"And a baby the next fall?", I commented, looking over at Alex. "Fast work!"
He nodded and smiled at her. "It was worth it."
Suzie blushed deeply. She turned to me and said, "I can't believe I haven't asked about your family yet. How are Marilyn and Charlie? Did you have any more children?"
"Marilyn's fine. She keeps getting prettier every year. Charlie's eight now. He races motorcycles, if you can believe that!"
"Oh my God! You let him?!", she gasped.
I laughed at that. "Remember my friend Tusker, the biker? He owns a couple of cycle shops now, and his son races them, too. They got Charlie into it. In 1984 we had twin girls, Holly and Molly..." I pulled my wallet out and passed over a few photos.
"Twin girls! Oh, I'd die to have a little girl!", she exclaimed.
"Fine, come on over and I'll sign the paperwork.", I responded.
"Forget it!", said John. "One would be bad enough, but no way do I want two!"
"There's always the old fashioned way.", teased his wife.
"Three kids is about three too many!", he replied.
At that moment Alex commented loudly that Harry was stinky, which made all of us laugh. Suzie took care of that problem, and then came back over. "How are Mom and Dad? Do you see them anymore?"
I shook my head. "No reason to. Were you aware that they disowned me after the wedding? I haven't heard from either since the craziness after I shot Hamilton. Mom tried to sue me, but I think you know that."
"I didn't know they disowned you. I guess that's why you didn't get a wedding present.", she replied. Suzie had to explain all of this to her husband, who simply stared in horror.
I got us off the topic, saying, "Marilyn has ordered that you come and visit us, all of you. I was thinking maybe you could come see us for the holidays. You'll need to come to sign the papers, anyway."
"What papers?", she asked.
I gave a wry smile. "Way back when, before everything went to hell in a handbasket, I put some shares in the Buckman Group away for you. I always figured I'd give them to you as a wedding present, but you took off before I could give them to you."
"Shares? I own a piece of your company?", she asked, confused.
"Well, at the time it was $50,000 worth. I don't remember how many shares that actually worked out to at the time. Since then, it's grown quite a bit more valuable.", I said, smiling. I should have brought out a financial statement for her. "I'll have to send you a statement. You have to sign some paperwork before you can cash them or whatever."
"How much are they worth now?", she asked.
I looked at the three boys. No need for them to hear the surprisingly large number. "Let's just say that you won't need to scrimp and save for college funds and mortgage payments."
Suzie slowly turned to stare at her husband. "Oh my God!" Her jaw was open and she was gaping like a fish.
He stared back at her, and then turned to me. "These are what, shares in your company?"
I nodded. "When you were investigating Suzie's past, my name must have come up."
"Yeah, as an investor or something. What are you, a millionaire or something?"
I pointed a finger towards the ceiling. "Billionaire, actually. About one point five, specifically."
It was his turn to gape. "So, the bodyguard business..."
"There's a reason for it. Back home, Marilyn and the kids are usually tailed by security. When I travel, I take protection. I usually am safe enough at home on my own, though. That's what I meant by offering security last night. I can offer security if you think it's needed when reporters start coming around.", I replied.
He shook his head. "I'll just have my friends shoot them."
"Sounds good to me." I thought about my schedule for a bit. "Listen, the best time to come would be over the holidays. Why don't you come down to the Bahamas with us?"
"The Bahamas?!"
I nodded. "We bought a place down there several years ago. Hey, it won't cost you a thing. I'll send a plane for you. We're bringing Marilyn's folks down for a few days, too, to break the news to them. They're Democrats, so they just might disown their daughter."
Suzie gave me a sharp look. "That's not funny, Carl!"
I shrugged. "Maybe not." I looked around at their children and their house, and then turned back. "Listen, I should get out of here, give you guys some time to talk." I pulled out a business card and wrote our home phone number on the back. "That will get you to me at the office, or Marilyn at the house. We're in the same house as before, but we added a pool way back when. Call Marilyn. She's dying to hear from you. I'll let you know when I file for Congressman. Make sure you let me know if any reporters come around."
I stood and took my leave, collected my driver, and left. I made it back to Westminster by early evening.
Chapter 98: The Powers That Be
The next day, I shaved off my beard and mustache and went to my regular stylist at the mall for a haircut before I went to work. Everybody stared, and I called the brain trust into the office. "What's with the beard and mustache? You look like you're going back in the army!", commented Jake Junior.
"That's why I called you all in here. Have a seat." We all sat down around the coffee table. "Okay, I have something to tell you all. John already knows this, but now you have to hear about it."
"You're not sick, are you?", asked Missy, a concerned look on her face.
John snorted out a laugh at that and I gave him a dirty look. "Only sick in the head. I am filing next month to run for Congress in the Maryland Ninth District as the Republican candidate."
"Holy Christ!", she exclaimed. Jake Junior's reaction was pretty much the same.
Only Jake's father's face didn't have a strange look on it. "I can't say I'm surprised. What with your books and speeches, and the appearances on TV, I figured it was just a matter of time before somebody asked you to run. Was it John here?"
I nodded. "Yeah, we've been planning this for a few weeks. I got drafted by the various county committees and the RNC in Washington."
He just nodded in understanding.
Jake Junior and Missy looked at each other. It was he who spoke up next, and I knew before he opened his mouth what the question would be. "So, what happens to the Buckman Group?"
I nodded. This was a pretty big deal, and no matter what happened, there would be some changes. "Okay, very good question. First things first. The election isn't until November 6, so we have damn near a year to worry about this. While I'm running, I will still be in charge, but pretty much like now. In other words, you guys are doing the work and I am reaping the benefits." Normally that line would get a chuckle from the others, but not today. Too serious, I guess.
I shrugged. "Okay, not so funny. Listen, there are two possible outcomes. First and foremost, I am running as a Republican in a liberal Democratic district in a liberal Democratic state. More likely than not, I am going to go down in flames that will make the Hindenburg look like a birthday candle. On November 7th I may have to hightail it out of town to escape the laughter!"
Jake Senior looked thoughtful and nodded at that. "Maybe, maybe not. You're not all that conservative, and you're probably smarter than Andy Stewart. You have a chance."