Insidious
Page 107
“Nothing, don’t worry about it.”
I pursed my lips together. “I’m great with your taking over all of that. I mean, you worked beside Stewart and know a hell of a lot more about it than I do, but don’t shut me out.”
Travis sat down opposite the desk, his long legs folding as his large frame filled the chair. “I’m not shutting you out. Nothing’s happening. There was a big-assed summit, and they needed extra security. It’s over. Nothing happened.”
We both turned as Lisa entered. “Mr. and Mrs. Daniels, Kristina said you were looking for me?”
“Stop that,” Travis said, looking directly at Lisa.
Her suppressed grin made her blue eyes sparkle. “You know, I do it because I know it drives you crazy.”
“It does. It fucking pisses me off. My goddamned name is Travis. It was for fifteen years, and it didn’t suddenly change just because I’m fucking—”
Lisa put up her hands. “Stop. Way too much information.”
“Then call me Travis and I won’t give you the details of what happened this morning…” He winked at me. “…or last night or…”
“Travis, Travis, for Christ’s sake,” Lisa pleaded in surrender.
I shook my head, happy that we’d all made the transition as well as we had. “If you two are finished?”
Lisa turned toward me. “Yes, ma’am, your husband can be a real pain…”
“…in the ass, Lisa. Yes, I’m well aware.” Before Travis could speak, I turned my gray eyes toward him. His and Lisa’s friendship went way back. I didn’t trust him to not bring up a few of the ways I enjoyed him being a pain in the ass. Glaring, I warned, “Shut up.”
He dramatically pressed his lips together and lifted his brow.
I turned back to Lisa. “I wanted to be sure that you remembered Sheila Keene and Maura Craven were coming over today for lunch.”
“Yes, ma’am. Everything will be ready.”
“Thank you, Lisa.”
After she left the room, Travis leaned back and said, “Oh, I forgot. Today is the monthly widows’ club luncheon.”
I nodded. “It’s kind of weird now that I’m remarried and Maura’s seeing someone.”
“She is?” He lifted a brow. “I wonder if he has a pencil dick?”
I shrugged. “I’m glad I don’t know.”
“Sorry, Vik, I didn’t mean it…”
I waved him off. “No, it’s just, I’m glad that I don’t know. And Sheila’s doing better. I think she’s had the most difficult time. I mean, suicide is a tough pill for the wife to swallow.”
Travis nodded knowingly. “With all the shit going down at Craven and Knowles, after the CDC started investigating and the feds got involved. Shit, Senator Keene’s clean, shiny reputation suddenly got pretty fucked up. The Durantes didn’t fare much better.”
“I suppose I should feel as guilty about Robert as I do Parker. I mean, the more Robert kept threatening me, well…” I sighed. “…at least I know that Carlisle meant it when he said he’d be there for me.”
“The insulin overdose was genius,” Travis said.
I nodded. “Yeah, they officially called it an accident, so at least Sheila got the insurance money. But she’s confided that he did it on purpose. Apparently, he’d been diabetic for a long time, and she finds it hard to believe that he’d suddenly mess up his medication dosage.” I shook my head. “Sheila thinks that the scandal was all too much for him to handle. That’s why she’s been so immersed in the Harrington Society. She and Val have secured grants for Harrington Cancer Clinics in five different U.S. locations. They’ve been working on permits. Hopefully construction will begin soon.”
“You told me about that. I know you’ll be happy to not have Dr. Conway traveling overseas as much.”
“I will,” I agreed. “Hey, she’s your sister-in-law now, maybe you could call her Val or Valerie or something other than Doctor Conway?”
Travis grimaced. “I like your sister, I really do. I like her a lot more than I do your mom.”
I giggled.
“And,” he continued, “I respect her. I feel like Val isn’t enough for all she’s accomplished.”
I shrugged. “Whatever. There’s always Doc?”
“I like that. I can do Doc.” He stood. “I came in here to let you know I’m heading out. I have a few meetings with some investors. I’ve promised Carlisle and Niccolo that we’d continue to work together, but I’m working to make some more connections for them.” He leaned down and kissed me. “Legit connections. They’ve got a lot more legal shit happening than I ever realized. The prostitution shit was mostly the Durantes.
“I’ll tell you what. The Albinis are smart as hell. I think I’m learning as much from them as I did from Mr. Harrington.”
I wanted to tell him to call him Stewart, but damn, this name thing was a never-ending battle.
“I’ll see you tonight.”
He kissed me goodbye. “Have fun at your luncheon.”
With my mind still lingering on our morning workout, I looked at the letters from our new legal firm. Getting everything changed over from Craven and Knowles was taking for-fucking-ever. With the on-going investigation every document was read under a fucking microscope. I opened the letter addressed to me:
I pursed my lips together. “I’m great with your taking over all of that. I mean, you worked beside Stewart and know a hell of a lot more about it than I do, but don’t shut me out.”
