Evil in Paradise

by R. B. Conroy

  Jared glanced at his former boss and then looked away, “Well, we’re in pretty deep with that Alco deal, but otherwise, things are looking very good and Alco had a better than expected first quarter.”

  Ed thought the Alco deal had been farmed out to several banks, not just First Bank. The way Jared sounded, their bank was the only one involved. He wanted to drop the subject and enjoy his golf game, but he knew he couldn’t. Any problems with Alco could be huge for a bank the size of First Bank. He needed more answers.

  “In pretty deep? I thought that was a participation with other banks. I thought we only had twenty percent of that deal.”

  Jared pulled the cart up next to Ed’s ball. “You’re up,” he said, obviously wanting to change the subject.

  Ed climbed out of the cart, pulled his three hybrid out of the bag, took a couple of short practice swings, addressed the ball and hit it high in the air. It landed just to the right of the green. Ed dropped the club back in his bag and climbed back on the cart.

  Jared hit the accelerator and sped toward his shot some fifty yards away. On the way to his ball he attempted to further explain the Alco deal to his old boss. “You’re right Ed, Alco did start out as participation, but when the market went bad in 2008, the other four banks opted out of the deal, citing current market conditions.”

  “So then we went alone? That was a fifty million dollar project!”

  Ed was incredulous.

  “I know, but like I say, the others opted out of the deal.”

  “Why didn’t we opt out?”

  Jared stopped the cart next to his ball, his face flushed red. “Because the President of Alco is a good friend of Homer Williams.”

  “What? You took on a risky fifty million dollar project because the president is a friend of Homer Williams? I taught you better than that, Jared Holmgren.” Ed shook his head in disgust.

  Young Jared avoided eye contact with his mentor. “I was just six months into the job, Ed, and Homer is a very hard man to deny. Also, I found out later that he had spent a lot of time behind the scenes convincing the other board members to back him. I tried to stop the deal, but they would have no part of it. The vote was six to two in favor of going ahead with the project.”

  Ed’s brow furrowed deeply, “Williams … I rue the day I brought that man on the board. He’s the direct antithesis of what I wanted at First Bank. He’s a wheeler-dealer who shoots from the hip. I can’t tell you the number of heated arguments that I had with that man-he drove me nuts.” Ed patted his young protégé on the knee. “I’m sorry I lost my cool, son, but it’s just that I know too much. If Alco has problems, which is very possible with the market conditions being what they are, they could take us under. We would go into receivership and be sold to the highest bidder. If that happens, everybody loses-you, the other officers, our wonderful customers and even our nemesis, Homer, loses.”

  Jared looked at Ed, eyes pleading for understanding. “I know, Ed. I worry about that account all the time. I know the importance of Alco and I know the consequences if Alco goes bad. Our commercial man, Steve Rodriquez, has met with Alco’s management team several times to analyze their situation and has made several recommendations. He told them that we thought their risk management strategy has been way too aggressive and they’re in far too deep with risky European deals.”

  “Do they listen to you and Steve? Do they seem to take your suggestions to heart?”

  Jared turned and looked down the fairway behind them to see if any of the youngsters were pushing in on them. The fairway was clear; the nearest group was just approaching the first tee. Jared continued. “They appeared to listen. We sure gave them an earful, but I honestly don’t think that they have formally implemented any of our suggestions into their corporate strategy. Maybe we’ve made them think, but I don’t think we changed anything.”

  Ed sat looking thoughtfully at the contrite young man sitting next to him. “Has First Source mentioned Alco during the merger talks?

  “Yes, they have a couple of times.”

  “And?”

  “I’ve been very upfront with them about Alco…”

  Ed interrupted, “I’m sure you have, Jared. Of that, I have no doubts.”

  “Thank you, Ed.” Jared continued. “They weren’t thrilled about it, but it doesn’t seem to be enough to squelch the merger talks. They’re going full steam ahead at this point.”

  “Good, maybe we can get this merger done and let them worry about Alco.”

  “Maybe.”

