THE TIMING, JOE PARENTE [ereader ebook .txt] 📗

see, about six years, I’d say. How long have you worked for your company, Brad?” She poured coffee.

“Over six years,” I lied.

“Do you like to travel?” she asked.

“Yes it is exciting at times.” I noticed her ring-less finger, “I am new in town and have a yearning to explore a little of New York. Would you be free for dinner?”

“I’m sorry, Brad. I have made it a policy not to mix personal things with business.”

I felt like a turd for asking. I should have waited until she knew me better. My luck with women was in line with all the other times that I have tried. “Please don’t close the door on me so fast, perhaps another time?”

She smiled. “I’ll see.”

Bill’s voice came over the intercom. “Send Brad in please, Judy.”

I entered. “Yes sir?”

“I have been looking this over and have a few questions. Your asking us to give you complete dossier’s on all employees, and especially family members. May I ask why?”

“Yes Bill, as you know, the fastest way to cut costs is to make sure that you are paying for what you get for your labor force. Now I’m not saying that we plan to cut anyone, but there may be some re-assignments. This would enable us to take a very close look at time management. Using your labor force properly will definitely add to the bottom line. In order to make some of these decisions palatable to your employees; you may switch that burden to this new management program. I will assure you Bill, any decisions that are made will be very humane and with your company’s feelings in mind.” I spouted all this from the purest section of the Rhorem training manual. I impressed myself!

“How about my son, he has a hefty position here. He may not be too happy about me sharing personal information.”

Assuring him, “Bill, please let me make our intentions clear. Any thing we do is to better your firm. We are here to make your company shine. All of this information is necessary to get a true picture of Baetacom so you can buy your new yacht.” I said this as we both smiled.
“Brad, I usually like to run this by my wife and family but a re-vamping is needed. The best way to accomplish this is to do it now. Your program sounds good and too many different decisions will spoil the broth. Here are your signed documents. Let’s get the ball rolling. I will have all the information ready for you in two days. Why don’t you come back on Monday? I’ll work on it this weekend.”

What a rush! “Fine sir, I’ll be here at the same time Monday to pick up the batch of paperwork, Thank you Bill!” Standing, I took his hand with an enthusiastic grip.

On the way out I gave Judy an exaggerated wink and promised to see her Monday. I started to ask her out again but felt that I should wait until next week. Why should I break the lucky streak? Leaving the office I felt like doing a double heel kick, I was stoked! Oh, the hell with protocol, I went back in and told Judy that I was staying at the Walton if she decided to change her mind.

Making my way to the street, I flagged down a cab and told the cabby that I needed to make two stops. The first one was to overnight the contract to the main office and the second one was to go to the hotel to celebrate.


THE TIMING Joe Parente


Chapter 3


Doors opened on the lobby floor as the melee’ of noise hit me. There was the piano bar, the clinking of glassware and the buzz of over a hundred people talking at the same time. This is where the action is and I’m geared up.

Walking into the bar, I noticed my favorite bell man looking my way with that helpful smile. Walking over to him I realized that I did not know his name, “Hello Mister Warner, how are you doing today? You look very nice this evening sir.”

“Well thank you I had a tough beginning, say, what is your name? After all of your help I realized that I didn’t know your name.”

“It is Jules sir, may I be of assistance this evening?”

I thought to myself, what a perfect name for this guy. “No Jules, I thought I would enjoy the scenery here tonight.”

“Very good sir, please be careful of the bad ice.” He walked away.

Now how the hell-- was that a co-incidence, how did he know about my alleged affair with bad ice? I don’t think I told him anything about ice, did I? I shuffled off to the bar.
“What will you have sir?” asked the bartender.
“Hi, I’ll have a scotch and soda please.” I laid a twenty on the bar.

“Do you want a twist with that?”

“Sure.”

“Any particular brand sir?”

“Sure, make it Chivas.”

Sipping on my first one I surveyed the surroundings and noticed a red head in the corner. It looked like she was by herself so I sent over whatever she was drinking. I wanted to make sure that she knew where the drink came from. She looked up and acknowledged me by tipping her glass just as a big brute sat in next to her.

