Crazy Ladies: Part Two

By Laurie Vincent

Crazy Ladies - Part One is the second half and conclusion of the mystery that began with Crazy Ladies - Part One. The story picks up six months after the people at Summit Wealth Group, a respected Wealth Management firm, were left picking up the pieces of their lives. Suzy is trying to locate her old boss, who suddenly disappeared and struggles with her attraction to the man who took his place. Angie finds herself in the middle of a crisis that shakes her confidences and alters everything she believes. Rebecca yearns for a future with one of the advisors but is confused and then frightened by the strange relationship he has with his clients. Skeletons that were supposed to remain buried come back to haunt. When managing the wealth of people in high places is at risk, one learns that Silence is Golden or become a Dead Man Walking!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Laurie Vincent
• Release date: Sep 2, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005244200

Laurie Vincent

Laurie Vincent is my pen name. I live in the Midwest and love a juicy story with interesting characters, spiced up with sex, some suspense and of course, humor. I have balanced a career in the financial industry with writing (which has always been a fun side-line). Pieces of the people I write about come from those I've known. I am always jotting ideas down in composition notebooks that I eventually transfer to my laptop. I love all kinds of movies -- from the classics to even the trashy (but enjoyable) ones! I appreciate getting feedback from people who have read my stories - I truly believe it makes me a better writer to take their comments to heart. I hope to hear from you soon!

Book preview

Crazy Ladies

Part Two

By

Laurie Vincent

© 2016 by the Author

All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events and incidents are either the product of my imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

CRAZY LADIES – PART TWO is the second half and conclusion of the story that began with CRAZY LADIES – PART ONE.

Chapter 1

Suzy Gallagher sat across from the cute college grad, who also happened to be the nephew of one of Summit Wealth Group’s top-tier advisors and summoned as much enthusiasm as possible for the interview. A spot for a new registered sales assistant had opened and she was appointed to conduct the search. Given her amount of industry experience, it should have been a slam-dunk to pick the perfect person. Reality, however, had its say and turned it into a farce.

Ruth Hayden, the Branch Office Manager, who usually participated in the process, steered clear of it. Run with it, honey. Knock yourself out.

Suzy suspected, by the tone in her otherwise raspy smoker’s voice, that there was a catch.

The initial crop of resumes they received from the job posting on their public website seemed promising. Young, bright people with degrees in finance and accounting applied. When describing the duties that came with being a sales assistant, however, she received everything from gasps to eyerolls.

"I would have to do . . . all that? No thanks! I’m out of here."

With the money I spent on college loans, I’d be stupid to take such a bullshit job.

This is a tough decision. I would need at least four weeks of vacation and a signing bonus before seriously considering an offer.

What was horrible about being a sales assistant? It wasn’t by any stretch a rock star job, but it didn’t totally suck. Suzy had done it for eight years before moving into a supervisory role. Opening new accounts, processing client paperwork, accepting market orders, and answering phone calls were part of the routine.

Of course, pairing someone up with a few of their eccentric financial advisors could be a bit of a challenge. Dealing with their squawking demands and snapping fingers often wore thin. A couple of them were so unreasonable and prone to drama that she suspected they might have done some community theater. A thick skin and a sense of humor came in handy, but a submissive nature was ideal.

How did Suzy fare with all those dysfunctional personalities? Some days, not well . . .

Brad Melford, nephew of Jonathan Webster, was supplied as a possibility after her frustrating bout with the online applicants. The tall, dark blond young man, while dressed impeccably in a charcoal gray suit and navy-blue print tie, gave the impression of just having stepped off the tennis court when he strode into her office. His handsome features scored him big points in her book.

She envisioned him as eye candy for other assistants.

They did not often choose men as sales assistants, but Suzy was game. Some merely wanted a foot in the door of a reputable firm to gain valuable experience in the Securities Industry. Blending in a new face was a great way to freshen up their office, particularly if that person brought decent skills to the table. Even if he fit in with the group only for a limited time, it would be a win-win for both sides.

