 |
||
The Quintessential Q
Chapter Ninety Seven
Giving'im the Business
Nikolas drives up the lane to the cottage. Stefan is still with him riding shotgun. "I should have heard from Maddy by now."
"You could always call her."
"She hung up on me. Actually I tried an hour ago while you were scamming Carly out of a cup of tea."
"Imagine my surprise when she was actually making it properly without the abomination of tea bags." Stefan defends. "And what on earth was the child watching?"
"Equine abdominal obstruction. Must be one of the vet student's tapes. It's either that or Michael's Teletubbies. Rita is a little ghoul sometimes. I commented on it one time when I was up riding. She says it's real not like some slasher flick and how is that ghoulish."
"Remarkably mature of her. Perhaps she too will be a vet when she grows up." Stefan waits as Nikolas finds his spare key and lets himself into the cottage. Stefan only steps into the cottage one step onto the landing. "I think you've been robbed."
There is a long silence. "If I had been robbed I don't think they would have cleaned up afterward." Nik looks around the vacant cottage. Vacant. Clear all the way to the walls--no furniture, no plants, no knicknacks-- nothing. Nik races upstairs to his room. Like on the main floor, there is nothing there the closets stand open with only a few stray hangers on the rod. And those were hangers that came from the drycleaners not any of his good hangers. Nothing.
Stefan comes up behind Nik. "How long did it take her to do this?"
"The afternoon." Nik shakes his head in disbelief.
"Either you aren't the only one to owe Madeleine favors or the bill for her services is going to be huge."
"Probably both, for she will surely charge me for whatever favors she had to use." Nik admits. "Let's go over to the other house; there is nothing here."
"Yes, by all means let us discover what havoc she has wrought on the other end."
"Hey Mrs. L."
"Hay, Miss Madeleine, is for..."
"Right. Hello Mrs. L." Maddy corrects herself.
"Hello Miss Maddy."
"Is the big guy home?"
"He and Master Nikolas left hours ago."
"Bet that was a relief. It's a royal pain to get things done with those two underfoot." Maddy doesn't wait for an answer knowing she isn't going to get one that is in anyway derogatory to the woman's employer but grins when she gets a small smile out of Mrs. L. "Well I have task for Mr. C, that will hopefully keep him out of your hair."
"What is that?"
"Finally finished at the cottage, That boy has some serious book habit. His whole spare room was packed with them. The designer wants to just buy up an estate sale to finish up the library. You know buy up a bunch of books that match but are never read, just for show. I think that is total cr..." Maddy sees Mrs. L's disapproval. "... BS. So I started thinking that maybe Mr. C. has a bunch of books that Nik might have read-- everything from kiddom on that he'd be willing to give up to fill in the blanks. And you know he would know exactly what Nik has read and what he hasn't."
"True."
"So if you'll give him this." Maddy hands Mrs. Lansbury the note with the request on it. "It should keep him busy culling the library here while you get ready for the party."
"I'll make sure he gets the note." Mrs. Lansbury confirms tucking the note in her pocket. "Have you eaten?"
"I can always eat." Maddy admits. She follows Mrs. Lansbury into the huge Wyndemere kitchen taking a seat at one of the work stations. Mrs. Lansbury instructs the cook in the preparation of a snack for Maddy. Once she is done she comes over to where Maddy is seated stopping only once.
"Mr. Cassadine has requested that you show me how to make a mocha breve. In return for the recipe, I am to give you this." She shows Maddy the bottle of Marsala wine.
"That stinker." Maddy eyes the wine greedily. "He knows I need that wine to make cannoli, and I can't get it here in PC until I either make a connection or I turn 21. Okay, do you have an espresso machine?"
"Actually no." Mrs. L. admits sheepishly.
"I'll take care of it and bring you the recipe the next time I come out. I can get you a good machine for near cost because I'm in the business. Now is there anything you need before the party? I raided Reginald Jennings rolodex one day when I was over at the Q's. I've got all his sources for flowers, printing, extra chairs whatever you need."
"Barring something unforeseen and if everything lands right the party is... covered. But if there is any problem...."
