May Be the Case

by Rachel J. queen

  Logan and Lidi placed in front of the table. Hand in hand with Logan, Lalanny quickly perceived the man's uncomfortable aura. Despite being influenced by what she heard about him, she found his ruby face odious, that artificial tanning that opened on his forehead and cheeks deep cracks, like splits. The narrow chin stretched over a long neck and a disproportionate shoulder width. Looking at him, she felt that his streaked head was put on an extraneous body. Appealing to common sense, Lidi didn't respond to that lustful look, showing disgust. She was desired by many men, but catching Sinn's attention repulsed her. She reached for Logan's hand.

  Initially, Sinn didn't talk, annoyed by intrusion. He stretched his hand to Logan, his heavy eyelids on pale, celestial eyes were surrounded by a yellowish halo. He drank too much, smoked too much, and used drugs too much. Lidi would never have imagined such a pleasant voice when he talked, "What a good thing meeting you." Oliver turned to the companion, ceremonial. "Lynn, let me introduce you to the president of the homonymous company. Logan Theodor Lance."

  Seeing a ruthless light in his watery eyes, Lidi felt frozen: it was all a fiction. She held tight Logan's hand, who, feeling her uncomfortable, pulled her to himself. And for once, she took refuge in his hot contact without a fuss. As the two men studied each other, she felt ashamed for the pleasure of being in arms that didn't belong to her. Logan turned to the woman with sincere admiration. "My compliments for the success of the new advertising campaign, Miss Roberts. It's impossible not to recognize you. You're as bright as Saving logo on the cover photos."

  Even though cold, the exquisite gaiety of the man hit the target. Roberts accepted a kiss on the hand, staring at him admired. Obviously she didn't consider her companion too much, her red lips crept in a smile. Lidi squeezed her eyes seeing the model stand out. "Thank you, Mr. Lance." From that moment on, her eyes got focused on the interlocutor.

  Logan didn't care much, he was as accustomed as Lidi to being liked. His only goal was Oliver. "I wonder if it's ok to remember you now that as an administrator of my company I have a duty to monitor the performance of the management, Oliver. I find doubtly nice disturbing you while you're with your companion, but if you persevere, you don't leave me choice."

  The man stiffened. "I imagine you think it's better to explain right now" he deduced.

  "I strongly advise you not to."

  He was therefore sensitive to the presence of Roberts, very well. "Recently I got some unmistakable sign that you're trying to fool me."

  Oliver didn't deny it. He even showed a smile of triumph on his wax face, straightening his wide shoulders. "You're worried, it's understandable."

  "I haven't decided this yet."

  "I would be if my balls were hung on a thread."

  Logan frowned. "I haven't yet moved a finger" he remarked.

  "Oh-oh! Have a seat. I doubt you'll stop the catastrophe. There's a definite order of succession for Logan's future events, the foremost predicts that we'll take away Atom from your hands, with a company that's worth no more than a handful of flies and will ridicule you, the second will see your company's slow decline, and the third your criminal responsibility for not having prevented the event when you knew everything."

  "It sounds like a clear admission of guilt."

  "I never said I was involved."

  "You were the one to put those cards in the hands of Lex informer."

  "I didn't know anything about it. Which papers are you talking about?" "You know it very well"

  "No, you're wrong. I don't know anything. But whoever has done it, it would be good being him. Consider it an act of charity. Someone thought it was right to inform the president of the collapse that will reduce him to the slate."

  Oliver stared at the Rolex on his wrist. "You have little less than twenty-four hours to remedy. I don't think you can do it."

  "You should consider the fourth point, the one where I'm the one fooling you. This should extend the time you set."

  Oliver got silent, the hungry anxiety to prevail drew a smile on his lips. "Yes" he admitted. "The fourth point, I heard it, but it doesn't match yours." There was something diabolical in Sinn's smile, something that made Lidi shiver.

  "Oliver, if you stop fooling behind others' goods, you'll realize that taking a company illegally leads you only to a bad road, certainly not to success. Saving is just a bunch of rubbish and you've made it that. Now pass me the briefcase. The succession of the events I predict contemplates as first thing that you give me the briefcase destined to Glenn."

