The World in Reverse (45 page)

Nicola looked over at his wife in the bed, children curled under her while she clung to the sheet and laughed.  This was his perfect life. 

Epilogue

Several Months Later

Nicola had never been one for shiny un
iforms and big elaborate offices with his name on the door and pictures of him and the mayor on his desk. He was more of a jeans and t-shirt, and shitty closet space office kind of cop.  But he was slowly getting used to being in Magnelli’s former position and one of the new top brass on the department.  The perk of a secretary helped too, especially when he wanted to lie and tell someone that he wasn’t available, only sometimes even she didn't do exactly as she was told.

With one knock on the door, Johnson peeked his head inside of the office boasting a sly grin and a Yankees baseball cap.  “Is this the missing’s person bureau, because I’m looking for a stubborn old bastard who used to work with me,” he said, coming in and closing the door behind him. He wore his normal dark straight legged jeans, a black button down rolled up to his elbows and his badge swinging from his neck. 

“Look what the cat drug in.” Nicola smiled. “And what did I tell you about calling me old?”

“Looking good,” Johnson said, checking out Nicola’s new digs.
Impressive.
Walking to the chair in front of Nicola’s desk, he took a seat and slouched down.  “Damn, I guess they hooked you up, huh?”

Nicola honestly couldn't tell if that was meant to be a compliment or if he was co
ndemning him. “How are you?” Nicola asked, concerned for his friend.  He’d heard rumors that Johnson had been distant from everyone and everything since Carmen’s death. 

“I’m good,” Johnson said, expression s
erene.  “Really, I am.”

“Good,” Nicola said, putting away a conf
idential file on another case. “Let me know if there is anything that I can do for you.”

“You mean that?” Johnson cocked his head.

Nicola knew the tone.  “Of course, I
mean
it.” He frowned.  “Or is that why you’re here?”

Johnson smiled again.  Pulling a newspaper out of his back pocket, he threw it on the table.  “Normally, Dmitry Medlov comes and goes, but this time, he’s staying.”

Nicola picked up the newspaper.  “What am I looking at?”

“B3.  Top of the page.”  Johnson scooted eagerly towards the end of the chair.

“Magna Carta Munitions coming to Memphis,” Nicola read out loud.  “Okay,” he said, throwing the paper back down. 

“Magna Carta Munitions specializes in we
aponry, Agosto.  It is owned by the parent company Hutton Industries, a London-based front that’s been around for a couple of decades.  Both are owned by the one and only Dmitry
fucking
Medlov.  He’s moving his new factory right over on Presidents Island right off the Mississippi River..  The bastard even applied for a 15-year PILOT with promises of bringing in jobs to the city and using the prisoner re-entry program.  It’s a big
fuck you
to all of us.”

Nicola chose his next words carefully. In no way did he want to give Johnson any kind of idea that he had a dog in this fight.  “Is Dmitry the one out front with this project?” he asked, his face inscrutable. 

Johnson huffed. “Hell no. When is he ever? But Gabriel Medlov is.  The nephew.”

“I know of him,” Nicola said, pushing back in his chair.  This was all too much to process in front of Johnson. He needed time to think.  “So what do you want from me?”

Johnson didn’t understand why he had to spell it out for the man.  “Now that I’ve been promoted and have my own team, I wanna get one of my guys in there.  See what’s what.  I know he’s up to something, and I would do it my damn self, but after the Baby Boys case everyone knows my face. I’m a fucking celebrity around here.”  Johnson was nearly giddy. “This is a career bust. If I can prove that Magna Carta is a front from the Medlov family’s organized crime activities….” He shrugged his broad shoulders. “The possibilities are endless.”

Nicola cut him off by raising a hand. “You gotta have some proof first, Johnson, to get authority to start an undercover investigation.  Get me that.  It’s not illegal for the man to own a munitions company. He’s never been charged with anything that stuck in the states, and he’s not on any Interpol list.”