"Give me a ring. I think I even have a line on one of the sport fisherman captains who wouldn't mind a little extra cash doubling as a launch pilot." Maddy chows down on the thick sandwich made with homemade bread and a hearty soup that Mrs. Lansbury kept on simmer mostly for the staff. Stefan's appetite was more minimalist. "My number is on the note to Mr. C. Thanks for this by the way; it's delicious. I didn't think I was going to get to eat until after I stopped by all the kiosks. And then it was going to be while I was studying. That tutor Mr. Q hired is a tyrant."
"And you expected any differently from Mr. Quartermaine?"
"Mr. Q isn't so bad. I mean Ms. Lila puts up with him right?"
"It's six o'clock; where is everyone?" Edward grouses to Lila. "Here we are having dinner hour and nobody shows up."
"Darling, Emily had a dinner meeting with Ned and Jax. She called earlier. Alan and Monica are having date night at the Grille." Lila in a show of support for Carly had instituted a dinner hour. If Edward was busy eating himself then he wouldn't be calling AJ and interrupting their family time.
"Date night." Edward harrumphs. "Old fools and I don't see why Emily couldn't have had her meeting here." Edward complains some more. "She'll probably go out gallivanting as soon as she is done with dinner and we won't see her before breakfast tomorrow."
"It's Deception business, dear." Lila explains patiently.
"That's it. Lila, I'm contacting my lawyer." Edward rises to go find a phone.
"Edward, whatever it is can wait until morning. What is it?"
Edward sinks back into his seat. "I'm going to make arrangements for Emily to have some shares of ELQ. It's ridiculous that she's spending so much time away from the real family business. She should be working on the Promenade project on getting those shops filled so we can go on to the next phase."
"But she has been. Emily told you yesterday over breakfast that she has that leather working man on the edge of signing."
Edward growls. "Leatherworking?! What kind of shop is that? What kind of rent will he be paying. What happened to the upscale Pike's Place Market idea?"
"I think it's the perfect addition to the Promenade." Lila says loyally. "And with your bunions, dear, I think you'd appreciate custom made shoes. I swear sometimes your disposition is so sour your feet must be pinching."
"Lila!"
"And when you talk to the lawyer tomorrow you might as well make arrangements for Brooke too. It would be good to give Ned some family support while our great granddaughter is visiting."
"Fine, but I'm holding Brooke's voting proxy. Lois would probably have our board meetings picketed by the unions or something." Edward grumbles even as he nods. That would balance out the probability that Emily would vote against what he wanted. Let's see AJ pull that stunt again stacking the deck to get the CEO position. "And don't even think of suggesting giving that Cassadine he married some ELQ stock. Maybe on their fifth anniversary-- one for every wife he's already had!"
"Edward, what a lovely idea. I hadn't even thought of giving Alexis stock in the company. And as an anniversary present. You are such a romantic." Lila leans over and pats Edward's hand. "You know I think that Ned would be more interested in ELQ again if Alexis was doing some of the legal work for the companies. But he's perfectly happy over at L&B, I know. I called him this afternoon and he was working on a new song. He hasn't decided if he is going to record it himself or give it to one of the younger artists."
"Damn leather britches." Edward mutters even as he starts scheming. yeah, that's the ticket. Get Alexis working on something... those damn tanker contracts-- that would do it. She starts working on ELQ projects. Ned would start showing a little more spunk. Yeah, it'll work. "Have I told you lately how much I adore you?" Edward leans across the table and kisses Lila's cheek.
"Oh Edward." Lila gushes just a little. "Maybe having all the children out of the house isn't such a bad thing."
"Eli's, Em?" Ned looks up at the weathered sign over the hole in the wall restaurant.
"I'm tired of the food at the Grille. Kelly's gives you heartburn and Porter's was booked solid until like nine o'clock tonight. If you don't like it we can always make dinner back at the mansion. I hear the new cook is making stuffed filet of sole. And Grandfather could give us his input on the issues."
"Here is fine. Come on, Ashton, live dangerously. Have a rib." Jax vetoes the mansion idea hastily. He opens the door for Em and follows her to the table. Jax slides in across from Em in the booth and Ned slides in next to her. The conversation stays general until after they have ordered and the large plastic frosted looking glasses are put in front of them. Emily unwraps her straw and takes a long sip of the soft drink. "Okay, Emmie, you called the meeting; what's on your mind? And don't tell me a raise for the guy down in the mailroom."
"Well now that you mention it... just kidding." Emily sets down the soft drink and looks right at Jax. "Jax, it's time to go hunting."
