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The Quintessential Q
Chapter Eighty Seven
been awhile since I posted so we're jumpin ahead to the following Saturday--
The Three Ds
At the Port Charles airport Francis waits outside of one of the gates uncomfortable holding a sign that says Robideaux. The things he did for the boss. Standing around here, unarmed, in the commercial part of the building holding a stupid sign. The limo was parked out front in the loading zone. Rick was keeping an eye on things out there and making sure it didn't get towed. Everything about this meeting screamed look at me.
But what the hell did he know? He's just the one watching the door most of the time now since Johnny had gone fulltime into the restaurant business but that didn't mean the boss actually ever told him anything. Do this, do that- pick this guy up take him to the PC hotel, drive him to dinner at Porter's later. Weird. When out of town associates came to down they didn't stay at the PC hotel and the back room of the no name was the only place to discuss business. See? Weird and it screams look at me. Which in this line of work was beggin for to get wacked or to have the feds snapping pictures and tapping phones.
The first class of the flight from New Orleans starts unloading. Francis steps off the wall and starts paying more attention to who is coming out of the tunnel. He knew this Robideaux guy by rep. He'd gone with the boss to some meetings down in the city and while the bosses were shooting the Shit; the soldiers had done the same. Robideaux's shaking thing up down in the southeast. He'd been in charge for years but kept things interesting. Rumor has it he's a hothead like the boss without all the angst and guilt but smart. The guys down in the city must just be changing their drawers on this one. What the hell was the big boss of the southeast doing visiting an up north territory? It's not like Sonny really played in those leagues. Training with Sonny was like training for the bigs without all the BS in the city. He ran a tight ship but on the organization side a small one. Sonny's claim to fame was his distribution network. From Puerto Rico to Canada if you wanted stuff delivered discreetly, Sonny is da man.
"I'm Robideaux."
Francis looks up at the big guy in front of him. Whoa younger than he thought. "Mr. Robideaux, Mr. Corinthos has arranged for a limo to be at your disposal and accommodations at the Port Charles Hotel. If you have your claim stubs I'll pick up your bags for you."
"We got what we need in the carryon's." Pete dismisses the offer. "How soon can I touch base with this Corinthos guy? I got people to see in town."
Francis frowns; this is rushed. "The limo is at your disposal. Mr. Corinthos and his partner made reservation for dinner this evening."
"Right." Robideaux and two of his men follow Francis from the airport and into the chilly Port Charles October. Francis holds the limo door while they enter the back and then slides into the shotgun position next to Rick. "Crank the heat, man."
"Yes, sir." Rick adjusts the heat in the limo and then pulls out into the traffic leaving the airport.
Maddy gets comfortable on Em's bed at the Quartermaines. "So are you down with it?"
"You don't have to convince me. The question is what took you so long?"
"Oh good question I have no idea." Maddy shrugs. "I've been hearing about Luke's since I moved here. You going to have to jump through any hoops to get this to happen?"
"Ladies night out? Even with me still on this thing." Em balances on one foot and swings the cast out. "Oh yeah my own personal little chaperone I can't imagine getting into too much trouble in this, three weeks and counting. And you know Grandfather will get behind a Ladies night out even at Luke's, and he hates Luke. It's the dates with boys that throw him through the ceiling."
"Why does your grandfather hate Luke?"
"Cause Luke doesn't give Grandfather any respect and Grandmother adores him. Other men giving Grandmother attention always makes Grandfather testy."
"It's so cute that he is still so jealous after all these years."
Em rolls her eyes. "Oh the cutest. So who all is going?"
"Well I ran into that Liz girl at some of the clubs. I hear you guys are tight. You think you could get her away from her boyfriend?"
"It would take a crowbar." Em laughs but nods. "Yeah, I think and how about Carly? We won't tell Grandfather that one it will raise the fun factor beyond his tolerance level. But having Carly with us means there will be no problem with the door at Luke's."
"I like it." Maddy rises from the bed. "I should go check in with my contacts. If we're going out then I need to make sure that all my bases are covered in advance."
"I'll call Liz and Carly."
"I'll drive. Not that we're going to need a designated driver what with the only person overage being pregnant."
