Dinner at the Pit Of Hell
The dining room at the Pit of Hell could give Versailles a run for its money. It was decked out in classic French Baroque style. The chairs were wooden with gilded arms and legs and plush velvet seats. The rectangular walnut table was covered with a white silk tablecloth and a deep red and gold damask. Another crystal chandelier sat atop the table while the walls were painted beige with golden accents. The floor was white marble and a heavy patterned rug lay underneath the table.
I wondered how many monarchs had lost their heads in this room.
I had walked into the front door wondering if the servant would recognize me. He gave me another up and down look, did not linger on my shoes, and took my overcoat. Any sign of recognition was discreetly hidden.
He led me into the outdoor patio, where the other guests were having drinks and conversations. Destiny was talking to Eve but broke off the conversation as soon as she saw me and walked over.
She whispered to me,” I told Eve you are an old colleague from a previous job. I’m assuming you came up with something to tell her dad.”
“Where is the old man? I was actually going to play it by ear. I want to see his reaction when he sees me.”
“Well, here’s your chance. He’s just walking up behind you.”
I turned around and looked him straight in the eye. He looked through my soul and saw that I had once gotten caught masturbating by my babysitter. He didn’t say a thing.
“Good evening, sir. I’m a friend of Destiny’s. Thank you so much for allowing me into your beautiful home.”
He smiled a gracious smile.
“Not at all. Any friend of Destiny’s is welcome here. She is such a wonderful young lady.”
I looked at Destiny.
“Indeed. Thank you.”
“Excuse me, I must greet my daughter.”
“Of course.”
“Well, what did you make of that, Mr. Dick?”
“That’s Nick to you. And nothing. The guy is cool as a cucumber.”
“Nick’s not your name.”
“I’m trying it on. Besides, Bachelor Party. Hello?”
She rolled her eyes.
“So pretty.”
After about 15 minutes of light drinks and socializing, we were led into the dining room. Present and accounted for were my client, his daughter, Destiny, me, and a man in his late thirties that called himself Bob.
Bob was apparently Eve’s boyfriend. Destiny told me they met a couple of years ago when Eve’s father decided he needed someone to run the homeless association. Eve oversaw the interviews and got herself a two for one deal: Operations Manager and Boyfriend all at once.
That actually made me feel a lot better because it told me that my client had distanced himself from the business. Whatever was going on was happening behind his back. The problem now was that I knew absolutely nothing about Bob.
Fortuitously, I was seated next to Bob at dinner. Eve sat opposite him, Destiny sat opposite me, and the old man sat at the head of the table between his daughter and his manager. The first course arrived, and we all dug in.
The food was delicious. The company not quite as good. I tried to engage Bob in conversation, but he really didn’t want to engage with me and only provided the minimum of polite responses. His attention was focused more on the old man.
If Bob had his way, the chairs would have had a hole in the middle so he could kiss his ass better.
Eve was, for lack of a better term, a bitch. Not quite a cunt, but you could tell if she applied herself, she would get there in about three months. She was bossy, thought she knew everything, and treated Bob like shit. She was the perfect bureaucrat.
I was trying to figure out an angle with which to pry information out of Bob when I felt something on my leg. I looked across the table and saw the devilish smile on Destiny’s face again. I raised my eyebrow as if to say, “Really? Now?”
She gave a slight pout but then gave me a look that said, “You’re an idiot if you don’t take advantage of this.”
I am an idiot, but I’m not that much of an idiot. I reciprocated.
After a healthy game of footsie which she won 5-3, dessert arrived. I should say desserts. We started with a Tarte Des Alps, continued with individual crème brulees, and finished with coffee and macarons.
Soon, it was time to say goodbyes. Eve and Bob were the first to announce their departure. It was only fitting that Destiny and I follow suit. I was about to open my mouth when my client said, “Nick, why don’t you join me in the study for a brandy?”
I could feel the fire coming out of Bob’s eyes.
“Thank you, sir. I would be honored.”
Eve and Bob walked out to their car. They were obviously upset but too polite to say anything. The only way you could tell was that Eve’s door was shut a tad too strongly. Destiny pulled in a deep breath.
“Well, that’s going to be fun to deal with in the morning. Thanks!”
She made a motion to leave.
“You’re not staying?”
“Nope. It sounds like you’ve got business to discuss. Text me later, handsome.”
I smiled as I saw her walk away from me again. I didn’t really want to get used to that feeling. I walked back from the foyer into the study.
“Nice cover. What have you found out?”
“Well, on the bright side, I don’t think you are a mass murderer. On the not so bright side, I think your future son-in-law is.”
“I never liked that boot-licking little shit. So, what now?”
“I’ve got a friend in LAPD. I’m thinking we lay a trap for ole Bob and see what we can catch.”
“Sounds good. Keep me posted. By the way, you do know about Destiny, right?”
“What about her?”
“Just don’t fall in love with her quite yet.”
“It may be too late. Please, if there is something I should know, you need to tell me.”
“Remember that Hall & Oates song?”
“Out of Touch?”
“No, not that one.”
I laughed. “Maneater?”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“I’m a big boy.”
“A pretty one too, if I heard right.”
“Well, I’m working my way up to handsome.”
“I’m not sure her husband would agree.”
Fuck.
“Her second husband. The first one is dead.”
I gulped. “Peacefully in his sleep after a long and happy life?”
“Nope.”
“Shit.”
***
Balls, I’m really liking this series!
It was a lovely day at the beach – 80° and 2-3′ waves with occasional larger sets and for the first half hour I was the only soul in the lineup and the one guy who did show up was totally cool and not a breath of wind the entire time, just the kind of low-key surfing conditions you dream about and I FUCKING WASTED IT. I’m so disappointed in myself.
JFC. Why am I on social media? The matters of Ukraine or China or Epstein literally do not matter to
my life.
Maybe try a week without it? I’m almost never on social media anymore and I don’t feel like I’m any less informed, I’m only missing out on repetition with opinion attached
Eliminate one platform. There’s your start.
Boothill Graveyard, Tombstone AZ
Hoo boy. Mike’s got some zingers.
https://miketanier.substack.com/p/dallas-cowboys-offseason-preview
I mean, DAMN.
“As is always the case for the Cowboys, the problem isn’t raw talent, but creating a coherent plan for marshalling that talent, as well as keeping core players from jumping ship when they realize the admiral likes steering straight into icebergs so he can get fresh rocks for his Scotch.”
Jim Caldwell was doing that before it was cool.
Ice Rams get Panarin, that’s good! Thanks Ice Giants!
Shitty return, but thats what happens when the player has a full no move and only wants to go one place.
Hey the Greentree kid might pan out, but yeah.
Just looking at his stats, he’s fallen off pretty hard. He’s putting up pedestrian numbers as an over ager in the OHL, not great.
My CBC News scroll for the far North has its priorities in the right order. Here’s a tidbit from Yukon
Three Moose Killed in Vehicle Collisions in the Last 24 hours.
No mention of injuries to humans or damage to cars. The only drawback I would mention is that they didn’t release the names of those ungulates killed.
What they don’t mention is that it was all caused by one moose driving a tank
I’m not willing to let the rich old white man off the hook yet. He could still be the baddie.
From what the college students tell me these days, I don’t think he’d count as a baddie.
it’s either
Mrs. White with the Lead Pipe in the Kitchen
or
It was Colonel Mustard in the Study with the Revolver.
This is very enjoyable.
Let’s hope our hero doesn’t end up sticking his woody in cra cra.
NO SPOILERS PLZ