“Nick?”
“Yep. I have Phil Salvatore here at our kids’ dance with lots of curiosity. Would you talk with him for me so I’m not forced to make an adjustment?”
“Put him on. Thanks for calling me first.”
“Happy to do it, my friend.” Nick handed the phone to Salvatore. “This is for you.”
Salvatore took the phone. “Who is it?”
“Paul Gilbrech, the Director of the CIA.”
Salvatore nearly dropped the phone. He put it to his ear tentatively. “Hello.”
Nick watched him cringe as he heard Paul taking Salvatore through a litany of louder than normal voiced conversation. After a few minutes, Salvatore said, “Yes Sir, I understand, Sir.”
Salvatore handed the phone back to Nick. His face had much less color. “I’m glad you called anyway, Nick. I knew you wanted to know. Clyde took the job as driver.”
“Outstanding,” Nick said, pleased the kid didn’t take one for the team. “Thanks for letting me know. I liked him.”
“The feeling is not mutual. Be talking with you soon,” Gilbrech disconnected.
When Nick put away the phone, and turned his attention to the dance floor without commenting any further, Salvatore could only stay silent for a minute. “I have to ask. What did ‘forced to make an adjustment’ mean?”
“Let’s leave it with an old school cliché, Phil. Curiosity killed the cat, and satisfaction did not bring it back. In fact it ate the cat’s nine lives like chocolate covered Cheerios. Through no fault of your own other than trying to get ahead in DC, you crossed paths with the wrong people. Take this to heart. Enjoy your time here in this beautiful place. Work your present job with distinction, and live within your means. I’m afraid you won’t be returning to DC any time soon. Please don’t make mention of me to anyone, for any reason, or in any reference. Is that clear?”
Salvatore nodded. “Clear. I don’t think it’s a good idea, or a safe one, for my son to visit your house. Is that a problem?”
“Nope. I understand completely. They’re nine, and going to school together. They’ll be okay. Does that mean you don’t want Jean to visit your house either?”
“Can I get back to you on that? My wife is upset over everything to do with my being sent here. I believe she figured Collister’s chance for me to get my old job back was a sure thing. She loved the Washington D.C. scene.”
“You mean the parties, and socializing?”
“Exactly.”
“Do you or your wife golf?”
“Ah… yes. It’s kind of a must in DC social circles.”
“Good,” Nick said. “I have a connection with Corral de Tierra Country Club in Carmel. It’s a private club. I’ll have a friend of mine, Julius Danvers, invite you to join. It’s by invitation only. I’ll take care of the fees. It will please your wife.”
“That’s very generous of you, but I-”
“Don’t say no, Phil. Take the offer home to Clarice.”
“Okay… sure… thank you. Are you a member?”
“I have a membership because Julius is a big fan of my novels, and I did a favor for him once. He has a shipping line. He asks me in for a consultation once in a while, and we meet at the Corral. My Rachel doesn’t care for golf or country clubs, so other than having dinner with Julius once in a while at the Corral, we’re not active members. You won’t have to fear running into me there.”
“Why would you do this for me?”
“Jean likes Sonny, and I want you to know there aren’t any hard feelings about getting into my business, just so you never do it again. Leave everything at ‘our kids go to school together’ and we won’t have any problems.”
“Don’t worry about that.”
Nick grinned at Phil. “Believe me. I’m not worried.”
*
“Hello? Rollover Rachel… we’re home.” Nick briefed Jean about the sudden inclusion of their entire family in Dimah Kader’s wedding on the way home. “Jean and I want to hear all about Dimah’s wedding plans from her Maid of Honor. Hello?”
Rachel walked out of the living room to join them. Deke streaked through the dog door to dance around his human housemates. “Okay… get it out of your systems. Even Deke has been avoiding me. Make it fast because I’m feeling my Princess Bump inner monster surfacing. Believe me, you don’t want that.”