Jack decided to take the lead. So far, he had the most rapport with Mr. Bonnonnos.
“Sonny, as you know, we are very proud you selected us to represent you and your family. In fact, that is the only reason I decided to come out of retirement is to represent you. Now…”
Sonny interrupted, as usual. “Youse don’t have to hit me over the head with a crowbar. This little get together is to see how much you can squeeze outa me. Am I right?”
“I’m not sure I would put it that way, but nuthin’ for nuthin’.”
“I gots you covered. I knows youse guys don’t come cheap. I gots what you want right here.”
Sonny reached down and pulled out a fair-sized suitcase.
“Inside is a check for two hundred thousand made payable to the firm and another two fifty in cash. A half a mill should cover the freight for a while. I promise I’ll try and be a good boy. Now what else youse want to talk about? The weather, the stock market, the fucking Mets?”
Jack looked at Billy. Billy nodded to Marta.
“I think that about covers it. By the way, the firm thanks you for your understanding and again allowing us to represent you.”
“Youse guys do a good job and we have no problems. If not, it’s the East River in cement boots for all three of you.”
Sonny looked at the fright on their faces.
“It was only a joke. Only a joke. We don’t do that sorta thing—not anymore. “
“Have a nice trip home, Sonny. Don’t get any speeding tickets. The retainer only goes so far.”
Sonny stared at the three of them.
“It was only a joke, Sonny. Only a joke.”
After Sonny left, the conference room door was locked and the cash was dumped on the table. It took close to an hour for all three to count it. It came to exactly two hundred fifty thousand dollars in cold, hard cash.
This time, it was Jack who asked the naïve question. “What do we do with the cash?” He had not been made aware of the last cash transaction. It was before he had become a partner, and the money was resting comfortably in a Gibson and Clarke client escrow account.
Marta was beginning to feel her old self.
“Either we can go out and have one hell of a party, buy a few keys of heroin, or call the police and have them escort us over to our bank for deposit in a new Gibson, Clarke, and Renaldo escrow account. You tell me?”
Billy decided to join in the fun.
“I vote we buy as many keys of H as we can, step on it at least twice, and triple our money. Just don’t mention it to Sonny.”
Jack froze. Marta picked up the phone, called the local precinct, and stuffed the cash back in the suitcase Sonny had purposely left behind.
“I vote we each give ourselves a twenty-five-thousand-dollar cash bonus. There are some things I need and don’t want to charge. Any objections?”
She looked at her two partners, who were both wondering what she was going to buy.
“Thanks,’” Marta politely replied.
CHAPTER 21
Xiang sat in the garden till late into the night. As instructed, no one bothered him. Finally at 10:45, far past his normal bedtime, his housekeeper came out with some sandwiches and a fresh pot of tea.
“It is very late, sir. I thought you might be hungry. May I bring these up to your room, or should I leave them here?”
The housekeeper also brought a warm blanket that she gently laid around his shoulders. He looked older than she had ever seen him before. He looked frail. He looked like if she touched him, he would break like a fine piece of China.
Xiang flicked the back of his hand as if to say, “Leave me alone.” The photos and preliminary report were still where Ms. Clarke had left them. He was afraid if he touched them, something terrible would happen to him. Or to Mei Ling.
How did this happen? What deity did I offend? What do I do now?
Xiang took a few sips of the hot tea, closed his eyes, and decided he could not deal with it now. He fell asleep in his chair.
The housekeeper who
“Sonny, as you know, we are very proud you selected us to represent you and your family. In fact, that is the only reason I decided to come out of retirement is to represent you. Now…”
Sonny interrupted, as usual. “Youse don’t have to hit me over the head with a crowbar. This little get together is to see how much you can squeeze outa me. Am I right?”
“I’m not sure I would put it that way, but nuthin’ for nuthin’.”
“I gots you covered. I knows youse guys don’t come cheap. I gots what you want right here.”
Sonny reached down and pulled out a fair-sized suitcase.
“Inside is a check for two hundred thousand made payable to the firm and another two fifty in cash. A half a mill should cover the freight for a while. I promise I’ll try and be a good boy. Now what else youse want to talk about? The weather, the stock market, the fucking Mets?”
Jack looked at Billy. Billy nodded to Marta.
“I think that about covers it. By the way, the firm thanks you for your understanding and again allowing us to represent you.”
“Youse guys do a good job and we have no problems. If not, it’s the East River in cement boots for all three of you.”
Sonny looked at the fright on their faces.
“It was only a joke. Only a joke. We don’t do that sorta thing—not anymore. “
“Have a nice trip home, Sonny. Don’t get any speeding tickets. The retainer only goes so far.”
Sonny stared at the three of them.
“It was only a joke, Sonny. Only a joke.”
After Sonny left, the conference room door was locked and the cash was dumped on the table. It took close to an hour for all three to count it. It came to exactly two hundred fifty thousand dollars in cold, hard cash.
This time, it was Jack who asked the naïve question. “What do we do with the cash?” He had not been made aware of the last cash transaction. It was before he had become a partner, and the money was resting comfortably in a Gibson and Clarke client escrow account.
Marta was beginning to feel her old self.
“Either we can go out and have one hell of a party, buy a few keys of heroin, or call the police and have them escort us over to our bank for deposit in a new Gibson, Clarke, and Renaldo escrow account. You tell me?”
Billy decided to join in the fun.
“I vote we buy as many keys of H as we can, step on it at least twice, and triple our money. Just don’t mention it to Sonny.”
Jack froze. Marta picked up the phone, called the local precinct, and stuffed the cash back in the suitcase Sonny had purposely left behind.
“I vote we each give ourselves a twenty-five-thousand-dollar cash bonus. There are some things I need and don’t want to charge. Any objections?”
She looked at her two partners, who were both wondering what she was going to buy.
“Thanks,’” Marta politely replied.
CHAPTER 21
Xiang sat in the garden till late into the night. As instructed, no one bothered him. Finally at 10:45, far past his normal bedtime, his housekeeper came out with some sandwiches and a fresh pot of tea.
“It is very late, sir. I thought you might be hungry. May I bring these up to your room, or should I leave them here?”
The housekeeper also brought a warm blanket that she gently laid around his shoulders. He looked older than she had ever seen him before. He looked frail. He looked like if she touched him, he would break like a fine piece of China.
Xiang flicked the back of his hand as if to say, “Leave me alone.” The photos and preliminary report were still where Ms. Clarke had left them. He was afraid if he touched them, something terrible would happen to him. Or to Mei Ling.
How did this happen? What deity did I offend? What do I do now?
Xiang took a few sips of the hot tea, closed his eyes, and decided he could not deal with it now. He fell asleep in his chair.
The housekeeper who
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