  Sinn staggered, his expression remained unchanged in the light of the candle on the table, but the light of pleasure in his pork eyes was brutal and manifest. "Unfortunately, I can't stop you from losing your head, it's natural, but this case isn't for Glenn, I don't know what you're thinking, but that's the wrong one."

  "Really? Then let's see if I can explain. First, I'll deal with you using the contents of the briefcase, I'll think of my brother when he'll stop spitting blood, be quiet, he knows what punishment awaits him due to his serious shortcomings in contractual obligations."

  "Solve it with him as you believe it, now fuck off." Lidi held her hand in his, on thorns. Logan ran an arm around her hips.

  "Call the caretakers and I'll sterilize you."

  "I said, get the fuck out, now..."

  "You think I'm joking, don't you? No. Your second trial won't be canceled, I'll make a judge I know preside it, and Kent Vaughan won't defend you, you'll march into jail. Now, the briefcase. Let's see if what's inside is worth my head. Come on." Sinn didn't move a muscle. "You shouldn't intrude in things that don't concern you" Lidi looked away, her throat tightened by discomfort. She felt deaf anger at the thought that Sinn threatened Logan, who, on the other hand, wasn't worried at all. "If I'm concerned, we'll see." As the man didn't move, Logan left Lidi's hand bending over him. The two women whispered. A poisonous whisper came to Sinn's ear, while iron fingers slammed his genitals under the tablecloth.

  "Damn fuck head... do you want to see how I get your balls out and hang them on a wire?"

  "They would be alongside yours... now it's just a matter of time ..." Logan tightened it further. From the mouth of Sinn a strange hiccup came out. "Do you want to have children, Oliver?"

  The man swallowed. He didn't answer. "Do you understand what you're doing will hurt you?" His tight fingers in the handle of the briefcase softened, finally leaving his grip.

  Furious, Lidi instinctively took the briefcase anticipating the model: she felt defrauded of her serenity, had an incredible desire to beat them, and she wasn't aggressive, but that disgusting evil wound her. Logan let go Sinn, who exploded in a broken breath. "Great move. You see, talk it's enough. I wanted to tell you to stay away from trouble, but it looks like you go looking for them." He took Lidi's hand. "It was a real pleasure to meet you."

  A handful of banknotes fell on the table beside the glasses of champagne. Out of the pub, they marched rapidly. She got in the car, looking back.

  "Do you think they'll follow us?"

  He slid into the comfortable cabin and closed the door. "No. They'll be in for a while." He threw the briefcase in the back seat and turned on the car. "I just ruined him a few hours of his time, unfortunately. Now I have to see if it's money, I don't have the combination, so I'll have to force the briefcase."

  Passing a traffic light, they resumed.

  "For how long did you know Glenn's involved?"

  "Some days."

  "You said that he, Oliver Sinn, is full of debts, and Glenn will probably be kicked out of the company."

  "Without perhaps. You've been careful."

  "What did he do? Did he made a deal with him?"

  The rearview mirror showed the usual night traffic. "I'm not sure telling you would be a good idea."

  "Whether you want it or not, I'm in, I saw the gun and I saw the briefcase."

  "I'll pretend I didn't hear." Logan decelerated and stopped at a parking lot. He grabbed her by the shoulders. "This is
not a game, Lidi. I've never doubted your intelligence, don't let me doubt it now." A flash of sadness crossed him at the thought of a happy ending of the evening that wouldn't have been there. "I'll bring you home. I'm busy."

  Lalanny shook her head, a clear accusation in her eyes. "You're not funny. You can't cancel time, I was with you, I've seen everything."

  "You have to stay away from this mess. It's me they want to sink. I'll go to the police and clarify everything. Anyway, you have to forget it."

  "Instead of sending me away tell me who wants to ruin you."

  "Stop asking questions!" The scream went out in silence.

  Still like a statue of salt, Lidi showed all her resentment, charging with hate. "All right, if that's what you want, I'll forget everything, no exceptions."

  Logan didn't spare her pungent answer. "What exceptions? Nothing happened, maybe the policeman has identified us by your nailpolish."

  Lidi stared at her nails, biting her lip. The thrill of the phone broke an unbearable tension. Logan answered abruptly.

