The Biggest Part of Me (26 page)

Jane smiled and said, “Thank you, Mr. Hiroshi.”

“Mr. Collins, you are a very wise man to employ such a masterful storyteller.  Her gift favors your company.”

“Yes, she is a masterful storyteller.”  Jason could not help using sarcasm.

“And you, Mr. Collins, are a man who knows how to handle business,” Jane could not help to add under her breath.

“As it serves my purpose.”   Jason took another swig of his vodka.

“To the exclusion of all else,” Jane said as she gulped her wine.

Sensing a little tension between the two, Mr. Hiroshi decided to speak again.  “All our previous information about the CARL project seems to have been faulty.  The unit works very well and is no danger to children.”

Jason looked puzzled.  “Where did you get your information?”

Mr. Hiroshi continued.  “ Months ago we began getting pieces of information saying the CARL product was dangerous.  We saw terrible drawings of the prototype portrayed as a monster.  We heard of the unit smoking and malfunctioning.  We saw video of CARL scaring young children and mothers.  We heard from an attorney that it would be in our best interest to pass on CARL.  We could not be more pleased to be wrong.”

But something was wrong here.  Jason counted to ten, took another drink, and then turned to Jane.  “Miss Kendall, do you have any idea how Mr. Hiroshi got hold of the ‘monster’ pictures?”

Shocked, Jane said, “What?  Of course not.”

“The last time I saw the ‘monster’ pictures, they were in your office.  What did you do with them?  Send them on to Japan?”

“I resent your implication.  You know that I would never do something like that!”

“Do I?  I thought I did know you, but I was wrong.”

“Well, I was wrong about you, too.  All that talk about love was a lie.  You were using me again.  Why?  To get a good presentation?  Well, I hope I did you proud.  You’ll never have to see me again, ever.”

“Exactly what you wanted.  However, I’m surprised you didn’t want any money to go along with the divorce.”

Mr. Hiroshi was politely standing by watching the exchange, not knowing what to do.  Talbot Toys and Patterson Agency employees were not so polite.  They gathered around and collectively gasped when the word “divorce” was mentioned.

Jane’s head was exploding.  “What are you saying?  That I’d be greedy enough to take part of your company, your precious company?  You really don’t know me very well.  I don’t need anyone to make me rich if that’s what I want.”

Burning with fury Jason asked, “What
do
you want?  I’ve never been able to figure that out.”

Hurt filled Jane’s face.  She looked at Jason with huge blue eyes and spoke quietly.  “I don’t want anything from you.  I’ll give you the divorce like you want and hand off the CARL account to someone else at the agency.”  Jane turned to walk away as everyone around quickly dispersed as if they hadn’t heard to entire personal conversation.

Jason grabbed her arm.  “Just a minute.  You’re the one that wants the divorce.  And I’ve got to tell you you’re timing is really lousy, having the papers delivered to me the morning of the biggest meeting of my life!”

Before Jane could reply, Ed made his way through the room and walked to Jane’s side.  “Jane, dear.  Is he bothering you?  I’m sure that after today you need not have anything to do with him.”

Mr. Hiroshi quietly said, “Excuse me.”  No one was listening to him.

Jason let a few choice words for Ed stream from his mouth before saying, “I don’t think you’re needed here, Simpson.”

Ed put his arm protectively around Jane.  “Jane, I believe the papers were all in order.  Did you sign them yet?”

A light clicked on in Jane’s mind.  “Ed, did you send those divorce papers?” 

“Of course.  You said three months.  Now, what shall we do for dinner this evening to celebrate?”  Ed began massaging Jane’s neck.  “I’d like to show you what a real man is like,” he whispered.

That did it.  Jason flew towards Ed.  Several of the men held him back.

“Oh, and congratulations are in order for you and Dana on your blessed event,” Ed gloated.

“What blessed event? . . . Oh.” 

A light was clicking in Jason’s head as well.  He now understood something that Jane had been trying to tell him a few days earlier.  “Simpson, even you should know that there could be no baby without sex.”  Directing his comment to Jane he continued, “Dana and I never slept together.”  Jane looked puzzled and embarrassed.

