Wonderful Tonight

By Mike Mattei

The southern company Eddie Edwards worked for was corrupt. Not Mafia corrupt, but corrupt just the same. But he had a plan to bring it down and in the aftermath, every employee that lost their job, lost their retirement, their life, would be saved. The only way his plan would work was for his daughter, Toni, to grow up fast. To be the strong daughter he raised. To trust only a few.
The plan, a well-orchestrated game Eddie devised, took years to take shape before setting in motion. It would be based on trusted secrets, strong friendships, and an unwavering desire to do the right thing for everyone at the accounting firm. With millions of dollars at stake, people will do some crazy things.
Will Toni have the strength to trust her father? Will she be brave enough to follow through with his plan in spite of danger and unanswered questions? Will she be able to right the wrongs he endured and reward those closest to the father she loved?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: May 19, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524689445

Mike Mattei

Mike lives in Arkansas with his wife of over thirty years. They have three children and seven grandchildren and a black Labrador named Luke. Mike and his family love to travel. As a graduate of College of the Ozarks, Mike and his family have always cherished their vacations back to Branson Missouri. Please be sure to read Mike’s book, Under the Fordyce Canopy. Future publications to be released soon: The Donut Man and The Sacred Tree.

Book preview

Chapter 1

An Island of Fiji, 2005

It seemed the couch wasn’t going to do the trick either. After moving from the bed at midnight, hoping to fall asleep quickly on the couch was just that – hoping. It was three in the morning, and my mind wouldn’t let me have a minute of peace; it was racing as fast as hurricane winds, going over all the questions again and again. Did we do it right? Did we cover our tracks? Would we pull this off?

Being alone was by far the hardest part of the whole charade. Tomorrow would answer months of questions, put an end to running, hiding, and looking over our shoulders. Tomorrow…hell, was tomorrow.

Daddy and one of his life-long friends bought these condos on a small Fijian island years ago as some sort of tax shelter (whatever that meant). Since lying on the couch wasn’t working, surely the beach would – it seemed logical. At least it wasn’t so perfectly quiet like it was in the condo. I had considered the bar, taking into account that there must be some noise, but then discarded the idea, thinking the patrons may think it strange when I asked for a pillow. I had to do something. The absolute silence was driving me mad. I got up and walked quickly from the couch through the living room and into the kitchen. The marble floor was extremely cold on my bare feet. I made my way through the kitchen to the warm carpet of the hallway, being extra careful not to make a sound. I didn’t know why I was so careful, but I guess it became habit after the last few months.

I finally entered the first bedroom, my room. It had to be mine – no one else had ever slept there. I put my swimsuit on and covered myself with a big white terrycloth robe that used to be my Daddy’s; I swiped it the minute I got there. His smell gave me comfort as I buried my face in the sleeve and breathed deeply. I could feel tears start to well. I shook my head and forced myself to calm down.

The condo complex had four wings that fanned out from the grand foyer. Down these wings were the individual condos, except for the right wing. The right wing faces the beach and housed a clothing shop, dive shop, and two restaurants (one with a piano bar and one with a large, long bar with a spectacular view of the ocean. There were meeting rooms, offices, and the concierge at the far end. The dramatic entrance was located at the front end of the same wing past the shops and lead through to the grand foyer in the middle. From here, one could walk directly out to the private beach. The place was enormous; each wing consisted of three units on each side and was three stories high.

There were three, four, and a few five bedroom units that all contained top of the line, exotic, imported everything. Our three-bedroom unit was in one of the middle wings on the ground floor and had a pool-side view. The oceanfront units were much pricier, but ours was still spectacular. It opened to these tropical areas between the wings with lots of towering palms, waterfalls, and small strategically placed Tiki-style huts. There was no grass: just blooming flowerbeds and stone pathways connecting the condos to the pool and huts. The pool was a real marvel. The rock-lined wonder had a three-story mountain at the end that contained a natural-looking water slide on one side that winds down and spills into the pool. Directly in the center of the pool was a swim-up Tiki hut bar. The entire area was covered in a glass roof that gave the illusion of being outside while keeping it a perfect, relaxing climate twenty-four/seven. Once inside this tropical blooming rainforest of a place, it was extremely difficult to leave.