“That’s because there is never a witness to testify. 
But okay
. Hypothetically, let’s say that I have proof…then what?” Johnson asked, frustrated that Nicola couldn't see the brilliance in his plan.  

Nicola tapped his finger on the table, co
ntemplating what he could say to his subordinate that wouldn’t be scrutinized later.  Everything about Johnson said that he already knew more than he was saying, but to push the issue might set off an alarm. He kept his tone even.  “Then we’ll see.” 

“And I have your word on that?” Johnson asked.

“If I tell you something, Johnson, that is my word.” 

Johnson backed off. 
The old man was getting touchy again.

Looking at his watch, Nicola stood up. It was time to go. “Look, we can talk about this later,
okay
. You’re not going to bust Magna Carta before they move here.  Take some time and think about what I’ve told you. 
Plan accordingly.
  Today is my anniversary, and I want to get home to my wife. I’ve got something special planned and if I mess this up, then she’ll have me by my short and curlies.”

Johnson stood up and huffed. “Yeah, sure thing.  I’ll get in touch with your secretary and see if I can get on your schedule soon.”

Nicola reached a hand across the desk.  “Take care of yourself.”

“You too,” Johnson said, shaking his hand and then grabbing the newspaper. “Don’t want to forget this.”

***

Ivy was getting big as a house.  She was a little less than a month away from the big due date, and they still hadn’t decided if they wanted to know the sex of the baby.  Nicola thought that Ivy might have known because a few months ago, she stopped letting him go to the monthly doctor’s visits.  He was hoping for a girl to top off his perfect little family, but Ivy said that she felt like it might be another boy because of the way that she was carrying it…whatever that meant.

When he pulled up to his house, he put his code into the new gate and waited for it to open for him.  Driving up, he saw that the painters had gone for the day and Ivy was finally home.  During the day, she spent most of her time shopping for new furniture as the rooms were finished by the contractors or picking out neutral clothing for the baby. 

As soon as he hit the door, she wobbled from the entertainment room and hugged him tight.

“Happy anniversary!” she said, kissing his lips.

“Happy anniversary, sweetie,” he said, pul
ling a small black box out of his pocket. “For you.”

She took the box in her hand and smiled, raising up on her tiptoes. “Can I open it?” she asked. 

“Well, I was hoping that you could wait until after dinner, but I was so proud of myself for not getting something late or screwing up by being late until I wanted you to at least see it.”  He said all of that, but he knew that she wouldn’t wait. It wasn’t in her nature. 

Ivy ignored him.  “Now’s as good a time as any.”  Opening the box, she screamed. “Di
amond earrings?” her eyes widened and her mouth dropped.  “These are huge!”  They flickered hues of blue in the dimming sunlight coming through the window. 

“Two carats,” he said, pulling back her hair so that she could look in the mirror in the foyer at them up against her delicate ears.

“Now, that’s what I’m talking about.”  Grinning she turned and hugged him tight again.  “I couldn’t have asked for a better gift.  Thank you.”

“Okay, so let’s get ready for round two. I was thinking that we could go and have dinner at Fleming’s Steakhouse; I’ve already reserved your favorite table and after that…who knows.” 

“Well…I figured that considering that we just got our back in our house that we could spend the night here,” she countered. 

“After all that complaining for the last year about not me taking you out for your annive
rsary, now you want to stay at home?”

“Shh,” Ivy said, grabbing him by his arm. “Follow me.”

Nicola followed her to the dining room that was decorated with candles in silver candelabras and a huge dinner already prepared.  He took off his jacket and threw it on the chair in the corner.  “Wow.”

“All your favorites,” she said, walking up to the table and motioning over the food like Vanna White. 

“Home it is then.” He kissed her forehead.  “Plus, you’re saving me money.”

Ivy clasped her hands together, ignoring his quip.  “There’s more.  Two more things actua
lly,” she said, wiggling her nose.  Leading him to the head of the table, she sat him down and passed him her own box.

“What’s this?”

“Open it,” Ivy said, eyes bright.

