Thorne in Charge
(Continuing Terry & Toni)
by Atonia
Part 1
Terry was having breakfast with Dino, Wyatt and Brian Hogeland at Dino’s hotel. It was a working breakfast prior to meetings that would be going on for the next three days. Terry asked them all to speak plainly about anything. Clearly the time spent over pints the night before had been enlightening to Brian. Dino recounted the concerns and need for a man permanently in South America.
“It’s the kidnap capitol of the world you need a man on the ground familiar with the territory.”
Terry looked at him, “And who is this man Dino, got anybody in mind?”
“I think my friend you’re looking at him.” Dino replied.
“That’s what I was afraid of, I thought the whole idea Dino was to sit back and direct, keep your feet dry.”
“Hey, that’s what I am proposing, let me take South America, who do you know better? There isn’t anybody. I’ll find a safe location and setup, you’ve already got some good agents in the area I can work with and train to work the way I want, a three tiered setup like you’ve got here, only I’m there.”
Brian looked at Terry, “Finding a safe set up won’t be easy, the whole area is volatile.”
“I’m aware of that,” Terry looked across the dining room. “I like the idea of the set up instead of working everything from London where it gets bogged down, believe me I know that route. I’m looking at things from a negotiator’s viewpoint. You want somebody you can count on and trust to put boots on the ground at a moment’s notice if need be. Sometimes you can’t wait for Charlie to finish his fish and chips.”
“Right, when you’ve got a life hanging on a thread minutes count.”
“I’m not saying it won’t work, we’ve just never done business like this before.” Brian reached for a cigarette and remembered where he was and put the pack back I his pocket.
“If you don’t mind I’d rather not find myself in a jungle hut waiting by the phone.” Wyatt finished up his tea.
“You won’t be,” Terry eyed Wyatt across the table, “I think I want you here. You can take over what I was doing…but what I’m thinking is I want people with extensive experience in certain regions, like Dino in South America, Chrisp in the Mediterranean, somebody for the Baltic’s, Wyatt…you for the orient.”
“You’re talking about relocating Chrisp?”
“Brian I think he can work from here, it’s not as busy in that area as it once was.”
“You’re sending me to China?”
Terry smiled, “No Wyatt, did you want to go? What I do want is each regional manager to have his own team like Dino here plans for his area. That way everybody knows each other, knows the area and knows his job.”
“Sounds like a good plan, Terry but um where does that leave me on the totem pole?”
“The managers go through you to get to me. I would expect you’d be doing pretty much the same thing you are now with a little more responsibility. It’s not going to be a tall totem Brian. “
“You will find, Brian, that Terry is a hands-on kind of bloke; he won’t be on the golf course when my ass is on the line. You’ll be plenty busy keeping him up on what’s happening minute by minute.”
“I’m not that bad,” Terry grinned, “Okay we’d better settle up and go, what is it first today…insurance?”
“Yes, Lester’s department.” Brian answered.
Toni was trying to get moving, she thought it was because Terry wasn’t there, that she had such a hard time waking up, there was nothing to get up for. She fell back in the bed again and grabbed a pillow, she didn’t like being on her own. When she was at the House of Four Seasons, she’d never been alone except for maybe a night or two between seasons. It was the middle of summer she would have been with Max. She couldn’t help but remember she’d spent six seasons with him. But Jack had been right, one would rise above the others and it had been Terry. Terry was across the sea right now where she couldn’t touch him or feel him next to her.
She could hear Betty down the hall working in the guest rooms Dino and Wyatt had used. She’d been so happy for Terry when his mates arrived. How had they done it, her seasons? Truly she would never be far away from magic, it was attached to Terry and always would be or for as long as he needed them. She sighed and sat up again, this time feet on the floor. Maybe she’d go down to the stables and get acquainted with the new horses.
“You’re looking a little peaked this morning Toni are you not feeling well?” Munchie asked when she came into the kitchen for breakfast.
