Page 40 of Not a Word

Those doctors couldn’t write those scrips fast enough.

“Oh, there’s the big man now,” Brent said.

Graham Wiffel was making his way through the crowd. When he spotted Brent, he smiled, showing off those perfect teeth of his. Midsixties, lean and tanned from a recent trip to his place in the Bahamas, thinning hair and piercing eyes. He extended a hand, and when Brent took it, he drew him in, hugged him, patted his back.

Looking over Graham’s shoulder, Brent noticed another man, standing two steps away. Unassuming in a black suit, narrow black tie, he had short black hair and glasses with thick, black rims. Maybe five six, five seven tops, a little soft around the middle. Brent caught the man’s eye, and there was an almost imperceptible nod between them.

“How’s my number one guy?” Graham asked Brent.

“Just great, sir, just great. You’ve met my wife, Catherine?”

He turned to her, took her hand and kissed it.

“Oh my!” Catherine said, laughing. “Aren’t you the charmer!”

“This is a very talented man you have here,” he told her. “This guy could sell shit to pigs!”

Brent chuckled nervously. That analogy didn’t sit well with him, but Graham could be a bit earthy at times.

“He’s something, no doubt about it,” Catherine said, beaming.

“And how are the boys?” Graham asked. “Holden? And Reece?” The boss followed his own teachings. Get to know your people. Draw them in close.

“They’re great,” Catherine said, unable to hide how impressed she was that the big man knew their sons’ names. “I really can’t thank you enough. We’re going to be able to provide them such a wonderful future.”

Graham smiled. “That’s what I love to hear. Well, I gotta keep mingling. Everyone wants to kiss the ring!” Another laugh and he began to move on. The short man in the black suit followed and as he passed Catherine he flashed her a quick smile.

“Such a lovely man,” Catherine said of Graham once the boss was out of earshot.

“Yeah, he’s something.”

“What?” she said, detecting a tone in his voice.

“Nothing, nothing. You’re right. He’s a great guy.”

“He’s changed our lives, Brent,” Catherine said. “Everything we have, we owe to him. I grew up with nothing. I never dreamed I’d live a life as nice as the one we have now.” She scanned her surroundings. The beautiful people partying, the band, the majestic mansion that dominated the landscape. “It’s like a dream, you know? But it’s not. We’re not going to wake up from this. It’s our life. And did you notice, he knew the boys’ names?”

“He’s good at that,” Brent said. “Probably had them whispered into his ear two seconds earlier by Crane.”

“Crane?” Catherine asked.

“His shadow.”

“The little nerdy guy with the glasses?”

That made Brent laugh. “Yeah, him.”

“Is Crane a first or last name?”

“Last. Don’t ask me his first name. No idea.”

“Is that his job? To whisper the right name into Graham’s ear at the right time?”

“A little more than that. He oversees security.”

“Him?” said Catherine.

“Appearances can be deceiving. He makes sure Graham’s safe. Not a bodyguard exactly, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s packing.”