The Siege by Alexie Aaron Read Free Book Online Page A

it, and he’ll move on.  Bullies usually do.”
    “You think Dave’s a bully?”
    “No, but he is a button pusher.  You deal with both the same way.  You should know this; you’ve had psychology courses.”
    “I think, when you’re faced with it one-on-one, it’s different than observing it,” Cid admitted.
    “Thanks for this wonderful meal and a place to lay my head,” Mike said, lifting his glass in a salute.
    “I take it things went downhill after I left.”
    “You could say that.  Although, the poltergeists settled down.”
    “Murphy said you quit.”
    “Yes, in a way.”
    “I thought partners couldn’t quit.”
    “We can dissolve the partnership.  Ted’s a partner, although Burt seems to forget that.  We had the partnership papers redone after Audrey joined up.  Alan helped put the deal together.  Legally, I and my mother own PEEPs.  Burt and Ted are secondary partners.”
    “Really?”
    “Yes, my mother invested a large sum in the group on those conditions.  Ted didn’t want the partnership unless he too could invest, but at the time, he wasn’t flush with cash.  Ma gave him equal partnership with Burt on the condition that he continue to invent devices for PEEPs’ usage.  She said his genius was good as currency.”
    “She’s a smart woman.”
    “That’s what she keeps telling me.”
    “But then why does Burt act like the boss?”
    “I suppose because Ted and I let him.  He handles all the management stuff I hate, and Ted’s got better things to do with his time.”
    “So when you said you were done with the partnership, you weren’t leaving us…”
    “I guess not.  If Burt doesn’t straighten around, then Burt’s the one leaving.  He takes nothing with him but half the proceeds on the first two years investigations.  He’ll probably have to leave the peninsula too.  Although Mia has a big heart, she’d probably let him stay on indefinitely.”
    Cid sat back in his chair.  “Knowing all of this, I’m flabbergasted that Mia lets Burt treat her so poorly.”
    “Mia ignores it for the benefit of the group.  She believes Burt is redeemable.  Probably some misplaced guilt over having been in a relationship with him.”
    “When Ted told me that she and Burt were an item, I thought he was lying to me.  The cop what’s-his-name… Whitney.  Yes, her childhood crush, I could see that, but Burt?”
    “Why not Burt?  He used to be open, enthusiastic, optimistic, giving, supportive, inventive, I’ll gloss over the bedroom stuff, but I heard he wasn’t a disappointment there.  He nurtured Mia, brought her into the group.  Their relationship didn’t last too long.  I think the asshole’s ego got in the way.  I think he broke it off.  Mia took up with Whitney immediately which pissed off Burt.  And then Ted stepped in and took her away.”
    “He did that, didn’t he?” Cid said proudly.
    “Oh, I think that Mia and Whit was a limited engagement, but I am still surprised by Ted.  Not that I don’t think she made the right choice, mind you, but Ted was a dark horse.”
    “He loved her from the moment he saw her,” Cid confided.  “I used to hate her before I met her.  How dare she choose that cop over my friend!  I thought she was this gold digger who slept with whoever had more to give her.  I was wrong.”
    “You sure were, otherwise I would be Mr. Cooper-Dupree.”
    Cid looked at Mike to see if he was serious.
    “Not really, but if she were a gold digger, then she would have seen that I was the best catch.”
    “You mean your mother’s money?”
    “No, my good looks.  Can you imagine what our kids would have looked like?”
    Cid started laughing.  Mike joined him.
    “It’s a good thing that Mia isn’t swayed by looks alone, because I think genetically she made the right choice.  That kid is going to have an interesting face, but he’ll be talented in more ways than either parent,” Cid said confidently.
    Dave stood a few feet down