  "Hello?"

  "Hello, Logan? I'm Marron, I'm calling from the hospital."

  "Marron!" He replied grimly. " What happened?"

  "We arrived a few minutes ago with the ambulance. Jack was attacked."

  "I'm coming!" Closing the communication, he jumped into the seat, furious. "Holy Christ!" He reversed to take the opposite lane. With panic and his heart beating to a thousand, Lidi stared at him incredulous, as a passing car rang the claxon to the abrupt Porsche maneuver.

  "Who was it?"

  "Jack's former wife."

  "Jack Shelby, your partner?" She had to insist. "What happened?"

  "An aggression. He's at the hospital. Now you'll go home and I'll get to him "

  "No!" She rebelled.

  "You can't come with me!"

  " I said no!"

  "Look, it's complicated, and I don't want that..."

  "I won't leave"

  "Don't be childish, it could be dangerous!"

  "I want to stay with you!" Lidi was amazed by her violent reaction. She didn't believe emotions could take over her, perhaps because she had never considered them. It just seemed that she feared for Logan's fate more than she seemed to. Breathing deeply, she hoped she hadn't shown too much, but maybe the deal was done. At first glance, she saw a muscle leap over his contracted jaw. A steel hand snatched her.

  "What game are you playing!"

  She faced him hard. "I didn't do anything to anyone!"

  "You're an impossible woman! You know what you're doing!" He let her go without compassion. In the corridors of the internal medicine department, their decisive steps echoed.

  Logan no longer held the hand of Lalanny, who felt a sense of stupid abandonment. She wasn't looking for the thrill of an adventure, but had come to live one, wanted it or not. Still shocked, Marron was sitting in a chair outside her ex-husband's room. When she saw them, she went to Logan and folded her arms around his neck. A fraternal embrace that confused Lidi and made her feel ashamed to feel a sense of void. As soon as they broke away, she stepped forward.

  "Hi Marron, I knew. How are you?"

  She barely knew Marron Shelby, had met at some family parties, hadn't socialized much, since after Jack's divorce, all of whom were informed, she kept his friendships away from her.

  She was forty, a very pleasing appearance. Lidi barely recognized her in that livid and full of weeping woman trembling. Marron kissed their cheeks, reassured by their presence. Her eyes were wide open and vacuous, surrounded by bluish dark circles, accentuated by the imposing and cold light of the hospital. "Lalanny, you're also here. Thanks for coming, I'm fine, they gave me a drip and a calming, but Jack's under observation. He has fractures, bruises..."

  "Is he awake?" Logan asked.

  Marron was held sob. "He woke up a few minutes ago."

  Lidi surrounded her shoulders with her arm. "What happened?"

  "We were in the cinema car park" She swallowed, taking a deep breath. "My mother had brought Gracie to see a movie and luckily it wasn't over yet! She's old, you know, if she'd seen... it was a scary scene. Three men jumped out of a van, closing our way out, they had their face covered by balaclavas and they told Jack to get out of the car. I followed him and one of them put his hand on my mouth and the other two" she paused, shocked. "Calm down, relax..."

  "They got on Jack and beat him. I called the ambulance and luckily he has nothing broken, but he beat his head on the hood of the car and he fainted. We were lucky, I think, they ran away when the anti-theft turned on. "

  Logan froze. "We must call the police." Marron lowered her voice. "I didn't because they threatened him!"

  Shit. "I'll handle that. What is the prognosis?"

  "They say that he'll be ok, the fractures aren't serious, but we'll wait for the medical report."

  "I have to talk to him." Logan dragged Lidi aside. "It would be better if you stayed with Marron for a moment."

  "No, I would like to attend."

  "These are delicate things" he tried to explain.

  "Indeed. And I'm not a little girl. Come on, step aside."

  Since he didn't move, Lidi pulled him away and walked in first. Immediately, she understood she had made a mistake. She stepped back, but it was too late to kick off the vision and erase it. It got printed in her mind and she would have never forgot it.

