I connected with my guys to see what else they had on Ray and Arlene and to call them off of looking for information on Annabelle. I knew more than enough already and whatever else was needed I wanted to get from her.
Both Ray and Arlene had been laying low, but the weekend had just ended so that could’ve been a hindrance. I wasn’t too worried about anything they could throw at me personally, but I didn’t trust one or both of them not to go after her.
I’m pretty well schooled on how that kind of mindset works, it’s always blame the victim, never take responsibility for my own actions. Plus I can’t forget that look he had thrown Annabelle on his way out.
We made it downtown just as the business day was getting started. I stepped out into the early morning sun and looked up at the skyscraper before heading inside.
In my hand I carried a manila envelope with everything I needed to bury Ray. He’s lucky he’s getting off this easy. If not for Tony’s meddling ass I’d have already broken that fuck in half.
“I’m here to see Mr. Howell.” I greeted the lady at the front desk who looked like every Monday morning desk jockey. “Do you have an appointment sir?” She turned to her computer screen.
“No! Tell him it’s Max Carrington.” She called through and the door behind me opened. There was a thirty something year old preppie standing there, but he looked like every little boy who ever asked me to sign an autograph.
“Max Carrington? THE Max Carrington?” His eyes were big as saucers as he held out his hand. I shook it and pushed my hand back into my pants pocket while he ordered his assistant to bring us coffee in his office like he thought I was staying.
I followed him in and cut him off before he could get started on the football talk. “I’m afraid I’m here on unpleasant business.” His face fell a little and I could imagine where his mind had gone since he first saw me in his outer office.
As the head of an investment firm he probably thought I was here to hire his services. I passed him the envelope and sat back to wait. The assistant came in with a tray, which I ignored as Howell got hot around the collar.
“This…what….We had no idea.” I knew I had him when he used we and not I. He was already shifting responsibility, which meant ole Ray was about to swim in the deep without a raft.
“I didn’t think you did, that’s why I’m giving you a heads up. I’m about to take this boy to school, so I figured you’d want to get in front of this thing as soon as possible.”
He picked up the phone and called out to his assistant. “Simone, get Ray Morrison in here stat.” I got up to leave, I’d done what I came to do. He stood and followed me to the door.
“I hope that our name can be kept out of this whole mess.”
“That’ll depend on how you handle things, the ball’s in your court. By the way, I did my research and come to find out, I know quite a few of your clients. Some of whom I’m sure wouldn’t like to know that this sort of person was handling their money.”
I just left that out there after dropping a name that had him losing the color from his face. I wanted to be gone before I ran into Ray. If it were just me I would’ve sought him out myself. But since she was involved I choose to avoid unnecessary confrontation.
“Is it done?” Tony asked as soon as I planted my ass in the seat.
“Drive around the block.” It took two turns around the block before Morrison came out of the building with the sack box in his hands. He was already looking a little rough and I had no doubt it was due to the job my boys had been doing on him over the weekend.
I didn’t just cost him his job, but everyone he owed has been paying him a call in the last couple days and the word has been spreading in his favorite haunts about just what kind of person he really is. Life was about to get real fucking hard for this asshole.
As to his aunt, I already knew how I was going to shut her down if she tried anything. It’s vicious and without mercy, but anyone who could do the shit she’d done to a young girl who was already suffering didn’t deserve my pity.
Chapter 25
By the time we made it back to the apartment mom had already made a few calls and had an appointment set up with the school for later in the week, which was a load off my plate.