Chapter 77.3: We Woo, Part II
Mike’s POV—Monday
The CO’s just left the gym and every man is quiet.
She holds our lives in her hands.
She holds Mark’s life in her hands.
She holds Pat’s and Rod’s lives in her hands.
And she knows nothing good about this branch. That’s a huge problem.
I look at the other seconds in each department and nod. We have to save our bosses while passing this review. This is not an either-or situation.
RMBoston will live or die on Stephanie Plum’s opinion of us. We can’t allow her to leave here thinking we’re shit.
We can’t allow her to leave thinking that RMBoston doesn’t support her.
August 13 will go down in RMBoston history as the day we got our asses kicked. We didn’t expect it. We had no idea what the hell had happened. I just know that, when I stepped on the floor at 0700, I didn’t expect the eerie silence and the clenched jaws I saw.
“Read your email?” Mario said quietly. He looked furious.
“No. Why?”
“Read your email.” He walked off, jaw clenched. I immediately logged in and took a look.
Minutes later, I sank into the chair feeling as if someone had just clobbered me in the gut. Trenton was number one? How? When? What the hell? I took a deep breath and tucked my head between my knees. I still couldn’t understand what I was reading. What were we? We had to be number two, a close number two. I mean, a one-time slip? Yeah, that’s what it was. A one-time slip.
I heard a gasp. Susan. I immediately lifted my head and scanned the room, same as every other man there, and froze in shock.
Mark had just hit the floor and he had a black eye and stitches in his cheek.
I’m not sure we were even breathing at that point. What the hell had happened to him?
He reddened, nodded to us all, and disappeared into his office. We all looked at each other, willing someone, anyone, to step forward and explain this shit to us. Mark? Mark had a black eye? The other guy must be in traction. Obviously.
That was the start of the day. In the shit, with no hope, no clues, and no info.
Mark’s apology was hard to hear. I mean, we wondered what the hell happened to him, but for him to stand in front of us and admit he fucked up, and fucked up badly, and basically throw himself on our mercy reminded us of why we follow him.
Because at the end of the day, even after fucking up so badly, so crucially, Mark stood before us as a man, as a commander and as a boss, and told us that the buck stopped with him. He was responsible for the fuckup. He was responsible for his predicament. He was responsible for our current standing and he wouldn’t allow Pat or Rod to share in that. He convinced them to follow him and he was wrong and he alone was determined to bear the responsibility.
That’s why RMBoston follows Mark. Because when the chips are down, Mark is the man who will ensure that everyone else has been evacuated and on their way to safety before calling in a bombing strike directly over his head. He reminds us of why we follow Ranger, even when we don’t understand. Because if Ranger ever screwed up, he would take full responsibility for it. No one else. No matter how bitter the pill.
Which made the irony of the moment even harder: Ranger merely asked us all to follow his decision in placing Ms. Plum in the CO role. Clearly it was the right decision to make but, as Mark said, regardless, we should have ensured she knew she could count on Boston. She should not have had a single doubt.
Every man in the room understood what Mark wasn’t saying. We knew that he was a short-timer as of that moment and that filled us all with panic.
He didn’t beg us to beg for him. If we were praying men we could pray for him but nothing more. He didn’t ask us to do anything other than show this branch at its best. He, Pat, and Rod had already failed. Everything else was due to us and he would help us pass.
Every man in the room was immediately determined to help him pass. If the CO chose to dismiss him after we gave it our all, we would accept the decision but at least we would know that we’d tried.
Like everyone else in the company, we follow the CO’s passage in Trenton avidly. The new head of HR is holding the scores (HR?) and we wouldn’t find out until everything was over. She’s being cleared by NYC and Atlanta and Tank and Bobby are overseeing it.
On Wednesday, we have our usual call with Miami, who snort and tell us we’re stupid for even assuming she wouldn’t pass. All those fuckers love her. Of course she would pass. Victor glares at the phone.
“Are you suggesting that the Leadership Core is filled with men with no integrity?”
“No,” Antonio replies. We hate him in Boston. He’s truly a nasty piece of work but his department is on point. We know. We keep trying to take him down. “I’m saying that Ranger’s piece of ass is going to pass—” CLICK.
I smile at my boss. “Hector will visit if you break that handset.”
Vic shrugs. “Asshole. I think Hector will forgive me that one.” He shivers, as do I. Regardless of the reason, no one welcomes a visit from Hector except Jamie and Paul but those are his men. Jamie and Paul love him.
The phone rings. Miami. Vic sighs and picks up.
“Yo.”
“All of Miami does not share that asshole’s opinion,” Mario says tightly. Vic and I grin at the phone. Mario’s good peeps and he’s taken over Miami among the men. I’m sure Diego is thrilled. We hear he’s firing.
‘Bout fucking time. What’s holding him back from firing Antonio? We know he hates him.
“So what’s Miami’s opinion?”
“We have an inside track.”
“Oh yeah?” Vic and I look at each other. “What?”
“Mack’s on the assessment team.”
Ah. And of course he’ll keep his cousin, Thomas, up to date. “And?”
“She’s blowing it out of the water. Mack had the hand to hand and he said she’s good on the mats. Took his ass down a few times. Look, start thinking about a gift. Flowers are good but you might want to plan for something special when she comes to visit you. You know when she’s coming to see you?”