“I’m just tired I guess, missing Terry.”
“He’ll be back by the weekend,” She placed a cup of coffee in front of Toni.
“I know I’m just not used to being separated from him since we left the House.”
“The one you lived in before you came here?”
“Yes,” Toni sipped her coffee.
“He must have had to go to work?”
“Yes, he did.” She smiled over at Munchie. She felt guilty sometimes but how could she explain where she’d been.
“You know he’s bringing Henry with him and Dino too I think when he comes home.”
“That’s right we’ll have a young man in the house. What would you like for breakfast?”
Toni realized she really didn’t want anything to eat; she was struggling with her coffee which was unusual, “I think I’ll wait a bit, I’m not really hungry right now.” She took her cup out onto the patio tried a few more sips and left it on the table and walked down towards the stables.
Sitting in a room all day with suits was not something Terry enjoyed, but he listened and commented occasionally. He’d kept Dino with him though out the meetings with the insurance people. Not that Dino knew anything more than he did about that end of the business but he was counting on his observations and general people smarts.
His first reaction to Lester was that he didn’t like the man, he was too smooth, too polished but the more he listened to him and those who worked with him he realized he was probably very good at his job, he knew how to talk to insurance companies and how to negotiate the best settlement. The other man in the department was responsible for wining and dining prospective clients. It was his job to stay on top of what was going on in the business and to make sure SI didn’t miss out on a bid.
Terry remembered the little champagne parties Ian used to give on Luthan’s boat that had been part of his job as well; LRI did not have a department devoted to courting insurance companies and then working out the best deal for LRI. This arrangement seemed to be working for SI; they retained the highest client base in the K&R business.
At 4:00 Terry called it quits and he and Dino found a pub near where Terry lived and spent a couple of hours dissecting the day. Dino had been impressed with Lester, which furthered Terry’s desire to keep the man at his job. The next day was to be meetings with the financial department and then onto a meeting and dinner with the previous owner of the company. Friday afternoon his ex-wife Liddy would be picking up Henry and bringing him to London. They were to fly out on Saturday morning.
His meeting with the former owner, Timothy Huggins did not start off well at all. There were only the two of them in the conference room and the first thing after greetings and congratulations were said,
“Terrance Thorne, you seem to be conjured up out of thin air. I of course have had you investigated, and prior to a move to Virginia, I believe it was, I can find no trace of you whatsoever. Now Brian has filled me in on what you’ve done and suggestions you’ve made since you’ve been here with SI but I find it difficult to understand how a man with your knowledge and obvious talents cannot be found anywhere and that makes me highly suspicious especially with the way things have changed hands. What can you say to enlighten me, Mr. Thorne?”
Terry was silent for a moment, he wasn’t expecting this, “Perhaps Terrance Thorne is not my real name, perhaps there is a reason you cannot find me anywhere.”
“Perhaps, perhaps…what is your real name then?”
“I’d rather not say. In this business once a cover is blown every precaution must be taken to assure a person’s safety. I’m sure you understand that. It’s not unusual for spies to operate inside a company like this, I didn’t know the people here and you didn’t know me.”
“That’s true…very true…we’ll let it pass; after all I won’t be here, it’s your baby now. You’ve got the knowledge and obvious background, got what it takes I think, but you’re going to need some help Mr. Thorne. You’re about to make some rather interesting changes here, that may not go down well with all concerned.”
“I would appreciate any help you might be willing to offer Mr. Huggins. I’ve not met any resistance to the changes I proposed.”
He smiled slightly, “No you won’t meet any, but you may lose some people to the competition. They’re always courting our best people.”
“I understand that, it’s part of the business, I may court their people too. It’s important to me to have a team that works together; I want nothing but the best.”
“I’m sure you’ll do well and if I can help you in anyway…you must give me the name of your broker Mr. Thorne,” He put a hand on Terry’s shoulder as they left the conference room. Terry cleared his throat and did not answer him.