Pay Up and Die

by Chuck Buda

  “Good plan, Einstein, but it IS you who is ratting him out.”

  “You know what I mean. Derrick will feel the pressure to change his ways so he won’t want to make any waves around the office since this promotion is so important to him. He’ll probably put his head down and hope everything blows over until he gets what he wants. By then he won’t give a crap about me or my loan or anything else.” Michael felt somewhat resigned with his new plan.

  “Just be careful, Mikey. These stuffed shirts can be real pricks when they get push back. They ain’t used to getting their hands slapped and when they do they tend to act like rotten kids. You may defend your position but still take flack in the battle, know what I mean?” Murph slammed the passenger door shut and leaned down into the window. “Take care, Mikey. Go get some rest or your body will start looking as bad as your face.” He took two steps up the walk when he paused and turned around. “And don’t be late tomorrow morning. I’ll give you some PT if you ain’t here by oh-seven-hundred hours.” He spun and went into the house. Michael just snorted at Murph’s attitude. The guy was a real trip. But he knew his way around people and hostile situations for sure.

  Michael checked the side view mirror to make sure the coast was clear before he pulled away from the curb and headed home. The evening sunset causing him to lower the visor.

  Chapter 11

  Michael looked impatiently at his watch. The coffee shop was fairly busy for a mid-afternoon. He scanned the crowds of stay-at-home mothers and young professionals that kept entering for their afternoon caffeine fix. He couldn’t help but wonder if he had made the right decision about reaching out to Larry this morning. Murph had supported his choice to “rat” Graves out but it didn’t make this process any less stressful.

  Last night, Michael avoided Stephanie as much as possible so he wouldn’t feel compelled to reveal the conversation with Derrick. She eventually caught up to him before bed but he lied and said that there was no news on the loan status. He just said Derrick was following up on it for him.

  He glanced down at his watch again and then took a sip of his steaming coffee. Scanning the crowds once more he still didn’t see signs of Larry. Larry the lawyer is what folks called him at work. Larry was a stand-up guy. He was very intelligent and super conservative when it came to business contracts and regulations of any sort. He had a reputation for being a stickler about each comma and period in a business contract. The sales force tried to hook up with one of the other attorneys whenever they had a hot deal that they wanted to rush through because they knew Larry would slow it down and go over every minuscule point. Sales people just wanted their commissions, not the business or legal side of the transactions.

  Just then, Michael saw a rotund body waddling around a pack of mothers with strollers who were blocking up the doorway. It looked like he jovially excused himself to squeeze past them and he waved to Michael as he came towards him.

  “Hey, Michael. Good to see you again,” Larry greeted. He offered a pudgy hand for Michael to shake. The hand was sweaty and he resisted the urge to wipe it against his slacks right in front of Larry.

  “It’s good to see you too, Larry. Thanks for agreeing to meet with me away from the office. I just didn’t feel comfortable talking to you there. You know. Gossip and all.” Michael nervously sipped his coffee again. He slid a second coffee cup across the table to Larry. Larry grabbed the cup and brought it to his nose for a deep sniff. He sighed, enjoying the aroma.

  “I don’t usually do things like this but you sounded sort of desperate on the phone. So, what can I do you for?”

  “I just want to make sure that this discussion is completely off the record and I know you are a very professional lawyer, you know, with discretion and all.”

  “Sure. Sure. You’re making me wary though. What’s on your mind?” Larry slurped a hot sip of his coffee and it left a foamy mustache on his chubby mouth. It was taken care of by a quick, fat tongue that swished across his upper lip like a windshield wiper. All foamy residue was instantly gone.

  “A situation came up yesterday when I was in Derrick Graves’ office.” Larry’s attention visibly sharpened. “He was threatening a delinquent customer, who I just happen to know personally. I sort of overstepped my authority and defended the client which angered Graves.” Michael paused to read Larry’s reaction. Larry had a deer in the headlights look behind his eyes. His cheeks reddened a bit as if he had just exercised. “Is something wrong?”