Em hustles over to the bedroom door and glances around outside before shutting the door and leaning against it. "Shush. That one is still top secret in this house."
"How?! Carly announced it last week to like a dozen people."
"Yeah, but none of those people is going to tell Grandfather anything. Carly already busted him for burglary once so it got reduced to trespassing. If Grandfather finds out about this, he is going to nuttier than normal. He's got a thing about Quartermaine babies. He keeps hoping one of them will be raised in his own image."
"Burglary." Maddy frowns. "I think I remember that one. I wasn't in town yet but it was settled after I moved to town. Something about him being in her house when she was out of the country?"
"Yeah, Carly and AJ were in Jakarta. Well AJ was in Jakarta, Carly was in Darwin. That's how Carly got Mr. Roberts. Grandfather was trying to get back in her good graces. If Grandfather finds out Carly is pregnant..." Em shakes her head. "He'll be all over her watching every move she makes."
"I don't know your sister in law that well-- heck I don't know her at all but I get the feeling that would not go over."
"Oh but it would go over... like a lead balloon."
Robideaux waits by the door to the suite while his guys go through it. "All clear, Boss."
Robideaux walks into the suite looking around. Not bad. He pours himself a cup of coffee. "You guys take that room. I've got some calls to make." His crew take the hint and leave the living area of the suite. Robideaux pulls out his phone and starts making calls. First back to New Orleans and then locally.
"Oh I love it." Carly exclaims. "Count me in. Let me just get rid of the old ball and chain." She sticks her tongue out at her husband who is listening and grinning. Carly hangs up the phone.
"The old ball and chain?" AJ laughs.
"That was your sister she wants a ladies night out-- Dinner, Dancing, Debauchery."
"Okay well dinner sounds like a can do but dancing and debauchery? Em's gonna have a tough one arranging that with that cast."
"Where there is a will there is a way." Carly comes over to AJ leaning in and running a hand down his shirt. "You don't mind do you?" Carly pouts a little. "It's not like I have so many girlfriends that I couldn't use more."
"Who all is going?" AJ rests his hand on his wife's hip.
"Em, Maddy and probably Liz. Maddy is going to drive. Em wants to go to Luke's; Maddy has never been. You think you can manage without me for one night?"
"I think I can manage one night. I'll just have to arrange some debauchery of my own." AJ teases.
Carly raises a brow. "Oh?"
Reaching behind Carly, AJ grabs the phone and hits the speed dial to the brownstone. "Hey Jerry, it's AJ. My wife is ditching me for the evening.... Bobbie's working tonight. Great. Want to set up a poker game at your place?... Heck we can deal the kid in. He already swears like a sailor we might as well round out his education. From the sounds of Carly's plans, Lucky will be at loose ends too. I don't know about inviting him though. I hear he's a shark and cheats." AJ laughs and then hangs up the phone.
"He's a shark and he cheats?" Carly complains.
"Lucky's a Spencer; it goes with the territory." AJ grins.
"Oh you are going to pay for that one." Carly grabs at AJ's middle trying to give him a good pinch. AJ dodges and plants a liplock on her.
Murmuring softly against her cheek. "If I'm not going to be with you tonight..."
"I'll meet you upstairs." Carly play bites at AJ's jaw. "I just want to call Em back and confirm the time."
"Don't be long." AJ goes upstairs.
Carly watches until he is out of hearing range and then picks up the phone. She hits the speeddial. "Yeah, just wanted to let you know a bunch of hardened criminals are going to holding a big time card game.... Where? At the Brownstone. Thought you might want to know." Carly hangs up the phone. "Shark and Cheats-- Ha!"
Wyndemere lite.
Maddy comes in through the kitchen door dropping her coat and gloves on one of the kitchen chairs. The shoes come off next. Tilting her head from one side to the other to work the kink out. She'd finally gotten Niknik trained to keep a vacuum pot of coffee in the kitchen. Reaching up she grabs her mug and fills it doctoring it the way she likes. Settling in at the table she takes a sip and closes her eyes.
"Wondered if you were going to show up today."
"Yeah, yeah right, some of us work for a living." Maddy teases.
"I work." Nik protests.
