“You will lead ateam– for a much lower rate than that of which you initially charged your boyfriends – that’s approved by me – all approvals will go through me – to finish finding the remains of the ship and getting them back onto land where they will then be verified, vetted, and admitted into a state history museum withyour nameabsorbing all the credit and backing linked to a wealthy, anonymous, multiple dead-end shell corp owning donor.”
“You don’t want the credit?!”
“Unlike you, I don’tneednotoriety from Daddy dearest or any other authoritative figure that basically told me I wouldn’t amount to anything more than a tight twat with a danger addiction and preference for men who look great naked but believe sea horses are just horses you ride by the sea.”
The glare she’s twitched by the woman she’s speaking to simply deepens her grin.“One.Guy.”
Garcia struggles not to comment while I do my best to stifle my chuckles.
“You will take all the attention.You will answer any questions they have.You will do any PR they request.You will be the face of the find and you will do ityourway.That means bikini tops, jeans, and swearing like the sailors and mermaids you live to honor.Why?Because you’ll bitch less about it when you’re the one calling those shots.And thisdonationdelivers the leverage I actually enjoy having, which are pleased government officials who will ask less questions and provide more sovereignty once they have the court of public persuasion to perform in front of.”
Salay slowly nods her agreement.
Finishing the salvage…doing what she loves to do…getting the recognition for it…all sounds likeshe’sthe one winning in spite of her doing it to pay back a debt for her life being saved.
I’m grateful she doesn’t know Ravencroft like I do.
This isn’t agift.
This is a completely selfish action.
She’s securing what she needs to secure for the syndicate while leaving no traceable trail back to herself.
It’s forRavencroft’sanonymity yet masked to be my woman’s one chance at infamy.
Damn.
I’mma miss saying my woman.
I already know what my cost is.
I just hope they can forgive me for it.
“You,Victor Ferdinand Garcia-”
“Ferdinand?!”Salay teasingly cackles.“Shutthefuckup…”
“You will be repaying your debt by doing what you do best.Paperwork.”
An undersell of his capabilities that he would argue if allowed to speak.
“A finding of this caliber is going to come with jurisdiction – state and federal – and cultural – multiple countries – challenges I do not feel like tasking my internal team with as they have larger issues to tend to.The only country I know that willnotbe seeking claim is that of Hoalkey due to an…arrangement made by the youngest sibling…hencehow she became the one who will now rule the entire country with a security team that knows better than to ask any questions that might elude to her siblings unforuntate timely demise.”
As she loves to remind…everyone has a price.
“Youwill handle any and all legal matters tending to this – also for a significantly lower fee than you would charge a client of lesser status – and if that means hiring aids, counsel, or assistance to help you will do so – post consulting me – and their fees will be covered.This arrangementalsomeans tending to the legal needs of Salay when she inevitably receives pushback for her findings.Iam now your most important client.All others second.And spare any need to regurgitate about the law you are most comfortable practicing because we both know the law you practice is the law youneedto practice when you need to.It’s like talking to a surgeon.Sure, you have your specialty…preference…extra letters and titles accordingly…but if I put a gun to your head, hand you a scalpel, and tell your ass to operate or die…something tells me you’d figure it the fuck out.Yes?”
He reluctantly nods.
“Consider your debt to me thegunand this situation the operation.”
Another head bobbing of comprehension is given.
“Zero,” she slowly purrs, turning towards me, fingers playing with the collar of the leopard print button up I put onspecificallyfor her, “originally your debt was to be served by you permanently moving into the estate to give Goldie something to play with-”
“What?!” Salay shrieks on both of their behalf, eyes darting to them to wordlessly express my apologies.
“Interrupt me again, Salacia, and you’ll be learning sign language to conduct the pending interviews regarding your historical finding.”One gentle tug returns my remorse-filled gaze back to hers.“Goldie deserves a new toy, but I know if I take you away from them and them away from you, you’ll all create the type of headache that only ends when you’re all hanging upside down from my favorite cherry tree for a round of pinot and piñata.”