“Excuse.  I really must say something.”  Mr. Hiroshi tried again to get Jason’s attention.

“Mr. Hiroshi.”  Jason stood tall, straightening his jacket and tie.  “My apologies for this little scene.  It’s completely unprofessional and uncalled for.”

Pointing to Ed, Mr. Hiroshi said, “This man.  I have heard his voice before.  He is the attorney that advised us.  He is not complementary of the CARL project.”

“Is that right?”  Jason calmly walked over to face Ed.  “So, Simpson.  You’re the one that’s been sabotaging my company, and Jane’s.”

“That’s ridiculous.  Why would I want to do that?  Why would I want to hurt Jane in any way?  Unlike you, I might add.”

“For the money, of course.  Who’s paying you, Simpson?  Another toy company, a distributor, an electronics firm?”

“You’re nuts, Collins.  Just because I got the girl, you want to take it out on me.”

“You had access to the CARL files and materials in Janie’s office.  Is that why you went to her apartment that night?  You couldn’t find what you were looking for in her office and thought she might have taken it home?”

“Mr. Hiroshi is mistaken.  I’ve never spoken to him in my life.”

“Oh, no mistake, sir.  You’re lovely companion said you were most reliable in issues of the law and business.”

Jason looked at Mr. Hiroshi.  “What companion would that be, Mr. Hiroshi,” Jason asked.

“The lovely American that flies into Tokyo with her airline.  She is most knowledgeable of the toy industry and suggested that we speak to her attorney friend.”

“Dana,” Jason hissed.  How could he have been so blind?  The reason she continued to pursue him was for information.  Undoubtedly she was working for another company.  “Who are you and Dana working for, Simpson?”

“I don’t have to tell you anything, Collins.”

Jason walked closer to him shoving him with his body.  “I’ve worked my whole life for this opportunity with CARL, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let some two-bit lawyer and his partner take it away from me.  I’ll ask you again.  Who are you working for?  Tell me.”

“Back off, Collins.”

“You know, I might be persuaded to back off and just let the cops handle this if only you had left Jane out of it.  But you didn’t.  And as much as CARL and Talbot Toys mean to me, they are nothing compared to how much she means to me.  I love her, Simpson.  Something I doubt your sorry butt would recognize.  So, you see, I have to hit you.”  And then Jason actually smiled. 

“Don’t even think of striking me!  I’ll sue the pants off you!”

“Oh, that’s right.  I forgot.  You’re a lawyer.  Well, do you know what I think about your type of lawyer?”  Then Jason balled his hand into a fist and let it fly, connecting with Ed’s right cheek, sending him crashing into the crowd of people gathered and then falling to the floor.  “Somebody call the cops.”  And then looking around he said, “Where did Jane go?”

Sally was standing next to Jason and said, “She left.”

Aggravated, he cursed under his breath.  “When?  Where did she go?”

“I don’t know, Mr. Collins.  You go find her.  We’ll keep an eye on this idiot.”  Sally placed her foot on Ed’s chest, anchoring him to the floor.  “And don’t worry about any lawsuit.  We’ll all testify on your behalf on the grounds of provocation.  Now, go.”

As Jason left, Vincent wandered over to Sally, smiling.  “Okay, so tell me.”  

Sally gave him a little grin and said, “One year as a secretary for a very good attorney, Baton Rouge.”

Ed made a whimpering sound from the floor.  Sally pushed her foot harder.  “Oh, shut up.  This is your lucky day.  I was going to wear my stilettos.”

Smiling, Vincent was enchanted. 
That is some woman
.  He planned then and there to get to know her.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Tom was dusting off his camera lenses when his doorbell rang.  He crossed the living room of his casually decorated flat in the SoHo section of Manhattan to find a disheveled Jane waiting outside his door.  When she looked up to her brother’s concerned face, tears began to fall.  She collapsed into him and he wrapped his arms around her, knowing that this probably had something to do with Jason Collins.