"Okkkkaaaayyyyy." Maddy puts her stocking feet up on the neighboring chair of the kitchenette. "So how are things going here... at the hospital."
"The hospital runs itself. We've always been lucky with the volunteer program. Lucy is already making her starting plans for the Nurses Ball. But she starts planning the next one as soon as the final chorus line."
"That's Lucy Coe right? Jacks Cosmetics-- Emily's primary competition in town?" Maddy's eyes narrow. There was a possible money connection.
"Right and one of her father's ex wives but that was before Em became a Q. Oh and Maddy, she already has a detail person. Her right hand guy Don takes care of the day to day stuff. That is how Lucy got involved in the Nurses Ball in the first place. Don's lover died of AIDS."
"Well dang." Maddy shrugs. "I'll be busy enough I guess with my current client base and the holidays are coming. But I really need to get my bottom line on track. I've got some major expenditures coming up. If I were still down in N'Orleans this would all be handled already."
"What kind of expenditures?"
"Not your business, Niknik. Forget I said anything."
"Well I was just going to offer you a job."
"Oh?"
"I got called away from the auction last week because of Jerry and Bobbie and the whole Plane snafu."
Maddy laughs. "Snafu?! You have been hanging around Larry."
"Well Larry has things on track to get this place ready for a party on Halloween but I'm behind in getting the major furnishings in place as well as the odds and ends." Nik grimaces. Odds and Ends had always been Mrs. Landsbury's job. "The only furnishings I really have is whatever is at the cottage which is not going to work with what Larry's partner has planned for this place and a chess set that Stefan gave me."
"Oh this is so going to cost ya." Maddy grins and laughs. "Talk about over the barrel. You have a party coming up in three weeks, planning on dropping this on Emily as a done deal and you've got the bones done and that's it. What were you planning on doing? Stealing Mrs. Landsbury from your uncle?" Nik looks away and Maddy crows. "You were! Oh my gosh does Stefan know?"
"I was just going to borrow her. And she wouldn't mind."
"Oh of course not. Mrs. L would love it. She's been wanting to get her hands on this place since she eavesdropped on me and Stefan talking about your project over a chess game."
"Mrs. Landsbury would never..."
"Yeah right. You think she just pops up at Wyndemere by magic when ever you need something? Keep believing it." Maddy keeps laughing and gets up to refresh her coffee. Leaning up against the counter, she takes another sip and considers her schedule. "I can give you a couple of hours a day. But if you think you're going to keep this a secret until Halloween it's gonna be a stretch. I'm with Em four hours a day five days a week being schooled over at the mansion."
"Do your best I'm sure it will be good enough. And I don't owe you for this one, Maddy. It's business pure and simple."
Maddy holds out her hand. "Business." Nik shakes her hand remember that this is the way that Maddy closes her deals.
There is a whirlwind in the kitchen door. "So what are you wearing?" Liz demands.
"I take it that Em got hold of you." Maddy drops Nik's hand.
"This has been such a long time coming." Liz insists. "Just cause Lucky doesn't get along with Carly doesn't mean I'm going to get cut out of what's going on with my best girlfriend."
"Right! Trust men to f' things up with the girlfriends."
"Hey wait a minute I resemble that remark." Nik protests. "Can you leave the male bashing until I'm not in the room?!"
"Oh but that would spoil all the fun. You know I never say behind your back what I wouldn't say to your face, 'Candy."
"And that Maddy, my sweet, is exactly why I put up with you."
"Oh now he's going to get sarcastic." Maddy rolls her eyes. "Come on Liz lets go raid my closet. You've been to this place before...." Liz pours herself a cup of coffee and follows Maddy down to the basement.
Nik shakes his head and walks over to the carriage house to see his brother. "Well it looks like you're at loose ends this evening."
"Yep, Chicks night out. But I've already got it covered."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. Evidently AJ and Jerry are putting together a poker game over at the brownstone. I'm gonna fleece 'em. Come on along. I'll take your money too."
"AJ and Jerry does that mean...."
"Well Aunt Bobbie is working but yeah, "Lucky shakes his head and grins. "Carly is going to be running things with the girls."
"So who is going to be in charge of bail?" Nik quips.