A fifteen-foot stone wall surrounded the entire resort. The only things visible outside the ancient-looking wall were soaring mountains, the jungle, and a gravel road that meandered through the trees. The road lead to a small airstrip only two minutes away. It had to be one of the most secluded spots on earth. It wasn’t on any map - trust me, I’ve looked.

Looking in from outside of the wall, the only thing that could be seen was a small guard shack. It was impossible to tell that there was a luxury oasis just over the hill. Passing through the massive, Jurassic Park like, iron gate, the road changed into a cobblestone driveway that lead into the covered entrance that looked like ancient ruins. Here the valet greeted and assisted all guests. The service was awesome; owners never had to wait for anything. The concept worked – I swore there were three staff members per guest. Once inside the twenty-foot wooden doors that opened like magic as you approached, the personal staff manager takes over and takes care of everything. There was no such thing as checking in or out, the manager just always seemed to know your plans before you did. It was nice, but a little strange sometimes.

My plan was to sneak down the hall and through the foyer without being noticed. Stepping out onto the cold damp path, my senses were brought to life by the automatic watering system of the flowerbeds. The sweet fragrance of exotic flowers filled my nose like a wave of memories from home. It was the same smell as at our house in Hot Springs, Arkansas just after a spring rain shower. The combination was intoxicating. I had to stop for a moment to catch my breath.

The shops closed around nine and restaurants at midnight. The main bar stayed open until two-ish, or until the last person left, whichever came first. Surely it would be closed by now. As I approach the first of three massive stone columns in the foyer, I was startled as Juan stepped up behind me.

Miss, may I assist you? Juan asked softly in his Fijian accent.

Holy cow! You scared the life out of me! I snapped, Don’t you ever sleep?

Why, yes, of course I sleep. But when one of my guests is restless, then I am restless as well. Juan started, "I know tomorrow is a – how do you say – an extreme day for you. My job is to make sure everything goes smoothly. Is there something I can do for you?"

"Extreme… that’s a great way to put it," I said as I started my tip-toeing around Juan to find the beach.

I have anticipated that you may be more comfortable to rest on the beach, and have taken the liberty to prepare a lounge chair just to the left at the end of the sidewalk.

Weird, I said aloud, but very softly as not to hurt Juan’s feelings.

Will there be anything else?

Yes, as a matter of fact, I would love one of those drinks you served me last night, well, tonight, you know, after supper.

A Fiji Mocha, excellent. Make yourself comfortable and I will be right out.

With that, Juan rushed off and I made my way out. I spotted my chair and stepped lightly on the cool soft sand. Before I made it the five steps to my chair, Juan was behind me with my drink. He had been Dad’s staff manager from day one. Dad always said he was the best and could always be trusted. And I believed him.

Juan stepped in front of me at the chair and said, Let me open this blanket for you, it tends to be chilly this early in the morning.

Thanks, I said as I took my seat and the drink from him.

Will there be anything else, Ms. Toni?

Yes, just one more thing. Dad has bragged so many times about your sunrises. Is It possible to make sure I’m awake for it? I think I will be, but just in case?

Absolutely. I will be here five minutes beforehand to ensure you don’t miss this truly magnificent event, Juan spoke with pride, holding his head high.

Dad had been trying to get me here for a while, but I could never find the time. I sighed heavily as I sipped on the cool, chocolaty, rich brandy drink. In only a few minutes my mind was off and running again. I just wanted some peace. The sound of the ocean washing gently within a few feet of my chair was relaxing, but here I was: alone again with my thoughts.

Chapter 2

Hot Springs, Arkansas, 1994

Toni! Hey Toni, go play that song again, Daddy yelled from the front porch. Hey, I know you hear me. Please, just one more time.