Suzy tried her best not to appear desperate in front of the innocent-looking candidate. She seriously needed to hire someone soon to tackle the abundance of work. Four new financial advisors had joined the firm over the past six months, with a fifth starting in another week, she was inundated. Each brought with them a huge population of client accounts. When Mike Callahan became Branch Manager, he made his mission known that he would increase revenues by raiding their competitors for its quality producers. A firm did not grow its revenues merely by giving its sales force a pep talk – it robbed talent from another, and in doing so, added to the already-full plates of the support staff. She put in extra hours and countless Saturdays just to stay ahead but found it a daunting task.

Taking a deep breath, she mentally crossed her fingers. The thought of returning to the stack of applications from their website gave her a massive headache.

Your uncle personally dropped off your resume and put in a good word, mentioning your potential, she kicked things off by way of that icebreaker. Why not kick things off on a pleasant note? She thought. Jonathan Webster had remarked he was Sharp, resourceful and high-energy, but tended to be shy. He might need to be coaxed out of his shell and warmed up. I see you had a 4.0 grade point average and had a major in Psychology.

Finance bored the crap out of me. Why sweat memorizing all those formulas when you can download an app onto your phone to do that number-crunching, right?

He supplied a smile with his answer. But what made you switch from Business to Psychology? What was your reasoning?

"So I can analyze my boss and figure out why he or she is so screwed up. It’s amazing how easily you can act like a shrink when someone is playing mind games."

That’s a clever twist. What piqued your interest to seek a job at Summit?

My uncle makes big bucks here without busting his ass too much, so I figured, what the hell, I’ll give it a shot.

Hmm, maybe not such a timid soul. Your uncle has actually worked quite hard to establish himself and grow his book of business. He’s designed some brilliant investment models for the Managed Money World that have performed well in the most unstable markets.

"Whatever. He drives a frigging Porsche and lives in a mansion on Lake Minnetonka. Not a single family gathering goes by where he isn’t boasting about the size of his bank account and waving it in our faces, the bastard. He sighed. I just hope I’m named in his will. That would be sweet."

This isn’t a position for an investment advisor, Brad, but an assistant.

"So, I’ve been told, but I don’t expect it be in it that long. Tell me what about you do around here, Suzy."

Less than five minutes into the interview, he was addressing her by her first name and asking about her background? How dare he just flip it around and hijack her agenda! I’m the Branch Administrative Manager. I review trades and transactions done by our registered people, as well as their e-mails. I am also in charge when our Branch Manager is out.

That’s a pretty big pair of shoes, Brad said with a soft whistle. How did you a cut a deal like that?

Pardon me? I had to pass a tough exam in order to secure my principal license. The studying was brutal, but I got through it in less than two months.

He snickered. "Level with me. Did you really crack a book or did all of it snap into place while on your back?"

There was no misreading his leer. Careful, she reminded herself. He’s the nephew of a Summit top-tier advisors. What are you implying?

A woman shouldn’t be doing a man’s job.

And what ought she be doing?

He shrugged. Looking hot and caring for her man.

She refrained from gritting her teeth. I’ve been in the business for eight years and spent a good deal of it working in the trenches. I not only had to learn every aspect of this industry on my own, but I’ve had to train others. I have the bases covered.

He waved off her reaction. "Settle. Don’t get your panties in a bunch. I should have guessed that would be your story. Between us, we both know how you really locked down that gig." A bold wink punctuated his remark.

Suzy picked up her Android from her purse. With a few deft moves, she got to the texting screen. I can see that you’re a man of strong convictions, Brad.

Just keeping it real.

I have one last question before we wrap up. Where do you want to be in your career five years from now?

"Doing your job, for sure. I’ll bet I’d be better at it, too."

She tapped out, Now, and pressed the send button on her phone, then dropped it into her purse. You sound confidant of that.

"Hell yes. How tough can it be to skim through data, point out a few Bozo errors and call it good? I could nail that, no problem."

Simple stuff, huh?

You’ve got it, sister.

The door to her office abruptly opened and in walked Angie Lee, a striking young Asian woman with long black hair and opaque eyes. Hardly five feet tall, she nonetheless made her presence known. Miss Gallagher, your ten-thirty appointment is here.

Thank you, Angie. Would you mind escorting this gentleman to the reception area?

Brad did a double-take. Are we finished? I thought this was a done-deal and I had this job.

We’re still in the process of seeing other applicants.

"Well that blows. My uncle told me you guys were desperate."

"Not true. We still have three more candidates to see today. Apparently, there’s huge interest in this position."

