“No,” I say, shaking my head. “But isn’t that just perfectly priceless. That’s where the money went, isn’t it?”
“That’s where this seems to be headed,” he says.
“And here I thought her only destructive vice was sex.”
“Sex is not a vice.”
“It is when you’re married and fucking half the state,” I say. “Unless of course, my father liked to watch her with other men as she claimed. In which case, he was more screwed up than her. I don’t know why I was hoping for her bank account to save me. I need to save myself.”
“You have me now, Faith.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“I’m trying to get us to that.”
“Try harder. And just so you know, we should have the new evaluation by tomorrow.I’m meeting with my banker tomorrow to be ready to move the note, but I’m going to decide when to act based on how all the players are responding to the situation at the time.” His intercom buzzes and a female voice I assume to be Rita’s, says, “Devon is melting down again. He’s on the line.”
“I’m not babysitting that stupid crybaby prick,” Nick bites out. “Feel free to tell him that.”
“Now that you got that off your chest,” the woman says. “What would you like to me to say to him?”
“Whatever the hell you want to tell him, Rita.”
“You’re in a deposition,” she says. “Remember that.”
I laugh. “I like Rita.”
“She’s a pain in my ass today.”
“Isn’t everyone?”
“Yes, which is why I really need you here, to fuck me into amnesia. I’d come over there and do a little artistic fucking with you, but I have a lunch thing I need to prep for. Think of me, sweetheart. I’m damn sure thinking of you.” He ends the call and I laugh, but it fades quickly.
I really want to end this nightmare with the bank. I need to do something other than wait on Nick to be my hero. I inhale and tell myself to make the call I know I need to make. Only I don’t even know the number to call. I turn to the MacBook sitting on the desk and key it to life, looking up Pier 111, the business my uncle’s wife founded, and that he helps run. Finding the main number, I punch it into my cellphone.
“Pier 111, can I help you?”
“I need Bill Winter, please,” I say.
“May I ask who is calling?”
“Faith Winter.”
“Hold please.” A few beats later she returns. “He’ll call you back. What number can he call you back on?”
I give her my cellphone number and end the call. Why did I even bother to make that call? He’s a bastard. My cellphone starts to ring with an unknown number.
Expecting it’s him, I answer. “Hello.”
“Faith. What a surprise that you called. We’ve needed to talk.”
I open my mouth to ask him about the bank and the value of the winery when it hits me. He’s a bastard. He could try to take it as well. My mind races for a reason for this call. “Faith?” he presses. “Is something wrong?”
“I had a dream last night,” I blurt.
“About?”