Loose Ends And What Knots

by Jeffrey Hancock

  Answering the door, I saw it is Diego. The cat wanted in to cuddle up with Moiraine for a time I’m sure. The most devious of ideas came to me. When I see Karma again, I will have to ask her to thank her cousin, Epiphany, for the idea. I gathered up Diego and managed to convince him to give the sealing glue a few licks for good measure. Surprisingly, he enjoyed it. Maybe they use catnip in the formula. Diego wanted down, and it is never wise to hold onto a cat when they wish otherwise. He jetted off to Mo’s room.

  Back to my task, I set to address the letter with text-filled colorful confetti. Diego gave off a most mournful cry. I went to investigate. He was standing by Blossom’s empty bed. “Yes, she is gone,” I said to Diego. His sign of loss and pain hit me hard. Abandoning my work at the table for a few minutes, I sat down on the couch. Diego gave off a few more mournful meows. You could hear the pain in his cry. After a time, he jumped on my lap, curled up, and purred. Oh my, he has never done this before. We spent maybe five minutes with him purring as I petted him. In a quiet tone, I said, “I know it hurts, but she is in a happier place now.” Diego jumped down and walked off. The sound of scratching came to my ears. He was at my daughter’s bedroom door. Opening her door, I let Diego in to navigate his way through the jungle of toys and clothes, which is my daughter’s room. I watched as he tentatively approached Mo’s bed. He sniffed every item in the direct path to the bed and those things he had to crawl over he tested with one paw to see if it would hold his weight. He reached his target and jumped up to curl up next to Mo’s feet. He is a decent cat despite his tendency to call on the house too early in the day. Closing the door, I left them to dream together.

  Returning to my mission, I placed the letter to Detective Hawkins inside the box. After I addressed the package and sealed up the box with packing tape, I pondered how to put it in the right hands. I couldn’t take it to the police station and leave it with the desk sergeant. I grabbed a plain grey hoodie, the burner phone I bought for the big escape, and the package. Pulling the hood up, I started donning my disguise. The sunglasses finished the look. I checked in the mirror. Yep, I looked like the Unabomber without the mustache. I headed out the door and into the car. Heading to where I didn’t know, I drove. Eventually, I found myself a couple of blocks away from the bus station.

  I quickly walked to the bus station, and without looking up at any cameras, I placed the package into a locker and took the key. That went well. On my way back to my car, I threw the locker key in a trashcan. Only one more chore, then I can go home.

  I parked the car at Harbor Island. This is the same spot I pondered my woeful state after my firing. With the burner phone, I texted Detective Hawkins about the box and its contents. I also texted the location of the locker and where he could find the key. Finally, I removed the battery from the phone. I knew it is too dangerous to keep the phone, but instead of chucking it into the bay, where I am sure they would search since the text came from here, I disposed of it in a trash can at a convenience store on the way home. Not to let an opportunity go to waste, I grabbed a Diet Pepsi too.

  Opening my front door, I saw the rest of the house was up. Charlene was busy cleaning up after my mess. “Oh, you finally decided to come home. Tell me, why would you leave such a mess as this for me to wake up to?” Charlene inquired.

  “I was busy with a task, and the cleanup slipped my mind.”

  “I thought you have this perfect memory, yet you conveniently forget to pick up after yourself. Why couldn’t I have married a man who picks up after himself?” Char asked the universe.

  “Well, the Second Law of Thermodynamics states…”

  “Nathan, if I want a lecture, I’ll go back to college.”

  I remained quiet, helped pick up, and reveled in everything getting back to normal.

  Payback

  The doorbell rang. I made my way to the door and looked through the peephole. A postal carrier is at the door. When I opened the door, she asked, “Nathan Embers?” I grunted an affirmative. She handed me a large, thick manila envelope, and a legal-sized box. “Sign here please,” she said as she handed me a clipboard. After putting down my “John Hancock” on the dotted line, I handed the clipboard back

  I thanked the carrier as I looked at the return address. Moments after I closed the door, I realized the carrier had a French Manicure. Dropping the envelope down, I went rushing out my door to catch up with her. I took a few steps and looked around. No carrier. No truck. No nothing. Jiminy cripes, I can’t be that slow. How many different jobs does she have anyway? Returning to my home, I picked up the envelope once more and opened it.

  Reading the numerous pages contained in the plain manila treasure chest, I became enlightened. First one page and another and the next. Each time I read through a page; my pace increased until I was blazing through the whole stack of paperwork. “Now, how do I handle this bounty?” I thought to myself. Of course, I thought it to myself because if I thought to someone else, it would be telepathy. As the wheels of my mind started turning, the beginnings of a diabolical plan came to mind. Hell, it may even be evil. I like to think of myself as a “White Hat” kind of guy, but I think my morals and ethics can take a much-needed vacation at this particular point in time. Now, if only I can assemble all the pieces, I need for the end-game.

  I retrieved a phone number from my perfect mental phonebook. It rang and was answered quickly. “Does it matter how I got this number? Don’t hang up I have a proposition for you. No, a clean one. I am a happily married man. This proposition is business, and it promises to be a hoot.” I let the party on the other end in on my plan, and they were agreeable. “Okay, I’ll call you back as to time and place.”

