Long Live the King

Twenty

Arranging a meeting with Ben proved to be a much easier task that Adrienne had expected. She called that afternoon and his assistant quickly penciled her in at eight in the morning two days later. Ostensibly the meeting was taking place to discuss her work so far and she hadn't yet figured out how to spin that conversation around to asking about Regina.

At eight o'clock sharp Ben's door swung open. He glanced at Marshall, who was leaning against the wall beside her and then looked back to Adrienne.

"He was bored," Adrienne said apologetically. "I didn't expect to take very long so he thought he would just wait outside if that's alright."

"Not a problem," Ben said, waving both of them inside. He turned around, walked into his office and took a seat behind the desk. "He can come right in and have a seat if he wants."

Adrienne went into the room with Marshall lagging behind. Marshall caught Ben's eye and gestured to the coffee machine in the corner. Ben gave him a curt nod and then turned his attention to Adrienne.

"So why are we here today?" he asked. She hesitated.

"I... just wanted to check in and make sure that my work was to your liking. If you had any criticism or suggestions as I moved forward into the final stage of this project I would love to hear them so I can adjust my strategy. Additionally, if there were any shots that were not to your satisfaction I can throw those locations back up onto my list for a redo. Basically, I just thought it would be a good idea to touch base before everything was completed."

Shut up Addy, the voice in her head urged. She was talking too much, padding her dialogue with excuses for her presence. Had Raymond been present, he would have smacked her--figuratively speaking--for her idiocy. Having reached the end of her spiel she brushed non-existent crumbs from her legs and focused her attention forward.

"I hadn't thought of that," he said, "but it's a good idea. I suppose that's yet another thing that makes you superior to our old photographer. He never would have reviewed his work while still in progress."

"I've just never performed a job this big before," she said. "I thought that called for a different way of handling things."

"Certainly, but I am happy to report that I have no complaints, criticism, or suggestions. I'm actually very pleased as is my business partner. Moving forward, I think you should just continue with whatever it is you've been doing and I can't wait to see the rest of the shots. It's been a genuine pleasure to work with you Miss King. I'll remember you for the future and if you're ever in need of a reference... but let's not get too ahead of ourselves actually. If I recall you also do some web design... ad design... maybe travel brochures?"

"It's a small part of my job but yes, I do graphic design. I haven't done travel brochures specifically but I have worked up some advertisements and websites in the past."

"That's great." He clapped his hands together. "Great. Because we have been thinking about getting a new travel brochure designed utilizing some of these new photos. We really don't want to go back to the guy we used before though. He was tedious to work with and his ideas just were not attention grabbing. Now, just having your photos alone is going to elevate our newest brochure but I've been thinking that your entire artistic vision might do an excellent job in crafting this brochure. Are you interested?"

"Interested?" She smiled. "I would definitely be interested. This job has honestly been above and beyond what I would have expected and the material I get to work with is fabulous. When you photograph something beautiful you've got to hand some credit to the subject. The scenery is just so breathtaking and the rooms are exquisite and... a simple yes would have probably sufficed, am I right?"

"A simple yes would have sufficed, but I have to admit I appreciate your enthusiasm." He smiled and and reached into a desk drawer, pulling out a leaf of paper. "My partner and I drafted up these terms for the brochure project. You can take the night to look it over. Just call my assistant when you've done so and set up a meeting when you're ready to discuss."

"Absolutely," she said, nervously realizing that the meeting was winding to an end and she hadn't even reached for the information that she came for. "Regina."

"Pardon?"

"Regina," she repeated, hoping the heat rising in her cheeks would subside before he noticed. "I was just thinking that I guess I have Regina to thank for this opportunity. Without her I never would have gotten my foot in the door here. So, when you see her you should thank her for me. I unfortunately haven't seen a whole lot of her myself."

"Speaking for myself, the Mellow Isle hotel is also grateful that she brought you to us. How do you know Gina in the first place?"

"Old friends. We lost touch a long time ago and have just been reconnecting. I'm trying to get to know her again but she's such a closed book."

"She really is," he agreed. "I suspect she gets that from my brother. He was always a closed book as well."

"Oh, was she close to her uncle?"

"You mean me?" He frowned.

"I mean..." Adrienne hesitated, confused by his question. "Yeah."

"Well no, we never were. I didn't talk to Paul much and it would have been a challenge to see her without him. We mostly started talking once her father died. I try not to take it personally that she came to me only because she was down on her luck. She needed a job, needed a place to stay. Someone else might've turned her away but she's blood, you know? I did what could to help her. Set her up a job here, put her in one of our less expensive rooms. She's far exceeded the one month maximum stay and really should be in employee housing at this point but...she's family."

He seemed to realize suddenly who he was talking to and what he was talking about.

"Wow. Well, she's really lucky to have family looking out for her. I know it couldn't have been easy growing up with a father like hers. I'm sure she appreciates everything that you do for her."

"I need you both to keep this between us," Ben said. "I just wish I'd been around for her sooner. She'd have had a better life growing up with me than with her father. My brother was not a good man. I understand you're aware of this."

"He certainly wasn't," she agreed. "And all of this is totally confidential. I get it. Anyways, I'm sure you have things to be doing and I would like to get out of your hair. I was wondering though if you have examples of old brochures that I could look at?"

"Oh yes, absolutely!" He pulled open several drawers, glancing under stacks of paper and boxes of staples. Finally he pulled out three brochures in varying colors and handed them over. "These are the ones we've had in the past. I think the blue one was the best one but that's just personal opinion. No real basis for it."

"Thank you," she said. "I'll have a look at these and the terms and I'll be contact your assistant soon. Thanks, Ben."

#

"Well, that was enlightening," Marshall said as their hotel room door swung shut behind them. "I was trying to follow without looking too obvious over there in the corner but I think I got the highlights. Regina is Paul's daughter rather than his niece? Why lie about that?"

"Marshall, I am all over that," she said. She was barely paying attention though, looking at the brochures in her hand rather than at him.

"Yeah? You don't really seem all over it."

"I am," she said. "I swear. It's just that the meeting was enlightening in more ways than one. Do you recognize this?"

She held up a bright red brochure.

"Should I?"

She backed up to her bag, still holding the brochure up for him to see. She blindly felt around and pulled out that little scrap from the diner in Bretterville. Slowly she brought it up and held in front of the bottom left corner of the brochure where is blended almost seamlessly.

"Now do you recognize it?"