Well, that said it all. Dane would talk to Eloise about it as soon as the crowd thinned down. They would talk about many things. He scanned the menu.
“Hello. Would you happen to be Dane Collins?”
A handsome young man who dressed well and cared about his hair stood by Dane’s table, extending his hand. Dane took it. “That’s right.”
“Seamus Downey, Miss Kramer’s attorney. May I sit down?”
Dane didn’t mean to delay an answer. It simply took him a moment to process the words “Miss Kramer’s attorney.” “Uh. Sure. Have a seat.”
Downey chose the chair directly opposite Dane and planted himself there, spine, shoulders, and chin exuding confidence, authority, maybe even ownership of the table.
“Miss Kramer’s attorney,” Dane repeated. “No kidding. I didn’t know she had an attorney.”
Downey put on a smile he learned from another attorney, a banker, or a job interviewer. “Well, we’re good friends mostly, but the longer our relationship the more I’ve accepted the role of legal counsel, watching out for her interests.”
Your relationship?“How long have you known her?”
He smiled that smile again. “Long enough. We’ve had some great times together.”
“I see.”
“But I understand you’ve approached Miss Kramer regarding a professional relationship?”
And now that’s your business?“Actually, she approached me last Monday and we had a lengthy chat. I assume she’s told you all about it.”
“Oh, yes.”
“Well, I am considering working with her.”
“Oh, then it’s very timely that we met.” Downey looked around the room. Eloise was just finishing up with some admirers. “Eloise?”
She said good-bye and came to the table. She looked more than tired; she looked troubled. Seamus stood—which reminded Dane to do the same—and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Wonderful performance!” They sat, Dane and Seamus facing each other, Eloise on one side. Her head drooped. She removed her hat and rubbed her eyes.
“Dear, your makeup,” said Seamus, pulling a napkin from the table dispenser.
“Oh,” she said, using the napkin to dab her face. The napkin quivered in her hand.
“I’ve just been making Mr. Collins’s acquaintance. We were about to discuss his possible future relationship with you.”
“Oh,” she said. “Oh, right.” The eyeliner left smeared shadows under her eyes, and her whiskers were streaked. Her hair was matted with sweat. She had yet to smile.
“You okay?” Dane asked.
“Yeah,” she said, and managed a smile. “Pretty tired.”
Downey said to her, “I think Mr. Collins would be interested to know how we’ve resolved some of your issues.”
“Oh, yeah, right.” She looked at Dane and said, “This is Seamus.”
“Your attorney,” said Dane.
By her inquiring glance at Downey it seemed she was still learning that idea. “Uh, yeah. And he’s, he’s really incredible. He talked to the hospital and got everything straightened out.”
Now, this was unexpected news. “Everything? Really?”
“First of all,” said Downey, “again, thank you for intervening and taking care of Eloise after that whole incident. It’s just unbelievable what happened. It was horrendous.”
Dane looked at one, then the other, unsure whom to address as he said, “You’re welcome.”
“But you’ll be glad to know that I’ve met with the hospital and they’ve agreed to a settlement.”
Yep, unexpected news. Once again, Dane had to draw on some stagecraft to keep from broadcasting his confusion and surprise all over the room. “They have?”
Downey nodded.
“Spokane County … ?”
“Spokane County Medical Center.” Downey smiled at Eloise. “Eloise will be starting up an investment portfolio, I imagine.”
She smiled back at him.
“Uh, wait a minute,” said Dane. He lowered his voice to ask, “You talked about the two guys in the SUV?”
Downey looked to Eloise. When she nodded, he replied, “After all you’ve done for Eloise you have a right to know. I can’t say the hospital was at fault—that’s part of the agreement—but I can tell you that they have compensated Eloise for any damages and that they will cease and desist from this particular method of rounding up wandering patients. No more thugs in SUVs or any other form—ever!”
Dane held himself back. Any questioning of Downey’s story would suggest Dane had his own version and now that version was bleeding value like a bad stock in a bear market. “No kidding.”
“As for any personal, private information about Eloise, that is expunged. Cleared. The hospital has no further interest in her and will respect her privacy.”
“Okay. That’s great.”
“So since this may have been a matter of concern to you, we wanted to clear this up and…”
And?
“In light of any professional interest you may have in Miss Kramer, we need to be clear that the rules of privacy apply to that relationship as well. She has already shared some things with you not realizing that they were a private matter and that she had no obligation to divulge any of it to a prospective employer, manager, instructor, whoever. So, to be fair to her, we would ask you to bar any of that information from your considerations. Wipe it from the record, let her start clean, and judge her on her own present-day merits. Are you following me so far?”
Was that a door Dane heard closing? “I think I understand what you’re saying.”
“And you must not encroach on her privacy at any time in the future. Any conversation you have with her must pertain to the business at hand, to her training, your management agreement, and so forth. Nothing personal. You follow?”
Dane rested back in his chair and eyed Seamus Downey, Miss Kramer’s attorney, taking all the time he needed to decide if he was offended or not. Mmm, yeah. He supposed he was.
“May I ask Miss Kramer a question?”
“If it’s nothing personal.”
He asked her, “Did you really hire this guy?”
Downey answered, “That’s privileged.”
“He’s my friend,” was all she said.
All right, all right, it made sense—on the face of it. She was young, Downey was young, they’d found each other, they were beginning a relationship. What could be more normal and to be expected than that? And an attorney! Could be a good catch— ifDowney was a good man. Right now Dane wasn’t so sure. Slimycame to mind. Slippery. Scheming.It was even tempting to draw out the s’s. Pardon the impressions of an old raisin, kid, but he’s not right for you.
Old raisin? Right.Another sword came to mind: sixty, his age in a few weeks. It was a good thing to keep in mind. Acting and thinking that age would keep him from being stupid enough to feel … well, the way he was feeling.
“Okay then” Dane rose, grabbed his coat and Louis L’Amour hat. “Miss Kramer, should it still matter, I agree to your request. I will be happy to coach and manage you and”—he shot a direct look at Mr. Downey—“I also agree not to ask you any more personal questions or violate your privacy.” He looked directly at her. “I’d like you to work for me in exchange for my services for, oh, let’s say a two-month probationary period. Once we get your career started and you achieve enough success to pay me a commission, then we can talk about that. Agreeable so far?”
She nodded, with respect.
“We’ll be happy to discuss any offer,” said Downey. “Of course, she may decide she already has sufficient management.”
“You?” Dane found that amusing and didn’t hide it. He told Eloise, “If you’re still interested I’ll be available at my ranch nine o’clock Monday morning. Bring a lunch and a change of clothes because you’re going to get dirty”—a glance at Downey—“and don’t bring him.”