Unwound

“You could make it a stipulation.” His eyes turned shrewd. “How’d you come up with that?”

“Black Arts is adding on Brazilian jujitsu. I’d like to have a newcomer in the classes as a way to keep an eye on things.”

TP’s eyebrows rose. “Whose idea was that?”

Since TP freely admitted he never took his woman’s advice, Ronin opted to keep Amery’s suggestions out of it. “Makes financial sense to expand. I found an instructor who is qualified and has an established dojo.”

“What’s this guy’s name?”

“Alvares Curacao. He owns the ABC dojo. Oddly enough, your timing is”—suspect, but Ronin soldiered on with—“good because he and I recently decided to combine resources and start a fight-promotion company that focuses on the amateur circuit. Katie could work as a ring girl, and train in the dojo to see firsthand what the MMA fighters do to prepare.”

“Keep going.”

“She’d have to understand she starts on the bottom, doing grunt work like anyone else.” Ronin gave TP a contemplative look. “Will it mean more to her if she thinks she got the job on her own?”

“It’d be a first.” TP poured himself another shot. “I appreciate you doing this, Ronin. And don’t worry; I’m fully prepared to pay her salary.”

Ronin laughed. “Not happening, Daddy Warbucks. She works for me; I pay her. Won’t be much. Nor will it be full-time. I’d put her on probation for the standard six months to see if she’s serious. Because I don’t think you really know how long her interest in this will last.”

“Understood. I’ll tell Katie I talked to you and you have an opening, but she has to apply for the job like everyone else. If she doesn’t follow through, neither of us are out anything.” TP grinned. “Think I oughta tell her to keep it on the down low that she’s my daughter? She kept the last name of the ass**le she married. Hiding your family connections has worked well for you.”

“Not always.” Definitely not with Amery.

“Count yourself lucky you were born with the looks that make it an option for you. An ugly guy like me? No choice but to flash money around.” He put out his cigar. “When do you want Katie to interview?”

“Have her send a résumé to Black and Blue Promotions. Same address as the dojo.”

“Clever name.”

Another one of Amery’s ideas. “I’ll probably sit on it for a week or so before I call her in.”

“Good plan. And just so we’re clear. You do this for me? We’re square. For good. No more favors.”

That right there made it worth doing.

“Deal.”

• • •

THURSDAY afternoon, Ronin was rearranging teaching schedules when his cell phone rang. “Ronin Black.”

“It’s Blue. I don’t know what kind of pull you’ve got, but man, thank you. I spoke to the property rental company on Monday right after our conversation, and the guy pretty much guaranteed it’d be a hefty enough penalty for breaking the lease that I’d end up staying. So today I had a message from him, and he said there’d be no penalty at all for breaking the lease early except for losing first and last month deposits and incurring a cleaning cost.”

Ronin had figured either TP or Max would step in. “I’m glad to hear they saw the light.”

“The kicker is we have to be out of here by Saturday.”

“How much equipment do you have?” Ronin jotted down items as Blue rattled them off. That was less stuff than he’d anticipated. But it’d take a crew to load and unload. “How many guys you got helping make the move?”

“Five.”

“I can add”—he did a quick calculation—“six more. Shouldn’t take too long. When is final inspection?”

“Saturday afternoon at two.” He paused. “But here’s the thing. I worry the protection dudes will vandalize the building before the lease company signs off.”

“They might make an example of you, so protect yourself.”

“How am I supposed to do that?”

“Set up a perimeter around the building and get enough guys to stand watch from sundown to sunup. They show their faces, make sure none of your guys engage them in any kind of physical altercation and call the cops.”

“What if the cops don’t show up?”

“Just say shots have been fired, and I guarantee you’ll get a response.”

Blue got quiet. “I’d ask how you know all this stuff, but then I’d know, and I’m not sure I want that.”

“Smart choice. Call me if you have any problems. I’ll have people there at six a.m. with a truck. I want you there keeping an eye out, not loading stuff.”

“Thanks, Sensei. Anything else I need to know?”

“You’ll have legal documents to sign on Saturday afternoon, as soon as everything is unloaded here. We’ll go over scheduling and all that the first part of next week. I’m giving only you a keycard and the security codes until we decide who else will get access.”

“I appreciate everything, and I’m looking forward to being in business together.”

After Ronin hung up, he rummaged in his desk for something to eradicate the pounding in his head. But he couldn’t even find a damn aspirin, and it was too much trouble to head up to his place for a pain pill.