I was playing in the front yard with my new puppy. I heard, but I was ignoring him. The day was ending and I knew it was almost time to take my puppy to the barn for the evening. Today was my birthday and Sally was my grand prize. I called it my grand prize because Daddy loved to act like my party was over and there were no more gifts. Then he would jump up and have me do something stupid like go outside and check the grapevines. I have never had to check the vines. I didn’t even know what that meant. But I run and do it anyway with a huge smile on my face. When I come back inside, my grand prize awaited. This time the grand prize turned out to be Sally, a beautiful golden retriever. Besides, checking the vines was his job. I would walk outside and stand there for a couple minutes while Daddy sets his grand prize game in motion. Needless to say, I checked the grape vines twice a year; Christmas and my birthday.

Please! Daddy pleads again. I’ve heard Daddy say that line a million times. Starting the song over means he and Mommy are dancing around the front porch to Eric Clapton’s, Wonderful Tonight.

They listen to the entire CD, but only start dancing when that song is played. They always have me run in and play it again. Sometimes as much as five or six times. Thank goodness, our house is a little bit private. How embarrassing if all my girlfriends saw. One time is okay, but five or six. Good grief!

Our house has a porch that goes all the way around it, with a carport on the right side as you face the house. The long driveway runs under the carport and continues, curving to the right, leading to the garage. A covered walkway runs from the carport to the two-car detached garage. One can walk from the kitchen out the side, across the carport and follow the covered sidewalk around to the garage. Daddy added the garage after the house was built and then the covered sidewalk so Mommy would not get wet when it rains. In my opinion, the porch is awesome. In the evenings, they like to sit outside on the porch listening to music while I play in the lush, thick grass in the front yard. On nice days, I love to lie out in the grass and read. This evening was no different. I played with Sally as they danced. Secretly, I love to watch them. They don’t know it, but I do. They love each other so much. Someday, I hope I can find someone that will dance with me on the front porch. Today I’m twelve years old.

I remember the day Daddy bought this land. He talked a lot about building our dream house. I was seven at the time. We moved in shortly after my tenth birthday. Daddy calls our place earth heaven. He said it has everything to complete us while on earth and it will make due until we get to heaven. I suppose that’s where the garden and the grapes come into play. You know, live off the land, water into wine and all that. Thank GOD for the grocery store. Mommy and Daddy both love to garden. The only problems are they produce more weeds than veggies. However, Daddy sure does make some excellent wine; or so I’m told.

Daddy did a great job planning our little piece of heaven. The long driveway is gated at the road. All ten acres have a split rail cedar fence. On the left side of the house next to the creek are five rows of grapes. Each row is about as long as a football field. Daddy calls it the vineyard, but I’m not sure how many rows it takes to constitute a vineyard; somehow, I think we are a little short. The house is a small two story farm house style. Mommy likes the rustic look, so Daddy used cedar siding and put a gun metal tin roof instead of the traditional white frame. The barn sits at the back of the property and matches the house with cedar and tin. Last year, we put in a swimming pool and an automated watering system for Mommy’s flower beds. She has millions of flowers. It used to take her hours every day after we got home from school to water them. I love to listen to the sprinklers sing their little rhythmic tune.

I took a couple of heavy breaths before heading in to start the song over. I think the main reason for starting it over was to watch them dance again. They did and I smiled in my heart.

Chapter 3

Saturdays were amazing at our house. Mommy and Daddy both cook a huge breakfast. Dad liked bacon and eggs, so he cooked that. Mommy liked biscuits and gravy, so she cooked that. I oversaw the coffee and now that I was twelve I also got to drink coffee. Of course, I only made it freshly ground. We never even attempt pancakes. Once you’ve eaten pancakes downtown at The Pancake Shop, nothing else comes close, so we didn’t try. The kitchen felt magnificent as all the smells came together. On nice days, we took our plates to the front porch. Today was beautiful.

