"Let's have a baby, but on two conditions," I said, pulling her in close and kissing her. "We wait until we've taken out these two men. You stay on your pills until then, and then we start trying. Second, if and when you get pregnant, all of this going after criminals stuff stops. You go straight to the day to day business of Smiley Consolidated. Okay?"
She nodded, and kissed me again. "I can do that. By the way, we have to actually make a Smiley Consolidated."
"Of course," I replied, our kiss growing deeper. "In fact, I was thinking we could do some consolidating right now."
Chapter 23
Sophie
Ironically, it was at the exact same nail salon that Tabby had showed us last night that we decided to do the first purchase for Smiley Consolidated. The owner, a pretty Southeast Asian lady named Ms. Wen, was ecstatic when we met. "Thank you so much, Mr. Smiley, Miss Warbird," she said in lightly accented English. "With your investment, I can make the expansion that we've needed for so long."
"We're glad to become your partners, Ms. Wen," I replied, offering my hand. We shook, and I leaned in, "Of course, the biggest mark in your favor is your reputation. I hear you do wonderful work with gel nails?"
"Best in the city," Ms. Wen said, taking a look at my hand. "Hmmm, maybe something to compliment that hair of yours? I must say, it's beautiful. So few Americans would have the courage to try something so out of the ordinary."
"Why thank you," I replied. "Let's talk about maybe next week. But I think if we do that now, my fiancée will be bored out of his mind."
Mark rolled his eyes melodramatically in good humor, as Tabby, who served as the facilitating agent, brought forth the paperwork. "It'll take about a week for this all to clear the county courthouse," she said as first Mark and then Ms. Wen signed. Tabby, who was required to get her notary public license by her new firm, stamped and signed in her spot as well. "But, once that is done, I'd say we can transfer the funds and get things rolling."
"That's perfect," Mark said, playing his role of business mogul to the limit. "Ms. Wen, if you could have the estimates and all the paperwork you have gathered for your expansion to my office soon, maybe you and I can sit down and figure out where best to start, and if there is a way to make our money go further. To be honest, I was surprised when Miss Tabby brought your company to my attention, you requested so little."
"We've been understaffed and working hard so long, we just need that little push. Once that is in, then the profits we can make can fuel the rest of the expansion by themselves."
Mark nodded, and smiled. "Well, we'll talk. In the mean time Ms. Wen, Sophie and I have another business meeting. If you're going to come by my office, I need to have an office for you to come to."
We left Zen Nail Salon and climbed into our rental car. Tabby slid into the rear passenger seat, all smiles. "Well, that was easy. I like spending your money, Marcus."
"After we sign the lease on the office space, I want you to bring in more businesses like that one," Mark replied. "I'm going to put pressure on Owen Lynch and the Confederation by investing in businesses that they've been keeping down. Zen Nails, Guliano's, places like that. By the way, where are we leasing office space?"
Tabby and I both laughed. "You know love, for someone who's made a whole lotta money, you sure don't know a lot about how to do business," I said as we drove. "Not that I'm much better."
"Well, you know how I made a lot of my money. The rest I made using false identities and online companies. I never had to sign leases or paper agreements. Digital signatures and money transfers was all I needed. I made a million dollars sitting around in my underwear."
"With the way you're built, that could happen in about a dozen clubs around town," Tabby quipped, and I lost it, exploding in giggles as Mark tried his best to keep us on the road. "But seriously, face to face business isn't all that different, it just requires more paperwork. Didn't you tell me you had lawyers and stuff to handle this before?"
"None of them were local. They're in Bermuda I think. I need a local legal team, and you happen to represent what we need. That and I personally still want to keep tabs on you. I'd hire you directly, but that might create too much suspicion and keep you away from what you've done best, which is gather information for us. I never wanted you to do that, but it sure has helped. Anyway, I can keep you safe easier this way."
I could see Tabby blink back a few tears as Mark's words sunk in, and I turned to look out my passenger side window. "So, Tabby," I said after a few minutes. "Where exactly are you taking us for looking at office rentals?"