Nicola opened the box slowly and pulled out a pair of pink infant booties.  A huge smile tugged at his lips. “Is this what I think it is?” He pushed back from the table to stand up and hug her. 

But Ivy stopped him abruptly. She motioned for him to stay seated. “Yes, but there is something else in the box.  Pull the little cover from the bottom.”

Nicola reached back down in the box and removed the foil paper to find a second pair of booties.  He had had this experience b
efore…twice.

Suddenly, he felt light headed and he hadn’t had a thing to drink. “We’re having twin girls?” His vision blurred.

“Twin girls,” she repeated.  The look on her face was pure accomplishment. “Aren’t you excited?”

“Oh yeah,” Nicola said, mouth agape.  “I’m going to need a second job.”

Ivy’s smile became brighter.  “That’s your second gift.  Today, while I was out, I got a call from a recruiter.  Evidently, there is a big munitions company coming here from London, and they need a V.P. of Marketing.  And guess who owns it?”

Nicola didn’t ask, instead he just shot up his brow.

Ivy continued. “Royal Medlov.  She recommended me first to head hunters and said that I was the type of woman that she felt like could lead the company.  Did you hear what I just said?” Her eyes were hungry with ambition.  “My first order of business will be to pick a PR team here in Memphis to help me manage local messaging.” She brimmed with joy.  “And my old boss is interested in pitching us.”  Taking a breather in between her long-winded explanation, she snorted in devious laughter.  “I can’t wait to see that bastard’s face when he finds out that he’s got to pitch to me.  You know I’m going to turn him down. I don’t care if it is the best pitch I’ve ever seen, the answer will be
hell no
.”

Nicola sat with his arms on the table cu
pping his mouth and had gone completely pale. “So you want to take the job?” he asked.

She put up a finger. “I know what you’re thinking, Nicky.  There are certain
relationships
there that are a bit questionable, but Magna Carta has never been under any investigations that have gone public.  It is owned by Royal…well Chloe and this is an opportunity for a major munitions company to be run by women.”

“It’s owned by Dmitry Medlov. It will be run by Dmitry Medlov,” he said, shaking his head.

“Don’t say no, Nicky,” Ivy begged. “I need this.”

“Is Royal going to be the face of the comp
any?” He hardly doubted it. There would be no way that he would put his wife in front of any public scrutiny.

“No.  Gabriel Medlov is going to be the face. He’s been named CEO as of today accor
ding to the recruiter,” Ivy said, pulling a seat up beside him.  “This is a golden opportunity.  The pay is $300,000 the first year, plus stock options and benefits.”

“And you’ll be only in charge of public rel
ations and marketing?” he asked, still completely unmoved.

“Yes. There is no way for me to get caught up in anything crazy.  And I promise you that if things get out of control, I will quit.”  She promised as she put her right hand over her heart.

She said it like that would push Nicola’s doubts away.  He had major reservations, but at the same time, he could barely argue with her considering his own situation.

“I’m going to be honest. I don’t like this at all.  I think taking this job is a big mistake and I think that we both are playing with fire and not expecting to get burned.”

Ivy felt herself bristle with his statement.  “Do I at least hear a
but
coming or is this just your way of saying no?”

Nicola huffed. “But I’ll agree to it only if we set some hard boundaries between what you will and will not do for Magna Carta or anyone associated.  I don’t care if you and Royal b
ecome best friends and start having sleepovers where you braid each other’s hair and talk about boys; you will not cross the boundaries that we set.”  Nicola wiped his face with both hands and put down the booties. 

She nodded and stuck out her hand. “Deal.”

Nicola smirked but seeing her sudden seriousness, he shook her little hand firmly. “Deal.”

His approval was all that she needed to perk her right up again. 
“Thank you,” she said, getting out of her chair and sitting in his lap.  Holding his face close, she kissed him. “This is all  all wonderful stuff. You’ll see. We’re going to have
six
kids, more than anyone else in this entire neighborhood.  I have a new job lined up after the babies are born, and now you’re Deputy Director. The house is nearly complete and we’ve got a second chance.”