Brad jumped to his feet. "You mean I just pissed away twenty minutes? I don’t need anyone to walk me out. I know where the door is."

Suzy lifted her brows while getting up from her chair and extending her hand. It was a pleasure meeting you, Brad. We’ll get back to you.

Fuck that.

He stormed out the door in a huff.

Angie waited until he was gone before her impish face broadened into a smile. "He shoots but does not score?"

"That would be a Hell to the No."

She did a mock shrug. What a pity. I assume he’ll be taking his sorry ass to sunnier pastures.

With hopes that he can fast-track it there.

"Why does this not surprise me? A Douche Canoe, just like good old Uncle Jon."

Suzy sighed. This is not going well. We’re still up a creek without finding another assistant.

Yeah, I know. Busting ass has become a way of life around here. This place is becoming a frigging sweat shop. Too bad that one didn’t pan out. I was hoping we could shuffle things around and reassign us to other advisors.

Suzy’s eyes narrowed. Are you still plotting to nab Daniel Webster?

Me? Where did you get such a crazy notion?

You’ve been trying to get your hooks into that Latin stud from Day One. You were spitting mad when Ruth Hayden gave him to Rebecca.

The mere mention of the other sales assistant’s name brought a snarl. "It’s killing me that he’s with that skank."

Bitter pill?

"Yes, and you need to fix it. I thought when Callahan promoted you, I’d get my shot with him. I even did a few victory laps."

We’re pretty stretched right now. How could I make changes? And besides, I’m still getting a handle on my supervision duties.

"You’ve had your license for four freaking months. Jesus, Suze, you’ve never let any job kick your butt. When you encounter an obstacle, you hog-tie and make it your bitch. Remember, I got your number, sister and you’re slacking."

"Sorry I can’t be your Easy Button today. Not feeling it."

Okay, I can read the smoke signals. I’ll bounce my ass out of here.

"Angie, please. Put the Snark Speak on Mute. I can’t do this with you now, I have a splitting headache."

Want me to bring you a fresh can of Red Bull? Fire up the brain cells and whip them into shape?

Suzy sighed. I’d love to gab, but I’m overwhelmed.

Angie took a seat in one of her visitor chairs. Oh honey, forgive me. You look bushed. Is Kevin still pouncing on you every night of the week?

Actually, not so much.

"What? Run that back to me. The star quarterback is not making any touchdowns?"

Normally Suzy would not talk about her sex life with her boyfriend, but she Angie were tight. No subject existed that was off-limits between them. "Ever since he got promoted as manager at that brake and transmission shop, he’s been putting in monster overtime. As a result, he’s rarely in the mood."

Is his mojo broke?

More or less. I keep expecting him to tap me on the shoulder after I roll into bed, but that hasn’t been happening. At first, I didn’t mind a break, but it’s been a few weeks now since he’s had that twinkle in his eye.

"No wonder you’re so tense, honey. My God. You’re not getting laid! You’re under tremendous stress at the office and desperately need a good poke when you get home to make things right."

Suzy’s lips thinned. A lot of help that sensitivity training class did for you, Ange. You might want to check on a refresher course.

Never mind that. We’ve got a serious matter on our hands. Maybe it’s something else. Honey, what have you mixed up in the bedroom? She mulled over a few possibilities, then asked, "You don’t use baby talk when he wants to get busy? Jesus, I hope not! That’s a total boner-killer!"

"Me, use baby talk? I would never go there. Besides, nothing distracts Kevin. You could shriek ‘Fire’ and he’d still be sporting wood, and finish – twice."

"You sure he’s not secretly taking Viagra and ran out? I mean, honey, let’s face it, you’re smoking, but not Playboy centerfold material. If the job is wearing him out, he’s DOA when he gets home, unless he’s popping one of those blue babies. His motor scooter is sure to be on the fritz!"

Ange, you’re spinning. He’s not just a mechanic, but also managing people. They are depending on him more, and that means having to stay late, just like us. It’s a timing issue. We haven’t been able to sync up our romantic evenings.

"In that case, from one slut to another, I’d lock down that yummy stud for playdate!"

Suzy pointed to the door. Hit the road, sister!