  “You’re a good man, Jared Holmgren, and I know what a bully Homer Williams can be. Let’s hope and pray things work out. I own a lot of stock in this hamburger joint and my wife’s really loving Florida.” Ed grinned and poked his glum young charge in the arm. “Better hit your ball before those youngsters start to catch up with us. By the way, the usual bet?”

  “Yeah, a buck a hole and double on birds.”

  “Hit it, son.”

  Buoyed by Ed’s lighthearted comment, Jared smiled and lifted an iron out of his bag and stood over his shot. He lifted his club high and let it rip, sending the ball flying onto the green, some fifteen feet below the cup. “How about two bucks a hole?” Jared’s face broke into a smile.

  Ed gave him a thumbs up. Soon all talk of Alco and other pressing business matters came to an end, replaced by friendly bantering and several high fives as the former boss and his protégé weaved their way around the scenic course, finishing the round at just before three.

  21

  Vinnie backed off the gas pedal and leaned left and then right. The asphalt path ahead wound like a long, black snake slithering its way through the midsection of the expansive Village neighborhoods. It was Tuesday and Vinnie had the day off. As usual, Angel had given him a long list of “honey do” projects to “keep him out of trouble,” as she so aptly put it. He was just returning from the hardware store after a lengthy search for a couple of washers that would fit the fancy fixtures Angel had insisted on installing in their sinks and tubs. After having no luck at Lowe’s, he finally found the elusive washers at Ace Hardware. Not the patient type, he was frustrated and anxious to get home and start replacing washers.

  Vinnie slowed for the entry gate to Duval and bounced over a couple of speed bumps that swelled up from the path near the gate. The friendly attendant at the security hut spotted Vinnie, smiled and raised his hand. Vinnie wasn’t sure if it was a friendly wave or a gesture advising him to slow down a little. He paused to let a few cars pass through the gate and then gunned it down Odell Circle for the last leg of his journey home.

  Unfortunately for him, when he got close to home he saw his saw neighbor, Rex, out in front of his house. The trash had been picked up earlier that day and Rex was at the bottom of his drive retrieving his empty trash can. Vinnie looked the other way and tried to swing past Rex without stopping, but Rex was having no part of it. When he saw Vinnie, he literally ran toward the street with his hands waving and shouting. “Hey, Vin! Hold up, Vin, I need to talk to you!” Vin was Rex’s most recent nickname for Vinnie and Vinnie hated it.

  Unable to avoid his persistent neighbor, Vinnie reluctantly slowed to a stop. “Hi Rex, what can I do for you?”

  A panting Rex stopped and laid his forearms on Vinnie’s canopy top for support. “Th….Thanks for stopping, Vin. How are you today?”

  “Fine, thanks, but I’m kind of in a hurry. Angel’s got a whole list of things for me to do and it took me over an hour to find these washers.” He lifted the sack holding the washers and showed it to Rex.

  “Okay, I’ll make it quick.” Rex lifted his head above the canopy and scanned the neighborhood to be sure that no one was listening. Then he spoke, almost in a whisper, “Have you noticed that Mrs. Hot Pants has been over at the Smith’s a lot lately?”

  Vinnie shrugged, “I’ve seen a Lexus come and go out of the garage a couple of times, that’s all.” Vinnie was being somewhat dismissive of Rex to keep him from getting too excited, but V
innie had his own suspicions after hearing Ed Roberts tell his friend Dave at their golf outing last week that he would be out of town on business this week. Such an absence could be a green light for Cathy and her friend.

  “I tell ya, Vin, I wouldn’t mind gettin’ me some of that myself. She’s plenty good lookin’!”

  Vinnie shot him a scolding stare, “Better not, Rex, Judy would kill you and then I would have a murder to investigate.”

  Rex’s belly jiggled with laughter, “I know, but you can’t blame a guy for dreaming.”

  “Listen, Rex, we can’t assume Mrs. Roberts is doing anything untoward. Maybe there’s a good reason for the visits.”

  “There ya go with that good cop, bad cop routine again. I’m telling you, they’re really going at it over there! I was out walking Bogey the other morning and I saw them leaving and that stud muffin of hers had a big smile on his face.”

  “Maybe he’s just a happy guy.”

  Rex chuckled, “I’d say he probably is-the lucky devil! They were there again this morning. I saw both of ‘em duck in the garage at about 6 a.m.”

