The Grand Duel (The Grand Men #4)

Chapter 4

FOUR

Charlie

One Week Later…

“ G irls,” I call out, waiting as their paws scuttle and scratch across the tiles on the stairs. A minute later, and Daisy is at my feet, ass on the ground as she peers up at me. “Where’s your sister?”

Her tail starts.

“Luna?” I call again.

We wait, Daisy still watching me. “Go on,” I tell her, and she shoots off back up the stairs.

I could pretend to be annoyed by the beige-faced pain in my ass, but I can’t ever seem to get mad at either one of them. Luna reminds me of that kid at school who was always sitting outside the classroom when you walked past on the way to the toilet—the misunderstood little shit. She’s nothing like her sister. Her sister is an angel. The prefect monitoring the hallways at lunch break with her tie done all the way up to the top button.

Truth be told, the last three months with them have been a blessing.

I always wanted kids. I just didn’t expect them to come in the form of two cocker spaniel puppies. You could say my arm was well and truly twisted by my friends and their children. Their concern over me spending too many evenings alone in my office resulted in a trip to the dog shelter.

I was lucky to leave with just two of the abandoned puppies with my best friends’ wives accompanying me.

As I scoop my keys up out of the tray, the two dogs come barrelling down the stairs, Luna pushing ahead of Daisy to get to me first. I pull on my suit jacket and pick up the files I need for the day. “A civilised stroll to the parking garage, please, Luna.”

She sits at my feet, waiting for me to pull open the door. I hit the lights to the penthouse and let them follow me out.

I arrive at the office before Edna, and the second we step through the door, the dogs go nose down, sniffing out every inch of it.

I leave them to it and head for my office, laying out the files I spent hours of the night scouring over across my desk.

When Edna arrives at nine, I hear her fussing over the girls in their playroom. I hear her go to the kitchen and make a cup of coffee. And I hear her fart around in her office as she sets up for the day.

With a sigh, I push back from my desk and make my way from my office to hers.

I knock on the closed door and wait with my arms folded, legs crossed, against the door surround.

When she pulls open the door, she can barely look at me. “What is it?”

“You’re not still mad at me, are you, Ed?”

Her eyes lift to mine as she peers through a loose lock of her white hair.

Yeah, she’s still mad, alright.

“I’m working,” she tries.

But I’m not buying it. “How many more red roses will it take?”

She shakes her head. “None. Don’t buy me any more.”

“Is it the flower? You’ve always loved roses. What about some time off. You’ve?—”

“Time off?” she interrupts. “I can’t take time off. Who will run this place?” She takes off towards the break room. “Who will make you your coffee and look after the dogs?” She whirls on me. “Who will tell you to stop being reckless when you rummage for files in the footwell of your car whilst trying to drive?”

“If I wasn’t on the phone to you, you’d have never known. Come on, it’s fine. I’m fine.”

“You almost crashed, Charles. You’re doing too much for everyone else and not looking after yourself.”

“I’m fine.”

“I’m getting you a driver.”

I tighten my jaw. “I don’t need a driver.”

“Like you don’t need an assistant, I know. I’m getting you a driver.”

She pulls my favourite mug from the kitchen cupboard and lines it up under the coffee machine. I watch her for a minute, trying to get a gauge on how she’s feeling.

Edna has worked for me since before I even had this place. I hired her as a young lad right out of university when I was still working from my tiny living room, knowing I’d need the right people in my corner if I ever wanted to make a name for myself as a lawyer in the city.

Turns out I did make it, and when the company expanded from this office into the five hundred thousand square foot, multi-levelled headquarters down in the financial district, I decided to keep this place for just the two of us to work from.

“I’m sorry if I scared you. It wasn’t as bad as it sounded on the phone, and I’m okay.”

She side-eyes me and then nods. “No more working the case on the road. Ever. I don’t care how busy you are. You don’t want to employ the staff you need before I retire, you deal with the consequences. You’re burying me not the other way around.”

I step back again and scrub at my face, sighing. Truth be told, things have started to get on top of me lately. “If you’re that hell-bent on getting an assistant, go for it.”

She turns on me. “What?”

“Hire whoever you want. Just enough of the silent treatment.” I don’t like it. I brush my hand down my tie and eye the cake she’s made and brought in. “Is that ginger?”

She drops the knife. “I can hire you an assistant?”

“Whatever takes the pressure off you,” I tell her. “Just make sure they’re right for the job. I trust you to find the right person for this.”

“Why the one-eighty from last week?”

