A Bad Bit Nice

by Josie Kerr

  “Is there anywhere you can go? Is there a girlfriend you can stay with?” Em knew that Bailey’s situation was very similar to her own–an only child with both parents deceased.

  “No, not really. I don’t want to inconvenience anyone over the holidays,” Bailey sniffed.

  Em chewed her lip. “Bailey, I want you to hang in there for a few hours. I’m going to talk to Mick and I’ll call you back as soon as I can. Okay?”

  “Mick, that’s the man you were with at the restaurant?”

  “Yes, that’s him.”

  “Oh, I’m so glad you’re still seeing him! He didn’t even know me, and he defended me. What a gentleman!”

  “He is wonderful, and he’s going to help us figure something out, okay?”

  “Oh, thank you, Em! But before I hang up, I think Tripp’s going to try to do something to you! I heard him talking to Jack Beecham about some legal papers and he mentioned your name.”

  “Fucking Jack Beecham. I should have known he’d be the one to push the non-compete through. He was always up Tripp’s ass,” Em muttered.

  “So he’s already done something to you,” Bailey’s voice fell. “Em, I am so sorry.”

  “It’s fine, Bailey. Really. He served me with papers earlier in the week that claimed I was in violation of a non-compete clause with the Holbrook Firm.”

  “But you’re not even doing the same kind of stuff, are you?” Bailey asked. “And you’ve worked with Tara Security for almost a year!”

  “Well, exactly, and Rory has things moving along to take care of the situation. Don’t worry about me. Let me talk to Mick and I’ll call you back. How long has Tripp been gone?”

  “He was gone for three days before he came and took a shower and changed clothes to go to Ed’s. I pretended like I wasn’t feeling well, like I was sick with the baby, to get out of going over to the house.”

  “That was smart, Bailey. Okay, if worse comes to worst, you know you can always talk to Ed. He’s reasonable and I truly believe he has his eyes wide open when it comes to Tripp’s shortcomings.”

  “Okay, I’ll wait for your call, Em. And again, I’m so, so sorry.” Bailey sounded like she was crying again.

  “Bailey, we’ll figure something out. I promise.”

  “Did you have a good talk with Ashley?” Mick asked when Em walked back in the living room.

  “That wasn’t Ashley, Mick. That was Bailey. She said that Tripp’s really lost it. I’m worried about her.”

  Em relayed her conversation with Bailey. Mick grew more agitated the more she revealed. “What the actual fuck?” he exploded. “You don’t just leave a woman, especially one in a family way, alone for days at a time, just because!”

  Em was worried that Mick was going to shatter the glass he held in his hand, so she went to him and lightly tugged on the tumbler. He let her remove it from his grip. “And there’s no one she can stay with?”

  “She can stay with me,” Rory said. “She doesn’t need to be around him. He’s unstable and erratic. She doesn’t need this at all.”

  “Do you think that’s a good idea, Rory?” Em sounded skeptical. “I don’t know about this. Tripp already hates you. Won’t this just be adding fuel to the fire?”

  “I have to agree with Em, Rory,” Mick said. “This situation doesn’t need to get any more intense. And don’t you have an appointment with Ed on Monday? When Tripp sees you at the Holbrook Firm offices, he’s going to lose his fucking mind. If he somehow finds out Bailey is with you, who knows what he’ll do, but I don’t think I want to find out.”

  “I’ve got an idea,” Em said. “Let me call Ashley and see if she knows of a short-term rental Bailey can stay in for the time being.”

  Mick and Rory agreed that this was a great plan, so Em went back to Mick’s office to call Ashley. She quickly relayed Bailey’s situation to Ashley and made arrangements for her to stay in a duplex nearby.

  “Okay, Ashley has the keys to the duplex at her house so I can go pick them up this afternoon,” Em said, emerging from the office. “I’ll call Bailey and tell her to get her stuff together and I’ll go pick her up.”

  “You’re not going alone, Em.” Mick’s face and voice were hard. “I’m going with you and waiting in the car.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. “Em. I’m not budging on this. I am going with you.”

  Paddy piped up. “Why don’t I go with her? If this Tripp person has such a problem with you, Mick, you don’t want to make a bad situation worse by showing up to take his pregnant girl away.”

