Chapter 3- Deal
Krystal's House-
"I'm telling you, just come over Marcy. We'll have fun," Krystal pleaded with her older sister, "Please?"
"No, it's ok. I don't want to suffocate you while I'm here. Hang out with Jack, call me before you get home, and I'll pick you up and we can have dinner. Just the two of us, ok?"
Marcia had been staying with her half sister Krystal for two weeks now. They grew closer and closer that week, and Marcia also got better acquainted with the Mercer men, but Krystal felt badly when she canceled plans with her sister to be with Jack. She made sure she was home by seven so she could have dinner with Marcia, but most nights, seven turned into eleven. There was nothing she could do because Marcia preferred to stay home than go over to the Mercers.
"Are you sure you don't wanna come over? I don't think Bobby will be home this time, if that's what you're worried bout," Krystal said honestly.
"Sweetie, that's what you say all the time, plus it's not about Bobby. I just think you should spend time with your boyfriend without your older sister breathing down your neck. Besides, I have a meeting with Jerry today anyway."
Krystal sat up on her bed whiled Marcia put on make-up and jewelry. It was fun having an older sister around, Krystal thought. Sure Marcia was mainly outgoing, but she could put Krystal in her place quick, if need be. One thing Krystal didn't like about her sister was the large amount of time she spent on her computer. When she would come back from dates with Jack, Marcia would always be in her room, clicking away. She figured since there was nothing else to do in the house that was Marcia's last resort, so she brushed it off.
"That's great. Good luck, but of course you don't need it because you are so brilliant," Krystal mocked in a funny British accident.
"Well thank you my good lady," Marcia mimicked back.
"Can I take a look?" Krystal asked pointing to Marcia's resume.
"Sure."
Krystal read it over, and over, and over. There were so many things her sister was good at, but she never knew about all of this stuff. "You speak nine languages!"
Marcia giggled embarrassingly, "English, Spanish, French, Latin, Italian, German, Arabic, Russian, and Mandarin Chinese."
"Why the heck do you need to know all of these?"
"Lexus has affiliates all over the world. I never know who I will be on a teleconference with." She applied one last layer of eye shadow to her eyes and stood up from the vanity table.
"Yeah, whatever. Show off," Krystal smiled.
"Well I have to get going, have fun with Jack."
Krystal leaped off the bed and kissed her sister on the cheek, "You know I will."
Marcia looked down at her sister in shock, "Krystal!"
"Oh please call me Red, everyone else does," Krystal begged.
"I wanted to ask you why the Mercers call you that."
"It's the crazy red hair," Krystal pointed.
"Gotcha. Hey listen, don't forget about dinner ok?"
"Bye Marcy dear!" Krystal yelled after she shut her room door playfully in Marcia's face.
Mercer Luxury Cars-
Before Marcia got out of the car, she checked the overhead mirror. She was irresistibly stunning, poised, and confident. Nothing could stop her from getting the job at Mercer Luxury Cars and she knew it. Besides, it was her job, to get this job. If she let the people she worked for down, no, she didn't even want to think about it. She was going to walk straight up to Jerry's office and dazzle him with her resume.
While her over workaholic mind rattled, she made sure that the tape recorder that was hidden under her blouse, remained hidden. When she knew it was absolutely secure, she approached the great white marble building and adjusted her brown chino blazer and skirt before walking inside. She was greeted at the door by a well dressed business man who then showed her up to Jerry's office.
"Marcy, how are you doing?" Jerry asked while he hugged his hopeful future employee.
"I'm doing great Jerry, thank you."
"So, you've decided to stay here in Detroit huh?"
Marcia backed away from Jerry and sighed timidly, "Well, Krystal and I have bonded over the last two weeks, and I really like it here. So maybe you might have yourself a new neighbor."
"That's wonderful. Besides Jack, you're the only one Krystal can really connect with. I'm really happy for both of you. We're all happy to have you here."
"Thank you Jerry, that means a lot," she said taking his hand in hers.
"Let's get started shall we?" Jerry motioned when he sat down at his desk.
"Of course." Marcia handed Jerry her resume as she sat down in the large white and blue office. She looked around carefully trying to memorize where everything was. While Jerry finished skimming the resume he leaned back in his chair.
"This has got to be the best resume I've ever read," he chuckled contentedly.
"I've worked hard for it," Marcia smiled.
"I'm sure you know this already, and I'm going to be perfectly honest with you." Jerry cupped his hands in his lap, "You're way over qualified for this job and unfortunately I wouldn't be able to pay you over fifty five thousand dollars a year."
"That is more than enough."
"But it says here that you use to make, eighty thousand. Fifty five doesn't even come close to your previous income and I would hate to set you back."
Marcia sat forward in her chair and placed her hands calmly on his desk, "Jerry, I mean Mr. Mercer. I have contemplated all of the risks of taking this job. The reason why I chose to come into your office today is because I want to help you. By helping you, I am able to help myself. I will be able to boost your sales revenue, bring in new clientele, and my number one job will be to make sure Mercer Luxury becomes the nucleus of all luxury car businesses. By doing this, it will not only hold you at the pinnacle of the car business world, but it will give me the utmost satisfaction knowing I helped you get there."
