“Why the fuck not?”She swore loudly, and the outburst got attention.One glare and the nearest patrons sipping their drinks shifted to empty seats farther away.She quieted and asked Ellie, “You’re okay, right?”
Ellie nodded at her question.“He pulled a gun on me.Ringo almost hit him with the car which made him run.”
I wished I’d done it.
“Where do you think he went?”Kat asked.
That was the billion-dollar question.Alfonzo didn’t know.Vincent might, but he wasn’t talking to me.I’d checked Johnny’s old haunts to no avail.
“If I knew where he was, he’d be dead already,” Ellie said.
“Say that a little louder, why don’t you?”I muttered and glanced around to see who was still listening.
“Oh, get over yourself, Ringo.Just because you had one bad night doesn’t mean you suck.”
Only two people understood what she’d said.
Kat stared at me, realization dawning.I raised a brow as if to ask, “Are you going to say anything?”
Her obvious avoidance answered for her.“You have an MBA, don’t you?”I’d done some background work on Ellie before coming to Chicago.I knew all about her former boss getting drummed off the police force.I also knew that Kat worked hard to obtain scholarships for college, but remained here with Ellie.
“Yeah.”
“That’s why she’s my business partner.”Ellie swung an arm around her waist, giving her friend a squeeze.“There are no secrets between us.”Her steady gaze sent a warning at me.
“I suppose you’re too busy to look at an acquisition?”
“What kind of acquisition?”
“Shipping and logistics.CCI.Did Ellie mention them?”
Kat blinked as she nodded.
“I need a competent business manager.Not family, but close.Someone loyal and honest but sharp.I think you fit the bill.”
“Working foryou?”Kat’s tone indicated her distrust.
“For the parent company once the sale goes through.It’s legit.”I scanned the bar they’d built.“It’s not as fun as this place, but…”
“My starting salary as Chief Operating Officer needs to be at least fifteen percent higher than the base average for Chicago, not the region.I expect profit-sharing, full benefits package, and a minimum of 40 days leave.”
“You’re leaving me?”Ellie piped up.
“Please.I can juggle your books and a shipping conglomerate.Ye of little faith.”
Ellie’s face fell.
“Besides, I have a feeling we’ll be seeing each other a lot if this one sticks around.Are you going to stick around, Ringo?Or are you playing with my girl?”
They’d talked.“I proposed.”
“Badly.”
They definitely talked.“I apologized for that.She knows why I said it that way.”
“I don’t see no ring on her finger.That means, you have to step up your game.If you got any game, that is.”
Did she know who she was talking to?I glanced at Ellie, confused.
