Chapter 2

He began by going over Kitteridge’s head to the Vice President of Engineering where he got the same answer. The president of Switched Power refused to give him an appointment. After he exhausted all channels there, he finally called his congressman in desperation. He was called to testify at closed-door hearings, and new tests were performed on the power supply with the Minister parts. The part was deemed unacceptable. As a result, production ceased, and all of the Cougar II vehicles had to be retrofitted.

However, Richard was out of a job. As a whistleblower, Switched Power Designs shouldn’t have been able to fire him, but they accused him of insubordination and not being a team player. He didn’t have the money to hire a lawyer to fight his termination. They said he was fired with cause, and he received no letter of reference or severance.

* * * *

Present day

Switched Power blacklisted Richard in Chicago, and he didn’t have the money to start somewhere new. Earlier that year he used his savings to put his mother in a hospice to make sure she was cared for properly while she was dying from breast cancer. Now, Mom was gone, he had no job, and unemployment had run out. Stuck in a life of unrelenting poverty, he lost his apartment. Richard got a job as a check-out clerk in a local grocery and at night he worked as a bartender managing to barely make the rent for a furnished studio in a not-so-nice neighborhood. He sold his furniture and his car. All the money he had to spare went toward his college loans. He had protein bars for breakfast and ate a burger at the bar for dinner. The only things he kept from his old life were his computer and cell phone. He used the service at Kinko’s to print out his resumes.

He hadn’t given up; it wasn’t in his personality, so he still spent money applying for technical positions in the Chicago area. But the specter of his actions at Switched Power Designs followed him everywhere, and it all seemed hopeless.

Then there was Davilor Kasun, his own personal nemesis, who was a tough in the Serbian mob and wanted his ass. So far, Kasun hadn’t been able to find out where Richard lived, but it was only a matter of time. He should move out of Chicago if he wanted to stay healthy but he didn’t have the funds. He had nothing and soon he might not even have his life if he refused Kasun’s advances again. If Kasun found out where he lived, he’d rape him and be done with it. 1

Red Oaks

Present day

Wednesday, second week in June

It was Richard’s night off from the bar. He had taken his computer to Kinko’s to print out additional resumes. He got off the bus at his stop and walked the two blocks to his studio. A well-dressed man stepped out of a limousine and spoke to him as he began to enter the building. “Are you Richard Kerrigan?”

“Yes, I’m Richard Kerrigan, but I want nothing to do with Mr. Kasun, so please leave me alone.”

The man blew out a breath. “I don’t know a Mr. Kasun. I represent Mr. Etienne Daurensbourg, who has recently married Mr. Julio Reyes. I am Gilbert Renaud. My employer asked me to find you as a wedding present for his husband.”

“Julio? I haven’t heard his name in ten years. Is he okay?” Astonished, Richard’s jaw dropped open.

“Mr. Reyes will only be in town until tomorrow morning. If you come with me, you can see him for yourself. I will arrange for your transportation home after the visit.”

“I thought you worked for Davilor Kasun, but Kasun wouldn’t know about Julio.”

Gilbert opened the door of the limousine. Richard hesitated, but after a few minutes got into the backseat. He missed Julio, even after all these years. He was the only friend Richard ever had that didn’t have an agenda.

After thirty minutes, the limo rounded the circular driveway of a house that had to be over thirty thousand square feet. Gilbert stopped the limo at the entrance. There were cars parked everywhere.

“Eh…Gilbert, where are we?”

“This is Mr. Daurensbourg’s home in Highland Park. I am one of his assistants. If you follow me, I’ll bring Julio to you.” Gilbert brought Richard to what seemed like a breakfast room and asked him to sit and wait. Richard scanned the room. Strangely, he smelled peaches. There must be a bowl of the ripe fruit on the kitchen counter.

* * * *

Gilbert signaled Etienne. What are those two up to?Julio wondered.

Etienne nodded and turned to Julio. “I have another wedding present for you.” He wore a secretive, pleased smile.