“Right after she clears.”
“Excellent. Get on that.” Click.
Vic and I look at each other and nod. Yeah. We’ll get on that.
“New business?”
Friday staff meeting and it’s going as usual. Mark’s waiting to see if anyone has anything new to bring up. That black eye looks nasty now. Black and green and mottled.
“Sir?”
“Mike.”
“When is the CO coming?
Mark stares at me. “This is relevant because …?”
“Because all we sent the CO for passing standahds is a bouquet. I understand each of the other branches is planning something moah substantial.”
“Such as?”
“I think Miami plans to take her out on the water and out for dinner and dancing. I’m sure the other branches have similah moves planned. I would prefeh we not come up looking short.”
Everyone is staring at me. I’m here, in Victor’s place, because Vic has a skip to apprehend. I shrug. “The CO is the first woman to ever join RangeMan and meet traditional RangeMan standahds. That’s a milestone and it should be celebrated.”
“Ah we planning to send flowas to every woman who meets the standahds?” Mase asks. He’s still pissed that he’s doing all the work for Hospitality and it won’t be counted. “Aftah all, the head of HR is also working to meet standahds .” He turns to Mark. “Why is it the women joining the company ah allowed to ‘work’ to meet standahds but men joining the company don’t have that same luxury?”
The room is silent. This is not how I wanted this to go.
“You are incorrect,” Mark says softly, making a note. “The assumption has always been that your background presumes having met physical standards, in some capacity, in the past because RangeMan has traditionally hired men from military or law enforcement or avoidance”—we all snort in amusement—”backgrounds. You are aware of that.”
He looks up. “We have simply added another probationary period to account for a specialized group: those who have never had to meet physical standards before. This is not a new group, just one that was never formally recognized.”
“How so?” Pat asks, a frown on his face.
“The housekeepers and maintenance men,” Mark replies. You can almost hear the silent ‘Oh’ in the room. Mark nods. “The standards themselves have not changed, simply the timeline allowed in order to allow those who have never done a pushup in their lives to meet our expectations. It also codifies the standards that were always present for the housekeepers and maintenance men and puts an actual time requirement on their acquisition.
At the moment, NYC has a dispensation because they are hiring men into their branch who have never had to meet physical standards before. They have 90 days to meet. That was the case with the CO. She met in 70 days, counting from when her cast was removed, and she met at traditional standards instead of asking for a new set of standards for women. Any questions?”
None. Mase sits back, red and embarrassed.
Mark looks up and looks down the table. “The XOs are watching the standards very closely. Whether or not a man meets the standards is our concern, not yours, and it’s a concern we’ve shared with the CO. She is aware of our intentions in that regard.” He turns to me. “I assume you have an idea.”
“Apple picking and cider making.”
Mark stares at me. “And this is a good idea because . . .?”
“I heah the CO hates being cooped up indoors and she likes being active. Perhaps she could bring her nieces up for a weekend and we can go apple picking and make pies and cider with her. Something nice for her to do and allows her a weekend with her family. She doesn’t have to do it on this visit but I think we should suggest it to her. It’ll be leaf season in New Hampshire soon .” I shrug. “I mean, Boston doesn’t have a lot of fun things that aren’t history related in some way.”
Mark grimaces and I assume that what I know about the CO is correct: She’s not a big history buff.
The CO arrives tonight and we’re prepared. The branch has been cleaned top to bottom. Everyone’s shined his shoes, cleaned his cubicle, and checked the vehicles. Every department head has reviewed his department’s stats with the men, ensuring that every man is prepared to answer any question that the CO asks.
We’re prepared to pass this review. We’re determined to ensure the CO leaves knowing we’re behind her. Mark’s not said much about her lately, except that she’s a damn good boss and the right person to lead the company. We waited on the ‘in Ranger’s absence’ that we expected to come with that statement but it didn’t happen. Mark actually looked as if he meant that statement exactly as it came out.
Ringggg
“Yo!” It’s Mack. I grin in spite of myself. Mack’s wicked awesome and, since NYC got new leadership, he’s been reaching out to everyone in the company, trying to get a bead on what’s going on. He’s got a whole new attitude and has truly become my favorite person in NYC.
“Yo! What’s good, Mack?”
“What you hooking the CO up with?”
I stare at the phone. “What?”
I hear Mack snort. “Swag, fool! What you get her?”
I sprint to my door and motion for Vic. He strides in. “What do you mean?”
Mack laughs. “Oh fuck. I’m glad I called, yo. Swag wars, homie! Every office swagged the CO out at the end of her visit. Every office and Trenton swagged her out before she passed standards. Yo, get on that. You’ll look small and stupid if you don’t.”
Vic and I look at each other, eyes wide. “Thanks for the wahning Mack!” Click. I dial Trenton.
“Yo!”
“Yo!” Zip and he sounds confused. “Wassup?”
“What’s the issue with the swag?”
“Don’t,” Zip says, clearly irritated. “The swag is getting ridiculous. The CO doesn’t have room for it and she has everything we could possibly give her.”
“But every office, so far, has swagged her, right?”
“Yeah.”
“OK. That’s what we needed to know. Thanks!” I’m about to disconnect when I hear Zip.
“Yo!”
“What?”
“Seriously. Steph prefers to stay company neutral. She prefers basic black.”
