no idea it was that long. I got the impression that you were there for a few months, less than a year, if that.”
“I guess that’s what it felt like. That whole time is a blur to me because I moved around a lot and worked on a few different projects.”
“You must have been gone a while because this part of Chicago is up and coming. It would be silly of me to leave now when things are picking up around here. I know this from the city officials.”
“The city officials?”
“We have access to people who are informed about these things. It’s nice getting noticed for the work we do. We’ve had lots of people reach out to us with donations of money.”
“Excuse me, Kyra …” Simona interrupts to announce that Elias is on the line now.
“I need to take this. Elias Cardoza is our biggest benefactor. Put him through, Simona.”
BRANDON
Holy crap.
I move back to my desk and absorb what Kyra has just told me. She has officials that are on her side, and Elias Cardoza has called her.
How is it that Lewis has people like him on her side? The fucker didn’t get in touch when my people reached out to him. Knowing that he is Chicago’s favorite son, and the city’s biggest draw, and that he’s suddenly accumulated vast wealth which someone of that caliber won’t have a clue what to do with, I told my people that we needed to meet with him. Having him endorse a few of our projects, or even invest in some, wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
But he never returned a single call, and now he’s calling Saint Kyra Lewis.
I’m also not sure she bought my story about going abroad and helping out in community projects. That was a near miss. It’s not easy keeping my story straight, and Kyra has an annoying habit of quizzing me on details when I least expect.
She’s smart and that’s something else I wasn’t prepared for, as well as her letting me in on her plans. This is a turnaround from yesterday. I woke up aching all over. It wasn’t the gym type of ache, where only the muscles that I’ve worked out hurt, but a dull whole-body ache. Lifting and shifting those pallets around wasn’t easy work and I came in today dreading that Kyra would find something else just as hard for me to do.
I have nothing to do now, except eavesdrop on her conversation with the boxer. She’s laughing, and her voice is softer. They’re talking as if they’re friends.
This is news to my ears.
I had all these preconceived ideas about this woman and they are all coming apart one by one.
“You’re on her good side today.” Simona’s whisper sounds positively jubilant.
I hold up my hand and cross my fingers. Kyra—still on the phone—lets out a hoot of laughter which pinches my sides. “Are they best buddies?” I ask Simona, because I find it strange, the idea that Lewis and Cardoza are friends.
She opens a tube of hand cream and rubs it over her leathery hands. “Elias supports Redhill. He got in touch with us a while back, and he’s a very generous donor.”
He got in touch with them?
The fucker.
“We’re doing a special food night event when he has his big fight.” She’s still massaging the cream into her hands. “But I’ll let Kyra tell you all about it when she gets off the phone.” She stands and picks up a notebook and pencil. “I’m going down to the factory floor. Would you please let Kyra know, in case she needs me?”
“Sure.”
“You can come visit any time, Elias. You’re always welcome here,” Kyra smiles into the phone. My belly hardens. I swear she’s doing that on purpose, wanting to show me how friendly she is with Chicago’s biggest draw.
I’m not used to playing second.
Not in business.
Not in conversations.
Not ever.
Kyra has managed to get results where my team and I have failed. When the phone calls ends, I walk towards her, with my chair in one hand, strategizing and plotting in my head. “You guys seems to know Elias Cardoza well.” Kyra was talking to the guy as if they were best buddies.
“We all do. He’s a cool guy,” Kyra replies.
“Yeah?” I’ve tried to get the guy to commit to a few special projects I’ve had on the go but he’s been impossible to pin down. His management team isn’t forthcoming either.
“He’s one of our biggest donors.” Is that a smugness I sense around