"Fine. I was just trying to help. You don’t have to give me the bum’s rush. Just listen to the crabbiness in your voice. It’s a cry for help that your plumbing is all clogged up and you need Mr. Roto-Rooter to clear the blockage."

Out!

Suzy glanced at the few notes she took during her chat with Brad Melford, then grimaced as she tore the page from her legal pad and crumpled it into a ball. She sought a different outcome, but as her outspoken bestie pointed out, she should have lowered her expectations based on his family history. Jonathan Webster set the bar high for unrivaled arrogance.

Rebecca Sills covered Jonathan. Suzy often wondered how she tolerated his condescending behavior – habitually finding fault with others, pointing out their weaknesses and being impossible to please. His oppressive attitude was so off-putting, it was difficult to have a simple conversation with him and not gnash her teeth. She gave Rebecca credit for never complaining about him.

And then she remembered Margaret Flannery, her very own cross to bear. How could she forget the post-it notes stuck to her cube with key words underlined multiple times and the numerous exclamation marks? It was her manner of dictating her daily priorities without having to stand over her shoulder.

Margaret did not last long under the new Mike Callahan regime. Her days of getting management to cater to her diva-like demands were cut short. Mike clearly communicated the message that her mediocre track record in sales did not rate the hoop-jumping. It was hardly a jaw-dropper when she resigned from Summit and went to a small boutique firm.

Her parting shot before making her exit still resonated. Nicely done, Susan. It pays to have friends in high places.

Was she snidely accusing her of having an affair with Mike Callahan? That was absurd. They had a respectful working relationship, not an abusive one that Margaret insisted upon having with her long line of ex-sales assistants.

Margaret never recovered from Mike’s very public reprimanding while the entire office watched when he intervened during one of her tirades. No previous Branch Manager dared interfere, much less treated her in such a humiliating fashion. No matter how callous she was, all others had come to her defense.

Like George Hinckley, Mike’s predecessor.

It had been a while since George had entered her thoughts. His mysterious disappearance six months earlier had been highly controversial. Obviously, it had been unbearable for him to reconcile falling out of favor with the top brass after several top-ranking financial advisors accepted lucrative offers from other investment firms. His pipeline of recruiting new blood had gone dry, with no prospects in sight. Senior Management brought in Mike to revive flagging sales and evaporating revenues. Not only did they task him with reversing the trend of moneymaking talent marching out the door, but to also attract some heavy hitters.

Within days of Mike’s entrance, George quietly slipped away into the shadows, giving no indication of his future plans or whereabouts. Ruth Hayden had received a telephone message that he had gone on extended leave but had erased it without questioning if it actually came from George. When Suzy visited the building where he lived, his landlord admitted not seeing him for a week, nor been told that he would be gone. He promised to let Suzy know if he heard from him, but then her principal exam and mastering the study material required to earn a passing grade became her latest obsession. Allocating time to cramming, working and to her boyfriend Kevin became a balancing act. Once the test was behind her, she renewed her efforts to reach the landlord only to learn that he had encountered some health problems and was recovering in Phoenix with his sister. The one who took his place was unreachable, no matter how often she called.

Getting acclimated to her new duties as Branch Administrative Manager caused her to abandon her search. Taking on the supervisory responsibilities Ruth previously handled as well as supporting Mike as his assistant, and covering other desks for sick and vacation days, almost buried her. Suzy, not one to admit defeat, rolled up her sleeves and dove into the fray.

Now it was kicking her ass.

George Hinckley, she decided, would eventually resurface. Until then, tackling the backlog of work was of higher importance.

She turned to her computer screen and picked up where she left off before that cluster of an interview with Brad Melford. No more internal endorsements from the staff, she vowed. She would find the appropriate individual but accepted that it would be daunting.

Her phone buzzed. It was Mike.

Got a minute? he asked.

I’ll be right there.

Whenever summoned by her boss, she learned to make room for whatever he asked, without regard to how frazzled she was. He had been good to her, allowing her to spread her wings. It was the least she could do.

When gazing at him through the glass walls that divided the various offices, her pulse invariably sped up. He was a tall, undeniably handsome man with dark blond hair and penetrating blue eyes. His groomed mustache and beard were flecked with gray, the only visible sign of his true age, fifty – seventeen years her senior. He looked damned tasty with the top button of his crisp, white shirt unbuttoned, his red power tie loosened, and his long sleeves rolled halfway up his brawny arms.