Vic and I look at each other and snort. That smells like a lie. “OK. Thanks for the heads up.”
“No prob.” Click.
Vic and I sprint and hit each department head up quickly. We call a huddle in Vic’s office.
“Yo, we just got word we nearly fucked up big time,” Vic says.
Everyone looks frightened. “How?” Mase asks.
“Swag. We don’t have a single thing here big enough for the CO, or small enough as the case may be. Every office has swagged her out.” My phone beeps and I look.
“Shit!” I turn my phone so everyone can see it. Mack sent pics of the CO in serious Trenton and NYC swag. Every man’s eyes widen. My phone beeps a minute later and I see the ATL swag. “OK, so we owe Mack a ‘thank you’ cuz he’s keeping our asses out of the fire.”
“You think it will count against us in the review?” Chas asks.
“No, but I think it’s more of a ‘Thanks for coming and we appreciate you being here’ goodbye gift from each branch. The CO is new. This is a big thing and her reviews lead to serious bragging rights. I mean, look at ATL. They passed review and got to set up a whole new branch,” Vic says. “We’re second. We can’t come up looking stupid.” Vic picks up his phone and dials Susan.
“Hey, Susan, can you come to my office for a moment?”
“Sure, Vic!” Click.
Susan arrives moments later. “What do you need?”
“Swag for the CO,” I reply.
Susan starts laughing. “Oh! Who tipped you off?”
“You knew?” I ask incredulously.
She smiles. “Of course. Ella is in charge of keeping track of the swag because Hal has a fit every time Stephanie comes home with it. He truly hates seeing his little sister in another man’s clothes.”
A way to show love to the CO and flip a finger at the branch that replaced us at the top? We’re in!
The CO has been here for a week and every man is tight lipped about his interview. Even Vic wouldn’t tell me anything, which is surprising. Vic is good about keeping me informed. On the upside, with the CO in house, we’re at 95% in bonds enforcement this month. We’re aiming for Atlanta and I attended the CO’s first workshop. I’m determined to show her that I paid attention and appreciated her time. I’ve been cracking the whip in the department this month. Vic told me he’ll be out of office a lot this week and it’s clearly due to his talk with the CO. I’m wondering what that’s about.
I get a call this morning to go speak to Danny. I’m wondering what this is about. I’ve met Danny before and I like the ATL XO. He’s exactly as he seems, upfront, loyal and honest. There’s no bullshitting him.
I walk into the conference room the CO is using. I still can’t believe Matt led a strike team in here to riffle through the CO’s stuff. Idiot! I hope his shins are still in pain. I close the door behind me and wait. It’s early morning and the sun is shining bright through the windows. I stare at the arms of the chair. A comfortable leather chair. That’s a change. Where’s Les’s psyop chairs?
Danny smiles at me. “The CO hates them,” he says, answering my silent question. “Despises them. She demanded we remove them the moment she entered this conference room. So did Jorge. He had his interview in them and he hates them too.”
Ah! I laugh and sit down. Danny looks at Mark and Mark sighs.
“Mike, I called you here because the CO is beginning a new initiative,” Mark says, leaning forward. Danny leans back in his chair and picks up a clipboard and pen. “As you’ve seen, the company is growing and we’re growing so fast that we have more leadership spots than we have men ready to fill them. The CO has noted this and has asked me and Danny to work together on creating a leadership development program, a formal one, within the company.”
I’m sure my eyes are wide. Holy hell! Am I being asked . . .?
“What we’d like to know, Mike, is whether or not you are interested in participating in this program,” Danny says, hiding a smile. “Your leadership qualities and work ethic have been noted time and time again by your superiors and your peers and we’re interested in extending you this opportunity. It’s entirely voluntary.”
I smile. No, I’m fucking grinning. “I’d love to pahticipate.”
Mark and Danny smile. “Well, we’re still working on the particulars, but is there any position you are more interested in than any other?”
Now, I’d like to be an XO, I think, but is it egotistical to say that? Well hell, they asked. “I’m interested in being an XO, but I wondah if that’s a bit forward. Would it be bettah to be a strategist first then work my way up to that?”
Mark and Danny look at each other and chuckle. “No idea. You’d have to ask Diego that.”
I sit back and smile. OK, there’s a precedent. I forgot about Diggy and he’d definitely know. “Good point. OK, well, I’d like to be an XO if at all possible.”
Danny makes some notes on his clipboard while Mark speaks. “Well, the number one thing you’ll need to understand is that, in choosing to participate in this program, you may be required to travel. Talk this over with Deirdre and make sure she’s OK with that. At the moment, there are two open XO positions, so if you’re chosen to be an XO, you’re looking at a commute south.”
San Antonio and Charlotte. I thought Diego had San Antonio sewed up so I guess Charlotte might be mine.
“We’re still working on the program but the number one thing we’ve agreed on is that when a position becomes available, each candidate will spend time in more than one branch, working as an assistant to the XO there. We want you to see how each XO performs the job so you can see the different styles of leadership and the different methods each XO uses to perform the job.”
I nod as Danny smiles. “That’s something we picked up from Hal and it harkened back to our experiences. We each were thrown into the job and even though trial by fire is good, the company is growing so big and so fast that each XO candidate needs to understand all the facets of the job. There are a million little things that each XO does so you may or may not get a chance to handle everything during the trial run. We’re trying to make sure you’re ready to take the reins when the position is yours.”