  “Now that is a great idea,” Em agreed. “Mick?”

  “I suppose that’ll work. I still don’t really like it.”

  *****

  Em called Bailey back on the way to pick up the keys from Ashley’s house, telling her to pack everything she could and that they would be there shortly.

  Paddy patted Em’s hand as they drove to the condo. “You’re a good girlie, Em. We’ll get everyone sorted appropriately.” Paddy’s face was serious. Only then could Em see the former boxer in Paddy’s visage. She could also see where Rory got his fierceness.

  Bailey met them at the door with a large suitcase and two small bags. “I don’t need to come back,” she said, sounding brave but her eyes betraying her fear. Em pulled her into a hug and held her tightly.

  “Bailey, this is Rory’s father, Paddy. He’s coming with us to the duplex,” Em explained.

  “Nice to meet you, sir,” Bailey said.

  “Oh love, I’m not a sir by any means,” Paddy laughed. “Let’s get you settled, yeah?”

  Em sat with Bailey in the backseat, holding the other woman’s hand. Bailey was emotionally wrung out. She must have fallen asleep on the quick ride to the duplex Em had secured for her because she jumped when Em squeezed her hand to indicate that they arrived.

  Paddy insisted on carrying all of Bailey’s bags into her temporary home. Bailey felt relief as soon as they stepped inside the small unit. It was comfortably furnished and she could see a tidy woman putting containers of food into the refrigerator. Em squeezed Bailey’s shoulder and pushed her toward the couch, indicating she should have a seat. Bailey wordlessly sank down on the couch, overwhelmed with the generosity of these people. Before long, she felt a soft touch on her shoulder. It was the woman from the kitchen.

  “I’m Sheila, love, Rory’s Mam,” the woman said by way of introduction. “We’ve put food in the refrigerator for later. Would you like something to drink? Some ginger ale?”

  “Yes, please, that sounds really good,” Bailey replied, smiling weakly. “Thank you.”

  Sheila patted Bailey’s arm and went to the kitchen. Bailey started when there was a knock on the door, shortly followed by the entrance of Rory and Mick. She hadn’t realized how big they both were. Mick was tall, so very tall, and leanly muscled. Rory was bulkier and shorter, but still a very substantial man. Mick’s eyes were murderous when he walked in the room, but softened immediately upon seeing Bailey’s worried face.

  “Bailey,” Mick said, crossing the small living room in a few strides, “I’m glad you called Em. We’ll get everything sorted.” He patted her shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze. Em slipped under his arm and he wrapped it protectively around her and kissed the top of her head. “Paddy and Sheila are going to stay with you tonight, okay?”

  Bailey got ready to protest, but was quickly shut down by a look from Sheila. “It’s no use fussin’, missy. You’re stuck with us. Why don’t you change and I’ll fix you a spot of food, yeah?” Sheila guided Bailey gently to the bedroom where she sat her down on the bed and efficiently started to unpack, asking Bailey where she wanted things. Sitting on the soft bed with Sheila fussing over her caused her will to finally break. Sheila turned to Bailey to ask her preference about hanging versus folding her sweaters and saw Bailey’s lip quivering.

  “Why are you being so nice to me?” Bailey whispered. “I don’t deserve it. I treated Em horribly. I don’t understand.”
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br />   “I think you’ll find that Michael and Rory go out of their way to help people,” Sheila replied. “I don’t know Em too well, but she seems to be cut from the same cloth. She’ll be a good friend to have, yeah?”

  “Yeah.” Bailey smiled weakly. “I think I’ll get my pajamas on now.” Sheila patted her arm again and left Bailey to change.

  Sheila went back to the living and found the others talking quietly but intensely.

  “You know she can’t continue to work with Holbrook,” Em was saying. “He’ll make her life hell, just like he made mine when I told him I was leaving the firm and going to work with you.”

  Bailey spoke from the hallway. “I didn’t even think about what I’m going to do for a job.” Tears threatened to break through again. “Nobody’s going to hire me at almost six months pregnant! Maybe this was a bad idea. I can stay with Tripp until the baby comes and then I’ll leave.”