  “You must be an early riser.”

  “I take the dog out every morning just before six.”

  Vinnie glanced toward his house. Angel was hard at work clipping bushes. She glanced over at Vinnie and gave him ‘the look’ He had to get going, but when he tried to excuse himself from his persistent neighbor, Rex wasn’t having any part of it.

  “Angel’s giving me the evil eye, Rex, I’d better get home.”

  Rex ignored his pleas and made a circle with his left index finger and thumb and jammed his right index finger through it. “There’s a whole lot of this going on at the Smith house!” he exclaimed, repeating the crude gesture over and over again.

  Vinnie looked over at Angel to be sure she wasn’t watching the nasty gesture and then smiled at his neighbor. “Have a good one, Rex, I gotta go.” He grabbed the wheel and gunned the E-Z-GO toward home.

  “Better keep an eye on them, Vin.” Rex shouted. “If her husband ever finds out about it, there could be trouble in paradise!”

  Vinnie hated to admit it, but his snoopy friend had a point, but there was little, if anything, Vinnie could do about it at this point. He pulled to a stop in the driveway and grabbed the shopping bag with the washers and hurried toward the front door. Angel was nearby stacking some twigs she had just shaved off a large magnolia bush that guarded the front entrance. She looked up and smiled as Vinnie approached. The morning sun was hot; her face was dotted with beads of perspiration.

  “What on earth did Mr. Nib-nose want over there?” She leaned back on her heels and waited for an answer.

  Surprised by her interest, Vinnie explained, “Oh, he thinks something is going on over at the Smith’s house and he thinks I should be looking into it.”

  Angel’s right brow lifted, “I think he’s right. I think there is something going on over there.”

  Shocked by the response, Vinnie got quiet, waiting for an explanation.

  A cute little grin broke out on Angel’s moist face, “I’m not completely clueless, you know.”

  “Uh….well….uh, I know that, dear, you’re a very perceptive person.”

  “I’ve seen Cathy and her friend coming and going over there lately. It’s not hard to put two and two together.”

  Vinnie was surprised. “Oh, you know Mrs. Roberts?”

  “Not well. I know who she is. You remember that day I went to the book club with Charlotte Anson?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, she was a member of that book club. I don’t remember a lot about that day, but I certainly remember her. She was very attractive and dressed to the nines and seemed to want to be the center of attention. That was the first and last time I went to that club with Charlotte. The group was a little too uppity for me.” Angel stuffed the stack of twigs in the trash bag next to her and stood to change locations. “And, that’s not all I know, Mr. Detective.”

  Vinnie grinned at his jocular wife.

  “The man she keeps bringing to the Smith’s house is named Eric Lowe. He’s quite a hunk.”

  “Oh, is that right? So you know him too, huh?” He smiled affectionately at his wife.

  “Yes, and I know him a little better than her.” The tiny, feisty woman lifted her chin. “And why does my Angel know such a hunk of a man so well?” Vinnie’s eyes narrowed.

  “He dated my girlfriend, Carlota, for a while and she told me all about him.” Angel walked a short distance and dropped down on her knees in front of the next bush. Vinnie quickly followed her.

  “My, you’re just a well-house of information, my dear. Tell me more.”

  Angel renewed her trimming and spoke to Vinnie while clipping. “She told me that he was divorced and quite the lady’s man. She said he’s only fifty-five and gets a whole lot of attention from the women around here. She says he’s nice but pretty full of himself and that he seems to be more interested in the ladies with a lot of money. She thinks that’s why he quit dating her.”

  “Because she doesn’t have a lot of money?”

  “Exactly.”

  Vinnie felt like he was making Angel uncomfortable by hovering over her, so he dropped down on the lawn and sat next to her with his arms wrapped around his knees. She gave him an approving look. “What else did Carlota say?”

  Angel shook her head, “A lot I’m afraid.”

  Vinnie’s brow lifted.

  “She told me that they were sexually active and that after sex he liked to sit and talk for a while, usually about himself.”

  Vinnie chuckled uneasily, “Maybe that’s why they’re at the Smith’s so long.”

