Daisy Tucker and Mr. NYC novel · Chapter 7 of 24

Chapter 7: The Deadline

"Granddaughter-in-law," Simone said again. "Isn't that a lovely word."

Nobody moved.

Behind me Amos's monitor went on beeping, calm as a clock.

"Simone," Rhodes said. "Not here."

"Of course not." She smiled at the nurse, who had started to look over. "Family room?"

The family room was the same one where I had married him.

The fake plant was still in its corner.

Simone stood by it with her hands folded and looked at the two of us.

"Congratulations," she said.

"Thank you," I said.

"I'm told it happened the night Amos collapsed. Within hours of your first meeting."

"Yes."

"It must have been very moving."

"Simone," Rhodes said. "What do you want?"

"Nothing." She turned to him with her head tilted.

"I only want you to see what I see."

"A girl with two hundred dollars arrives in the city on Sunday night."

"By Monday morning she has your family ring and a bed in your loft."

"By Tuesday she's cleaning your floor."

"I work for my pay," I said.

"Of course you do."

"Her pay is not your concern."

"Everything in this company is my concern, darling. I've given it eleven years."

She stepped closer to Rhodes.

"Do you know what the board will say when they hear?"

"They'll say it was Amos's wish."

"Will they?"

Something moved across Rhodes's face.

"The board will say," Simone went on, quietly, "that a night janitor found the old man dying on a sidewalk."

"They'll say she had the chairman's grandson in a chapel before Amos was out of surgery."

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