He was, in her personal opinion, naturally sexy.

Her hand faltered when she reached for a notepad and pen.

Drum roll, please! Yes, she had the hots for him, but wasn’t about to let the proverbial cat out of the bag. Jesus, the scuttlebutt would hit the floor! Heads would nod that favors had been exchanged, which of course, was utter fiction.

Why encourage baseless gossip? She was no fool, and kept it zipped!

Hiding her desire for Mike was not an easy feat. The man exuded a charisma that whipped her libido into overdrive. It began months ago and took her by surprise. At first, she suspected it was mere infatuation, a crush – that stemmed from her gratitude of his carving out a new career. But those innocent girlish feelings evolved into more.

A stab of guilt struck. She was with Kevin, her boyfriend of five years. Fostering lustful designs, even though they had not been consummated, still felt like cheating. Being unfaithful, even in her daydreams, was not who she was.

She calmly inhaled before entering his office, projecting all the cool she could muster. What’s up?

He looked up, beamed upon seeing her and said, Have a seat.

She promptly parked it, picked up her pen and prepared to scribble notes.

He chuckled. You are way too wound up, Suzy. Have I been pushing you too hard?

Not at all.

I thought we’d catch up since we’ve both been going at a rapid clip. How goes the hunt for a new sales assistant? I’ve been watching the show from the cheap seats. Some of your reactions are priceless.

I haven’t found the right one yet but remain optimistic. By the way, I do appreciate having my own office. It’s been easier to concentrate and far more productive than when I was stuck in a cube.

I wouldn’t label it a perk. With all that sensitive information on your screen, having privacy is a must. His blue eyes rested on her. How are you holding up? I’m not blind. You’re the first person on the floor when I get here and usually the last one when I’m heading out.

His magnetic blue eyes and roguish smile were a lethal combination and nearly sidetracked her. It’s all good. I knew what I was signing up for. Getting my bearings, I suppose, plus I’m afraid of letting something slip through the cracks.

Bringing in a couple of big players has kept you hopping. I wasn’t expecting to hit so many homeruns when beefing up the team, but the pipeline for top-notch talent continues to flow. That well shows no foreseeable signs of going dry. I have two more offers on the table and should be hearing back soon. I’m also in the midst of serious discussions with two others.

Envisioning her work pile doubling or tripling higher almost elicited a groan, which she stifled. It’s a good kind of busy. I much prefer that to planning a day at the spa.

"You don’t have to burn yourself out to prove to me you can tackle the world. My gut told me from the beginning you could do the heavy lifting. It is okay to occasionally stumble. Everyone does, including me. We’re all human."

Don’t worry about me. I can handle it.

He examined her more closely. "I hear your words, but your eyes are telling me a different story."

Honestly. Girl Scout’s Honor!

His brow went up. You were in the Scouts?

She almost let out a girlish giggle but refrained from doing so. "Hmm. It may have been with the Indian Princesses. I think they have the same moto."

He lowered his voice. If you’re telling me you can’t remember which one you belonged to, then it only makes sense for you to take a vacation and get some rest.

No! His message jolted her. She willed herself to power through it. Absolutely not! There’s way too much going on for me to be out of circulation.

I insist. A few days off will do you a world of good. Besides, I need you to be fresh if I’m going to bring in one of the advisors I’ve been courting. The size of his client book is staggering.

"Size has never been an issue for me. I can take it."

What?

Crap! Why the hell would that fall out of her mouth? Her hormones were probably so battle-fatigued that they were wearily colliding with her brain cells. If she was trying to keep her infatuation with Mike Callahan a secret, she was blowing it, big-time! She mentally scrambled for a quick-save. "I meant . . . I’m up for the challenge."

Look, Suzy. You’ve hit the ground running since you aced your principal exam, and even before that, you were studying hard. You’ve moved mountains for me, and I am extremely grateful, but all this momentum is going to take its toll. You’ve earned it. You deserve some R&R.

I appreciate your concern, but I’ve dealt with the various cycles for eight years. I always managed to navigate through the peaks and valleys when volumes fluctuate. We’re soldiers here, and none of us abandon ship when the waters get rough.

"I get that you’re dedicated but want to