The guitar guy switched to something a little more up-beat, with Latino influences.
“So.” Violet leaned forward enough to fold one leg under the other. “Is this about your position in Beckstrom Enterprises?”
“I’m that easy to read?”
“It’s been three months since Daniel died,” she said in that matter-of-fact way of hers. “There are still a lot of details that haven’t been settled. We need to take care of the business before people get too nervous.”
“I know. My schedule has been really hectic and it’s only going to get worse. I’m considering a job Hounding on retainer for the police.”
That got Kevin’s attention. He stopped looking like he wasn’t scanning the crowd and instead looked at me.
“Which department?” he asked.
Yes, he was Violet’s bodyguard, and no, I didn’t owe him any answers. But he was also a part of the Authority and a hell of a magic user. I figured he had ways to find out who I was working for, so why keep it a secret?
“Detective Stotts.”
His sandy eyebrows notched up, but that was all the reaction I got out of him.
Violet nodded. “I think that’s a valid choice. I’ve looked into your files.”
“Nice,” I said.
She winced. “I’m sorry if you feel like I’ve crossed a line, but we don’t know each other that well, and. . your decisions about his company could change my life and my research in the most drastic of ways. Did you know your father kept detailed reports on you?”
“Yes,” I said.
“As I said, I went through them and I noticed you don’t have any self-defense training.”
“What?”
“Self-defense. I’m surprised you never took any training. No martial arts, no sidearms training, no basic self-defense classes. Not even in college.”
“I can handle myself just fine.”
She stared at me for a long, uncomfortable moment. Finally, “In the very short time I’ve known you, you have been chased, shot, robbed, stabbed, drugged, and attacked by magic.”
“I’m still breathing, aren’t I?”
Our dessert and coffee showed up. The server caught on quickly that chatty banter was not going to work at our table. She set everything on the small coffee table in front of us, and walked away a little quicker than before.
Violet picked up her coffee and took a moment to appreciate the leaf design worked in the foam. She held the cup in both hands and closed her eyes, inhaling the aroma.
The flutter behind my eyes kicked up again, and I felt a wash of memories push through me. Different times, different places, all Violet, holding a simple cup of coffee like it was treasure, savoring a plain moment like it was gold.
Go away
, I pushed at my dad. Where was that wall when I needed it?
I looked away from Violet, which helped some, then took a drink of my coffee and a bite of the torte. The burst of flavors in my mouth pushed everything else aside. Violet, Kevin, the crowd, and my annoying father would all just have to wait while I ate half that torte and drank half that coffee.
Violet, however, was a multitasker.
“Yes, you’re breathing. I think you should take steps to avoid injury in the first place. You need self-defense training, and I’ve put together a list of people you can check into.”
She dug in the purse at her feet and put a manila file on the table. “Contact information, profiles, photos, classes, and costs are there. Beckstrom Enterprises has an employee wellness program set up that will cover any one of these. I’d like you to seriously consider it.”
I settled back in my chair, taking my coffee with me but leaving the file where it was. “I’m not an employee.”
“No, you’re not. You’re an owner. And the members of the board all voted to hire a bodyguard for you.”
“Oh, absolutely not,” I said. “I will not have someone breathing down my neck every second of the day.”
“Then take the training.”
The woman was relentless.
“And if I don’t?”
“Beckstrom Enterprises will take appropriate steps. Allie”-she pressed her glasses up on the bridge of her nose and folded her fingers together-“personal preferences have to be put aside when you are dealing with a corporation this large. There is a lot riding on you and your majority share. The stockholders have some say in how you live your life. I’m sorry if you don’t like that, but it’s true. For years, your father was able to keep that pressure off you while you grew up, went to school. But he’s gone now. Now you have to step up to the realities of living a public life.”
“Gee,” I said, “I know I brought enough money for dessert and coffee; does the lecture cost extra?”
Violet smiled, which I hadn’t expected. I bet she was the head of her debate team in school. “You are so like him. I know that doesn’t win me any favors. Still. It’s true.” She took another drink of her coffee. “Stubborn, sarcastic, annoying.” She flashed me a smile. “But funny.”
Funny? My dad? The flutter behind my eyes scraped and scraped. I rubbed at my forehead and tried to will him away.
I picked up my plate again and finished the torte so I had an excuse not to look at Violet.
“Have you thought about your role in the company?” Violet asked.
“Yes,” I said. “Well, mostly I’ve thought about how much I don’t want to have any role in the company.”
“Really.” She didn’t sound surprised, just curious. “So you don’t want to take a major position?”
“What, like CEO? No. I’d like to have some say in what happens, but I don’t want to bother with the day-to-day decisions. Or paperwork. Or boardroom meetings. I’d like some money set aside that I can access for myself and for causes I am sympathetic toward. Maybe that money could be sheltered so my decisions on how to use it don’t reflect poorly on the company.”
“Why? Are you going into smuggling? Drugs? Weapons?”
“Worse. I’m thinking of creating some kind of insurance plan or resource for the Hounds in the city. I know Dad never approved of what I did.”
Violet took a drink of coffee and shrugged. “I think he wanted better for you. A safer career. Something more certain. But I don’t think he was ashamed that you are a Hound.”
“Yeah, well, I have my own opinion on that.”
“I know,” she said. “I’m comfortable with your interests being associated with Beckstrom Enterprises. But this is something we should have the lawyers work out. Would you be willing to meet with someone?”
“When?” I asked.
“I’ll have to contact everyone and see when it would work. Hopefully in the next week or so.”
“Okay,” I said. “Oh, and what do you think about me giving you the CEO position in Beckstrom Enterprises?”
“Huh.” It came out like someone had slapped her hard on the back and she’d lost her breath. She frowned and took another sip of coffee. “Let me think about that. You know your father’s will left me comfortable financially, and I own the condo and many of his other assets.”
“This isn’t about the money,” I said. “Well, I mean, it is about the money, but that’s not the only thing it’s about. I think you and I would work well together, even if we don’t always agree.”
“I’m not so sure. . ”
“And,” I cut her off before she could protest any further. “That will keep the business in the family. For the, uh, future. You know.”
“You mean for your brother or sister?”
And all that scraping and fluttering in my head went dead still.