Manhattan Miracle (16 page)

As I slipped into the booth, Gino shook Brad's hand and they introduced themselves. Meanwhile, Bella gave me the requisite cheek kiss as I slid up to her on the opposite side from Amber. "It's so good to see you."

"Good to see yo
u, too."

"How long has it been?"

"Your graduation?" I meant it to be a statement, but it came out like a question.

"Right, almost two years when you and Amber visited me in
Cambridge." Bella reached across me and offered her hand to Brad as he eased up beside me. "Hi, I'm Bella Landers, Ginger's long time friend."

Brad smiled and shook Bella's hand just under my breasts. "I'm sorry. Bella this is Brad Fairchild, my boss, roommate and
boyfriend."

Bella
smiled. "Now, I'm truly pleased to meet you."

"And I'm thrilled to meet you. Ginger's told me all about you and from her description, I would have known you anywhere. Except she did say you had long hair."

"I did last time she saw me, but you know—conservative law firm—wear it up or cut it."

"I can imagine."

The busboy brought fresh bread and butter. The waiter followed him carrying a magnum of red wine. After going through the wine tasting ritual with Bella, he poured everyone's glass. When he finished he introduced himself in a French accent. "Good evening. I'm Gastineau, but I go by Gus." Gus proceeded to recite a long list of specials then took our drink orders, stating he would return with our drinks and take our dinner orders.  

"You both met my friend Gino. Gino is an independent, private investigator, who does a lot of work for our law firm. Gino took an interest in my sister's case and has been working on it in his spare time and that's all I'll say about the case until we finish eating. I want to enjoy your company and I don't intend to spoil my dinner talking about my sister
and thinking about your problem."

Bella obviously felt emotional about her sister, dabbing her eyes with her napkin while she spoke.

Gus returned with our drinks and took our orders. Bella insisted we all have a Michael's specialty appetizer—escargot—so we started with that. It was fantastic as was the Caesars salad. Amber ordered the catch of the day, some rare fish from the Dead Sea. Brad and I shared a rack of lamb. It was delicious. So was Bella's lobster thermidor and Gino's beef medallions, so they said. For dessert we had crème brulee and coffee. When they served the after dinner cordials Bella ordered, she leaned back, brandy snifter in hand and sighed. "Okay, it's time to talk turkey."

I dragged Brad's recorder out of my purse.
"Before we start, I need to tell you that I recorded the entire meeting with Milton Grimes."

Bella
's eyes rounded as she leaned forward. "You did?"

"Yes,
and it's pretty damning."

"Damning! What do you mean?"

Amber said. "Sexual harassment. That's one of the things we wanted to talk about with you.
"

I nodded.
"Yes, I'd love to sue him. Would you be able to represent me in a lawsuit?"

"Absolutely." Bella
glanced around and laid her hand across mine. "But before you play the recording, let's get the waiter to move us into the private dining room, so no one else can hear anything."

Bella got Gus's attention and in two or three minutes we were situated at a rectangular table in the private dinning room."

Bella placed her hand on mine again. "Okay dear, let's hear the recording."

I pushed the recorder's play button. Unlike the first time when I played the recording for Amber and Brad, no one said a word.

"You were right. The recording is damning and revealing. It fills in some things about my sister I never knew. The position he's offering you is exactly what my sister did. She was his personal assistant. She had an office in the publicity and public relations department. And with the money she made, I don't doubt she entertained his tycoons."

Brad asked. "So
you think Ginger can sue Grimes?"

"Oh, yes and win. I'm sure Bayside's lawyers would fight tooth and nail to keep the recording from being placed in law, but since
New York is a one party consent state, I don't think they'd win."

"How much would we sue for?"

"I'm not prepared to say at this time. If we went to trial, which I doubt that Bayside would want due to the publicity, we'd go for the moon and hope we get somewhere between ten and fifty-percent."

"Getting back to my sister, G
ino, why don't you explain to Ginger what the police think happened to her and what you think?"

"Gladly." Resting his elbows on the table, Gino leaned forward
. "Roughly four months ago, with no contact or explanation, Lily failed to show up at work for two days, so when Bella found out she called the police. Later that day, police visited her Park Avenue apartment and found nothing. Yes, there were signs that someone lived there. A dish and empty coffee cup in the kitchen sink, food, dishes and silverware in the cupboards. There was food in the refrigerator, closets full of clothes, toiletries in the bath. The only thing missing was Bella's sister.

"
Police investigators found nothing out of the ordinary at the apartment. Nothing! Four months later, despite a massive media push and a reward Bella offered for information, no trace of her has turned up. No body, not even any evidence of a crime."

"So what do the police think?" I asked.

"The police suspect she ran away."

"But not likely,
" Brad added.

"What?"

Brad gestured with his hands. "It's obvious from the way you said what you said, that you don't agree with the police."

Gino gave a single nod.
"I don't. Taking everything into consideration, I see things differently. To me the lack of evidence of a crime or information, it's like someone plucked her from here and relocated her somewhere else."

I frowned.
"How is that different from running away?"

He
looked at me. "Running away would mean she was in control, yet her car remained in the garage, her passport was in a dresser drawer and none of her credit cards have been used, since she disappeared."

Amber looked around then asked, "What do you mean plucked from here and relocated somewhere else?"