  Larry the lawyer snapped back to life. He took another foamy slurp and then responded. “No, it’s just interesting, that’s all. Why are you telling me this?”

  Michael sipped his own coffee. “It got worse after that. Graves hung up on the customer and then made a veiled threat towards me. I just don’t think his actions were appropriate and I was hoping that you would know how we can get him to back off. I know you have been at the bank longer than most people so I thought maybe you would know how to handle something like this. Without getting into a big Human Resources thing.” His eyes pleading to Larry.

  “Wow. Um, this is not an easy process to navigate. First of all, I would not mention this to HR. And you should probably think twice about overstepping with Graves in the future. He may let it go in a few weeks if you keep your nose clean.”

  “Really? That’s your advice? Shut your mouth and pretend nothing happened? I’m surprised at you, Larry. I came to you because I respect your experience and ability to make difficult decisions. But I didn’t expect to hear this from you when customers and employees are getting threatened.” Michael’s voice had risen and he was leaning towards Larry in an aggressive posture.

  Larry was looking around from side to side to gauge if anyone was listening to their exchange. He flapped his arms up and down a few times signaling Michael to keep it down. He glanced back and forth one more time then leaned in to speak in a hushed tone. “Look, I get it. You are upset and Graves’ behavior was inappropriate. But I am uncomfortable with this one, Michael. Do you realize what you are asking of me? I have a family to provide for too. I have almost thirty years in the books and I don’t want to find myself involved in something that could jeopardize my position and tenure.” He looked around again, even shifting his rotund weight to check behind himself. Then he turned back to Michael. “Between you and me, a few years back, there was a similar situation and it got really ugly.”

  Michael simmered down. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, there were allegations through all the correct channels of HR and lawyers that Graves had threatened a former employee and the guy disappeared.”

  “What are you talking about?” Michael was incredulous. He screwed up his face and leaned back in his chair.

  “I’m talking about a name that never gets uttered within the confines of the bank anymore. Ten years ago, before you joined the bank, there was an analyst who did the reporting for Graves, back when he was just a manager. Apparently Graves had fudged some numbers to make bonus but the analyst called him on it. So, allegedly, Graves threatened this guy, Ray Thomas, with bodily harm.”

  “I don’t believe this for a second,” Michael protested. “I have worked for Graves for a long time now and he has always been a great leader and fair. This is a one-time incident which is why I want to deal with it because I feel it is out of his character. He probably just lost his cool but it still needs to be dealt with. Graves would never hurt someone. Besides, he’s a little guy. He can’t weigh more than 150 pounds soaking wet.”

  “Believe it, Michael. Graves is a very determined man.” Larry sat up straight and looked around again. “This Thomas guy suddenly resigned right before they were supposed to meet face-to-face with the attorneys and HR. Like hours before the meeting. And then two days later his wife reported him missing. Nobody ever found him. Did he pick up and leave without saying a word? Is he floating in the Hudson River? Nobody knows, Michael. The police investigated Graves and all the parties involved in the company but there was no evi
dence so everything was dropped. But I can tell you that those who were working at the bank back then still give Graves width berth. Why risk it?” Larry wiped a bead of sweat from his wrinkled forehead. He leaned back and took a deep breath as if leaning over his massive belly had cut off his oxygen supply.

  Michael took it in. Could this be true? The Derrick he knew was not a killer. Or a mobster-type to threaten people. He was a shrewd businessman, sure. But not a criminal. “Well this is a lot to think about. I appreciate your honesty, Larry.”

  “No problem. Just do me a favor. Don’t talk about this to anyone. Not what I told you. Not even the fact that I met with you. Please. I’m begging you.” Larry was the one pleading now. He still looked so edgy and rose to leave. “Thanks for the coffee.” He turned to walk away but stopped. “And Michael? Take care of yourself.” It was more of a warning than a goodbye. Michael just nodded and Larry left the coffee shop. He sipped his coffee again and watched two young professionals at a table nearby. They seemed more intimate than just co-workers sharing a coffee. He took another sip of his coffee and decided what he needed to do.

