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When the four of us got to my office, having rushed through the party like there was a fire somewhere, and turning more than a few heads at our haste, Sumner and Chase were already there.
Something about them was different.
Sumner had a cup of water in his hand instead of his usual scotch on the rocks. His eyes looked tired. Chase was tapping the corner of my desk, which he was half-sitting on, like it was a drum set. Completely lost in thought.
Maybe the parties were too much for them with the demands of RESLR.
I turned to see Blu blow his nose.
“Okay. Now what the hell is going on?” Ash demanded.
Sumner took a deep breath. “Smith left the party awhile ago, although none of us saw him leave. Apparently, he’d had too much to drink. He crashed his car on the West Side Highway.”
“No…” Gio murmured.
“Oh my god,” I murmured.
Chase shook his head. “It…it was fatal.”
I felt like someone slugged me in the stomach, and I sank into my desk chair. The horror of losing my Lisette rushed over me like it had happened only yesterday.
“He’s gone,” Blu added.
I hadn’t really known Smith, but I knew the guys had been close with him since their college years, and in the last couple, they’d taken him on at the firm. He’d seemed nice enough to me, if a bit frat-boyish.
Sumner walked toward the door. “I have to get to the hospital.”
I finally found my voice. “How did you find out?”
“I was listed as his emergency contact. I guess he listed me last year after his parents passed away.”
He stepped toward me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll call you guys later. Sorry to leave you with closing up the party,” he s
aid.
“Don’t worry, amico. We’ll take care of everything.” Gio gave him a big hug and patted him on the back on his way out.
Chase stopped his tapping. “I’m sorry to do this to you all, but I gotta get home to my Ruby. I can’t be away from her for another moment.”
“It’s okay, Chase. We’ll take care of everything,” Blu said.
I approached him and put my hands on his face. “Kiss the baby for me, will you?” And I gave him a tender kiss of his own.
Ash took charge. “All right. We need to wrap the party up. It’s nearly eleven p.m., so no one will suspect anything. Blu, will you have the cleaning and moving crews here in one hour?”
He turned to Gio. “Go tell the bartenders to close down. If anybody asks, tell them to say they ran out of ice.”
Gio and Blu nodded and left.
“What about us?” I asked.
“I’ll walk around and tell a few folks it’s closing time. The others will soon follow.”
“And me?”
“Can you take the door? Maybe get that beautiful smile back on your face?” he asked.
“Of course.” I headed downstairs.