  Oh, this is going to be entertainment beyond compare. Yes, fun will be the order of the day. And with a little bit of luck on my side, the taste of sweet revenge will be mine. Muhahaha! Making phone calls and putting all the pieces in place is how I spent the rest of my day. It is not an easy task, but it promises to hold great rewards. On the appointed day, at the appointed time, and with the appointed people, I am going to appoint someone’s butt.

  A couple of days passed, and now it is time. My hand knocked on the all too familiar door. A voice from the other room told me to enter. Sitting behind the old metal desk with the faux wood finish is Mr. Waters, and standing next to him is Mike, my boss from my drug store days. “Hey, Mike, good to see you. How are the wife and kids?” We chit-chatted a moment. Mr. Waters is starting to become annoyed. Good!

  I gave a single clap with my hands and rubbed them together. “Shall we begin?” I Opened the door to the office, revealing my little surprise. When Mr. Waters saw my partner, he immediately stood. A gentleman always stands when a lady enters the room. Mr. Waters seems to be a gentleman. Who knew? “Let me make the introductions. Mike, Mr. Waters, this is my attorney Ms. Refrain of Refrain and Associates.” I let her name hang in the air for a second. Ms. Refrain’s reputation in this city is well-known. In all her years of practicing law, she had never lost a trial case. “I’m sure you are all wondering why I called you here. I know who the murder is. He is…” Mike rolled his eyes a bit, and Mr. Waters looked dazed and confused. He has no sense of humor. Ms. Refrain is playing her part perfectly. She didn’t move or make a noise. She didn’t even shift her feet. “Now, with the introductions having been made, shall we all take our seats and begin.”

  “Mr. Waters let me come right to the point. I am here to see to it Marcy is reinstated to her former position and salary. She will be granted back pay in full for all time lost. Her record will be expunged of all material related to her firing. You will contact The California Board of Pharmacy to tell them this has been a huge mistake. You will tell them Marcy is in the clear, and you have full faith and confidence in her skills and ethics. When all this has been done, you, sir, will make a personal and heartfelt apology to her with Mike as a witness. He will give me a call to inform me all is well. And flowers, say a nice bouquet with tulips and daffodils would be acceptable. Wel
l, I’m not unreasonable. The flowers are negotiable.”

  “I suppose you would like me to reinstate yourself as well, Mr. Embers? As I told you, we don’t need a reason to let either of you go. We have the power, and we used it. Even your lawyer can’t change that.”

  “Attorney,” I interjected.

  “Whatever,” said Mr. Waters as he leaned back into his chair a bit. He must think this is all over. Well, it’s not over not even by half.

  “Mr. Waters, you are quite correct when you say you don’t need a reason, but if you have a reason, you still have to follow your own company’s policies and procedures to the letter, not to mention the Union Contract. All of which you did not do.” I glanced at my fingernails with an “I am so bored, and this should be over by now” look on my face.

  Mr. Waters chimed in, “Even if it were true, you don’t have any proof.”

  As I stood up and glared at him and with emotional intensity, not anger, I poured out my evidence. “My sources say you were instructed to fire Marcy and myself with great haste based on nothing more than an anonymous phone call. Now, I don’t blame you personally; however, I will name you in the complaint I plan to file if we do not reach an agreement today. If it goes down that way, don’t expect the company’s lawyers to come to your aid. In the future, I see them putting all the blame on you. They will say something to the effect of “he exceeded his authority” or some such buck-passing.” A slight sheen of perspiration began forming on his balding head, but he wasn’t sweating it yet. My hand was filled by Ms. Refrain with a copy of the company’s Human Resources’ policy book. They give a copy out to all new employees on their first day on the job. They even make sure every worker gets regular updates when they make changes. Most people throw those things out. Not me. Not only do I remember everything, but I’ve also kept all the paperwork from all my jobs ever since my first job at the age of thirteen. Slamming the book on the desk in front of Mr. Waters, “If you turn to the section which covers disciplinary actions and read it, you will see you never followed any of the rules in Marcy’s and my case. There were no meetings with the store’s general manager. There had been no meeting with a district manager. No informal hearing. No formal hearing. No Union reps present."

  Silently calling out with my hand, Ms. Refrain put a sheet of paper in it. I placed this new damning evidence in front of Mr. Waters. “If you take the time to read this memo, you will see it instructs you to rid the company of Marcy and myself without delay. It also instructs you to, and I am quoting here, “We must avoid the appearance of impropriety, collusion, or duplicity.” Marcy and I were never investigated as accomplices. We were never charged with a crime. We are victims of the crime as well as the company.” Mike began to cover the slight smile growing on his face. Mr. Waters finally began to sweat profusely. Large drops started forming and rolling down his face. He made a fruitless gesture to mop them off. He no sooner wiped the first beads away, when new ones formed. I had to give him credit; his expression remained calm. Pour guy, he is out of his league, and I’m swinging for the fence.

  “Mr. Waters, the last thing I want to do is cause a problem for this company. Agree to my terms, and I will sign off on any paperwork your attorneys provide, with my attorney’s approval of course. Do not agree, and I will make it my life’s work to put this company through a public relations nightmare.”

