Lyza looked at the inviting bed, considered the time, and lay back down. If only I could catch a couple more hours of sleep.
***
At four o’clock in the morning, Cook rested her head on the table in the dimly lighted dining room of her friend.
She felt a hand on her shoulder. “Beverly, wake up.”
Dazed, she looked into Doris’s concerned eyes, noticing the gray strands of hair slipping out of a tight bun at the back of her friend’s head. “I can’t believe I fell asleep.”
“It’s no wonder, as hard as you work for those people. The others left hours ago.”
Cook rubbed her eyes. “I’ve got to get back. Lyza will soon be up.”
Doris nodded. “You are amazing. In more than thirty years, you’ve never missed a day.”
Cook took a small note pad and pen from the table in front of her and placed them in the purse on her lap. “You know as well as I do that when God calls you to serve, it can be difficult, but I’ve never thought of giving up.”
Doris sat down in the chair next to her. “Didn’t you tell us you started working for the Lanes before those girls were born? Honestly, I was surprised they let you go to work for the twins when they moved into their ivory tower. I guess they knew the girls needed you. No one else could run their estate as efficiently as you do.”
Cook paused before answering. The remark about the ivory tower made her want to defend the twins. Instead, she said what she considered truth. “No one is indispensable.”
“Do they ever ask you to spy on the twins?”
Cook wondered why Doris always tried to extract more information than necessary. Cook glossed over the details. “Oh, once in a while, Mrs. Lane asks how they’re doing. But, Doris, they’re all so busy, so caught up in their projects, that they have little time for one another.”
Doris voiced Cook’s own thoughts. “Ah, yes. All the more reason for your mission.”
Cook’s heart lifted at the thought of why she had stayed with the Lanes for so many years. She blinked away a tear of sadness and compassion, then smiled. “Exactly. I believe with all my heart these years of service will pay off one day.”
***
Leesa thought about the previous day’s consultation as she rode the early-morning shuttle to the Las Vegas airport. A naïve young couple like them shouldn’t get into the casino business unless they have unlimited funds. I couldn’t let them get caught up in an investment that would eventually wipe them out.
She pulled out their file and thumbed through it. Leesa had been surprised by how young they’d looked as they sat around the conference table waiting for the attorneys. The tattooed young woman had looked even younger than Leesa, perhaps twenty-five. While they sat around the conference table, she’d noted their finances and spoken to them directly about their proposed venture before the attorneys arrived.
“This is an impressive undertaking for an independent couple. I take it you looked at the projections for the year.”
“Oh, yes.” The young man, flush with excitement, pointed at Leesa’s file. “This casino’s going to make a lot of money. I’m looking forward to working with the other casinos here in Las Vegas. We’ll be one of the smallest, but we’ll be in the game.”
The young woman smiled brightly and proudly announced, “This money is from my inheritance, so it’s free and clear. We haven’t borrowed anything.”
Leesa couldn’t count on both hands the number of times that casino had been bought and sold in the past decade. “And what about employees and maintenance? Do you have a director or manager in place?”
“We don’t need all that. We plan to do all of it ourselves. We’re young and energetic. We can handle it until maybe next year when we have all that money that’s going to come in.”
Leesa mentally slapped her forehead. “You understand what I said about this property being sold several times in the past, don’t you?”
“I saw that. It looked like such a good deal that we couldn’t afford to pass it up. I mean, that’s probably why they dropped the price.”
“I don’t mean to dash your hopes, but I see here that your entire income will come from the casino.”
The young woman straightened defensively. “That’s right.”
Leesa shook her head. “That’s not how it works.”
The young man pointed at the numbers on the page in front of him. “The figures show a profit.”
“Projections aren’t guarantees. Not that you can’t trust the seller I represent—but you can’t count on those figures. No one knows the future. What will you do if they don’t come to fruition?”
The young man confidently leaned back in his chair. “They will; I know they will.”
Leesa sighed. “I could sell this to you today and walk out with your money. I refuse to do it because I have your best interests at heart. This property has been sold more than a dozen times in the last ten years.”
The young man slapped his hand on the table. “Did you say you refuse to sell it to us? Can you do that?”
“Save your inheritance. Las Vegas is famous for cashing in on people with money burning holes in their pockets. It’s not a good investment for you now. You may be upset today. Trust me, one day you will thank me.”
Father will be furious with me, but I don’t need to tell him. I simply couldn’t take advantage of that sweet couple.
***
It seemed as though only a moment passed before sunlight poured into the room and awoke Lyza. She quickly dressed and ran down to the kitchen where Cook had Lyza’s cup of hot coffee waiting.
Lyza took a seat at the long bar in front of her cup. “Good morning, Cook. Those muffins look good.”
Cook brought her a plate of fresh-baked muffins. “Blueberry, your favorite.”
Lyza chose one and took two bites. “Yum! These are hard to resist, but I’m meeting Father for breakfast. I need coffee.”
She took another sip before putting the half-full cup back down on the bar.
Cook smiled. “You have a good day, girl.”
“Oh, I intend to.”
Lyza, ready to face the day, picked up her attaché case and sauntered to the garage. She climbed into her gray Mercedes-Benz and drove thirty minutes to the Lane office building downtown. She met her father across the street at Cecconi’s restaurant.
She gave him her best smile. “Good morning.”
“Lyza, you look especially beautiful this morning.”
She laughed at the thought of her father looking beautiful and filled her cup from the carafe. “Thanks, Father, so do you.”
Not amused, he opened his day planner. “Let’s begin.”
Leesa appeared at their table. She gasped, “Hi there,” likely winded from dashing to the restaurant.
Lyza jumped up to give her a hug. “I thought you were out of town until tomorrow.” She hugged her again. “I’m so glad to see you.”
Leesa grinned. “I know you are.” She laughed. “And I also know how you hate to lead these meetings. That’s why I hurried back.”
Their father plunged straight into business. “Leesa, how did the Vegas deal go?”