We drove to Sunset Village and I gave Bernie the tour of all the improvements our foundation had managed to accomplish. I even introduced him to Mrs. Jessup, standing very close to Bernie as I did so. Her eyebrows went up a bit as he smiled at her. Few women could not be affected by his good looks and the fact that he was my “assistant” led others to speculate. I knew if Mrs. Jessup picked up on that suspicion, it would get through even Worth’s thick scull.
Next, we stopped by Brandon’s office. He was a former schoolmate and the primary architect of the Sunset Foundation. He wasn’t terribly fond of Worth, only because he’d had a bit of a thing for me since school. He shook Bernie’s hand and when that smile flashed, Brandon looked at me quizzically and asked, “How’s Worth?” His meaning was not subtle.
“It’s complicated,” I said simply and Brandon nodded. He knew me as well as a brother would and knew I was up to something. He wouldn’t interfere. I knew he wouldn’t. There was nothing he’d like better than to get Worth out of the way.
I invited Brandon to have a drink with us and he needed no more persuasion, but grabbed his laptop case and saluted his secretary on the way out of the office. We met at a casual place on the east end where you could opt for liquor, their sweet iced tea or enjoy a full meal.
“I’m mad at you,” I began as we were served our respective drinks.
“Why?” He was puzzled.
“You didn’t come to my Derby barbecue,” I spilled out as if he shouldn’t have to ask.
“I guess you didn’t hear,” he said, loosening his dark navy tie that contrasted nicely with his blond hair. “My uncle passed in Ohio. It was quite sudden and I had to get Mother through it. I’m sorry. I should have called, but I knew you would have your hands full and didn’t need my problems.”
“Oh, Brandon.” I got up and put my arms around him, kissing him lightly on the cheek. “I hadn’t heard. I’m so sorry,” I whispered, my arms still around his shoulders.
Brandon patted my cheek and hugged me back, then released my arms. “He passed unexpectedly. We had no idea he was ill. It was Mother’s only brother, you know.”
I’d heard Brandon speak of his uncle when we were at college. He’d been quite fond of the man and I knew this had to hurt. “I’m really sorry for being so petty.” I tried to smooth over my faux pas.
“Thank you, but you didn’t know, honey,” Brandon said, using the familiar reference he’d always used when we were in college.
I’m fairly sure Bernie picked up on this and recognized we had a past. So far, not much got past him. “My condolences,” he said respectfully, to which Brandon nodded.
“So, you going to tell me why you have a new assistant?” Brandon asked, fishing for some detail that would explain what was going on.
I stirred my tea with my straw and looked at him from beneath lowered lids. “I’m building things,” I started.
“I assumed as much,” he answered and spread his napkin upon his lap.
“Bernie loves horses the way I do and he’s fresh from stacking his degrees. I hired him to be my backup as I finish the arena, build the course, start the breeding and boarding aspect and complete any needed supervision on the estate. He has his hands full.”
“He certainly does,” Brandon agreed with no little bit of sarcasm. “I take it that he and Worth have met?” He was digging deeper.
“Not yet, but it’s not a problem,” I said. “I have my own money, you know.”
“Yes, I know, Auggie, but you’re a mother and that involves responsibility,” he pointed out. I noted that he didn’t include the title of “wife” in his admonishment.
“Exactly the reason to hire Bernie. I want Ford to have a normal childhood and need to spend plenty of time with him. I can’t be dragging him around like a papoose and there is so much to be done with all these projects. I took Bernie over to Sunset before we came by your place. Mrs. Jessup loved him.”
“I’ll bet she did,” was his only response.
“But listen, Brandon. There’s something more important I have to tell you and now is a good time for Bernie to learn about it as well. This is serious stuff.” I sipped my tea and straightened my skirt over my lap. I looked back up at Brandon and saw that his eyes were still on my ankles. “Up here, Brandon,” I said, pointing to my eyes.
“Aww… you’re no fun, Auggie.” Brandon smiled, making light of it.
“This is serious.”
“Okay, tell me.” He put down his fork and gave me his full attention with his best bland, lawyer face.
“I can’t believe you haven’t heard, but then you’ve been busy with your family, but it seems that Linc LaViere is no longer dead.”
Brandon continued to look at me with his lawyer’s face. “I’m waiting for the punch line.”
Bernie stiffened next to me, even though he had no idea who Linc LaViere was or why he was dead in the first place.
I spent the next ten minutes sharing the entire story, during which neither Bernie nor Brandon took a single bite. They were transfixed.
“Why didn’t you call me? Even as your friend, if not your attorney?” Brandon asked, his feelings on his sleeve.
“It moved so fast. We hoped he would go away, but by moving into the LaViere farm and putting Mother in the spare bedroom, it became apparent that neither one of them are going anywhere,” I concluded. “I looked sideways at Bernie and asked, “You still want on board this train?” He nodded, although I could see confusion in his eyes. My bet was that his alternative was watching soap operas with his mother and this paid better, so he’d stick around. “Then Worth did something very strange.”
“What?” I had his full attention.
“He invited him to our Derby barbecue.”
Brandon cocked his head. “Maybe he figured it would be better for appearances’ sake?”
“Have you ever known Worth to be concerned with appearances?”
Brandon shook his head. “Good point. Did you ask him?”
“He said to trust him. Which I’m having a bit of trouble doing at the moment because Worth also invited his new clinic director for Cincinnati. She’s a looker.”
Brandon’s brow relaxed then and he nodded, suddenly understanding the man at my right. He didn’t say a word. I think we all knew, but it was sort of a complicit silence.
“Why do you think he invited this Linc?” He pushed me to answer.
“I really have no idea. I’m not entirely sure that he did invite him. Linc may have just pushed his way in and Worth chose to let it go so there wouldn’t be a confrontation. Linc is very confrontational in nature.”
“Apparently.” Brandon nodded. “So, what about this syndicate thing?”
“I’m blank on that part. I don’t have experience with that, Brandon, you know that.” I wiped my mouth with the napkin and pleaded with my eyes.
He sat back in his chair, shaking his head. “I know enough to stay out of their business, Auggie. You should too.”
I pressed my fingers to my temples. “It’s not like any of this was my doing or my idea. I have only one person I worry about — Ford.”
“They’re not your world, Auggie. Don’t get your back up on this one, believe me. Let Worth handle it and if he falls down on the job, come and talk to me. I don’t have any influence, but I do have contacts. Either way, you stay out of it personally. Promise me you will, Auggie.”