down? I got some news for you.”
Ian was amazed to see a side of Harper he’d never imagined. His voice, his posture, had been transformed from the soft-spoken, loving, wonderful man he’d just sent upstairs to bed into a caged lion.
“Whether you accept it or not, Phyllis, your husband will be going to prison for a very long time. That’s the reality. I’m going to try and salvage as much of your money as I can for you, and hear me when I say this—I’m going to do that for you not because I want to, or like you, or want the best for you. I’m doing it because I’m being paid to do it. And here’s another thing we need to clear up—I’m a fucking damned good lawyer, Phyllis Flynn. You and your husband are extremely lucky to have me. Did you hear that? You are fucking lucky to have Harper Callahan on your side. So go have a good cry, and after you’ve done that, prepare yourself for the worst. He’s going to jail, and you… run the risk of losing everything.”
Ian stood frozen in the doorway. Harper’s chest heaved up and down. His eyes were on fire. Seconds passed, and then Harper placed his phone on the table. “Can you believe this shit? The woman’s a lunatic. I swear to God, I’m this close to throwing in the—” He was interrupted by the doorbell.
“You expecting anyone?” Ian backed out of the room.
“No.”
“Relax, and get ready for bed. I’ll get it.” Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he peered out the side window. A woman paced back and forth on the sidewalk.
“Hello, can I help you?” Ian asked when he’d opened the door.
“Who the hell are you?”
The second she opened her mouth, Ian knew he’d come face to face with Harper’s nemesis, Phyllis Flynn. Standing at the bottom of the steps, she resembled a wealthy coolie. Dressed in dark capri pants and a satin blouse accented with narrow jewel-tone stripes, she completed the look with sparkly gold slippers, giving the multitude of jewelry around her neck and wrists a good run for its money.
“I’m Ian.”
“Where’s Callahan? I know this is his… house.”
“He’s….” He didn’t have a clue how to handle this situation. Turning, he hollered up the stairs, “Harper? Please come down.”
“Who are you? The boyfriend?” Phyllis shook her head in disgust. “This just keeps getting better and better.”
Ian was spared having to respond when Harper stepped through the door, positioning himself between them. He moved to the side so he could watch from the window.
“Phyllis, you showing up here, at my home, is absolutely unacceptable.”
“You think I give a shit what you think, faggot?”
Ian, fearful Harper might do something he would later regret, reached out and put a hand on his shoulder.
“I’ll tell you what’s unacceptable. It’s your goddamn disrespect.” Phyllis moved up a step, but Harper held his ground. “I won’t have it. You work for me. Me! What about that can’t you understand?”
“Apparently about as much as you understood from our conversation a few minutes ago. By being here, you’re not doing a thing to help your situation. I hope you know that.”
“That’s my point, you idiot. I don’t have a situation. You have a situation. And your situation is about to get a fuck of a lot worse. I will make your life so goddamned miserable if you don’t start shaping up, you’ll wish you were never born. Never born, understand me?”
“It’s been a lovely little visit, Phyllis. I can’t thank you enough for stopping by. Now if you’ll please excuse us—”
“Keep it up, Callahan.” Ian watched from Harper’s side as Phyllis stepped down. “I’ll wipe that smug little smirk off your face, you can count on it. You work for me. Got it?” Taking a few steps down the walk, she turned back. “Impressive little shit shack you have.”
Phyllis stomped down the walk, climbed into the car she had left running in the middle of the street, slammed it into gear, and in her
Ian was amazed to see a side of Harper he’d never imagined. His voice, his posture, had been transformed from the soft-spoken, loving, wonderful man he’d just sent upstairs to bed into a caged lion.
“Whether you accept it or not, Phyllis, your husband will be going to prison for a very long time. That’s the reality. I’m going to try and salvage as much of your money as I can for you, and hear me when I say this—I’m going to do that for you not because I want to, or like you, or want the best for you. I’m doing it because I’m being paid to do it. And here’s another thing we need to clear up—I’m a fucking damned good lawyer, Phyllis Flynn. You and your husband are extremely lucky to have me. Did you hear that? You are fucking lucky to have Harper Callahan on your side. So go have a good cry, and after you’ve done that, prepare yourself for the worst. He’s going to jail, and you… run the risk of losing everything.”
Ian stood frozen in the doorway. Harper’s chest heaved up and down. His eyes were on fire. Seconds passed, and then Harper placed his phone on the table. “Can you believe this shit? The woman’s a lunatic. I swear to God, I’m this close to throwing in the—” He was interrupted by the doorbell.
“You expecting anyone?” Ian backed out of the room.
“No.”
“Relax, and get ready for bed. I’ll get it.” Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he peered out the side window. A woman paced back and forth on the sidewalk.
“Hello, can I help you?” Ian asked when he’d opened the door.
“Who the hell are you?”
The second she opened her mouth, Ian knew he’d come face to face with Harper’s nemesis, Phyllis Flynn. Standing at the bottom of the steps, she resembled a wealthy coolie. Dressed in dark capri pants and a satin blouse accented with narrow jewel-tone stripes, she completed the look with sparkly gold slippers, giving the multitude of jewelry around her neck and wrists a good run for its money.
“I’m Ian.”
“Where’s Callahan? I know this is his… house.”
“He’s….” He didn’t have a clue how to handle this situation. Turning, he hollered up the stairs, “Harper? Please come down.”
“Who are you? The boyfriend?” Phyllis shook her head in disgust. “This just keeps getting better and better.”
Ian was spared having to respond when Harper stepped through the door, positioning himself between them. He moved to the side so he could watch from the window.
“Phyllis, you showing up here, at my home, is absolutely unacceptable.”
“You think I give a shit what you think, faggot?”
Ian, fearful Harper might do something he would later regret, reached out and put a hand on his shoulder.
“I’ll tell you what’s unacceptable. It’s your goddamn disrespect.” Phyllis moved up a step, but Harper held his ground. “I won’t have it. You work for me. Me! What about that can’t you understand?”
“Apparently about as much as you understood from our conversation a few minutes ago. By being here, you’re not doing a thing to help your situation. I hope you know that.”
“That’s my point, you idiot. I don’t have a situation. You have a situation. And your situation is about to get a fuck of a lot worse. I will make your life so goddamned miserable if you don’t start shaping up, you’ll wish you were never born. Never born, understand me?”
“It’s been a lovely little visit, Phyllis. I can’t thank you enough for stopping by. Now if you’ll please excuse us—”
“Keep it up, Callahan.” Ian watched from Harper’s side as Phyllis stepped down. “I’ll wipe that smug little smirk off your face, you can count on it. You work for me. Got it?” Taking a few steps down the walk, she turned back. “Impressive little shit shack you have.”
Phyllis stomped down the walk, climbed into the car she had left running in the middle of the street, slammed it into gear, and in her
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