“Ah! Discretion.” Isaacs taps his nose.
By some unseen signal, one of the concierges makes his way over to Isaac’s woman friend.
“And on that note, does Mandy, by any chance, know you’re conducting evening meetings?” Isaacs asks meaningfully.
I don’t need to approve of him. I just need him to sign the contract, I remind myself. “She’s busy and doesn’t want the boring play-by-play of my business meetings.”
Isaacs lets out a relieved laugh. “Absolutely! She doesn’t want to hear about boring business matters.”
“Speaking of”—I transition easily—“have you met Aaron Richmond, COO of Van de Berg Insurance?”
Isaacs shakes Aaron’s hand. “Been meaning to schedule a meeting with you, son.”
“Rainier Equity works with them often on larger jobs,” I say. “I highly recommend them.”
“You should come meet the board of directors,” Isaacs offers. “We’re having a meeting tomorrow, then some of us are going out for a nightcap after. You should join—you,too, Salinger. Bring Mandy. Bring your girl as well, Aaron. You’re not married, are you?”
“No, sir.”
“Smart man. That’s for the best. Don’t let them talk you into it.”
The concierge has Isaacs’s non-girlfriend waiting in a small alcove.
“Tomorrow, I’ll have Claire text Mandy the details. Make sure she comes—Claire will want someone she likes there. It’s dog friendly.” Isaacs mimes slicing his throat.
“Then I’m absolutely sure she’ll be happy to attend,” I tell him.
Isaacs slaps me on the shoulder, and we shake hands again. Then the concierge escorts Isaacs down a back hallway.
“You punk,” my half brother says behind me.
“Fuck off, Crawford.” I whirl around to face him.
He just laughs. “Guess you didn’t come clean to Aaron.”
“Shut up.” I clench my fists.
Aaron, the paranoid and hyper-risk-adverse insurance broker, has his hackles up. “What do you mean? Didn’t tell me what?”
“Calm down. Crawford’s being a dick.”
Crawford gestures after Isaacs. “Salinger’s playing fast and loose with a multibillion-dollar deal that is precariously hinged on Mandy.”
“Why are you in my business?” I snarl at him.
“Just offering some brotherly help.” My brother’s smile is toothy.
Aaron’s eyes narrow. “What do you mean, the deal hinges on Mandy?”
Crawford spreads his hands. “Scuttlebutt is that Mandy’s about to quit. She didn’t even show up to the Quantumcore chip-factory meeting today.”
“She never misses a meeting, not even when she’s sick,” Fitz adds.
“And if she’s friends with Claire, she can badmouth Salinger and tank the deal,” Crawford says while I plot his murder. “You heard the man. He’ll do whatever Claire says.”
I can practically hear the alarm bells going off in Aaron’s head.
“They’re being histrionic,” I say. “My assistant isn’t quitting—she was just busy. Mandy will be there tomorrow.”
