Missy's Gentle Giant by P D Miller Read Free Book Online Page A

sudden extra amount of money as someone cutting into
his territory.”
    “Oh, you’re going to find a way to
put in DEA money, and we’ll have to pay it back when this is over?  Man I
won’t ever get out of debt.”
    “No, I’ve got something better
figured out.”  Ben swished open a can of beer and took a good
swallow.  “Anyhow, first thing we’ve got to do is get you back into
action.  I need to know some things.”
    He sat in a chair and sprawled out
with a groan.  He nodded toward the bed.
    “Do you have any idea what it’s
like to always sleep in beds that are too damn short?”
    Gonzalo nearly choked. 
“What’s it got to do with—”
    “The sleeper of a damn truck is
worse.  For too long I’ve been sleeping in beds that were too short.”
    “Traveling huh?”
    “Yeah, and I’m tired of it. 
What I need is—oh, forget it.”  He gulped more beer.  “Does Missy own
part of the company?”
    “Missy?  Sure.  Everyone
owns an equal share.”
    “What happens say if someone in the
family met with an accident or died?”
    “Charger—”
    “No, I need to know how you’d
handle it—uh divide things.”
    “It would be split between us, I
suppose.  Actually, I think everything’s in my father’s name.  Which
means if he died, half would legally go to Mother and the rest divided ten
ways.”
    “But the family agrees it’s owned
by all and split by all?”
    “Yeah, but we don’t really split
ownership of it.”
    “But you do split profits?”
    “Of course.”
    “Sure.  And if someone wanted to
sell his share?”
    “We’d all buy it, but no one will.” 
Gonzalo frowned.  “No outsider will ever own it.”
    “I already figured as much.”  Ben
bit the inside of his cheek.  “Your married brother, what happens to his share
if something happened to him?”
    “His wife and any kids would get
it.”
    “But you do their work—like Missy
and your Mom don’t work for the company.”
    “We just figure they do their share
at home and everything.  Besides, Tony’s wife and Missy help in the office
sometimes.”
    “What if Tony’s wife remarried?”
    “Then it would belong to Tony’s
kids.”  Gonzalo was showing frustration.  “Look, it’s not a company where
outsiders are allowed.”
    “Yeah, I get the message.”  Ben
grinned.  “Okay, so if someone in the family came into some money, logically it
would be divided too?”
    “I suppose.”
    “Is Missy sweet on the guy
Eduardo?”
    “Man, I don’t know—he just hangs
around—”
    “Then she doesn’t date him?”
    “No, Missy does—”
    “Does she date others?”
    “No.”
    “How much does he hang around?”
    “Huh?”
    “Does he always eat there?”
    “No, but Mom tolerates him a lot
because she and his mother were friends and his mother died a year ago”
    “Not because she wants to marry
Missy off to him?”
    “Nobody’s anxious to marry Missy
off.  Charger if you think because Missy’s deaf—”
    “No, I just wondered if he was your
mother’s choice.”
    “My mother doesn’t have a
choice.  And my father’s told him no once already.”
    “Persistent isn’t he?”
    It goes with the customs.” 
Gonzalo took a swallow.
    “Explain.”
    “Couples don’t date the same way
here.”
    “No?”
    “Man, you have to have a chaperone
and everything when you date a nice girl.”
    “Really?  How do they ever—”
    “Usually they meet places, with
someone little in tow, and then when they get serious, they become engaged, and
they can date some.”
    “So she hasn’t dated this guy
Eduardo?”
    “No, he just started coming over
all the time.”
    “And he asked if he could marry her?”
    “Yeah, it’s done all the time this
way, and they’re just considered a couple.  It’s expected the guy will be
told no twice to make sure he’s serious.  Parents don’t want to appear
anxious to let their daughters go.  In the meantime, she can let her feelings
be known, and the third