They keep saying ‘each XO candidate’. I wonder how many there are. If there are two per branch, and we have five branches at the moment, I have a 1 in 10 shot at becoming an XO. At best, a 1 in 5 shot. Crap. Well, at least the odds have improved from 1 in 500.
“In the meantime, you’ll work as my assistant here in Boston. I may send you to other branches as my emissary so you can see how things are done, but each XO is aware of this program and is aware that you may visit his office to work as an assistant to him. This will mean an increase in your workload”—Danny snorts, trying to hide a laugh, and Mark grins at him—”but that’s the sad world of an XO.”
“Duties up the ass, not enough hours to do them all.” Danny snorts and he and Mark begin laughing. I smile as they completely break down in laughs. Finally, they wipe their eyes and Danny looks at me with a smile. “Sorry, but this is also an opportunity for your wife and son.” Mark sobers and nods in agreement. “Being an XO is a 24/7/365 job. You are always on call. You are always the man who has to take responsibility. You are always the man who has to make the tough decisions. Your son is what? Three?” I nod. “Yeah. It was a hard transition for Cynthia, my wife, and for my boys. Daddy suddenly had less time for them and my entire family had to adjust. Your wife needs to know that the time commitment of an XO may leave her on her own more often.”
Mark is silent. Every man in Boston knows his fiancée hated his life at RangeMan and called the engagement off because he wouldn’t quit. RangeMan cost Mark his fiancée and he hasn’t really dated since. That sobers me. I had not considered that and DeeDee already thinks I’m not home enough. I’m glad Danny brought that up. I’ll really need to consider if I want this job.
“I’m glad you said that,” I mutter. “DeeDee already thinks I’m not home enough.”
Mark nods. “Yeah. We’re trying to give you a true picture of life as an XO. Wives of XOs in this company are stay at home moms or they work for RangeMan.” Mark smiles. “Well, our new head of HR isn’t a wife yet but she might as well be. And the CO works for us.”
“Lula?” Danny asks.
“Oh, good point. What is she doing?”
“Not sure.” I’m sure I look confused and Danny smiles. “Tank’s fiancée. I think she’s getting a degree in something. Cindy told me but I forgot. Anyway, our point is that the salary is good enough for wives to choose to stay at home with the kids if they choose to, but if your wife continues as . . .?”
“She’s a legal secretary,” I reply.
“Right. She’ll be the only wife working outside the company—”
“Javi!” Mark says, turning to Danny.
Danny cringes. “Shit. Right. Monica works for a college.” He smiles. “Monica is Javi’s girlfriend. Fiancée at Christmas.” Mark looks over, eyebrows raised, and Danny nods. “He bought the ring. He’s proposing at Christmas.” He looks at me. “So we’ll see if we can hook DeeDee and Monica up. They’ll be the only wives working outside the company. A support group of two right there.”
“So, you still want to participate?” Mark asks. “Even if you choose not to accept a permanent position, training as an XO will mean that, when the CO’s vacation policy goes into effect, you will be one of two men I call on to run Boston in my absence.”
I smile. That’s not bad, as a minimum. “Sure. I’m in.” That answers that question. Two men per branch. A 1 in 10 chance of being an XO.
Danny marks something on his clipboard. “Congrats. Glad to have you participating.”
I leave the conference room with my head spinning. Damn. A new opportunity I never expected. I walk to my cubicle to find the CO there, staring at the picture of my wife and son.
“Deirdre and Samuel.” The CO jumps a foot in the air and I smile. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.”
She leans against my desk, hand to her chest. “Yeah, no matter how many times someone’s snuck up on me, I’m still scared each time. You’d think I would be used to it.”
I smile. “How can I help, Ms. Plum?” Her nose scrunches and I laugh. “Sorry. Steph.”
“I’m bored. I’m ready to get out of this building for a while.”
I cringe. I’m not sure about this. “FBI interest?”
She smiles. “Jorge’s free. I’m thinking I just want to see Boston. Riding around would be good. I just hate being cooped up in the building.”
I smile. Thank god! “OK. I’ll grab the keys to the Mehcedes. Meet you in the garage in 10 minutes.”
I sprint to 5, grab the keys to Ranger’s Mercedes, and update Vic on my whereabouts. He smiles and reminds me to ensure the CO has adequate protection. I nod. “Jorge’s going.”
“Good. Also, did you get your invite to dinner with the CO?”
I look at him in confusion and check my email. Yup, invite to dinner with the CO on my phone. At Tresca. Holy hell. Expensive.
“Got it.”
“Change now. You have no idea how long you’ll be out.”
He salutes me off; I flip him the finger and take the stairs back downstairs to the garage.
The CO is waiting with Jorge, who is dressed in slacks and a polo, with a sports jacket over his arm. The CO has on a sundress and flats, although she has heels in hand. I rattle the keys. “You wanna drive?”
The CO’s eyes widen and she takes the keys happily. “Mike, you might just become my favorite Boston RangeMan.”
I smile. “Thanks. I just saw the invite to dinner, so I need to change really quick.”
She waves me off, and I run upstairs and change into my suit and a polo shirt and hustle back downstairs. I settle in the back seat and smile. I hate driving around Boston. DeeDee loves when I hand her the keys. I assumed the CO might be the same.
