man, early seventies, same height as Jake, 5’10”, and appeared to be in good physical shape as he darted from station to station while the three men made their way across the open floor.
Jake noticed Wiley’s gray hair, parted slightly off center, showed visible signs of receding. After almost every movement, the old man pushed his metal-framed glasses up on his nose and swiped each hand through his hair, one slightly behind the other, as if combing his hair with his fingers without actually running his fingers through his hair, more like patting it down. Must be one of the quirks Bentley was referring to . Jake thought it made him more interesting. Left swipe, right swipe. Always in that order, right hand never more than two or three inches behind the left.
The three men stopped in front of an office with an unmarked door and a plate glass window overlooking the factory floor. Bentley instructed Jake to wait outside while he and Wiley entered the office alone. Fifteen minutes passed, Jake wondered why he was being excluded and what the two men were discussing. He was getting anxious but he knew sooner or later he’d find out why he was here.
Wiley’s showcase was next to his office. It reminded Jake of Radio Shack, only more impressive. He saw Wiley pick up the phone then hand it to Bentley, realizing for the first time it was a soundproof room. Jake never heard a phone ring or an intercom or even voices for that matter. Bentley put the phone down, glanced through the window at Jake then continued talking to Wiley. Jake’s puzzlement over why Bentley brought him here gave way to concern.
After twenty-five minutes, the door to the office opened and Wiley walked out and moved across the complex floor.
Bentley came to the door. “Jake come in here please.” He pointed to the plush leather chair. The same type as in the office upstairs. “Have a seat.” He closed the door.
“What’s going on?” Jake asked.
“There’s been a development with Isabella. I have to leave earlier than I’d anticipated. I’m leaving you here with Mr. Wiley.”
“But sir, with all due respect.” Jake pleaded. “If there’s been a development with Isabella, I should join Kaplan and help him get her out.”
“Jake, listen to me.” Bentley’s voice now stern. “Until I tell you otherwise, you take orders from Mr. Wiley. Get to know him. You’ll learn more from him than you ever could from me.”
“But—“
“No buts, Jake…that’s an order.”
CHAPTER 11
J AKE WATCHED BENTLEY’S jet slice into the West Texas sky without him. A feeling of emptiness came over him as the jet’s rumble vibrated through his body. He felt like a child abandoned on a stranger’s doorstep—in a way he was. The emptiness started when Beth died. And now, the black hole was growing inside him.
Cowboy drove the golf cart toward Jake, stopping only inches from him. Jake noticed a bulge in his cheek from a wad of chewing tobacco.
“Come on. Mr. Wiley is waiting. I believe he has a full afternoon in store for you.”
Jake crawled in the front seat next to Cowboy. “Did he say what I’m supposed to do?”
“Nah.” Cowboy spit on the tarmac. Wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “He never gets too specific but if I know Mr. Wiley, he’s going to give you the grand tour himself. And that will take a while.”
“Sounds just great.”
“Try to keep an open mind.”
“Easier said than done.” Jake said. “I just got dumped here by my boss and left with a man I do not know.”
“It’ll be fine, wait and see.” Cowboy led Jake to the upstairs office, opened the elevator, and said, “Jake, press the ‘B’ and Mr. Wiley will meet you at the showcase.”
“You seem to know a lot about Wiley’s business.”
“If you’ll pardon the pun…I wear many hats around here. I know most of Mr. Wiley’s business.” Cowboy reached in, pressed a button and the elevator door closed.
Wiley was waiting for
Jake noticed Wiley’s gray hair, parted slightly off center, showed visible signs of receding. After almost every movement, the old man pushed his metal-framed glasses up on his nose and swiped each hand through his hair, one slightly behind the other, as if combing his hair with his fingers without actually running his fingers through his hair, more like patting it down. Must be one of the quirks Bentley was referring to . Jake thought it made him more interesting. Left swipe, right swipe. Always in that order, right hand never more than two or three inches behind the left.
The three men stopped in front of an office with an unmarked door and a plate glass window overlooking the factory floor. Bentley instructed Jake to wait outside while he and Wiley entered the office alone. Fifteen minutes passed, Jake wondered why he was being excluded and what the two men were discussing. He was getting anxious but he knew sooner or later he’d find out why he was here.
Wiley’s showcase was next to his office. It reminded Jake of Radio Shack, only more impressive. He saw Wiley pick up the phone then hand it to Bentley, realizing for the first time it was a soundproof room. Jake never heard a phone ring or an intercom or even voices for that matter. Bentley put the phone down, glanced through the window at Jake then continued talking to Wiley. Jake’s puzzlement over why Bentley brought him here gave way to concern.
After twenty-five minutes, the door to the office opened and Wiley walked out and moved across the complex floor.
Bentley came to the door. “Jake come in here please.” He pointed to the plush leather chair. The same type as in the office upstairs. “Have a seat.” He closed the door.
“What’s going on?” Jake asked.
“There’s been a development with Isabella. I have to leave earlier than I’d anticipated. I’m leaving you here with Mr. Wiley.”
“But sir, with all due respect.” Jake pleaded. “If there’s been a development with Isabella, I should join Kaplan and help him get her out.”
“Jake, listen to me.” Bentley’s voice now stern. “Until I tell you otherwise, you take orders from Mr. Wiley. Get to know him. You’ll learn more from him than you ever could from me.”
“But—“
“No buts, Jake…that’s an order.”
CHAPTER 11
J AKE WATCHED BENTLEY’S jet slice into the West Texas sky without him. A feeling of emptiness came over him as the jet’s rumble vibrated through his body. He felt like a child abandoned on a stranger’s doorstep—in a way he was. The emptiness started when Beth died. And now, the black hole was growing inside him.
Cowboy drove the golf cart toward Jake, stopping only inches from him. Jake noticed a bulge in his cheek from a wad of chewing tobacco.
“Come on. Mr. Wiley is waiting. I believe he has a full afternoon in store for you.”
Jake crawled in the front seat next to Cowboy. “Did he say what I’m supposed to do?”
“Nah.” Cowboy spit on the tarmac. Wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “He never gets too specific but if I know Mr. Wiley, he’s going to give you the grand tour himself. And that will take a while.”
“Sounds just great.”
“Try to keep an open mind.”
“Easier said than done.” Jake said. “I just got dumped here by my boss and left with a man I do not know.”
“It’ll be fine, wait and see.” Cowboy led Jake to the upstairs office, opened the elevator, and said, “Jake, press the ‘B’ and Mr. Wiley will meet you at the showcase.”
“You seem to know a lot about Wiley’s business.”
“If you’ll pardon the pun…I wear many hats around here. I know most of Mr. Wiley’s business.” Cowboy reached in, pressed a button and the elevator door closed.
Wiley was waiting for
Similar Books