  “Maybe, and if so, Mrs. Roberts is getting an earful

  “Really?”

  “Yes, he told Carlota some of the darndest things.”

  “Go on.”

  Angel stopped clipping and fell back against her heels again. She wiped the perspiration from her brow with the back of her glove hand and sighed. “I don’t know if I should go on. I’m giving you confidential information about a very good friend of mine. I feel like I’m betraying her.”

  Vinnie’s hands shot up from his knees and he began gesturing wildly. “Momma mia, I’m your husband, for heaven’s sake! You think you’re betraying the trust of your friend by telling your husband something?”

  The tough little Angel sat calmly watching her demonstrative spouse. Then she spoke quietly, “Yes, I do, but I will give you the info anyway, because I think it’s important for you to know.”

  A victorious little smile spread across Vinnie’s face. “Okay, dear, I’m all ears.”

  “After sex one night, they were lying in bed talking and he told her that he had a very bad temper when he was a young man. He said he and his girlfriend had sidled up to a bar one night to have a drink and a man began flirting with his girlfriend. He asked the man several times to back off, but he wouldn’t do it. He became so angry that he literally jumped over his date and began punching the man with his fists. He beat him so viciously that he knocked him unconscious. They had to rush the guy to the emergency room at a nearby hospital for treatment. He nearly died and ended up with serious brain damage. He is now a paraplegic and is living in a nursing home near Amarillo. Eric said he was arrested and tried for attempted murder and found guilty. He was sentenced to ten years in a Texas penitentiary. I think she said he was released after five years for good behavior.”

  “This guy would have fit right in on my old beat in New York,” Vinnie joked. “Was she frightened by him after that? Did she quit seeing him?”

  Angel leaned forward and began pulling weeds out from under a dwarf palmetto. “No, she said she kept seeing him for a while because he told her that as part of his sentence he had to undergo anger management counseling. He said he was helped very much by the counseling and that he is a new man. He said he hasn’t lost his temper since being released from prison twenty years ago.”

  Vinnie grimaced,
“I’ve seen guys like him a thousand times. If he gets angry enough, he’ll blow again, I guarantee it.”

  “Maybe so. Listen darling, I better concentrate on my work, I’ve got a lot of bushes to trim and I’d like to get them done before it gets any hotter out here.”

  Vinnie climbed to his feet, “Thanks for the information, dear. I’ve learned once again to never underestimate my little Angel.”

  Angel didn’t look up. “Someday you’ll realize just how smart your “little Angel” really is. Now, if I remember correctly, you have some work to do yourself.”

  “I know, dear, I’m on my way.” Vinnie turned to his left and ambled toward the house. After his talk with Angel he was even more concerned about that the situation with Mrs. Roberts. Ed’s friend, Dave, told Vinnie that Ed was a highly decorated Marine with a brown belt in karate. Vinnie knew from his own time in the Marines that a highly decorated Marine is usually one bad dude, especially when angered. Add karate to the mix and you have a lethal weapon on your hands. The thought of the violence prone boyfriend of Mrs. Roberts and the former Marine having an angry confrontation concerned the former police officer.

  22

  With his eyes wide like a kid who had just seen his first new bicycle, Dirk stood and gawked at Cinderella’s Castle and its magnificent turrets rising over two hundred feet above the wide walkway at Disney World. “That’s one ass-kickin’ castle,” he mumbled to himself as he hocked a big one on the walkway, barely missing the tennis shoe on an elderly passerby. “Sorry,” he grunted, and then chuckled sarcastically, removing any pretense of sincerity from his apology. “Dick-bird,” he groused when the man was out of earshot.

  Dirk looked out of place at Disney World on this hot spring day. His scuffed black leather boots, threadbare Levis and black t-shirt with “The Cycle Shop” printed across the front and a white skull and cross bones across the back didn’t fit in with the nicely dressed crowd. Dirk got many disapproving glances from the scores of families pushing past him balancing cotton candy, soft pretzels, and snow cones in their hands. He kind of sneered back at them, finding these mini-confrontations kind of titillating. He was distracted from his impromptu hate fest when he felt a little hand clamp down on his left index finger.