What You Need(95)
“Whoa. Slow down. What’s not your fault?”
“Lisa is on her way to your office.”
I froze. “My mother is here?”
“That’s why I’ve been trying to get ahold of you. She told me two weeks ago she was coming, but she didn’t know when and she needed a place to stay since you wouldn’t let her crash with you.”
“When did she get here?”
“Friday night.”
At least she hadn’t ruined my weekend.
Not nice, Lennox.
“Did she come with Billy Ray?”
“No. She said she might be done with him. Anyway, she had a crazy Friday night. She got totally hammered. Then she did the same thing Saturday and Sunday nights.”
I closed my eyes. “Not fun for you, Maxie.”
“When she’s shitfaced she acts like the Lisa I used to know. So, ah, I sorta told her some stuff I shouldn’t have. And I’m sorry, Lenni.”
“Stop calling me Lenni—my name is Lennox.” I inhaled but couldn’t manage a deep exhale as I was dangerously close to hyperventilating. “What stuff did you tell her?” It couldn’t have been too bad, because I hadn’t confided in Maxie for a long time—not since before I’d taken the job with LI.
“Remember that night you were in and danced on the bar? I asked if you knew the guy who’d caught you, since one of the guys he was with is a semi-regular.”
“Who?”
“He’s a hot blond with a beard and is built like a lumberjack. He comes in a couple of times a month. I found out his name is Walker Lund.”
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“And I knew you were lying to me Lenni—Lennox—about knowing the slick-looking dude who’d caught you after you’d biffed it off the bar. So the next time Walker came in, I chatted him up. He told me all about you being involved with his brother, who is one of the head honchos over at Lund Industries. Guy in charge of all the money. That’s a big deal. And damn, girl, I was proud for you getting you a piece of that, porking the boss.”
“I’m not porking the boss. Brady is not my boss. And Jesus, Maxie, no one says ‘porking’ anymore.”
“There it is, that bitchy ‘I’m better than everyone’ attitude.”
Don’t take the bait. It was obvious she’d been hanging around with Lisa since she channeled her way of speaking.
“I’m sure you have to get back to work, but I might’ve told your mom about you landing a rich one. Then late this morning when I got up, she was already high and making plans to see you at work. Her exact words were ‘make that ungrateful little bitch notice me.’”
I could feel my throat tighten, my eyes pulse and my lungs shrink from the impending panic attack.
“I just wanted to warn you.”
“She hasn’t been here.”
“I hate to hope she got sidetracked looking for another score.”
“What’d she take?”
“Pretty sure it was oxy. Pistol said she was asking around for some.”
“Maxie, if she shows up here and causes a scene when she’s freakin’ high—”
“Call me and I’ll deal with it,” she pleaded. “Don’t call the cops. Please. We both know your mom doesn’t do well in jail.”
“I can’t promise—”
“You have to. I know you have issues with her, but if you call me I’ll make sure she leaves you alone.”
I recognized it as an empty promise. Neither one of us could control Lisa Greene Hamline Gruber Dunwoody and only Maxie had cared enough to try.
“Lennox. Please.”
“Fine. If she shows up here—if she’s not already in jail because she went looking for drugs—I’ll call you.”
“Thank you. And I’m sorry. I just really—”
I hung up. I stood. I paced. I cursed. Tears threatened but I choked them back as I always did.
Maybe it’d been karma that, of all the days my mother had decided to visit, I’d be right there on the main floor, ready to greet her.
She didn’t show up until three.
At first, I didn’t recognize her, because I expected to see a strung-out junkie. But she looked better than the last time I’d seen her. Although her overly bright eyes and the way she continually sniffed let me know she was still high.
I hung back and watched her interact with the security guard.
“May I help you, ma’am?” he asked.
“I’m here to see my daughter.”
“Does she work in this building?”
“Yes, would I be here if she didn’t?” she snapped.
“Did she arrange for a guest pass?”