Jax coughs and sets down his drink wiping at his mouth and nose with a paper napkin. Carbonated beverages through the nose burns. "Excuse me. Exactly what did you have in mind?"
"I want Helen of Troy. It goes Estee Lauder, Avon and then Helen of Troy. Deception is a solid regional company. Jacks is a solid regional company." Jacks looks like he is going to to protest. Em holds up a hand. "If it had been more than that you would have hung on to it. Estee Lauder already has a million different perfumes. Going door to door is working for Avon but it isn't my thing. Helen of Troy distributes other peoples products and specializes in grooming appliances. And the price is right. It would be the way to go national, to go international."
Ned looks at Jax. He's got a big grin on his face with all dimples showing. That's his girl. Jax shakes his head. "Okay. I'll do a little looking around and see what I can come up with. The price may be right but there are other factors. If I can find a way in we have to be ready to move."
"I'll start building a war chest." Ned agrees.
"Jax, I know this might slow you down some but I want to know step by step how you do this." Emily requests.
Alexis drops her briefcase in her office at the L&B building. It used to be Cafe Matisse before Porter's had put the place out of business. She and Ned had a sweet agreement going. He can do his L&B stuff and she can have an office and the receptionist picked up her calls. This was so much better than trying to run her practice out of the Port Charles Hotel or even the gatehouse. She'd finally been able to break open her storage unit and have her law library delivered after having bookcases put up. Not having to run over to PCU or to the courthouse law library.
She looks around gleefully. And actually it's been an adventure to be sole proprietor in her own little practice rather than a cog, abet an important one, in a huge firm back in Manhattan. Working here in PC was the closest she'd ever come to be the lawyer version of a general practitioner: a little criminal, a little civil, some contracts, entertainment law, heck some little old lady had come in to have her will done!
The intercom on her desk buzzes. "Alexis, you have a call on line one".
"Alexis Davis." Alexis settles into her comfortable chair and pulls out a pad of paper.
"Alexis, have you seen the latest contract from that new find's agent? What a putz. The agent not the talent. I don't know who this jerkoff thinks he's messin' with."
Alexis winces. It always takes her a minute to adjust to Lois' accent. "I just got in from court. Let me check the inbox." Alexis reaches to the right corner and sees the faxed copy of the contract in question. Lois might not be a lawyer but she can tell when she or the company is gonna get hosed.
"You see what I mean? What BS. I'm not gonna take the time to develop the guy just to have him walk when he hits. There are plenty of others out there. He thinks 'cause we're small that we'll go along with this crap."
"Give me a second, Lois. You've already read it; I need to see." There is a pause. "Well, well, well I see what you mean. Greedy much? You got the line drawn in the sand on this one? Cause I'll write up a counter and put a take it or leave it on the coversheet."
"Yeah, you do that. If I have to work wit' the guy on the terms they've put in front of us I'd end up killin' 'im."
"Okay I'll take care of it. So is Brooke excited?" Alexis worries.
"Talking of nothing else. Listen you keep an eye on Edward around my Baby. I don't want her coming back with any bad habits."
Alexis laughs. "Yeah, Ned is already making lists of all the things he wants to do with her and Edward getting solo time with Brooke is not on it."
"Right well talk to you later. And if the talent calls me to set anything up I'll refer him back to his asshole of an agent and I'm not going to mince words. Give Nedly and Lila my love." Lois hangs up.
"Lila maybe." Alexis mutters. Turning on her computer she calls up the standard contract that L&B has with new talent. She starts amending it. It probably isn't fair to screw the kid over because the agent had delusions of being Colonel Tom Parker but there had to be consequences. And the kid isn't her client... yet. L&B is.
Alexis is distracted by the buzz of her desk intercom. "Alexis, Edward Quartermaine is on line one."
Using Lucky's key to let himself into his own house, Nikolas tosses it on the kitchen table as he enters. "Maddy?" Nik hollers out there is no answer. He goes to the basement and hollers again down there. Still no answer. "I think she's hiding from me." He glances down at his watch. "Or she's making the rounds of the kiosks right now."
"Rounds?"
"Yeah, yes. Maddy checks in with all of her ventures on a daily basis to nip any problems in the bud."
"Hmm and she accuses me of micromanagement." Stefan observes. He'd have to bring that up the next time they played chess. "We should probably do an inventory of this house to discover whether or not you have a burglary to report over at the cottage."