  “No, Bailey, you’ll just come and work with us,” Rory said. “We need an office manager.” Rory steered Bailey toward the couch and pushed her gently to sit. “I’ve been trying to interview someone to hire but it’s been a slog. You’ll be doing us a favor.” Rory gave her a look that brooked no argument.

  “You’re not just doing this to be nice?” Bailey asked, searching each face.

  “Rory is many things, but he’s not especially nice,” Em laughed. “We desperately need a manager, Bailey. It really is a perfect solution.”

  “I’m a nice guy,” Rory said, miffed. At Mick’s look, he quickly added, “or I can be, if I want to. I just don’t want to very often.” Rory shot Bailey one of his killer smiles.

  “I don’t know how to thank you, all of you,” Bailey sniffled.

  “Oh Lord, why am I surrounded by sobbing saps?” Rory threw up his hands.

  “See, not necessarily a nice guy,” Mick said with a smile toward Bailey, who laughed through her tears.

  Yes, she thought, everything is going to be okay.

  Chapter 35

  Ed Holbrook Jr. was concerned. Something was going on with Tripp. Ed had realized long ago that his only son didn’t have the fortitude to take over the company, so he kept him sequestered where he couldn’t do a lot of damage.

  Oh, he knew about the Williams debacle. He had waited for his only child to admit to almost losing the client, but Tripp never did. Instead, he tried to blame little Em Davidson, of all people, for the problems encountered on that case.

  Boy, did Ed miss having Em Davidson in the office. She was sharp and brash and got the job done with no drama and extreme efficiency.

  When Tripp decided to start seeing Em socially, Ed was delighted, thinking that maybe, just maybe, Tripp was growing up and getting his act together. He didn’t know what had changed between the two of them, but something had.

  Em had stuck with Tripp for over ten years. Ten years! That was a long time to just date someone with no ring on her finger. Ed suspected Tripp wasn’t always faithful, even before that nightmare of a Christmas party when all hell broke loose.

  Bailey. He didn’t know whether to feel sorry for the girl or kick her ass, though he leaned toward the former because she continued to put up with his son, despite a somewhat difficult pregnancy and Tripp’s continued bad behavior.

  When Ed had found out the girl was pregnant, he’d been appalled. Not because of their unmarried state or because of who the girl was, but because he knew deep down that Tripp couldn’t cut it as a father. In the early days, he’d seemed to be stepping up, but lately, he had reverted to his old ways: showering at the office and keeping a change of clothes there as well, not because he was working late, but because he’d roll into the office after being out all night doing who knows what. It was only a matter of time before Bailey kicked his sorry ass to the curb, and it would be a well-deserved kicking.

  And now, Rory Doyle wanted a meeting with him. Doyle was one of his last criminal cases, but one of the first electronic crime cases. He was another one for whom Ed had the utmost respect. Ed had a soft spot for the son of a former bare-knuckle boxer. Ed was from old Boston stock himself, but admired the scrappy Southies he knew—and while Rory was an immigrant, he was definitely a Southie. He was another one who got the job done. If he had been able to afford him, Ed would have snapped Rory up in a heartbeat. They had a mentor relationship, but it had been months since they’d gotten together. Ed had heard good things about Doyle’s business. Maybe he should pursue some sort of partnership with the Irishman.

  Gloria, Ed’s secretary, interrupted his ruminations by patching a call through.

  “Holbrook,” Ed barked in greeting.

  It was Bailey. “Hey, Ed…I need to talk to you about something.”

  Ed braced for the inevitable. Bailey had been missing from Thanksgiving dinner and Tripp hadn’t really had a good explanation for why she wasn’t there, other than “sick with the baby.” When Ed called later in the evening, no one answered. He’d called several times in the following days, but still couldn’t connect with either of them.

  “Bailey, darling, are you okay? Do you need anything? We missed you at Thanksgiving dinner.”

  Bailey took a deep breath. You can do this. “I have to leave the Firm, Ed. I...I can’t talk about it right now, but I wanted you to know that I’m not staying with the Holbrook Firm or with Tripp. It’s complicated, but it’s what I have to do right now.”

  “Did Tripp do something to you, Bailey? I was going to talk to you today about my son. Something is going on with him.”