We get a game plan together. A little shopping, something sweet, and a walk in a park. I suggest Mt. Auburn Cemetery and the CO and Jorge look at me in distaste.
“A cemetery, Mike?” Jorge says.
“Yeah. Boston landmmahk. It’s less a cemetery and more of a beautiful quiet park that just happens to have a couple of tombstones.”
Steph and Jorge laugh. “Love the understatement there,” Steph says.
“Yeah,” Jorge replies. “Like Madison Avenue is just an extra wide street with a few shops.” They laugh.
“Is anyone going to attempt to put me in a grave?” she asks. “Chase me? Shoot at me?”
I’d laugh except her history suggests this is a serious question. “Nope. I’m telling you, the place is a visitah’s attraction. Beautiful plants, bird-watching, interesting marble monuments. DeeDee and I go all the time. It’s where we met.” I smile. “We nearly had our wedding there but both sets of parents thought it was a little macabre.”
“Opening scene to a very bad rom-com,” Jorge mutters and the CO punches him playfully. “Oh, our ending was in our beginning,” Jorge says, in a high falsetto that has the CO holding her head in laughter. “We fell in love over a grave and I said goodbye to my love at a grave.” I thump the back of his head and he grins. “Which Nicholas Sparks book would that be?”
“You suck, Jorge,” Steph says, wiping her eyes. “Just for that, we’re going to see a rom-com before you go back to NYC.”
Jorge looks at her in horror. “I’m not Ram! I’m not sacrificing myself for anything less than an action thriller.”
I’m sitting in the back seat laughing, but I’m also watching the way Steph interacts with Jorge. I’m jealous. She’s open and warm with him and they tease each other easily.
Every man has been watching her interactions with Mark closely to see if she’s thawing to him or if she still hates him. We’re confused. She doesn’t appear to hate him. She pokes him and smiles at him and she appears to treat him as she does Danny, well, not as warm as Danny but she doesn’t appear to hate him. Mark always looks confused by this behavior but, when she’s not looking, he smiles and stares at her, looking bemused.
He looks like he’d really like for her to tease him (well, with something other than Top Gun references) and he looks jealous of the really easy way she and Danny interact.
His behavior has led every man at RM-Boston to really reach out to the CO and get to know her. We’ve all taken a moment to stop and chat with her and try to make her smile. We’re trying our best to ensure she knows that we like her. Getting to actually see her, and get to know her, is making a difference in Boston. We finally understand why every other office is in love with the CO.
“OK, Mike. Let’s see your cemetery.” Steph has the keys in the ignition and is backing out. I put my hand on her shoulder.
“OK, quick Boston traffic lesson. We have right from left, straight on red, and left from right, so you have to watch out. Also, signals from other drivers are either non-existent or a mere suggestion .”
Steph and Jorge both look at me in confusion. I grin.
“Hopefully we won’t have to employ any of those techniques but if we do, I’ll let you know. Scenic route or highway?”
“Scenic route.”
We hop on Main Street and start cruising. The CO kicks back, clearly thrilled to be in the driver’s seat for a while. After about five minutes, she looks around.
“Straight on red. Would that be the move I’m looking at right now?”
I look ahead. “Yeah, but this is the newbies version. Guy pulls into the gas station on his right, bangs a left into the oncoming traffic lane and makes a right back onto the original street. You get points for being creative.”
Steph nods. “We have that in Trenton. I’ve done that a few times.”
I chuckle. Jorge looks at her in admiration. “Really?”
Steph looks at him in amusement. “I was either trying to outrun a crazy or chase a skip.” I tilt my head back and laugh.
“What’s the pro version?” Jorge asks me.
“Look left, look right, gun it straight through.”
We arrive at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in good time and get out. Steph looks around and smiles. “Nice choice, Mike.”
We tour the cemetery for two hours. I add this to my new knowledge database. The CO loves flowers. It’s not just an ‘Oh, look. Pretty.” kinda thing. It’s serious. She really loves flowers and the wildflower section is clearly her favorite, although she spends a decent amount of time in the Victorian garden. Jorge and I take pictures of her looking at them, sniffing them, writing down the names as she walks. She reviews the maps and learns that we haven’t put a dent in all the areas of the cemetery she could tour.
“This is really nice,” she says quietly. “I can see why people come here. It’s peaceful.”
I smile. “Then let me show you the best paht.” I take her to Washington Tower and we look out onto Boston, Cambridge and all the surrounding areas. The view is breathtaking and the CO is taking lots of pictures.
“This is where I met my wife,” I tell her quietly. “We were the only two up heah and we were both staring at Boston. I needed peace and quiet and so did she.” Steph nods and Jorge walks over and stands on her other side. “We come back heah every yeah and just stare at Boston and marvel at how much the city’s changed and yet, this view is still pretty much the same.”
“I understand,” she says. “Views like this remind me that I’m just another person. Just another ordinary person, like everyone else.” She smiles. “Even if I have the world’s crappiest luck.”
I look at her. “Crap luck aside, you’re not ohdinary, Steph. You weren’t meant to be ohdinary,” I tell her quietly. She looks at me in confusion and I smile. “You weren’t. You were, you ah, extr’ohdinary. Ohdinary people live ohdinary lives and do ohdinary things. They gather togethah and talk about extr’ohdinary people because they don’t have the courage to be those people.” I smile. “There isn’t anothah woman in the entire country running a black-ops company, but you ah. You come from a town where everyone settles down and does the same thing, the ohdinary thing. The expected thing. You didn’t. You’re extr’ohdinary and they’re jealous.”
