Chapter 10 – Gifts
Legato, Nancy's boss was wrong. No espionage or skulking at night with some competitor. No jumping ship either. "I guess your boss will be happy. No spying for the other guys."
"Well, what makes him happy is more contracts and more profits. Don't get me wrong, that's what business is all about. But sometimes…"
"You have to stop and smell the roses." My friend Higgins may think that I am a goof-off, but I've been smelling roses for a long time. "Or eat shave ice?"
"Yes." Nancy excused herself and went into the other room. When she came back she seemed much happier. "I just called Legato, reminded him that I was exercising the escape clause. He wasn't happy."
"An escape clause? You'd better explain."
"Standard contract in this line of work. If you quit, you can't work in the field for a year. I have plenty of money. And Legato owes me about ten years of banked up vacation. I'm all set."
"So you uh…"
"Yes, I quit. Effective immediately. And I told him off about hiring you. I don't think he's going to be very happy paying your bill. Since you failed in the original mission."
"Gee thanks." And that dough would have gone to pay the higher insurance on my Ferrari. Wasn't the first time my business let me done. "That's ok. I knew it was a bad case when I took it."
"Thomas, don't be so glum. Here." She handed me a check. "Let me pay you for the week, at least."
The amount on the check was far higher than I needed. "Nancy, this too much. I can't take it."
"Yes you can and you will, because there are two things I need you to do for me."
"Oh?"
"Yes. One – I expect you to meet me for shave ice once in a while over the next few months and two – I need to be with me on an errand."
"And that would be?"
She took a deep breath. "It seems only fair that I owe something to Tim's widow."
I got it. "I see."
"Yes. I'm going to give Tim's baby to Sherry."