Gino shrugged. "Kidnapped?"

Brad frowned. "Then why hasn't there been a ransom demand?"

"Kidnappers don't always want a ransom. Sometimes kidnappers just want the victim."

I gasped. "Oh my Go
d! There's been so much talk of white slavery in the paper and internet lately… You don't think…"

Gino wrung his hands. "I don't know what to think. I don't have enough information. I just don't happen to agree with the police."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Enough of this gruesome talk." She lifted the recorder. See that I get a copy of this."

Brad said, "I've already uploaded it into my personal co
mputer. I will email a copy to you."

"Thank you, Brad." Bella turned to me. "What are you going to do about Grimes' ultimatum on Friday?"

"I thought I'd give him my resignation."

"No, don't do that. Force him to fire you and get a recording of that meeting too, if you can. He probably won't fire you on the spot, but you will be fired, which will make the lawsuit all the better."

Gino warned us, "I wouldn't push my luck on getting a recording with that standard recorder again."

I glance
d at Gino. "What do you mean?"

He
handed me a card. "Come to my office tomorrow and I'll fix you up with a recorder that will go in the toe of your shoe. What size shoe do you wear?" 

"Seven and
a half."

"Okay, I'll have them ready for you when you come."

Bella took a deep breath. "Well that takes care of that issue. You mentioned that you had something else for which you needed legal advice."

Brad nodded.
"Yes, I suppose I should talk to you about that. Since it appears Ginger and I will both be unemployed shortly, the three of us want to go into partnership to buy Bayview Equities, which belongs to an old friend of mine who has health issues. I will negotiate the price with my friend's wife and you will only need to do the paperwork."

"I assume when you say the three of you, you mean Amber too."

"Correct. She will be our marketing director."

"
Oh what fun, the three of you together. Of course I'll do it for you. It'll be my pleasure."

Chapter Twenty

The following day, I met with Gino
so he could fit me for a pair of size eight and a half, three inch heeled black pumps, which contained false fronts, into which he'd installed a tiny recorder.

"Try
them on."

Removing
my shoes, I slipped them on. "How do I turn the recorder on?"

"It's already on. It's voiced activated. When you're done, bring the shoe
s back. I'll retrieve the recorder and make a copy of the recording for you and Bella."

When I returned to work, I went into Brad's office to show him my shoes. "You like?"

He leaned back in his chair and smiled. "Look like black pumps to me."

"I know. What you been doing while I was gone."

"I just got off the phone with Cliff's wife
, Meg."

"And?"

Brad leaned forward and spoke
sotto voce
, "We have a deal. I was just about to email Bella with the terms of the deal."

I also spoke under my breath,
"Which are?"

"Two point five million down and five annual installments of a half million each."

"Wunderbar," I exclaimed. I giggled when Brad's eyes widened and put my hand over my mouth, then whispered, "That's five million less than we were willing to go."

Still speaking softly he continued,
"Yes, but I hope you don't mind. That's for a ninety percent share. I did allow them to keep ten percent and I agreed to keep an office with Cliff's name on it in case he ever recovers enough to visit it from time to time."

I nodded.
"That's fine."

~ * * ~

Friday morning Brad, Amber and I met with Meg Burns in Bella's office to complete the paperwork for the sale. Mrs. Burns thanked us for helping her and her recovering husband. She wished us success with the business and gave Brad a teary, loving hug. She turned to us. "I'm so pleased that Brad is taking over my husband's baby. I couldn't have asked for a better person."

After Mrs. Burns
left, the four of us went to the nearby Billy's Club for lunch and a mini celebration. Knowing I was about to have a showdown meeting with Grimes, I barely touched my lunch, but I did have three dry vodka martinis.

By the time we got back from lunch it was time to visit Grimes. I went into Brad's office. "I'm leaving now. Wish me luck."

"You'll be fine. Is your recorder on?"

"Gino said it's voice activated."

"And you have your pepper spray?"

I patted my handbag. "Never leave home without it."

"Sounds like you're all set. Good luck, sweetheart."

I turned and walked out of the office and to the elevator lobby.

I didn't think it was possible, but standing in front of the elevators, I was even more nervous than I'd been on Wednesday.
When the elevator doors parted, I stepped in and pushed 40. As always, the sudden acceleration took my breath away and tickled my stomach. Seconds later, the doors parted and I stepped into the reception area.

This time I didn't announce myself. Instead, I traced the path Grimes'
secretary led me on last time I was there.

After a hundred or so paces I came to Grimes' office. I opened the door and stepped in.

"Yes, can I help you?" Grace Wadsworth asked.

"Yes, I'm Ginger
Allen. Mr. Grimes is expecting me."

Grace looked confused.
"Are you sure? I don't have you down."

"That's because
I never set up an appointment. I told him I would think about his offer and give him an answer today."

"I see. Let me call
." She picked her phone and pushed a single button. "Sorry to interrupt your meeting with Mr. Lancaster, but Ms. Ginger Allen is here to see you."

Mr. Lancaster? The Chief of
Security. What the F…?

Looking a bit confused, Grace looked up.
"The President will see you."

I gulped
. Even with the reinforcement of three martinis, I shook as I walked into Grimes' office.

"Ms. Allen…Ginger, come in please. Your timing is perfect.
"