Steph looks stunned. Jorge and I are smiling at her.
“I agree,” Jorge says. He picks up her hands and rubs them to warm them. “I knew you were special when I met you. You didn’t ask me a million questions about my previous job or my background or experience. You trusted in Javi, that he was doing the right thing, and you hired me. You had my loyalty from that moment because you were positioned to put me through hell but you didn’t. You believe in the best in people and that’s rare.” He snorts. “And coming from Wall Street, I’ll tell you, it was welcome to have someone just believe in me instead of pick at me and test me.”
I know she has hankies on her, but I pass her mine anyway and she smiles gratefully. “So why put me through hell?”
I shake my head. “Honestly? No fucking idea.” We all laugh. “We know our leadership is extr’ohdinary. They did something extr’ohdinary and we should have expected that. They never do the ohdinary, the expected, thing.” I grin at her. “That’s the only problem with being extr’ohdinary.”
She tilts her head, smiling, waiting for the punch line.
“Sometimes extr’ohdinary walks a fine line with insane. If you’re not careful you can easily confuse the two.”
We’re sitting in the car laughing.
Hector nearly had a fit. He called in a panic.
“Estephania!”
“Hector?”
“Are you OK?”
“Sí, Hector.” She looks at Jorge. “Tell him to stop panicking. The cemetery is also a park. We were touring it as a park. No one was harmed and no one is dead.”
We laugh but Jorge translates the sentence.
“Tell her that it would be nice if I got some advance notice about her movements. I’m watching her but Mijo also wants my time. He’s learning to ride a tricycle.” Hector sounds calmer now. Jorge translates the sentence for Steph and she smiles.
“How is my favorite toddler?”
“Busy,” Hector replies. “I don’t dare use yourname because he’ll want the phone and he won’t let go for hours. He’s learned how to dial. We have to keep all phones out of reach.”
I laugh. My son is at that age too. Everything is his toy.
“When are you going to arrive in Miami, partner?”
Hector sighs. “Soon. I may bring Manny with me. He’s at that clingy stage. I’m here, I’m playing with him and he doesn’t want to let go. He doesn’t like for me to be out of his sight. His vocabulary is just amazing. He’s at a four- to five-year-old level in that. I’m proud.”
I smile. You can hear it in his voice.
“Well, don’t worry about me. I’m sticking with the guards,” Steph says softly. She smiles. “Bring him to Miami if you want, if Nikki doesn’t mind. I miss having him climb in my lap. When’s the birthday party?”
“Next week. What’s in this big box?”
“None of your business. It’s his gift. Let him open it.”
I stare at her in amazement. I never thought anyone, except maybe Ranger, could get away with speaking to Hector like that, but I guess since she’s his partner, she can. Jorge looks amazed too. He hesitated translating her last sentence because I’m sure he was also concerned about Hector’s possible response.
Hector laughs. “I’m going to ignore you said that only because I know that whatever it is, he’ll enjoy it. What’s the plan for the rest of the day?”
“Newbury Street and dinner out with Boston’s Leadership.”
“OK. Update Hal too, Jorge. I’m sure he’s worried about her . . . never mind. Hal’s probably getting updates from Daniel every time she moves.” Steph laughs. “OK. Talk to you later, partner.”
“Talk to you later, Hec. Kiss Manny for me.” Click.
Jorge and I look at her in amazement. She smiles. “What?”
“Hector is terrifying and we’ve just learned he’s terrifying and he’s a doting daddy,” Jorge says, amused. “What did you get Mijo?”
She laughs and starts the car. “I hit a bunch of websites for ideas. Play-doh, a doctor’s bag, memory and puzzle games, and some books. Best thing I think he’ll like?” I’m paying close attention. Sam loves play-doh and his toy stethoscope. “Val told me about a children’s magazine called Chirp, so I got a subscription. It’s designed for three- to six-year-olds. I remember how much fun it was to get mail when I was a kid and, as busy as Manny is, I thought he’d love that.”
I sit back, nodding. DeeDee leaves picking up the mail to me on the weekends. Daddy-son time. I boost Sam up and let him get the mail from the mailbox and take it inside and distribute it. Simple, but for him, it’s the highlight of the day. I pull out a piece of paper and write that down quickly.
That’s a really thoughtful gift for her partner’s ‘son’. I smile. The CO is a really thoughtful person.
We’ve been circling around Newbury for ten minutes looking for a parking spot. The CO is frustrated.
“Damn! I thought when I passed standards I would get the parking karma too. This is crap.”
Jorge and I are laughing. I’ve never thought of it as ‘karma’ but she might be right. DeeDee always grouses about the fact that parking spaces just ‘appear’ for me. The light ahead turns red.
“Quick! Steph, switch places with me. Let’s see what happens.”
I slide into the driver’s seat, check that the CO is safely in the back, and start scanning the street. I think I see a space opening up. The light turns green, I move forward and I was right. A parking spot opened up right in front of Agent Provocateur. I slide into the space, leaving plenty of room to exit in a hurry and turn the car off.