  However, when the courage to look at Shelby got less influenced by that sense of dizziness, the thought that Logan could have been there instead of Jack made her desist, and control her breath enough to withstand Jack's unknowable face. He had his face swollen like a dull, dent melon, cuts on bluish cheeks, his lips purple, the one below black and protruding. The left, semi closed eye, completely covered with blood. The other was spared, but it was half-open and tearful. The muscular arms that slammed from the thin jacket were destroyed bruises. Whoever had done it, had got on him like a beast. Logan swallowed with difficulty. He walked to the bed where his friend laid. " My God. Jack..."

  He seemed to be awakened from his own drowsiness, but the movement he tried didn't come.

  "I was waiting for you."

  Lidi advanced, allowing him to see her. Recognizing her, Jack whispered a greeting.

  "Hello, Mr Shelby. I have no words to tell you how sorry I am for what happened."

  His breath was weak. "I need... I need to talk to you Logan, send the girls away..."

  Marron's face depicted a unique determination. Lidi was equally resolute. "Forget it" she said, unmoving.

  Wrinkles around Jack's eyes accentuated, a sign he would have smiled, if he could: "Then it's true, you are the other half of the apple."

  Lidi didn't grasp the occult meaning of that sentence, she was too shocked. Logan took a chair and put it over the bed, bending over him with extreme caution. "Glenn is in a better condition than you, even if we had a chat, but the point is you were right, inside my car I've a briefcase and something else."

  "You should not talk like that before ladies..."

  "Your wife has roots, Jack, and Lidi was with me when..."

  "Leave Glenn for a moment, they've eliminated the source. Lex has departed with his family, he won't come back again."

  "They calculated everything. They didn't beat you for the cards, they did it for the acts of Quincy process."

  "It doesn't matter anymore now. Bryan Mitchell has withdrawn from the thing, paid a stake to Sinn to do it all alone."

  "He must have drained the accounts of his old man." Jack breathed hard. The effort to keep open his only valid eye made it tear. He struggled to move his lips and words came out deformed, dampening the corner of his mouth. "That Talbot, he's a stockbroker employed full-time in fooling firms. Kent Vaughan is his high school friend, that's why he covers him. Vaughan is the real problem, Glenn, feeling to risk his place, has turned to him to accuse us all, but you know how to stop him."

  Seeing him suffering, Logan leaned forward. "Calm down, don't strive ..."
>
  "There was a meeting. Lex and Talbot. To save us, Lex offered him an incentive in return for a counterattack on Glenn. A big sum. That dog sold himself immediately. He'll even testify to the company if members will show the slander. He must be paid."

  "For that we have the fake company's documents."

  "It's not enough... wires have been moved by Glenn, you know. Before Sinn wins the coalition canceling our purchase, the members will have to sign a petition to extradite Glenn."

  "Talbot is in up to his eyeballs and wants to legalize my brother's deed to get his ass covered. We won't give a penny of our money to that dog. I'll pay Talbot with Glenn's money. The briefcase was for him."

  "Proceed. At the next council, you'll make the decisive bid. There is no other way to win the package. Get a good screwdriver, and bring those money to Talbot."

  "No." Logan clenched his teeth in front of his devastated face. "I still have a few hours. I'll search for the combination."

  Glenn sipped three fingers of bourbon. It was the fourth. He mumbled against that damn hot and unbuttoned his shirt.

  Meanwhile, he feverishly browsed among the files. What had he missed? What was missing to finish the deal? He closed another phone call, wailing angrily.

  "If you need to be alone, I'll go" clarified the model he had spent a few hours with. She had been there for a while, but was like everyone else. There was only one woman for him. None of the warm-looking girls she fucked was blond or sophisticated enough to hit him. "Stay, if you want to" he hissed, continuing to browse with his trembling hands.

  "Then tell me what's going on" she said, losing patience, moving into the living room like a caged lion. "You've been sitting for two hours and you do nothing but drinking."

  "Indeed, yes. Do you mind leaving me alone?"

  "Very well" she said coldly. "Then I'll change and go." She drifted, indignant, into the bedroom. Immediately, she heard a deaf shots vibrate at the front door. Glenn snapped, and the cup he held swung over the cards.

  "Holy shit!" For a moment, he stared at the door with a breath full of anger. What a disaster, the documents. Who the hell was that? He decided to open, opened up the door without removing the clasp.