Travis sat down opposite the desk, his long legs folding as his large frame filled the chair. “I’m not shutting you out. Nothing’s happening. There was a big-assed summit, and they needed extra security. It’s over. Nothing happened.”
We both turned as Lisa entered. “Mr. and Mrs. Daniels, Kristina said you were looking for me?”
“Stop that,” Travis said, looking directly at Lisa.
Her suppressed grin made her blue eyes sparkle. “You know, I do it because I know it drives you crazy.”
“It does. It fucking pisses me off. My goddamned name is Travis. It was for fifteen years, and it didn’t suddenly change just because I’m fucking—”
Lisa put up her hands. “Stop. Way too much information.”
“Then call me Travis and I won’t give you the details of what happened this morning…” He winked at me. “…or last night or…”
“Travis, Travis, for Christ’s sake,” Lisa pleaded in surrender.
I shook my head, happy that we’d all made the transition as well as we had. “If you two are finished?”
Lisa turned toward me. “Yes, ma’am, your husband can be a real pain…”
“…in the ass, Lisa. Yes, I’m well aware.” Before Travis could speak, I turned my gray eyes toward him. His and Lisa’s friendship went way back. I didn’t trust him to not bring up a few of the ways I enjoyed him being a pain in the ass. Glaring, I warned, “Shut up.”
He dramatically pressed his lips together and lifted his brow.
I turned back to Lisa. “I wanted to be sure that you remembered Sheila Keene and Maura Craven were coming over today for lunch.”
“Yes, ma’am. Everything will be ready.”
“Thank you, Lisa.”
After she left the room, Travis leaned back and said, “Oh, I forgot. Today is the monthly widows’ club luncheon.”
I nodded. “It’s kind of weird now that I’m remarried and Maura’s seeing someone.”
“She is?” He lifted a brow. “I wonder if he has a pencil dick?”
I shrugged. “I’m glad I don’t know.”
“Sorry, Vik, I didn’t mean it…”
I waved him off. “No, it’s just, I’m glad that I don’t know. And Sheila’s doing better. I think she’s had the most difficult time. I mean, suicide is a tough pill for the wife to swallow.”
Travis nodded knowingly. “With all the shit going down at Craven and Knowles, after the CDC started investigating and the feds got involved. Shit, Senator Keene’s clean, shiny reputation suddenly got pretty fucked up. The Durantes didn’t fare much better.”
“I suppose I should feel as guilty about Robert as I do Parker. I mean, the more Robert kept threatening me, well…” I sighed. “…at least I know that Carlisle meant it when he said he’d be there for me.”
“The insulin overdose was genius,” Travis said.
I nodded. “Yeah, they officially called it an accident, so at least Sheila got the insurance money. But she’s confided that he did it on purpose. Apparently, he’d been diabetic for a long time, and she finds it hard to believe that he’d suddenly mess up his medication dosage.” I shook my head. “Sheila thinks that the scandal was all too much for him to handle. That’s why she’s been so immersed in the Harrington Society. She and Val have secured grants for Harrington Cancer Clinics in five different U.S. locations. They’ve been working on permits. Hopefully construction will begin soon.”
“You told me about that. I know you’ll be happy to not have Dr. Conway traveling overseas as much.”
“I will,” I agreed. “Hey, she’s your sister-in-law now, maybe you could call her Val or Valerie or something other than Doctor Conway?”
Travis grimaced. “I like your sister, I really do. I like her a lot more than I do your mom.”
I giggled.
“And,” he continued, “I respect her. I feel like Val isn’t enough for all she’s accomplished.”
I shrugged. “Whatever. There’s always Doc?”
“I like that. I can do Doc.” He stood. “I came in here to let you know I’m heading out. I have a few meetings with some investors. I’ve promised Carlisle and Niccolo that we’d continue to work together, but I’m working to make some more connections for them.” He leaned down and kissed me. “Legit connections. They’ve got a lot more legal shit happening than I ever realized. The prostitution shit was mostly the Durantes.
“I’ll tell you what. The Albinis are smart as hell. I think I’m learning as much from them as I did from Mr. Harrington.”
I wanted to tell him to call him Stewart, but damn, this name thing was a never-ending battle.
“I’ll see you tonight.”
He kissed me goodbye. “Have fun at your luncheon.”
With my mind still lingering on our morning workout, I looked at the letters from our new legal firm. Getting everything changed over from Craven and Knowles was taking for-fucking-ever. With the on-going investigation every document was read under a fucking microscope. I opened the letter addressed to me:
