Love and Mystery Box Set

Chapter 4-2

The sun was starting to make its descent into the horizon. Traffic buzzed off Florida Avenue and Beacon. Starbucks was decorated with holiday accents here and there, and a version of “Jingle Bells” played in the background. This Starbucks on Beacon was an old converted gas station that had been remodeled. It still had islands out front where the old gas pumps once stood. The outdoor seating area was underneath a refurbished canopy.

It was an energetic setting.

With the cramped parking lot, although you could see the street from the outdoor seating, if you had to park in the angled parking lot, it was tight, and visibility was limited because of the design.

Anton was late, as usual. I tried to call him on my cell phone to double check if he was still coming, but my cell battery died. Thirty minutes passed since I arrived at six, and I was finished with my coffee. I hung around the lobby but made up my mind to leave, when I finally saw Anton arrive. You couldn’t miss him. Anton drove a bright, shiny red Mercedes with the top down, even though the air was cool. He was dressed in a blazer I suspected was Italian. He was always partial to Zegna. A red silk handkerchief poked out of the left front pocket.

Walking into the lobby, he greeted me. “Hey, Jake. Glad you could make it. I was worried you would bail on me.”

“Nope, I told you I would be here, so here I am. And here you are late, as usual.”

“Wait till you hear what I have to say,” he jibed. “You’ll be happy you waited.”

“Let me get a cup of coffee and then we’ll sit outside if that’s okay with you.”

After getting his coffee, he motioned me to follow him outside, and to leave the lobby. We sat underneath the canopies as the streetlights came on.

We talked for a few minutes, catching up on who was still with the firm.

“How are Jessica and the boys?”

“Jessica’s fine, so are boys. How’s Chelsea? She must be ten or eleven by now, right?”

“She’s nine, going on nineteen. And she’s doing great. Gets the best grades in school.”

“Must take after Elena, eh?”

Finally, after several minutes, I asked him. “Anton. You didn’t come out here to chitchat about Elena, or my daughter, although it’s nice of you to ask. So what did you want to talk about?”

“Firing you was probably one of the worst things I did as managing partner in the firm. I swore to myself, if I ever had a chance to make it up to you, I would. The other partners wanted me to fire you. They never knew about you and me. And, although you could have told them, you kept your promise.”

I didn’t feel like walking down memory lane especially as this spin that Anton fed me we both knew to be a lie. “You’re wasting your time, Anton. I would never go back to Hill and Donaldson.”

“I figured as much, that’s why I would never ask you to come back.” He paused dramatically, always the performer even when not in the courtroom. “I want to know if you’d be interested in opening a new law firm with me. I’d do the civil side, representing insurance companies, and doing some contract stuff, may be some real estate, while you do the criminal side. Maybe pick up some family law like divorces, child custody matters. I’ll be fronting the set up money, and would be willing to do an 80-20 split on profit with salary.”

“An 80-20 split? That’s interesting. And, I’m not sure what to make of the offer, but let’s assume I would want 50-50?”

“Realistically with the economy, the criminal defense work wouldn’t be as profitable as representing insurance companies. I’d be more inclined with a 70-30 split. Plus it’s my money we’re using as seed money to start the firm. But, I’ll guarantee you one hundred thousand dollars for the first two years of salary before bonus and corporate distribution, and depending on the profit of the firm, who knows, your salary could probably be higher after two years.“

I sat there thinking for a second what he just offered me, and what it meant. Was this something I was interested in? Then, I felt Anton’s right hand over my left hand.

“Look at the fun we would have again.”

I don’t know if he could see the redness spreading to my face, but I moved my hand away. “That’s way in the past. If the purpose of you wanting to open up a new law firm together is to pick up where you think we left off, then you’re wasting your time.” I moved my chair back. “Noah was right about you.”

Anton smirked. “How is Noah these days? I can’t for the life of me see you guys together for the long haul. Noah’s a nice guy, don’t get me wrong, but he’s just a little rough around the edges.”

“You mean, he’s not like you? Married to a woman for her money and her political connections? Living in the closet and having affairs with men on the side? Although, who I am kidding? Affairs are a more genteel way of describing what you do on the side.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, I did you, didn’t I?”

I stared at Anton. His arrogance and snideness was part of his ego. “That was a long time ago. Before I met Noah. Before I told Elena that I couldn’t live a lie anymore.”

My pride told me to walk away, but I sat there. I wanted to call Anton’s bluff. He c****d his head and sat there, a near smile on his face. He must have known about my current financial situation.

“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll pass.”

“Really? You’re going to pass on this offer? Don’t you think I know that you’re barely making ends meet? Stop and think rationally.”

“It’s too high a price for me, for a lot of reasons, besides the money.”

“Is it because of Noah that you’re turning down this offer?”

“Noah’s a good person—”

“—Who has a drinking problem that got him a DUI and that cost him his last job.”

“He doesn’t drink anymore. Anyway, the issue’s not Noah. I don’t want to work with you or for you.”

“Not even if it means giving you job security? Giving Lou Ann some health insurance? Providing you income so you can meet your alimony payments so that Elena and your child can still live in the house they’re in, and to keep up the child support? Bartow’s a small town. We all gossip—so don’t act surprised that I know these things.”

I sat there. “I grant you this: you’ve made an interesting offer.”

“But, you don’t want to work for me? I already have clients lined up, waiting for me to leave. There’ll be steady money. I can offer you that.”

I sat for a couple of seconds, when he continued. “Listen, why don’t you think about the offer, and let me know. Think about it for forty-eight hours. The only thing that’ not negotiable is that Noah can’t come along and work for our new firm.”

“Noah will never work with you or for you, so the feeling’s mutual.”

“Does that mean you’ll at least consider the offer?”

I moved my chair sharply, scraping the slab again, tired of this back and forth. Before I could answer, I felt a sharp, fiery pain on the top of my right arm, and heard one pop followed by another. I knew what those sounds were.

I heard a gasp and looked over to Anton. Blood gurgled out of his mouth. His eyes were wide and frightened. Blood quickly stained his shirt. I looked around for something to press against him and took off my shirt to stem the blood.

“Someone call 911,” I yelled. “Dammit, someone call 911.”

In the back of the shop, I heard the screech of tires. The car leaving sounded like it was right around the corner.

Anton tried talking, but too much blood gushed out. I grabbed his hand—the same hand I’d shrugged off just minutes ago. “Everything will be okay, Anton. Hang on. Stay with me. Come on,” I shouted. “Stay with me.”

Where the hell is everyone?

I saw Anton looking up at me, trying to form words.

“Don’t force it. Everything will be okay. Stay focused on me. If you go, we can’t open up the new firm.”

I felt like I had to lie for his sake.

His grip loosened, and his body sagged.

I don’t know how long I kneeled there, holding Anton’s hand, watching him, his eyes rolling and fluttering. His hand grew colder, and his breathing stopped.

I heard sirens approaching. Soon flashing lights surrounded me.

A paramedic pulled me away from him. When the paramedic helped me up, he grabbed my right arm and I winced. I felt blood pouring from my arm.

Then, blackness.