The CO is staring out of the window in shock. “Not just a great parking space, but one right in front of where I wanted to go.” She frowns at me. “Clearly Atlanta screwed my driving training somewhere. It took you less than two minutes to find a spot.”
We climb out and pay the parking meter. The next 90 minutes are the best and worst of my life. AP is having a sale and the CO is racking up on the raciest bras and panties I’ve ever seen. I’m trying not to imagine my wife in some of these. I don’t need to embarrass myself.
Jorge has no shame. He’s happily passing the CO the naughtiest panties, bras, nighties and suspenders he can find. I look at him and he grins. “Job security, my man. Who’s going to end up looking at her in those panties?”
Ranger. My eyes widen. He nods. “Exactly. He’s never met me but if she drops a hint that I helped her find some of those, I’ll go on his ‘watch carefully’ list and his ‘thank you’ list simultaneously. What little I’ve heard tells me I might manage to stay on the ‘thank you’ list if it works out between them.”
I watch as the CO spends over $2000 on some of the most provocative undies I’ve ever seen. I finger some pretty panties and wonder if I should buy DeeDee some, but if I buy DeeDee a pair of $160 panties, she’d either (a) wonder if I’m up to something or (b) lose her mind that I bought a pair of panties that expensive.
Sigh. I put the panties down. I can’t afford squat in here and my eyes are wide. Finally, the CO’s shopped out but happy. We stash the bags in the car, feed the meter and start walking. The CO is a serious shopper. We hit multiple stores (I gag over prices, Jorge helps her shop. I’m wondering about his sexuality because he’s enjoying it too much) and the CO accumulates bags. We keep feeding the meter but finally, after spending another $2000, the CO stops. It’s nearly 1700 and she’s finally tired. We’ve been out for hours.
I see her tapping on her phone then she steps off to make a call. She rejoins us and looks at me expectantly. “OK, what’s next?”
“Dinner. Nearly 1700. I’ll need to drive. It’s only 10 minutes away, but parking karma is a requirement there and in the North End, karma might get us within five blocks.”
“Shit,” she mutters as she hands over the keys. “My luck, we’ll end up walking five miles.” Jorge and I laugh. We head to Tresca and parking karma gets us within three blocks, which was lucky. I didn’t even attempt a closer spot; I took the first one I saw. We walk in the restaurant and we’re directed to a private room. We’re getting seated and comfortable when the rest of Boston’s leadership arrives. Danny and Mark sit on each side of Steph and Susan takes the seat at the other end of the table, Steve next to her.
OK, I’m not cheap. I’m the son of two incredibly thrifty people and I’m having a slight headache over this menu. I know this menu isn’t cheap. I look around and I’m not the only person visibly uncomfortable. The CO stands and smiles at us. “Dinner is on me everyone.”
That’s nice but . . . I could still cry over what this dinner is going to cost. Hey, it might not be my wallet but I’m not a greedy person.
Apparently the CO, the XOs, and the strategists and liaison don’t have that problem. They order multiple bottles of wine and start a discussion of preferred vintages. Well, the XOs and Jorge do. The rest of us stare. Susan snorts.
“You men know nothing of wine,” she says from her end. After that, it’s like being at a tennis match, listening to all of them debate vintages. I catch the CO’s eye and she grins and passes her hand over her head.
All of Boston mid-level leadership laughs. The debate participants were so into their discussion they completely missed it.
I’m working on my veal chop and having a good time. Mase and Mario are cracking up.
“Ah’m taking pictchahs of this meal,” Mase says. “Ah’ll nevuh be able to come heah again.”
“Why?” Mario asks.
“My puritan soul is crying out that this is wrong,” Mase says, cutting into his pork chop. “This is so wrong”—he takes a bite—”but it tastes so good.”
The CO laughs. She heard that. “I’m Italian on one side, so food will never be wrong. Food is delicious and to be eaten, regardless of cost.” We laugh. “But I’m Hungarian gypsy on the other. Is it edible? OK!”
“Not picky?” Mark asks.
“Nope,” the CO says, biting into her lobster. “I ate meatball subs and pizza for years. Whatever my mother was serving. Whatever I could get, I didn’t care. Was it cheap? Did it taste good? Sounds good.” She dips her lobster into the melted butter and smiles. “Now? I love Ella. I love Susan.” Susan smiles. “I love every housekeeper the company.” She stands and raises her glass to Susan. “To Susan! Who keeps our bodies and souls fed.”
Mark and all of Boston’s leadership stands. “To Susan!”
Susan smiles, pink-cheeked and embarrassed. “Thank you,” she says quietly.
“And to Steven,” Steph says. “Who keeps everything clean and working so well we don’t even have to think about it.”
“Steven!”
Steve stands. “On behalf of my wife and myself, I thank you for your kind words. However, the first toast, by rights, should have gone to the wonderful lady who has invited us to join her for the evening. Everyone, raise a glass with me to Ms. Stephanie Plum, our managing director, whose warmth and graciousness has made tonight possible. Ms. Plum!”
“Ms. Plum!” we echo and the CO smiles and motions for us to sit. She stands and we fall silent, waiting for her to speak.
“I asked everyone to join me here tonight because I feel it’s important for all levels of leadership to talk to one another. You guys run RMBoston. Its success is due to you and I want to make sure that you know that the Leadership Core and I appreciate all your hard work.” She smiles at each of us. “I know that it was surprising to learn Trenton had knocked you down, but you carried the crown for four years. You were unbeatable. You’ll kick the crap out of Hal and be unbeatable again!”
