The Concealers Read Online Free PDF

benefit.
    Marcia looked up at Preston and said, “We’ll never get another chance to build our early relationship with our son. This time is so important.”
    â€œIt is,” Preston said, kneeling down beside her. “But I have a meeting at two. Maybe we can all go to the park—or even the zoo—tomorrow.”
    â€œAre we still on for dinner with Mary and Bill tonight?” Marcia, Mary, and Marcia’s old roommate Ann, had been close friends at Smith College. Mary and her husband Bill lived in Soho, and Marcia had been trying to get together with them for some time. She reached for her cell phone to call the nanny. “I want to make sure Nadine comes early, so P.J.’s fed and asleep before we leave.”
    â€œAs far as I know,” Preston replied.
    â€œI have to get Ann up here. I miss her and I know Mary does, too. I wish she lived in New York. Speaking of relationships, what’s going on these days with Missy? And Tommy?”
    Preston thought for a while. “Uh, they’re fine. I guess.”
    â€œWhen’s the last time you spoke to either of them, Preston? I’m getting a bad feeling here. Slipping. Remember who we named this little guy after?”
    They’d chosen their son’s middle name, Joseph, to honor Joe Hart, an attorney friend who had helped Preston overcome some thorny financial and banking issues that had nearly toppled Wilson Holdings, Preston’s automotive and real estate firm—and empire. It was hard to believe Joe Hart had been gone for more than a year.
    â€œDon’t do that,” Preston said, seeing the expression on Marcia’s face and knowing he was in trouble the minute the irritable comment left his lips.
    It wasn’t that Preston didn’t appreciate all Joe had done for him. Facing enormous debt, Preston had been sure his automobile business was doomed to bankruptcy. Worse, because Marcia had personally guaranteed the notes, she, too, was at risk. What bothered Preston deep down was Joe’s requirement that Preston fulfill an unspecified condition in the future before he would undertake the case. Preston could not understand how anyone could commit to do something without knowing what it was. When he’d raised the question Joe had simply replied, “Some men can and some men can’t,” which Preston had interpreted as “my way or the highway.” Faced with a Hobson’s choice, Preston had made the commitment.
    Joe Hart had delivered. He’d worked hard in preparing and carrying on negotiations with Preston’s banks. He also showed Preston how to stabilize, restructure, and grow his business. Preston had to admit he’d learned a lot from Joe, and he was grateful.
    â€œLook,” he said to Marcia, more amiably, “I am well aware of my promise to Joe, and we both know all he did.”
    â€œI just think you have to remember the promise to Joe regarding the Collectibles never really ends,” Marcia reminded him gently. When Joe had called in the IOU, he’d revealed his conditions: that he wanted Preston to meet, earn the trust of, and care for several friends of Joe’s, including a battered wife, a photographer with bipolar disease, a man suffering from Alzheimer’s, a gambling addict, and a mentally challenged man.
    Preston had at first hated and resented the assignment. He could not figure out why Joe would have taken on these people and their issues in the first place, much less pawn them off on someone else. But Preston felt he had no choice but to live up to his side of the bargain, and he’d set out to find his charges.
    Preston had been in the process of tracking down Harry Klaskowski, Joe’s photographer friend, when events took an unexpected turn.
    That was a little over a year ago. Life was indeed good for Preston now. And here he was, again being tied by his wife to past commitments.
Why now?
He asked himself, afraid to ask