Page 28
Story: Empire of Seduction
“He’s a junkie,” I explained. “And this Red Raider is his supplier. I want them both gone.”
“Goddamn it, Chuck,” Michael said angrily. “I told you to be careful with that shit.”
“It’s not a problem, Mikey. I have it under control.”
“He’s done,” I instructed Michael. “He goes.Immediatamente.” Bending, I wiped my bloody hands on the biker’s leather cut and snarled softly, “If I find you or any other Red Raiders anywhere near here again, I won’t stop with a broken nose. Capisce?”
The biker groaned. I grabbed a fistful of greasy hair and lifted his mangled face toward mine. “I asked you a question, motherfucker. Do you understand?”
He nodded weakly then pushed to his feet. As he stumbled away, I ordered Michael and Chuck to stay put. Then I followed the biker at a distance, watching as he walked toward the parking lot. There, he found his bike, started it, and drove off.
When I returned, Michael and Chuck were arguing. I had better things to do, so I said over both of them, “Chuck, give Michael your key card or keys or whatever the fuck. Then get in your car and never come back.”
“But—” My expression went arctic. Chuck flinched. Shoulders drooping, he handed his keys to Michael. “Look, I’m sorry, Mikey.”
“Get help, man,” Michael said. “Please. That shit can kill you.”
“It’s not a problem, I swear. I only use occasionally.”
“You’re high now. And you invited your supplier to the winery,” I pointed out. “Leave, right fucking now.”
Chuck exhaled heavily, then he started for the parking lot. Michael jerked his thumb toward the winery. “I’m going to ask someone to drive him home.”
I picked my overcoat up off the ground and dusted it off. “I’ll wait at the bar. Find me when you’re done. We need to talk.”
I followed him inside. The kitchen was quiet, three people busy at work stations, each eyeing me warily as I passed. I kept going toward the door at the other end, which I assumed led to the bar. I was right. When the door swung shut behind me, I was pleasantly surprised to find an espresso machine. Finally, some good luck.
The machine was on, recently used from the likes of it, so I began looking for grounds and milk. Everything was close at hand, and Michael came in as I was steaming the milk. “Cappuccino?” I asked over the noise.
“No, thank you.” He took a seat at the bar.
I poured the milk into the espresso, then added some foam. When I finished, Michael whistled. “I’m surprised you know how to do that.”
“I wasn’t always a boss. I was an advisor to my brother for years. I’ve madea lotof drinks.” I took a grateful sip, not even caring that it burned my tongue. “Chuck gone?”
“Yes.” Michael grabbed a cocktail straw and started chewing on it absently. “And we’re fucked.”
“Explain.”
“We have a huge event on Saturday night. Who’s going to run the kitchen?”
That was two nights from now. Plenty of time to find someone. I shrugged. “One of the line cooks. A dishwasher. You. Hire someone. I don’t give a fuck.”
Michael ran a hand through his hair. “Dude, professional chefs don’t grow on trees around here.”
I stroked my jaw and considered this. I wasn’t hiring Chuck back, not after endangering everyone at the winery. I’d rather cancel the event and send the group somewhere else for dinner. “Can we reschedule the event?”
“No. It’s an engagement party and people are flying in from all over the country. And canceling wouldn’t help us with word of mouth for future bookings.”
So we needed to find another chef. How hard could it be? I put my cup down. “What about the guy from Val’s trattoria? Giovanni?”
“I can call and ask. But what about the other events and dinners? We’re booked solid for three weeks.”
“One thing at a time. Call the trattoria.”
Michael picked his mobile up off the bar and dialed. During the very brief conversation, I sipped my drink and listened to what seemed like bad news. Michael confirmed this after he disconnected. “Giovanni is in Italy for the week. His sister is getting married.”
“Anyone else there who can help?”
“Goddamn it, Chuck,” Michael said angrily. “I told you to be careful with that shit.”
“It’s not a problem, Mikey. I have it under control.”
“He’s done,” I instructed Michael. “He goes.Immediatamente.” Bending, I wiped my bloody hands on the biker’s leather cut and snarled softly, “If I find you or any other Red Raiders anywhere near here again, I won’t stop with a broken nose. Capisce?”
The biker groaned. I grabbed a fistful of greasy hair and lifted his mangled face toward mine. “I asked you a question, motherfucker. Do you understand?”
He nodded weakly then pushed to his feet. As he stumbled away, I ordered Michael and Chuck to stay put. Then I followed the biker at a distance, watching as he walked toward the parking lot. There, he found his bike, started it, and drove off.
When I returned, Michael and Chuck were arguing. I had better things to do, so I said over both of them, “Chuck, give Michael your key card or keys or whatever the fuck. Then get in your car and never come back.”
“But—” My expression went arctic. Chuck flinched. Shoulders drooping, he handed his keys to Michael. “Look, I’m sorry, Mikey.”
“Get help, man,” Michael said. “Please. That shit can kill you.”
“It’s not a problem, I swear. I only use occasionally.”
“You’re high now. And you invited your supplier to the winery,” I pointed out. “Leave, right fucking now.”
Chuck exhaled heavily, then he started for the parking lot. Michael jerked his thumb toward the winery. “I’m going to ask someone to drive him home.”
I picked my overcoat up off the ground and dusted it off. “I’ll wait at the bar. Find me when you’re done. We need to talk.”
I followed him inside. The kitchen was quiet, three people busy at work stations, each eyeing me warily as I passed. I kept going toward the door at the other end, which I assumed led to the bar. I was right. When the door swung shut behind me, I was pleasantly surprised to find an espresso machine. Finally, some good luck.
The machine was on, recently used from the likes of it, so I began looking for grounds and milk. Everything was close at hand, and Michael came in as I was steaming the milk. “Cappuccino?” I asked over the noise.
“No, thank you.” He took a seat at the bar.
I poured the milk into the espresso, then added some foam. When I finished, Michael whistled. “I’m surprised you know how to do that.”
“I wasn’t always a boss. I was an advisor to my brother for years. I’ve madea lotof drinks.” I took a grateful sip, not even caring that it burned my tongue. “Chuck gone?”
“Yes.” Michael grabbed a cocktail straw and started chewing on it absently. “And we’re fucked.”
“Explain.”
“We have a huge event on Saturday night. Who’s going to run the kitchen?”
That was two nights from now. Plenty of time to find someone. I shrugged. “One of the line cooks. A dishwasher. You. Hire someone. I don’t give a fuck.”
Michael ran a hand through his hair. “Dude, professional chefs don’t grow on trees around here.”
I stroked my jaw and considered this. I wasn’t hiring Chuck back, not after endangering everyone at the winery. I’d rather cancel the event and send the group somewhere else for dinner. “Can we reschedule the event?”
“No. It’s an engagement party and people are flying in from all over the country. And canceling wouldn’t help us with word of mouth for future bookings.”
So we needed to find another chef. How hard could it be? I put my cup down. “What about the guy from Val’s trattoria? Giovanni?”
“I can call and ask. But what about the other events and dinners? We’re booked solid for three weeks.”
“One thing at a time. Call the trattoria.”
Michael picked his mobile up off the bar and dialed. During the very brief conversation, I sipped my drink and listened to what seemed like bad news. Michael confirmed this after he disconnected. “Giovanni is in Italy for the week. His sister is getting married.”
“Anyone else there who can help?”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160