Before I made my plate, I ran to the barn to get Sally. She was excited to see me and we ran side by side all the way back to the house. Daddy said when she is just a little older she can start sleeping with me. I couldn’t wait.

While we were busy making our plates, I noticed Sally crying at the door so I snuck her a couple pieces of bacon.

Hey, you won’t eat that much bacon! What are you trying to pull? Daddy laughed.

Just a little snack for Sally.

Ok then, I’m sure Sally Girl will love that.

Mommy chimed in, Let’s not get her eating scraps! You know how annoying begging dogs are.

Daddy laughed again, It’s not scraps, it’s straight from the table.

Ok, but if it makes her sick it’s on you! And she better not turn into a beggar! She smiled.

We all settled in on the porch to enjoy our breakfast. Everyone had their mouths full so nobody spoke a word when the FedEx truck turned into our drive and stopped at the gate.

You expecting something? Daddy asked.

Not me. I said.

Me neither.

That’s weird; I didn’t know FedEx ran on Saturday, Daddy said.

Apparently so, he’s getting out. I’ll go see what it is, Daddy laid his plate down and walked down the driveway.

Mr. Edwards?

Yes, this is the Edwards residence.

I have a package for you, if you will just sign right here.

Sure thing. Daddy signed and thanked the driver. The FedEx truck was gone even before Dad turned around and walked slowly back toward the porch.

As Daddy approached, Mommy asked, Well, what is it? Daddy stepped up on the porch and looked down at the small square box.

Come on Daddy! I said with excitement.

Daddy spoke, It’s from London.

London? As in London, England?

Yeah. Do you remember a few months back when I went to London to make that deal for the Shane’s?

Yeah, so… Mommy said.

Well, I know I told you about meeting Eric Clapton, but I don’t think I told you what he said he would do for me, or us I mean.

We didn’t believe you though, Mommy laughed and looked at me. So, what did Mr. Clapton do for us? She went on sarcastically.

Well, I didn’t say anything about this because I wasn’t sure he would really do it. I felt like he would, but you can never tell about the famous. Sometimes, I guess, they can trick you.

Good grief already! Open the box or give it to me! Mommy shouted.

Daddy slowly pulled off the tape and opened the small lid and pulled out a cd.

He promised to send you a cd? That’s pretty cool, but not really a big deal. Mommy said, a little confused.

It’s not just a cd. It’s his live album he recorded the day after I met him. That’s why he was in London. Not only that, I asked him if he could put Wonderful Tonight on it and slow it down for us to dance to.

Wait, I believed it up until now. What you are saying is Eric Clapton, Slowhand, GOD, took musical advice from you, recorded it live and put it on his album? Mommy smiled the whole time.

Something like that. Wonderful Tonight is on here, he said while reading the back. I guess there is one way to find out, with that, Dad went to the living room and turned on the stereo. Before we heard any music, Daddy stepped back through the door to the porch. There was one other thing. Eric said he would add a solo to the end by some amazing singer, Peggy, I think her name was. He said the solo was just for us.

Really? Mommy asked.

That’s what he said. Hey, Toni can you go put it on song four? It’s already in. I jumped up like I was on springs. This might be cool, I thought.

Would you care to dance? Daddy asked.

I would be honored, Mommy smiled. The orchestra started as if they were warming up. Then started to play. At first, I thought I put it on the wrong track because it didn’t sound like Wonderful Tonight. It didn’t take long, however, before the great melody was recognizable. It was Wonderful Tonight. It was slower. Daddy looked knowingly into Mommy’s eyes. This slow version was perfect as they held one another tight and slowly danced. Just when we thought the song was over, a beautiful female voice filled the air. It was like the voice of an angel. I sat staring at my parents as they danced. As the song came to the end, I looked at Mommy’s face. She was crying. It was perfect.

Chapter 4

Hot Springs, Arkansas 2001

Let’s go, let’s go! The bus is leaving in two minutes! Dad shouted up the stairs from the kitchen.