A few minutes later, Jane was seated on the comfortable couch, no doubt a choice of Tom’s girlfriend C.J.  Jane approved.  Tom brought in two cups of coffee as Jane continued to sob.  Knowing his sister, Tom decided that he should start trying to get information out of her instead of letting her cry herself out.

“Jane, talk to me.”  Tom took her hands.  “What happened?”

“Oh, Tommy.”  Jane sniffed.  “I’ve ruined everything.  I can’t believe what a mess my life is.”

“Is it your job?  Is everything going all right?  The project with Jason’s company okay?”

Jane shook her head as she sobbed.  “It’s not that.  We made a successful presentation this morning to the Japanese Toy Distribution Channel.  They were very impressed.”  She wailed, “They loved us.”

Tom reached into his pockets for a handkerchief, tissue, something.  Seeing the dusting tissue he’d been using on his lenses, he grabbed it and handed it to Jane.  “Well, that’s . . . that’s great, isn’t it?”

Jane blew her nose loudly into the tissue, making Tom cringe.  “Tommy, I’m never going to see Jay again.  I said some terrible things.  He said some terrible things.  I told him about the baby.  Just blurted it out.  I thought Dana was telling the truth.  He didn’t send the papers.  I thought he had.  He thought I sent them.  Then he thought I was some kind of a spy.  And it turns out Ed was the spy.  CARL is his life now.  I love him.”  She took a breath.  “I’m so stupid.”  Jane leaned her head on Tom’s shoulder.

Tom’s head was spinning.  “You want to back up and start at the beginning?”  He put his arm around her.

“Tom, a few months ago, I found a marriage certificate.”

Sighing, Tom said, “I know about it.”

Jane was confused.  “You do?”

“I knew about it seven years ago.  Jason told me.  He also told me that he was going to take care of it without you knowing anything about it,” Tom held his hand up to stop Jane from interrupting, “which I told him at the time was the wrong thing to do.  I wanted him to sit down with you and talk.  He insisted that you not know about it.”

“Well, when I found the certificate, I had Ed check it out.  It appears that we’re still married.  There is no annulment or divorce on record.”

“What?  Are you serious?”

“Afraid so.  When I confronted Jason, who insisted that his law school friend was suppose to have taken care of it, he asked me if we could not do anything for a while.  He was very . . . ah . . . persuasive.”

Tom couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  “I think you two are crazy.”

“Well, there was so much going on with the CARL project and unfavorable media attention would have been very bad so I let Jay talk me into waiting to end it . . . for three months, until the meeting today.

“But in the meantime, we’ve gotten to know each other again.  Tom, it felt so good to be back with him.  I’ve never loved anyone like Jay.”

Tom smiled.  “I know, sis.”

Jane went on to describe the whole story ending with her walking out of the reception.  “I don’t know what to do.  I suppose I should give up the CARL account.  Maybe I should move back to Jacksonville.”

“Is that what you want?”

“No.”  She hesitated but was determined now.  “Tom, I want Jason.  But he couldn’t want me after what happened today.  I don’t think he’ll ever trust me again.”

“Do you trust him?”  The question puzzled her.  “Do you trust his love to carry you through the hard times, Jane?”

“I’m not sure I understand what you mean, Tom.”

Tom stood and paced for a minute.  Then he sat in a straight-backed chair facing the couch.  “Jane, you’ve never completely trusted Jason.  You didn’t trust him to tell him exactly how you felt about him. You didn’t trust him to tell him you were pregnant or about the baby’s death and before you contradict, you know you could have told his family.  They could have found him.  You didn’t trust him. 

“I think it’s time you knew the whole truth and realized just how much you
can
trust him.” 

Taking a deep breath, he continued.  “First, let me say that our father was a great dad.  The best.  But when he died, he left . . . how should I put this?  Debts so high that we had no way of paying them.  It looked like everything, and I mean everything would be taken.  Mom was in no condition to deal with it.  She loved Dad so much.  I was working with accountants and lawyers trying to figure out a way to deal with the mountain of bills.  I confided to Jason what was going on.  He immediately offered to help but I said no.  This was our family’s responsibility, no one else’s.”  Jane was stunned.