  “Rory Doyle will fill you in about some of the stuff that’s going on with Tripp, Ed.” If Ed wasn’t concerned before, now he was filled with dread. Rory had tangled with Tripp in the past when Tripp had racked up substantial gambling debt. Was Tripp gambling again? Ed groaned. This was the last thing he needed.

  “Ed, I need to get going, but I thought you deserved to hear from me personally that I wasn’t going to be around anymore.” Bailey sounded resolute. Good for her.

  “Wait, Bailey. I just want you to know that I’ll do anything to help you, okay? Please keep in touch with me, if not for you, for the baby’s sake. Just because you’ve severed ties with Tripp, doesn’t mean you have to sever ties with the rest of us.”

  Bailey’s voice quaked. “Thank you, Ed. You don’t know how much that means to me.”

  “Take care, Bailey. I hope to see you soon.”

  “Bye, Ed.”

  Ed put his head in his hands. To use one of Em Davidson’s phrases, what the actual fuck was going on?

  *****

  Rory sat in the lobby of the Holbrook Firm. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to run into Tripp or not. Probably not. How Ed could have such a jackass for a son, he didn’t know. Rory sighed. He generally wasn’t the type to not face a combatant directly, but he knew that the quickest way to deal with Tripp was to sic his father on him. He only hoped Ed would understand.

  Ed had a commanding presence and charismatic personality, two things his son didn’t have at all. He extended his hand to Rory, who took it in a firm handshake. “Rory, it’s been too long. What’s new? It seems things are going well with the consulting company.”

  Rory’s feeling that Ed had no idea what his son was up to was confirmed with his hearty greeting. Ed Holbrook might be a lot of things, but he wasn’t one to play nice and mince words.

  “Unfortunately, Ed, the consulting business might be taking a hit because I got a non-compete injunction that affects my main analyst. It’s someone you know–Ermengarde Davidson.”

  Ed frowned. “Hasn’t she been working for you for over a year?”

  “That’s exactly right, Ed. She accepted a preliminary offer before Christmas but, being the professional she is, wanted 90 days to wrap up her other projects. Then suddenly, she was available the next day. I called your HR department personally to make sure there wasn’t anything untoward going on, and they didn’t mention a non-compete clause. Yesterday, I got this,” Rory slid the injunction across the table, �
�a full 11 months after Em has been working with me. I noticed your name isn’t on the document, but the injunction claims it’s from the Holbrook Firm itself. I feel I owe you the professional courtesy to give you a heads up that I’m going to fight it, and it’s going to be ugly and most likely very expensive.”

  Ed looked over the document with a scowl. “I have no idea what this about. We don’t deal with non-compete clauses because everyone knows they’re essentially unenforceable. And regardless, what Em did for us is very different than what she’s doing with Tara Security.”

  Rory debated telling Ed about Bailey, but ultimately decided that it was venturing too far into personal territory. But as though the older man had read his mind, he asked, “Do you know Bailey Jenkins, Rory?”

  For once, Rory Doyle looked somewhat uncomfortable, which meant that all hell was about to break loose.

  “Bailey Jenkins is my new office manager.”

  “Really.” It was a statement, not a question. The two men looked at each other across Ed’s huge mahogany desk. “How do you know Bailey, Rory?”

  “I actually just met her, Ed.” The cat’s out of the bag, now, Rory. Just spill it. “She called Em on Thanksgiving. She doesn’t feel safe with Tripp so we moved her out of the house. Em felt that she wasn’t safe here, either. I need a manager, so it works out. You need to speak with Bailey if you want more information.”

  “I talked with Bailey this morning. She told me some things, including that she was leaving Tripp and the firm, but she didn’t tell me she was working for you.” Ed was thoughtful. “Please reiterate to her that I wish her the best of luck and she shouldn’t hesitate to contact me if she needs anything at all.” Rory was relieved at Ed’s reaction. He visibly relaxed.

  Ed wasn’t finished. “Now, regarding that injunction: thank you for bringing it to my attention, Rory; I’ll deal with as swiftly as possible. Expect a phone call.” Ed stood up as a sign that their meeting was over. “Next time, let’s not wait so long to catch up, yeah?”