Sooner or Later by Elizabeth Adler Read Free Book Online Page B

loud just thinking about her, and he was still smiling as he swaggered confidently to the counter, presented his ID and asked to see a current statement of his savings account.
    “Certainly, Mr. Duveen.”
    The female teller gave him a pleasant smile, and he smiled back. No fooling around this time, though, the way he had on the train, testing his power. Today, he was practicing his charm. He was here on business and, besides, he’d kind of gotten it out of his system. For a while.
    He hummed his favorite tune while he waited, thinkinghow good it felt to know he was in control again. That he possessed such power. The greatest power of all, over life and death. This young teller didn’t know how fortunate she was that he wasn’t in the mood. His mind was on more important things. His future plans.
    “Here you are, Mr. Duveen.” She handed over the statement. “Anything else I can do for you today?”
    He checked quickly. He had exactly thirty-five thousand one hundred and twenty dollars. “I’d like ten thousand in cash and the remainder switched to a checking account right away.”
    He signed the necessary papers, took charge of a temporary checkbook, pocketed the ten thousand and walked out onto Madison Avenue, feeling master of all he surveyed. Then he strolled over to the Four Seasons, where he had a couple of drinks to celebrate. He had an excellent lunch of grilled sea bass and salad, pretending to peruse a copy of
The Wall Street Journal while
taking in the power-lunch scene.
    He thought, idly, how he might change the lives of any of these heavy hitters, in their European suits and Hermès silk ties. All he had to do was find out where they lived. The country house would be best … catch the wife alone … it was easy. The man opposite, for instance, with the blond trophy wife half his age, diamonds, Chanel … He studied her, eyes half closed, wondering what it would be like to have a woman like that, ripping off her expensive clothes, biting the diamonds out of her ears, as she screamed and begged …
    The woman felt the heat of his gaze and looked up at him. Their eyes met for a second, then hers widened in alarm. She stiffened, said something to her husband, who swung round angrily.
    Buck didn’t even glance their way. He paid cash forhis lunch, including a lavish tip, then walked past them out of the restaurant and back to Madison.
    He inspected the windows at Barneys, then went to the men’s department and bought himself some clothing suitable for California. A couple of lightweight Italian suits, pants, a jacket. The salesman guided him in choosing the right shirts, a couple of interesting ties, plus shorts and polo shirts, underwear and socks.
    Three pairs of new loafers later, he discovered he’d spent a small fortune, but not to worry. Soon, there would be plenty more.
    He went to a nearby luggage shop, purchased a couple of bags and put his new stuff right in them.
    “Leavin’ town in a hurry, huh?” The salesman grinned. “Hope the wife isn’t on your tail.”
    Buck leveled an icy glare at him and the young man backed quickly away. “Just jokin’, buddy, just jokin’.”
    Buck grabbed his cases and went out onto the sidewalk. A smartly dressed woman had just hailed a cab and it swerved close to the curb. He elbowed past, using his suitcases to block her way.
    “My God,” she exploded, “I thought I’d seen everything New York had to offer, but this is too much….”
    Buck grinned as he slammed the door. “You ain’t seen nothing yet, lady,” he promised. Then he told the driver to take him to Penn Station.
    The train for Chicago left at six-thirty, so he went into the bar and had a couple more drinks. When he finally took his seat and the big locomotive pulled out of the terminal, he felt as excited as a child leaving on vacation. He was on his way to L.A., at last.
    The only thing bothering him about going back to California, was his mother. Over a couple more drinks, he had