness then I will bury them like all the people you
While he was lost in thoughts, Rachel mentioned running into Stephanie Wright at the post office. As soon as he heard Stephanie’s name he turned his thoughts to Michael. He smiled and nodded to pretend he was still listening to Rachel but his blood began to boil, recalling the incident in his office yesterday. How could he embarrass Derrick like that? In front of a customer. After all he had done for Michael over the years. He felt betrayed and was bent on getting even. Moves like that could slow down the debt collection which was a critical part of his plan to land the job as CEO. Nothing could derail those plans, especially Wright. Heck, he just saved his ass from Martin Pike, his own personal debt collector. Martin is a sick bastard and would have carved Michael up and left his dying daughter and family to nothing. What had Michael done for that family besides rack up huge debt and not save for the future? What kind of animal doesn’t take care of his own flesh and blood? How can a real man look himself in the mirror knowing that he couldn’t provide the best of life’s treats to his precious family? Michael Wright, that’s who, he thought. He suddenly lost his appetite and looked at his watch. It was getting late and he needed to meet up with Martin about this shortly.
Derrick wiped his mouth and folded his cloth napkin over the plate. Rachel had finished speaking and Derrick excused himself to go to the gym for a quick workout. He said he needed to sweat off the calories of his delicious meal and he circled the table, giving each girl a peck on the head. He saved Rachel for last and he kissed her for a prolonged second on the lips. He brushed his hand down her shoulder and she closed her eyes, smiling and leaning her head into his arm. Derrick left the dining room and went upstairs to change into his gym clothes. He had to at least look like he was going to the gym so nobody thought anything different.
Chapter 13
Derrick pulled into a parking spot across the street from the duck pond. It was almost completely dark now but he could make out the faint outline of a hulking man on the bench. Besides, he had seen that stupid truck parked up the street and around the corner. At least Martin is trying to be less obvious this time around, Derrick thought. But he was reckless two nights ago at the park in Dumont.
Derrick arrived at the bench and stopped before the seated man. He needed to set the tone immediately. “Your actions the other night were out of line. I don’t pay you to have your sick jollies. I pay you to get the job done, quickly, cleanly and quietly.” He glared down at the huge man.
Martin kept tossing crackers into the dark duck pond with no ducks on the water. He never once looked at the banker the whole time he approached, nor did he look at him now. His disheveled dark hair itched him, so he paused to scratch his head with one of the crackers. Then tossed it into the pond.
“Whatever.” Derrick said as the debt collector never responded. He sat down on the bench next to Martin. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and stared off into the woods beyond the pond. “The board meeting is coming up and I need things to go smoothly if I am to get that promotion. Do you understand the stakes here?”
“Nice track suit.” Martin finally spoke in a raspy voice. He continued to fling crackers into the pond. There was a flotilla of white crackers piled up near the water’s edge.
Derrick chuckled and looked down at this workout gear. “Yeah, well you wouldn’t know about pretending so your family stays safe since you live alone like an animal, wearing the same garbage flannel shirts and old jeans. You’re pathetic.”
“I like my clothes. They keep me warm and I know them intimately. When they lose their usefulness then I will bury them like all the people you
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