  “Mr. Embers, no doubt you can make a little noise, but I think a company such as this can withstand the onslaught of an Assistant Night Manager,” he started to rise from his seat.

  Once again, I held out my hand and again had it filled with yet another sheet of paper by Ms. Refrain. She never misses a queue. I plopped the sheet in front of the sweaty man, “You can see this is a share of stock in the company. This golden ticket grants me entrance to the next stockholder’s meeting in a little over two weeks. After reading Robert’s Rules of Order, I can imagine all kinds of mischief I can manage there. The meeting will be tied-up in procedures so tight Gordian’s Knot will seem like a cat’s cradle. If the paperwork is not ready by the end of the next business day, I will attend the meeting. However, I am feeling charitable today. The expense of the courier will be on me.” The nervous little man took back his seat across from me.

  “Even if I could get the authorization for this deal, it could take months to iron out the details.”

  “Which is why I took the trouble to write,” I held out my hand, and again found it filled my Ms. Refrain, “this letter of understanding spelling out all my terms. All you have to do is sign it. We can cross the I’s and dot the t’s later.”

  “I can’t possibly sign this. I don’t have the authority,” he said with stress evident in his voice.

  Pulling the memo out of the pile of papers on the desk, I read the passage which said, “Do whatever is necessary to make this whole matter disappear.” Smiling a bit, I said, “Mr. Waters, this right here covers your ass. This memo is your get out of jail free card.” Mr. Waters took the memo from my hand. His lips moved as he read.

  “No. No. No! I can’t. I know what the memo says, but that is not what it means. My superior personally talked with me. He told me explicitly you and Marcy were to be gone as if you never worked here. He told me to destroy everything, including this. I shredded it all myself. I don’t understand how you have this.”

  “Well, this one is only a copy. The real McCoy is in my attorney’s possession,” gesturing toward Ms. Refrain’s direction.

  “I will have to take my chances,” Mr. Waters said as he stood again and began to leave.

  “Very well, Mr. Waters, but there is the small matter of these,” I held my hands out, and Ms. Refrain put a large stack of file-folders into them, “other cases. If memory serves, and it does, forty-seven separate cases where you and your immediate supervisor have played fast and loose with employment laws and union contracts. Each file contains a similar memo and other incriminating evidence.” The file-folders made a wonderous thump as I slammed them down on the desk.

  “Alright, Mr. Embers,” he slumped back down in his chair. “You win. The paperwork will be ready by the end of business tomorrow.” He signed the letter of understanding and handed it back to me. “If you will excuse me, I have to inform the company’s attorneys. Does this make you happy, Mr. Embers, I’ll most likely be fired myself?”

  “If I may, I would suggest you and the company make amends to those forty-seven other cases as well. Somehow, I can see, in the future, those other harmed parties receiving these same documents. I wonder what they will do with them. If the company retaliates against you, I suggest you retain the services of Refrain and Associates,” and with this bit of entertainment over, Mr. Waters walked out of the meeting. Mike and I looked at each other for a long moment then we both busted up laughing.

  “Damn, Nate, you son-of-a-bitch, I am glad you’re not pissed at me,” Mike said.

  “So, Ms. Refrain, what do you think of my performance?” She handed me another sheet of paper. “What’s this?”

  “My bill, of course, Mr. Embers,” she said with the same smile on her face as she had at the trial. I looked at the number and swallowed hard. Now, it is my turn to be the sweaty little man. She spoke up, “Or at least it would be if you had not come through on your promise of one hoot of a good time,” she grabbed her bill back and tore it up. I asked her to give me the pieces to be safe. “You know, Mr. Embers, I think I misjudged you,” she said with a quirky little smile on her lips.

  “What the heck does she mean?” I pondered to myself.

  A Little Tea Party

  My key slipped into the lock of the front door with ease. As the door opened, I heard my daughter’s welcoming cry, “Daddy’s home. Daddy’s home.” We hugged. Moiraine grasped my hand and pulled me into the living room. Seated there along with my wife and her mother are five other women. All the ladies had striking resemblances to each other. They also looked to be roughly the same age and in their prime despite having died at different ages.
One day I will understand all this ghost stuff.

  “Hello, ladies. I’m sorry. I don’t believe I have had the pleasure.”

  “Daddy, they are family. Isn’t this great!” Moiraine let go of my hand and began spinning all the while chanting, “My family. My family. My family.” Moiraine has never known family except for her grandfather, her mother, and me. Charlene and I are only children, and both of our extended families had passed away before Mo was born. I always felt as though Fate had cheated Moiraine. I have met ghosts, and I have met Karma, but if I ever meet Fate, I’ll have a thing or two to say to her about denying Moiraine an extended family. It pains me to think, one day she will be alone in this world with no family to lean on if leaning is needed.

  Moiraine had brought out her play tea set for our guests and set it all up on the coffee table. Char and these women have been indulging Mo this afternoon. It is cute and brought a smile to my face to see each of these ladies with a cup and saucer in front of them filled with imaginary tea. “Daddy, do you want a cup of tea?”