Bertelli Investigations Volume 1: Noteworthy Mysteries

Chapter 38

Monday, May 8th, 2024 | 2:30 pm

It was time to do it...what the Bertelli brothers had long put off now. They didn't want to do it, but dang it...it was necessary. It had been such a problem before. An aching, lousy, teeth grinding away, problem. And here they had to do it again. And hopefully for the last time for a long time...

They had to hire a new secretary.

Tony sat in their home office chair; his hand folded in a fist as he rested his hand on it. "Why did the receptionist have to die?" Tony mumbled. "Why couldn't it have been someone in another job title?"

Tino smacked him up the side of his head pretty harshly. "Don't talk like that you idiot!," he demanded of his brother. "We're just lucky it wasn't someone close to us, like mom or Vanessa."

Hearing that last word in Tino's sentence hit Tony hard. Vanessa? What if it was Vanessa? He couldn't even imagine. "You're right, I'm sorry", Tony said apologetically.

They had three women to interview that day. They all three that had put in for the job online after Jade had originally accepted it. There was one issue or another that each woman had on their resumes. But it was all Tony and Tino had, and they had to try them out.

They remembered when they interviewed Jade. She had no work experience at all except working at a fast-food restaurant the past 3 months. She had started working there as a first step to changing her ways. She would finally stop being a bum and stop selling drugs. She had a record too; She was arrested when she was 16 on drug charges. But she had passed a drug screen, and they were willing to give her a chance. After all, she begged them to help her get away from the drug ring they practically had going on at the restaurant.

The first woman appeared, being a stick thin blond with a white mini skirt on and a very obvious orange spray on tan. She reeked of an expensive perfume that smelled something like Jasmine and Amber, with a tight, white, top showed a lot of cleavage. Her makeup was also quite thick, with her eyes being painted on by a black eyeshadow, and her foundation looking caked on.

Tony looked at her and thought about her taking the job as she sat down and crossed her legs. What would Vanessa say? Vanessa wasn't a typically jealous girl. But someone dressed like that around Tony for at least 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and talking to him at any given time of the day on his personal cellphone number? That might be a slight issue.

"It's Miss Penelope Roger's, correct?" Tino asked, keeping his eyes fixed on the paperwork. He was trying to be professional and not notice her lack of clothing.

Yes, it is. And thank you for considering me for the job. I really could use a good job."

Have you ever done secretarial or even receptionist work?" Tino asked.

"I was a receptionist for a few years at a hotel. And I can work as many hours as you need since I'm single," she said winking at Tino.

Tony tried to hold back his laugh. He wasn't sure if this was a job interview or speed dating. Whatever it was, both guys knew it wasn't going to work out.

The next woman to interview was a black woman in her 50's that was currently a secretary.

"So, Mrs. Virginia Johnson, what makes you think you would be good for this job?" Tony asked.

"Well, I've been a secretary for multiple employers for the past 30 years. You can't get any better than me," she smiled.

"I like a woman with confidence," Tony said, with Tino shooting him a smirk as he disagreed.

"Mrs. Johnson, you are familiar with computers, right?", Tino asked.

"Well of course I am," Virginia replied. "I can work with computers just fine."

Tony glared down at her application they printed out. "So, on your application you said that you can't do overtime at all?"

Virginia tilted her head up in a smirk way. "That is right. I can only work Monday through Friday from 9 to 5", she said holding up a finger to make them listen. "I will not work any hours outside of that. And my starting wage is $20 an hour with at least a 75 cent raise every 6 months. And I want paid holidays and 2 weeks of vacation every year."

Tony and Tino both sat back and looked at each other. Tony pursed his lips together, trying to prepare what to say in reply. " I understand you want what you deserve after so many years in the same line of work. But we would require you to work when we do. So, you would be at the office Monday through Friday from 9 to 5. But you would also have a private number, and anyone calling in regard to detective business you would need to answer."

"Honey, I do not work weekends", Virginia demanded.

"But you would have off any workday we take off, besides having to answer phone calls", Tino pointed out.

"Child, that is not going to work with me. Monday through Friday from 9 to 5. Take it or leave it", she said flaring her nostrils and putting her hand on her hip.

"We don't really think this will be a good fitting job for you", Tino said shaking his head.

Virginia picked up her purse and threw it over her shoulder, getting up and walking out. "Fine, your loss", she said on her way out.

With one more person to interview, and her being already 10 minutes late, there didn't seem to be much hope. "I don't think we're meant to have a secretary bro," Tony said moaning.

"Sure, we are. We just have to find the right one," Tino said stretching out his arms. "It'll just take the right person."

"Do you think this last one is going to show?" Tony asked.

"Well when I called the references, they all said that she shows up when she wants to. So, she will be here. It'll probably just be when she sees she has the time." Tino's dry sense of humor was only something that Tony understood.  But he wasn't in the mood for it today.

"Forget about it," Tony demanded in a depressed tone.

Tino sat up straight. "Come on Tony. This is New York City. There are thousands of people that lives here. Don't worry, we will find someone."