Raymond was outraged, but he managed to stifle a response. He also remembered what happened the last time he tried to bargain with Vinnie Dominick: the cost doubled.
“It might take me a little time to get that kind of money together,” Raymond said.
“That’s fine, Doc,” Vinnie said. “Just as long as we have an agreement. From my end, I’ll get Angelo and Franco right on it.”
“Wonderful,” Raymond managed to say before leaving.
“Are you serious about this?” Angelo asked Vinnie.
“I’m afraid so,” Vinnie said. “I guess it wasn’t such a smart idea to get my brother-in-law involved in all this, although at the time we didn’t have much choice. One way or the other, I got to clean it up otherwise my wife will have my balls. The only good part is that I was able to get the good doc to pay for what I’d have to do anyway.”
“When do you want us to take care of those two?” Angelo asked.
“The sooner the better,” Vinnie said. “In fact, you’d better do it tonight!”
CHAPTER 15
MARCH 6, 1997
7:30 P.M.
COGO, EQUATORIAL GUINEA
“AT what time did you expect your guests?” Esmeralda asked Kevin. Her body and head were wrapped in a handsome bright orange-and-green fabric.
“Seven o’clock,” Kevin said, happy for the distraction. He’d been sitting at his desk, trying to fool himself into believing he was reading one of his molecular biology journals. In reality, he was tortured by repeatedly running through the harrowing events of that afternoon.
He could still see the soldiers in their red berets and jungle camouflage fatigues seemingly coming out of nowhere. He could hear their boots pounding against the moist earth and the jangle of their equipment as they ran. Worse yet, he could feel the same sickening terror that he’d felt when he’d turned to flee, expecting at any instant to hear the sound of machine-gun fire.
The dash across the clearing to the car and the wild ride had been somehow anticlimactic to that initial fright. The windows being shot out had an almost surreal quality that somehow couldn’t compare to his first glimpse of those soldiers.
Melanie had once again responded to the event completely differently than Kevin. It made Kevin wonder if growing up in Manhattan had somehow toughened her for such experiences. Rather than expressing fear, Melanie was more angry than afraid. She was furious at the soldiers’ wanton destruction of what she considered her property, even though the car technically belonged to GenSys.
“The dinner is prepared,” Esmeralda said. “I shall keep it warm.”
Kevin thanked his attentive housekeeper, and she disappeared back into the kitchen. Tossing aside his journal, Kevin got up from his desk and walked out onto the veranda. Night had fallen, and he was beginning to worry about where Melanie and Candace could be.
Kevin’s house fronted a small grassy square illuminated by old-fashioned street lamps. Directly across the square was Siegfried Spallek’s house. It was similar to Kevin’s with an arcaded first floor, a veranda around the second, and dormers in its steeply pitched roof. At present, there were lights only in the kitchen end of the house. Apparently, the manager had not yet come home.
Heading laughter to his left, Kevin turned in the direction of the waterfront. There had been a tropical downpour for an hour that had just ended fifteen minutes previously. The cobblestones were steaming since they’d still been hot from the sun. Into this lighted mist walked the two women, arm in arm, laughing merrily.
“Hey, Kevin!” Melanie shouted, spying Kevin on his balcony. “How come you didn’t send a carriage?”
The women walked to a point directly beneath Kevin who was embarrassed by their revelry.
“What are you talking about?” Kevin asked.
“Well, you didn’t expect us to get soaked, did you?” Melanie joked. Candace giggled.
“Come on up,” Kevin encouraged. His eyes roamed around the small square, hoping that his neighbors weren’t being disturbed.
The women came up the stairs with great commotion. Kevin met them in the hall. Melanie insisted on giving Kevin a kiss on both cheeks. Candace did likewise.
“Sorry we’re late,” Melanie said. “But the rain forced us to take shelter at the Chickee Bar.”
“And a friendly group of men from the motor pool insisted on buying us piña coladas,” Candace said gaily.
“It’s okay,” Kevin said. “But dinner is ready.”
“Fantastic,” Candace said. “I’m famished.”
“Me too,” Melanie said. She reached down and slipped off her shoes. “I hope you don’t mind my going barefoot. My shoes got a little wet on the way up here.”
“Me too,” Candace said as she followed suit.
Kevin motioned toward the dining room and trailed the women in. Esmeralda had laid the table at one end since it was large enough for twelve. There was a small tablecloth just covering the area under the dishes. There were also candles burning in glass holders.
“How romantic,” Candace commented.
“I hope we’re having wine,” Melanie said as she took the seat closest to her.
Candace went around and sat opposite Melanie, leaving the head of the table for Kevin.
“White or red?” Kevin asked.
“Any color,” Melanie said. Then she laughed.
“What are we eating?” Candace asked.
“It’s a local fish,” Kevin said.
“A fish! How appropriate,” Melanie said, which caused both women to laugh to the point of tears.
“I don’t get it,” Kevin said. He had the distinct feeling that when he was around these two women, he wasn’t in control of anything and understood less than half the conversation.
“We’ll explain later,” Melanie managed. “Get the wine. That’s more important.”
“Let’s have white,” Candace said.
Kevin went into the kitchen and got the wine that he had earlier put into the refrigerator. He avoided looking at Esmeralda, worried what she must be thinking with these tipsy women as guests. Kevin didn’t know what to think himself.
As he opened the wine, he could hear them carrying on with lively conversation and laughter. The good side, he reminded himself, was that with Melanie and Candace there were never any uncomfortable silences.
“What kind of wine are we having?” Melanie asked when Kevin reappeared. Kevin showed her the bottle. “Oh, my,” she said with feigned condescension. “Montrachet! Aren’t we lucky tonight.”
Kevin had had no idea what he’d picked from his collection of wine bottles, but he was pleased Melanie was impressed. He poured the wine as Esmeralda appeared with the first course.
The dinner was an unqualified success. Even Kevin began to relax after attempting to keep up with the women as far as the wine was concerned. About halfway through the meal he was forced to return to the kitchen for another bottle.
“You can’t guess who else was at the chickee hut,” Melanie said as the entree dishes were being cleared. “Our fearless leader Siegfried.”
Kevin choked on his wine. He wiped his face with his napkin. “You didn’t talk to him, did you?”
“It would have been hard not to,” Melanie said. “He graciously asked if he could join us and even bought a round, not only for us but also for the guys from the motor pool.”
“He was actually quite charming,” Candace said.
Kevin felt a chill descend down his spine. The second ordeal of the afternoon which scared him almost as much as the first was a visit to Siegfried’s office. No sooner had they evaded the Equatoguinean soldiers then Melanie had insisted on driving there. It made no difference what Kevin said in an attempt to talk her out of it.
“I’m not going to stand for this kind of treatment,” Melanie had said as they mounted the stairs. She didn’t even bother to speak with Aurielo. She just sailed into Siegfried’s office and demanded that he personally see to it that her car was repaired.
Candace had gone in with Melanie, but Kevin had held back, watching from just beyond Aurielo’s desk.