Running down the stairs I yelled, Mom have you seen my band uniform?

Check in the hall closet with the rest of the dry cleaning.

Thanks, here it is. I replied as I entered the kitchen. Will you be able to make it to the game tonight?

I will be there before halftime. I have a meeting in Little Rock this afternoon, then I need to run back by my office for a minute. Hey, remind Dad he has to work in the concession stand tonight.

Cool, I will. Do you know if it’s supposed to rain?

Not tonight, it rained a little this morning and there is a good chance for rain this afternoon. It might be a little wet on the field tonight.

I can live with wet, but I hate to march in the rain. See you tonight. I love you.

I love you too, Sweetie, we kissed and headed out.

Dad was already in his truck waiting under the carport. I walked out on the porch and took a deep breath. The smell was so fresh. I looked at Dad, we made eye contact, smiled because we were both thinking the same thing but said nothing. I climbed in.

He didn’t really drive a bus, he just always said that. I never knew know why. Anyway, my car was in the shop again. The Junker was in the shop as much as it was out of the shop. I guess it was better than nothing.

Tonight, was the last football game of the season. Our band was doing something a little different at halftime. It would be fun.

Mom taught school for ten years before taking a position with a book publisher as senior editor. Her office was in Hot Springs, but she traveled all over the country. She loves what she’s doing, but I still heard her tell Dad how much she missed being with the kids in the classroom. Dad said when she was teaching she was very passionate. I believed it. I wasn’t sure why she changed professions, but I did overhear her a long time ago say that teachers would be better teachers if the administration and the parents would back them up and let them teach. All I knew was she seemed happy and I always thought she was the best at what she did.

Dad did the managing accountant for the big accounting firm, Shane and Shane. Two brothers started the firm and the main office is based in Cincinnati, Ohio. That’s where Dad started out after he graduated college. He has been with Shane and Shane from the beginning and he moved up quickly; now the CFO in Hot Springs. He also oversees two other locations; Charleston, South Carolina and the office in Orange Beach, Alabama. Shane and Shane have three other US locations; Corpus Christi, Texas, Denver, Colorado and Miami, Florida. There is only one outside the US. It is the office in London, England. Dad said that Johnny Shane opened up an office in every place he likes to vacation.

Evidently, he bought some race horses back in the seventies on a short trip through Hot Springs. He called Dad back into Cincinnati and the next thing you knew there was an office in Hot Springs. The Shane’s rarely came to Hot Springs anymore and haven’t opened a new office in years. When they did visit, they spent most of their time at the track. Dad said they spent most of their vacations these days in Grand Cayman.

Dad worked in a wonderful office building downtown on bathhouse row. He had one of those half addresses because the door leading up to his office as wedged between two ground floor businesses. The building was very old with loads of history. Once you passed through the heavy wooden door, the climb up the stairs was long and steep. The air in the stairway was always cool with a stale water smell. Once you reached the top there were double doors on the left. They opened into a beautiful office reception area.

The nice lady behind the desk in the middle of the room, Margret, always had a smile on her face. Soft leather chairs and a leather sofa lined two of the walls. The third wall away from the windows was completely covered with a giant carved tree limb. The limb contained hundreds of beautiful handmade, hammered brass leaves that cycled water down from leaf to leaf all across the wall before spilling soothingly into a stone pool at the base. The sound of comfort filled your senses the second you passed through the doors. Dad’s office was the first down the hall behind Margret’s. He had three enormous windows overlooking Central Avenue and the remarkable bath houses across the street. It was the perfect place to watch the Christmas parade or the thousands of motorcycles that would cruise the street during the Hog Rally Weekend.

Every Tuesday during the summer ever since before I could remember, Ms. Margret would take me to the toy store directly under Dad’s office for Book Day. Mrs. Hines, the owner of the store would choose a new book and at 10 am on Tuesday, kids would gather