"I'm sure that Maddy arranged it." Nik says confidently. "I just don't know how."
"Why spoil the magic?" Maddy says from behind him. "But I bet you were the guy who was always looking behind the curtain. Well go check it out. Just know it's still in progress."
"I've been looking for you all day." Nik protests.
"I'm right here. You're not planning on looking over my shoulder 24/7, are you? 'Cause that is not gonna fly. I can either spend my time chitty chatting with you or getting the job done. What's it going to be?"
Nik is ever so conscious of Stefan standing right there. "Of Course not. I would however like my keys back, however unnecessary the cottage key is now." He reaches out his hand.
Maddy drops the keys in his hand. "We straight?"
"Quite."
"Good. Cause I have some reading to do before class tomorrow, and I don't think cliff notes will cut it."
"Cliff notes?" Stefan looks at Nikolas.
"Summaries for people busier partying then studying. Although they come in handy for making sure that you didn't miss anything." Maddy tells Stefan.
"And what is this assignment?" Stefan asks.
"Well Em, sweetie that she is, mentioned that she was going to Florence for Thanksgiving with Monica. So now we're up to our collective eyeballs in history, art, literature and philosophy of Florence. And me going against my nature volunteered that I'd already read The Prince. So now I'm stuck reading Machiavelli's Discourses. Although I hear there is a really great chapter on how to kill a monarch, step by step."
"Maddy, go do your homework." Nik shakes his head.
"With your permission, my prince." Maddy mocks a little bow and slams the basement door after her.
"I think that the tutor that Edward has assigned is unaware of what he is unleashing." Stefan says softly. "It's good that she holds you in some affection. Have you had the opportunity to talk to Maddy about what we discovered about her Granny Rosa?"
"I don't know how to bring it up. But she has to know that we know. It was a matter of public record and she knew you were investigating her." Nikolas ducks.
"Let us examine her efforts of the afternoon." Stefan suggests. He'd bring it up himself the next time they played chess. The case had been closed to unsolved too swiftly considering the connections of the woman involved. There was something unmentioned in the whole matter.
"Alexis! Are you here?" Ned hollers as he enters L&B.
Alexis comes out of her office and stands at the landing at the top of the stairs. "What happened?"
Ned runs up the stairs and lifts Alexis up and spins her around planting a kiss on his flustered new bride. "She's got it. By George! I think she's got it."
Alexis holds on tight around Ned's neck. He had better not drop her this close to the dang staircase. "I assume you mean Emily since you had a meeting with her. What it does she have?"
Ned allows Alexis' feet to touch the floor. "She looked Jax straight in the eye and told him it was time to go hunting. I didn't know if I should be afraid, very afraid or start handing out cigars... 'cause that is my girl!"
"Well Jax was probably happy that she isn't coming after J&J. He'll be ready to give her anything she wants."
"I hadn't even thought of that." Ned frowns.
Alexis leads Ned to her office and pushes him down on the couch. "Honey, you have a few decisions to make."
"What do you mean."
"I got a phone call while you were out. And normally I don't discuss potential clients with you but I'm going to make an exception."
"Why am I not liking this all of a sudden?" Ned worries.
"It was Edward." Alexis pulls Ned back onto the couch when he makes a move to get up. "It's busy work but it's ELQ busy work. He's using me, my skills, to be the goat leading you back to the slaughter. Ned, Is AJ doing a bad job at ELQ, really? Is it worth getting everything so chaotic again?"
Ned mumbles and then clears his throat. "This can't leave this room. If you repeat it, I'll deny."
"Privileged communication between husband and wife." Alexis agrees.
"He's not doing to bad." Ned admits. Alexis knows the way Ned feels about AJ that's practically stellar praise.
"Then as the family gatekeeper for once your priority isn't ELQ, Emily is the one who needs your skills now. It's an opportunity to get in on the ground floor but you wouldn't be the top guy, sort of a Capi."
"Capi?"
"Yeah, you know the advisor to all the mob bosses."
"You spend entirely too much time on Sonny's business." Ned grouses. "I need to think about this. Alexis, take the job from Edward if you want but make sure you work for ELQ not Edward or AJ. Junior is doing okay now but I don't want you to have a conflict when he starts stepping in it."