We cheer quietly. Complete agreement with that statement.
“I’m looking forward to it. Hal’s sick of me cheering everyone else on. He keeps reminding me that my bed is two floors above his head so my loyalty should be inside his building!”
We laugh. Danny is shaking his head in amusement.
“Anyway, I know you’re nervous about this review. I know that you’re nervous about everything, but I wanted to take this time to tell you that my reviews aren’t meant to be a way to beat up on you. I’m just looking for ways to help and, hopefully, the review will give you some things to think about. I hope it will give you some new ideas to help fight your way back to the top.”
We give her a standing ovation. Every man around the table is suddenly feeling a lot less pressure in his belly.
“Mike’s Pastry. North End. Italian Bakery. First shove, first served.”
Her eyes widen. “Cannoli?”
“Oh yeah.” I look at her and smile. “And cream puffs and Sfogliatella—”
“Oh my god, I haven’t had a really good one of those in years,” she says, walking faster.
“Steph! It doesn’t close until 10,” Vic says.
“I know, but the sooner I get there the sooner I can eat my way through the pastry case,” she replies. Danny and Jorge have sped up to catch her and we’re all walking to Mike’s, which is on the next block. We skipped dessert at Tresca, choosing instead to ensure the CO had a chance to hit Mike’s before we left the North End.
All of Boston’s leadership is walking the block and a half to Mike’s with Steph. It was a great dinner. Her words helped every man release a lot of tension and worry about her report, which is due in two days. We’re still determined to pass, but knowing that it’s meant to help and not meant to be a way to hit us over the head helps. Everyone is looking forward to what’s in the report.
Vic is really looking forward to it. Marcus keeps talking shit to us, reminding us that Atlanta’s was so good they got to set up a new branch. We’re wondering what will happen for us.
Meanwhile, we think we’ve succeeded in our other objective. The CO doesn’t appear to hate Mark at all. Indeed, she appears to like him and treats him like the rest of us, with amusement and friendliness. Rod, Pat, and Mark have all looked surprised and really grateful that she’s been so nice to them and are trying, tentatively, to tease her. It’s pretty funny to watch. They try to tease her, look uncertain, and get quiet. Meanwhile, the CO isn’t quite sure how to take their teasing and looks confused. It works if there’s a third person there to laugh when they tease her so she understands that she’s being teased. We’ve really appreciated Danny and Jorge’s willingness to do that when we aren’t around.
Everyone grabs a pastry for themselves but the CO is having a field day. Cannoli , sfogliatella, cream puffs, pasticiotto, the CO is creating a nice box of sweets for herself. She finally stops and orders a cannoli to eat there with her cappuccino. She joins the rest of us at a table and we eye the box.
“Sharing with your nieces, dear?” Susan says, trying not to laugh.
“Not a chance,” she replies. We all laugh. “This will be gone before I leave Boston.”
We gape. That’s a lot of sugar.
Mark smiles. “Ladies and gentlemen, the gym’s newest part-time resident, Ms. Stephanie Plum!”
The CO scowls at him and we really laugh.
The CO just left and we’re all still sitting in the conference room feeling shitty.
We didn’t pass, so we failed objective one, and the CO handed us our asses over the background we did on her. She pointed out something simple.
We didn’t trust the brotherhood.
We didn’t trust our brothers in Trenton to give us honest information about her. Out of all our failures, that stings most. It’s a reminder of what Mark’s told the leadership privately.
RMBoston is not trusted outside Boston. Trenton, Atlanta, and NYC all hold us at arm’s length and when they don’t they set our asses up for a fall.
Thanks, Mack. Fucker. Although I gotta admit, he saved our asses and fucked us over at the same time. Good one.
We’re all sitting quietly when I stand.
“I’m not having it.”
Everyone looks at me. I stride to the dais and look out at my brothers.
“I’m not having it. I’m not taking this shit lying down.” I clench my jaw and look each man in the eyes. Pat is looking at me in astonishment.
“Mike—”
“The CO gave us the chahge ,” I reply, looking at him. “Knock Trenton down. We can do it. I know we can. I’m sure that, whateveh’s in her report, it will make us strongah. That’s all I’ve heard all over the company. Trust the CO. Believe in her. Trust her opinion. Well, let’s have it, Pat. What did she say?” I look at every man. “We all need to know. We need to know what she thinks we need to do to get back on top. The brotherhood is watching to see how we respond. If we want back in, if we want to be seen as the leaders again, we need to show why we’ve held the crown. Let’s get stahted fixing RMBoston.”
“HUA!” Every man looks recharged and determined. Yeah, we’re gonna knock Trenton onto their smug asses.
Pat looks at me in astonishment then smiles. “Alright! Everyone, choose three men from your group. Those men need to meet with me here in five.”
There’s a rush to the offices and cubicles to get paper and pens. Bonds enforcement follows me to my cubicle and I look at each man. “Me, Smith, and Donnelly . Everyone else, back to work.” The men not picked nod and head back to their stations. Smith and Donnelly grin and get their notebooks.
I pick up my notebook and head back to the conference room.
I’m not an XO but, if I’ve learned nothing else from Mark, I know that rule one is ‘Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.’
