Shut Up and Talk

Chapter 25

Neither of us brought up that night in my apartment. It was like it never happened and maybe that was for the best. Ian went back to his old ways and I stayed in mine. Maybe it didn't matter to him, but it stuck with me. How could he turn off his feelings so easily? And why did I care?

So we continued on. The New Year gave birth to LION Management. We expected trouble from Max, but after a few angry and bitter words to the press, he went away quietly. He accepted Ian's severance package and went back to soccer stars and young up-and-comers. Without any other IRF drivers, he'd no longer be able to show off his polyester chic.

We brought on our first client, a young Irishman driving in the English circuit. He was a promising racer who Paul had wooed over the Christmas break and the courtship had been a stressful one. Paul complained constantly about his workload, so as a solution we both hired assistants.

We spent a day interviewing candidates in Devin's office. I hired Rachel Statler, a recent communications graduate from Manchester. Ian thought she was dowdy. More than anything else, her lack of drop dead beauty had secured her the job. She dressed on trend, fashions from H&M and the like, right down to her thick black eyeglass frames and her cropped auburn hair.

"Is she a carpet muncher?" he asked.

"Tell me that's not what I think it is."

"A lesbo, bean-flicker, a bird who likes other birds."

"I don't think so and that shouldn't matter anyway."

Paul hired the first person through the door, a young man from East London named Tommy. His previous employment included a two year stint at Gap. If I needed advice on khakis and sweater sets, I knew who to call.

I kept Rachel busy making travel plans, arranging appointments and occupying her with my latest scheme now that Max was out of the way. In my two years with Ian I'd made countless contacts and friends. The time had come to use them. Flag-waving was important in IRF and people aligned themselves with compatriots all the time, so together Rachel and I compiled a list of over three hundred names of Canadian, Italian and Irish business people, journalists and celebrities. After Rachel contacted them, I'd persuade the business types to use Ian in promotional material, the journalists to feature him in articles and the celebrities to be seen with him. All in the name of patriotism.

Our plan was hatched in newfound office space near Devin's firm. Two weeks into the job Rachel called me in Portugal where Donato was testing the car for the first time that season.

"Leda, I hate to bother you, but I think you should know something," she said while I made the rounds. The Merrick people saw me coming and formed a soccer free-kick shield around their car. When were they going to learn that I knew nothing about the cars or their parts?

"What's the problem?" In her short tenure I'd discovered that Rachel could handle anything, so her call made me nervous.

"I don't want to tattle, but Tommy does nothing."

"Does he not want to do the work?"

"That's the problem. He's got no work."

"Isn't Paul keeping him busy?"
"No. I've been giving him stuff to do but I want to make sure that's all right with you."

"Do you need his help?"

"I've been keeping him quite busy."

"Thanks for telling me. I'll have a chat with Paul."

I was confused. We'd resolved the issue of Paul's workload, so why did he keep his assistant idle? There weren't enough hours for Rachel to do the work I'd given her. Didn't he trust Tommy?