‘I’m serious about wanting to know how we work. I have a better idea of how to use you. We work with employment agencies. Why don’t you go to one of the recruitment drives and report back to me?’
‘Again, it’s a “thank you”, but I don’t have the expertise.’
‘You don’t need expertise. Submit an application, show up at the recruitment event, attend the presentations and processing, and we have a discussion afterward about how it all went. That’s all it is. You only have to look like someone who’s looking for work.’
This was something Rem could manage. The phone rang again in his pocket, he stood up, offered his hand to Geezler, and apologized.
‘Maybe some other time.’
Geezler reached into his pocket and drew out his wallet. Rem said he couldn’t accept the money. Not in good conscience.
‘Think it over. If you’re interested, call me.’ Geezler insisted on a final drink, looked alone simply because he’d asked, so Rem agreed. After he’d placed the order, he asked Rem if there was anything wrong.
‘You look different from yesterday. I’d say you look a little harassed.’
Rem said he probably needed to go.
Geezler rose with him. ‘Out of interest, was I right about there being some kind of trouble?’ Geezler’s interest appeared genuine. ‘I’m curious, that’s all this is.’ He settled back into his seat and looked to the bar, to the deeper lounge, as if placing people, calculating proximities. ‘Sit down. Talk to me. Let me know what the problem is, make it hypothetical if you need. I might be able to help.’
Rem thought for a moment, it would be good to lay out the situation, hear it from his own mouth. Rem zippered his thumb across his mouth. ‘We had some issues.’
‘Issues?’
‘Trouble.’
Geezler shifted in his seat. ‘Related to hiring or performance?’
‘Hiring.’
Geezler gave a broad smile. Satisfied. As if he knew it.
‘One of the men stole from the houses we were painting.’
‘Recently?’
‘Recent enough.’
‘Houses?’
‘Two. That I know.’
Geezler nodded in encouragement.
‘You paid them?’
‘Two I knew about, a third I had to go with. I didn’t want the rumour spreading. I wanted to keep my business.’ Did he need to explain this?
‘How did you find out?’
‘We weren’t getting referrals. People stopped calling. So I knew something was wrong.’
‘Why did you pay?’
‘Everything depends on reputation. If it ever went to court we’d be finished. As it is we’re almost finished. I have loans I can’t service, and wages.’
‘And no one called the police?’
‘Nobody wanted to involve their insurers.’
Geezler took in the information for a moment, then looked directly at Rem and said he appreciated what Rem had just told him. It took spine to be that direct. People around him barely spoke so plainly. He remembered the debt and said he could help. That is, if Rem wanted his help.
* * *
Rem returned with the money. Cash. He set it on the table to see how it would look. Four fifties — what he was comfortable accepting, given his poor performance. Geezler had wanted to press more on him, had offered it as security for the next occasion, which Rem decided not to take up.
Cathy wasn’t home, and probably wouldn’t return for another couple of hours. Rem looked at the notes on the table and understood that it wouldn’t have made much difference to Geezler how much he’d paid. The only person it made any difference to was Rem, and right now the qualms he’d had about accepting money for a shoddy piece of work seemed beside the point. Two hundred dollars was better than nothing, but in reality, given their need, two hundred dollars wouldn’t make much difference.
Three new messages on the home phone, seven stored. John first then Jay. Mike said you might have something coming up? Let me know.
Rem scooped the cash off the table.
His phone vibrated in his pocket.
Maggie — 1 new message. Coleman — 3 new messages. Mike — 2 new messages.
* * *
Cathy had collapsed at work, mid-aisle at the Happy Shopper. Looked like a spell had been cast and she was felled, instantly asleep.
‘She’ll have bruises.’ Maggie spoke in a droll voice as if there was a punchline. They hadn’t called an ambulance because Cathy had come to, clear-headed, and said something about not eating, about stress, about how she wasn’t sleeping well.
‘We gave her tea, tea with sugar.’ Maggie called Rem ‘the Brit’, and enjoyed how the reference irritated him. The story had a coda. She wasn’t done. ‘It happened again, at four o’clock.’
The second time could have been serious. Cathy keeled over on the kerb. Outside, smoking, taking a quick five-minute break, and she’d done the darnedest thing, lurched forward like she’d been shot and launched herself into the road. Out before she hit the ground. Lordy. She didn’t even raise a hand to protect herself. Not a mark on her. Nothing broken either.
This time they’d called an ambulance but Cathy had refused to go.
‘We called you. I called. Cathy called.’
‘I was downtown, working.’
‘At least you’re here this time. I’ll drive her back.’
‘Take Ashland. Clark and Western will be busy.’
In the background, Cathy complained. ‘I can drive.’
‘You want a word?’
‘Look.’ Cathy’s voice came extra-loud. ‘They said it was low blood pressure. I didn’t eat this morning. That’s all it was.’
‘Maggie said it happened twice?’
‘Low blood pressure.’
Maggie, now in the background, added, ‘I didn’t eat last night, but I’m not passing out.’ Her voice obscured by Cathy’s shushing.
Cathy had fallen at the wedding and this sounded like the same thing. She’d picked herself up immediately. Or was it immediate? Hadn’t he noticed a pause? Hadn’t the thought occurred to him that she was embarrassed, ashamed to have fallen, and just wanted to lie there, let everything get along without her? Add to this the fact that she clearly wasn’t herself lately.
* * *
Through the door and home Cathy hurried directly to the bathroom, leaving Rem with Maggie. Maggie winced when she saw him, winced again while he clumsily said thanks, with the expectation that she would leave.
‘I’ve been with her all day, and you want me to leave before the good part?’ Maggie drew hard on her cigarette and squinted through the smoke. ‘She needs a friend. Someone on her side.’
Rem dug his hands into his pockets and found Geezler’s business card and cash.
‘You really want me to go?’
‘No. Stay. Tell me what happened.’ Rem minded that he didn’t sound sincere. He could never pitch himself right for Maggie.
‘She won’t shut up about money.’ Maggie took out another cigarette and counted through the remaining pack before looking at Rem. ‘At least you’re here.’ She held the cigarette just free from her mouth.
Cathy stood at the bathroom door, arms folded, ‘Maggie, don’t start.’
‘I’m just saying.’ Maggie shrugged. ‘That’s all. The last time Rem was in Kuwait, or something. What do I know?’
‘This isn’t—’ Cathy tightened her arms. ‘It’s not the same thing. I didn’t have any breakfast. I’ve not eaten.’
‘She wouldn’t go. They wanted to take her to Cook County.’
‘It’s not the same thing,’ Cathy protested. ‘Fainting isn’t a sign.’