Jerry sat back up in his chair and then he stood up and said, "Welcome to Mercer Luxury Cars, Ms. Alvarez. When can you start?"
Marcia stood up to meet him and then she held her hand out, "How about right now?"
Just as they shock to their new partnership, there was a sudden knock on the door and then someone burst in abruptly.
"Jerry!" Bobby yelled breathlessly.
"Bobby, can't you see I'm in the middle of a meeting?" Jerry asked frustrated.
Marcia turned around to face Bobby. She definitely wasn't happy about him storming into the room like he did, but at least she was further into her mission. So she thanked Jerry and then he pointed her to her new office.
"Hey Marcy," Bobby flirted as she walked past him.
"Bobby," she sighed impassively while closing the door behind her. Over the past two weeks, not acknowledging Bobby was the way Marcia decided to deal with him. She found this extremely difficult because dealing with him was like trying to avoid the plague, useless. The sentimental gestures, lustful looks, and glorifying comments annoyed the hell out of her. At first she thought it was flattering but now she couldn't wait to get out of this town and away from everyone, especially him.
As soon as she settled into her new office, she pushed the door shut and stood next to her office chair. She lifted her right leg up on a small table near the desk and slid her hand up her knee length skirt. Removing a nine millimeter pistol from its holster on her upper thigh, she used a small Bowie knife to cut a hole underneath the chair so she could hide the gun.
When she was done she dialed Morrison on her cell phone, "I got a job at Mercer Luxury."
"Already? Looks like I am going to owe you fifty bucks."
"Never underestimate me Morrison. I was paying attention during training you know."
"Now all you have to do is find the information we're looking for."
"I've found a few helpful documents on Krystal's computer two weeks ago, and now all I have to do is get better acquainted with this office. I'm getting there Morrison," Marcia said as she searched through her desk drawers.
Knock Knock
"Hey Marcy," Bobby said as he barged into her office, "The door was open."
"Damn it!" she yelled, banging her knee on one of the drawers as she tried to shut it before Bobby could see. She backed the leather chair away from the desk and held her aching knee.
"Who is that?" Morrison asked.
"I have to go dad. Love you too, bye," Marcia lied. Panicked, she threw her phone down on her desk hoping Bobby didn't hear any of the conversation.
"Did I catch you at a bad time?" Bobby asked, but he already knew the answer. He thought that even when her face grew bright red with annoyance, she still looked like an angel. He had never felt attracted to anyone like this before, and it actually frightened him. Even though Marcia clearly made every notion that she wanted nothing to do with him, he couldn't help but push the issue.
"I was only on the phone," Marcia scoffed. She got up from her desk and walked over to the door, "You can leave now."
"I wanted to come here and congratulate you," Bobby smiled as he handed her a bouquet of pink tulips.
She gave him a dirty look as she grabbed the flowers out of his hand. After looking the flowers over, she threw them on the desk and crossed her arms over her chest. "These were down the hall, in front of Mrs. Devlin's office, on a small silver table that was made in Taiwan," she recalled.
"Well, don't you pay attention to details? I wouldn't call it silver though, more like chrome," Bobby smirked.
"Cute, very cute."
"You think so? I do try to keep up my appearance ya know," he smiled as he stroked his short beard with one hand.
"Right…Will this be all? I do have work to do ya know," she mimicked.
"Ok, ok. I can take your subtle hints," Bobby frowned as he walked backwards through the door.
"Bye Bobby," Marcia teased as she waved to him. She turned around to stare at the beautiful flowers sitting on her desk. "I guess it was a harmless gesture," she thought.
"Dinner's at six," he yelled from down the hallway.
"What?"
"Dinner's at six, don't be late this time!" Bobby shouted, and then he disappeared down another hall.
"You're crazy!" she called after him, but all she heard was the ringing of office phones.
Still admiring the flowers, she noticed her cell phone was beeping so she picked it up and saw there was a missed call from Morrison.
"Morrison?" she asked when she was finished dialing.
"Well how's my little girl doing?"
"Ha ha, hilarious. I thought I was only allowed to contact you. Why did you call me?"
"I heard the conversation with you and the man in your office and it didn't sound like a business meeting. I thought we agreed no attachments. That was one of the Mercers wasn't it?"
"There are no attachments, and yes. I was talking to Bobby Mercer," she whispered because she heard someone walk past her office. She got up to close the door as silently as possible, praying no one was listening to her on these short conference calls. "Give me five more days. I'll canvas the Mercer house, go through Jerry's office, I'll do whatever it takes Morrison."
"I don't like this Alvarez, not at all. I'm sending someone out there."
"Morrison I swear, if you send someone out here…Just don't. The only reason I'm forming relationships with them is because I need to get closer so I can search that house."
"Fine, but if I suspect anything out of the ordinary I'm calling for backup."
"I can assure you. This will all be over in a few weeks." She leaned back in her comfortable lather chair and hung up. "I'll play your little games Bobby Mercer," she grinned.
I'm sorry for the slow moving chapter...but I have my reasons. Please R&R, if you can, I'd like to know what you think about Marcia...thanks!