“Shit.” I said under my breath.

“Another sir?” The bartender asked.

“You bet and make it a double.” I thought to myself. Boy can I pick ‘em.

Drink after drink and trying to drum up a conversation with someone, I started to get a little hungry, so I asked for a menu.

“Would you like to dine in the restaurant sir?” the bartender asked.

“Yeah I think I better, there is no action for me in here. Standing up, I was led to the dining room. Getting all my meals through room service, this was a new room to me.

As I began to check out the menu that the dining waiter handed me, I could see that eating in the room had caused me to miss some wonderful entrées. Everything sounded great. I guess that my hunger was beginning to show. I looked out at the doorway to catch my waiter’s eye when I had noticed that Jules was smiling my way. What kind of hours was he working? It seems as though he had been here every minute, strange.

The waiter appeared out of nowhere and startled me, “have you decided yet sir?.

I jumped, “yea, let me try the rib eye. Medium rare. I’ll have that with baked potato and a large dinner salad with blue cheese dressing.” I knew I couldn’t go wrong with that.

“A terrific choice sir, you will enjoy that.” He attempted to take the menu; I noticed the printing on the back and I held it back. “Would there be any thing else sir?”

“Not at this time, but if you don’t mind, may I read the menu a little longer?”

“Certainly sir,” he departed.

I did not believe what I was reading because on the back of the menu was printed ‘A Rhortec Company’. Now that was one for the books! Rhortec owned this place! No wonder the company was so adamant about my staying here. No wonder there were no limits to the expenses, this was already paid for by them. I was un-aware that the Old Man was in the restaurant business.

The waiter brought the salad and I ordered a single to go along with dinner. As he was setting the plate, I asked, “do you know who owns this place?”

“No sir, about two years ago a large company from California took us over. Before that, this place had almost gone out of business, but since the new company”—He paused, “well look at it sir, we have been busy all the time.”

I enjoyed my meal, had a couple more drinks, wobbled up to my room and crashed.

The telephone rang very loud at 8: AM. My head was about to explode, all I wanted to do was sleep. Why me, “Yeah, who is it?”

“Hi bud, this is Frank. It’s time to talk again.”

“For Christ’s sake Frank, this is Saturday morning. You keep waking me up. Have you ever thought of calling at a decent hour?” I was pissed.

“Brad, it’s 8: AM, that’s not too early. Can we meet at the bar? It’s for your own good. I have something that has come up.”

I mellowed, “oh, alright, about ten minutes?”

“You got it, don’t be late.”

I met him at the same seat as last time. On the way in, I ran into Jules with that same helpful smile. I brushed by him, but I could feel his eyes on my back. ”What’s up, Frank?”
“You look like crap this morning.” As he gave me the once over.

“Thanks Frank, that helps my mood.” I sat opposite of him at the table.

“That booze is gonna kill you.”

“Ok Dad, what’s up?”

He leaned closer to me. “I just got word that Rhortec swallowed up a company that I had sold for them. It seems that the company eliminated some essential people and replaced them with their own. Something had happened to the CEO and according to the contract they signed, Rhortec made some decisions that caused a ‘Take Over.’”

“What happened to the CEO, Frank?” I was awake now.

“I’m not sure; we are looking into it now.”
I was fully awake now. “We, Frank, Who the hell are we?”

“I can only tell you this so far, I am an investigator for the trade commission and some things don’t add up with Rhortec. I was recruited by the Feds shortly before I left my position with Willhelm Rhorem. I had to leave him and make it seem like a disappearing act in order to get the ball rolling. I can’t tell you any thing else right now but I will be in contact. We don’t have anything on them now but something is fishy.”

“Wow you said a mouthful. I found out last night that Rhortec also owns this hotel.”

“Yeah, I know.” He started to rise.

“Wait, I have many questions.”

“I know you do but I have got to go. When is your next meeting?”

“At eleven on Monday. It’s at Baetacom. I have to