  Chapter 12

  “It’s your turn to say grace, Chloe. Why don’t you begin so we can eat this scrumptious meal your beautiful mother prepared for us tonight.” Derrick smiled at Chloe who was seated to his left at the table. A roast duck with asparagus and honey-baked yams before them.

  “Okay, Daddy.” Chloe said excitedly. She awkwardly swiped her hair from her face, closed her eyes tight and began with her hands together in front of her yellow dress. “God we thank You for this food. For rest and home and all things good. For wind and rain and sun above. But most of all for those we love. Amen.” She looked back to her father for approval.

  “Well done, sweetie. You are such a good girl.” He winked at her and she beamed with a smile as large as a Cheshire cat. “Now would you please pass the duck to your mother? She slaved away all day on this splendid dish and it is only fair that she eat first, no?” Chloe nodded emphatically and struggled to hand the heavy plate of duck to Rachel. Rachel grasped the plate before it tipped on the table and smiled lovingly at Derrick. She loved his charm and how he treated all family dinners as formal occasions. She found it so cute.

  “Daddy, I got a A+ in math today and Mrs. Margera said that I had the highest score and Debbie Catalano was so jealous and she wouldn’t talk to me at recess because I beat her score,” Madison hustled out without a breath or pause.

  “Fantastic! I always said that my little women were the brightest and the most beautiful in all of New Jersey.” Derrick paused while scooping yams onto his dish to declare this fact. He passed the plate to Chloe and gazed upon his wife. Rachel was dressed semi-formally to match his suit. She had on an elegant blue, strapless top which clung to her full breasts. Her slender neck was adorned with the heart-shaped diamond necklace he gave her last Valentine’s Day. And her silky, dark hair was gracefully pulled up, accentuated by a curl on each side that kissed her sculpted cheekbones. He thought how stunning she looked, especially right now.

  The girls took turns going back and forth across the table about Debbie Catalano and of course little Danny Harper who had a crush on Madison but sometimes got her confused with Chloe. They both liked to toy with him when he got confused, sharpening their game at a young age for when they were teenagers. Derrick loved to listen to his princesses and their tales. The girls were so different and yet so similar beyond the fact that they were twins. Madison was more mature-acting and seemed to have an air of seriousness about her studies and her goals in life. She already knew that she wanted to be a professional dancer when she grew up and often dreamed out loud about starring on Broadway. On the other hand, Chloe was more childish and had a funny sense of humor. She definitely had a unique view of the world around her and was more attracted to goofing off and playing games. She could care less about her future profession or even anything beyond the moment she was in. She could be fiery too if she lost her temper. She was definitely from his side of the family.

  When the girls had run out of stories from their day at school and who was saying what behind someone else’s back, Rachel began her daily updates. The gardener saved her favorite patio plant and she gave him an extra fifty dollars because it meant so much to her. And Jodi Wasserman stopped by this afternoon to tell her that the social club was planning a big welcome home event for the Stevens since they have been out of the country for over two months. They figured what better excuse to throw a huge ball at the country club than to welcome back the life of the group’s party. So she would need some extra cash to secure the caterer and a new DJ since the one they usually hired was arrested recently for possession and they didn’t want those kinds of people associated with the club. Derrick ate slowly and just soaked in her beauty. He could stare at her forever. He really couldn’t figure out why someone so lovely like her would choose to be with him. But he thanked his luck and worked hard to give her anything she wanted. He would do anything for her.