Because I partially drove through a level crossing barrier yesterday and almost got taken out by a train. I reach around her and take a slice of the cake. “Because you made me my favourite cake.”

“Rubbish. You’ve never hired anyone you haven’t head-hunted or poached.” True. “You know you’re struggling, don’t you?”

“Struggling? The business is thriving.”

“The business is thriving, yes. Surviving, I’m not quite so sure anymore. You have to look after yourself better, Charles. Time away from the cases and spent with your family again. You’ve not been the same since Lance’s trial, and I get it, I do. But I just want to see you loosen the reins a little and live.”

My chest burns at the thought. “I spend plenty of time with my family.” I kiss the top of her head and turn to leave. “Stop stressing, okay. I’ve got?—”

“A case,” she finishes for me, waving me off as she finishes up my coffee and holds it out to me. “I know.”

I take the coffee and force a wink to pacify her. “Thank you, lovely Ed.”

“Boy will be the death of me,” I hear her mutter as I leave.

The only light in my office comes from my computer and a small lamp on the side table. I should have left hours ago. Edna’s words ringing true if the time at the top of my screen is anything to go by.

It’s six minutes past eleven.

But there’s this case. It’s almost the exact same as Lance’s. A man in Argentina who was imprisoned for manslaughter after killing a woman in what he thought was self-defence has now been released, having his sentence slashed in half due to an appeal. I found it around a month ago and haven’t been able to let it go since.

The leather chair creaks under my weight as I lean back, scrubbing at my face, a heavy sigh leaving me.

When I pull my hands away, I find Daisy sat beside my chair. She drops her head to lay it across my thigh.

“You want to go home, Dais?”

Her tail starts.

I smooth my hand over her head, knowing that if I go home, I’ll only sit and fawn over the case for hours more, and with my friends all married off or absent, it’s just me and the dogs.

I work my jaw as I think about them—my friends, their lives, and their kids. The things they have and the things they don’t.

I’d give everything I own down to the shoes on my feet to change that last fact.

Reaching for my phone, I fire off a text to my friend Scarlet, knowing she’s been working overtime at the hospital this week.

A good day?

I scroll up to the pictures she sent to me just yesterday of Ave toddling through the long grass out on the estate.

A new message comes through from Edna.

Edna

The security system hasn’t been set. I presume you didn’t forget?

I huff a humourless laugh, and Luna’s head lifts.

Leaning in, I switch off my computer.

Heading out now.

Edna

You won’t have any candle left to burn in a minute.

I have plenty. I’ll see you in the morning.

Scarlet

A day. We miss you.

I ease back in the chair as I read the message from Scarlet, guilt eating at me. It’s only been a couple of days since I last saw them, but I promised Lance. I swore to my best friend that I’d be there. The court case I’ve been tied up in has wrecked me this month, and I’ve dropped the ball.

I pull up Scarlet’s shifts and see that she’s not working tomorrow. I have meetings at eleven forty-five and two o’clock at our HQ and planned to drive down to the prison after, but I could head out to the estate for a late lunch in between. I should make it back in time.

I’ll be out tomorrow. I went shopping for Ave.

You don’t have to.

I do.

I want to.

I wasn’t expecting you to reply tonight. It’s late.

A few minutes later a picture of Ave appears on my phone, Scarlet heavy-eyed in the background and Nina smiling wide at her side with a mug held in her cupped hands.

We have more teefs coming Uncle Charles = no sleep.

Tell me it hurts her, and I’ll tear the entire world apart.

You’re as bad as Mase. Are you at home?

I consider lying, because if Edna is the devil, Scarlet is hell itself.

I’m not. At the office but heading home now.

The three dots appear and bounce. And bounce. And bounce. And I know that she’s about to give me shit for it.

It’s been a day Scar.

It’s been a fucking week.

The dots stop then start again.

Need to talk about it?

I look up and around my office, the silence unnaturally familiar.

I quietly fucking hate it.

They don’t need your shit, too, Charles.

I nod and chew on my cheek as I type my reply.

Nothing to say. You girls get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.

When was the last time you went to The Nightingale?

I stiffen at her message.

Circumstances have tightened our entire friendship group over the last few years, my friends’ wives and girlfriends becoming trusted and important to me. I know they know my vices, but still.

?

It was Nina’s suggestion. But don’t you pay a shit ton for the membership? You don’t pay however much a year because it doesn’t scratch an itch, do you?

I’m fine Scar.

Yeah, me too.

I sit and stare at her message for a while, knowing she doesn’t expect a reply.

Knowing she isn’t fine.