  While he was lost in thoughts, Rachel mentioned running into Stephanie Wright at the post office. As soon as he heard Stephanie’s name he turned his thoughts to Michael. He smiled and nodded to pretend he was still listening to Rachel but his blood began to boil, recalling the incident in his office yesterday. How could he embarrass Derrick like that? In front of a customer. After all he had done for Michael over the years. He felt betrayed and was bent on getting even. Moves like that could slow down the debt collection which was a critical part of his plan to land the job as CEO. Nothing could derail those plans, especially Wright. Heck, he just saved his ass from Martin Pike, his own personal debt collector. Martin is a sick bastard and would have carved Michael up and left his dying daughter and family to nothing. What had Michael done for that family besides rack up huge debt and not save for the future? What kind of animal doesn’t take care of his own flesh and blood? How can a real man look himself in the mirror knowing that he couldn’t provide the best of life’s treats to his precious family? Michael Wright, that’s who, he thought. He suddenly lost his appetite and looked at his watch. It was getting late and he needed to meet up with Martin about this shortly.

  Derrick wiped his mouth and folded his cloth napkin over the plate. Rachel had finished speaking and Derrick excused himself to go to the gym for a quick workout. He said he needed to sweat off the calories of his delicious meal and he circled the table, giving each girl a peck on the head. He saved Rachel for last and he kissed her for a prolonged second on the lips. He brushed his hand down her shoulder and she closed her eyes, smiling and leaning her head into his arm. Derrick left the dining room and went upstairs to change into his gym clothes. He had to at least look like he was going to the gym so nobody thought anything different.

  Chapter 13

  Derrick pulled into a parking spot across the street from the duck pond. It was almost completely dark now but he could make out the faint outline of a hulking man on the bench. Besides, he had seen that stupid truck parked up the street and around the corner. At least Martin is trying to be less obvious this time around, Derrick thought. But he was reckless two nights ago at the park in Dumont.

  Derrick arrived at the bench and stopped before the seated man. He needed to set the tone immediately. “Your actions the other night were out of line. I don’t pay you to have your sick jollies. I pay you to get the job done, quickly, cleanly and quietly.” He glared down at the huge man.

  Martin kept tossing crackers into the dark duck pond with no ducks on the water. He never once looked at the banker the whole time he approached, nor did he look at him now. His disheveled dark hair itched him, so he paused to scratch his head with one of the crackers. Then tossed it into the pond.

  “Whatever.” Derrick said as the debt collector never responded. He sat down on the bench next to Martin. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and stared off into the woods beyond the pond. “The board meeting is coming up and I need things to go smoothly if I am to get
that promotion. Do you understand the stakes here?”

  “Nice track suit.” Martin finally spoke in a raspy voice. He continued to fling crackers into the pond. There was a flotilla of white crackers piled up near the water’s edge.

  Derrick chuckled and looked down at this workout gear. “Yeah, well you wouldn’t know about pretending so your family stays safe since you live alone like an animal, wearing the same garbage flannel shirts and old jeans. You’re pathetic.”

  “I like my clothes. They keep me warm and I know them intimately. When they lose their usefulness then I will bury them like all the people you send me.” Martin hinted at his notion of losing usefulness dealing with Derrick.

  “Don’t threaten me, asshole. I call the shots here and I pay you good money so you shut the fuck up and you do the work. End of story. I am your boss and you do what I ask.” Derrick stood up and glared down at Martin. He got angry but a part of his gut was nervously telling him to shut his own mouth. As a leader, Derrick knew he had to sometimes face down scary situations and brave it out. This was one of those situations.

  The debt collector despised Derrick. He had done his bidding for years and the money he earned was not as “good” as the banker believed. He knew he could earn more doing the same work for some mafia guys or pimp or drug dealer. But Martin liked the way that Graves left him alone, to his own devices, as long as he got the work done. Graves was low-maintenance compared to his other options. However, he was growing tired of being talked down to. He was a man, not a dog. One of these days he would show Graves what it meant to bend to the boss. “Tell me about this job.” He succumbed to the will of the banker. For now.