First Steps on the Moon: Part 2

Henry welcomed the handshake with his most confident grip and followed Morgan inside. Lee stayed close behind Henry, too close. He stepped on Henry's heel, peeling off the back of his shoe. Henry stumbled and turned around.

Lee blushed, something Henry rarely saw people do.
"Excuse me," Lee apologized, but not to Henry. His eyes looked upward to his boss who had also turned with the commotion.
"You in a hurry today, Lee?" Morgan asked with evident displeasure.
"No sir, Mr. Still," Lee almost stuttered. He began brushing off Henry's coat as if he had spilled a drink. Henry held up his hand to forgive him and began walking back with Morgan. This time, Lee gave all the space he could without losing them.

The house was constructed entirely of wood. Grand fur rugs scattered over the floors. There were sun light windows in the massive ceiling through which the Alaskan sky looked as blue as the Pacific from the California shore. There were no hunting trophies, no stuffed Grizzlies or Elk, something Henry expected to see a lot of when he got to Alaska. Only the rugs suggested wildlife. Perhaps Still figured there was plenty of wildlife outside.

Instead, there was plane memorabilia. Model planes filled cabinets and a real one seater place hung from the ceiling. Books on aviation filled a shelf on a desk and littered the coffee table.
"You like to fly?" Henry asked as they continued walking through the enormous living room.

Morgan slowed to take in his treasures but didn't stop walking.
"Been flyin' since I was 18. I used to have to pay a thousand dollars per per flight hour when I wanted to take a joyride. Not up here. The sky's as free as it was when it was just the Eskimos."
Morgan looked back to meet Henry's eye. Lee skipped a step to try to listen.
"This whole state is like a whole other country. It's the perfect place for business. Nobody here to stick their hands in your pockets." Morgan winked and added, "We almost don't need math wizards up here. No need to hide what people ain't lookin' for!" Morgan bellowed a laugh that drowned out the politeness of Henry's.
Lee slapped his side and howled, "Ain't it the truth!"

As they neared Still's office he regained his serious demeanor.
"It won't last long. This is 1985. People will get it together and learn the game. If nothing else more of us will come up here and ruin it."
He looked at Lee just before stepping into his office door. "Ain't that right Lee?" He asked with a smirk. The previous blush still stung on his errand boy's cheeks. Lee could only respond stupidly, "I'm sorry Mr. Still, I don't catch your meaning."

Boss Still looked at Henry who stood between them. "Lee agrees with me about new people coming up here and ruining the place. So don't tell invite any friends."
"Come on, Boss!" Lee teased with a concerned smile. Still didn't look at Lee again before walking into his office. He only called his command. "Lee, those new tires got shipped in this morning. Go on out to the garage and change 'em out."

Henry made sure to look at Lee as he stepped into the office with Still. Lee stood and watched like an abandoned puppy. It gave Henry exactly the satisfaction he expected. Quickly, Lee's senses returned and he walked away before Morgan's voice had to boom. He closed the door behind Henry before he left.

"Have a seat," Still offered. He had a leather couch and any numbers of plush, cushioned chairs on rolling wheels. Henry chose a chair and rolled it before Still's desk as he sat. The bust of a buck protruded from the wall above Still's desk, the only hunting detail Henry would find there.

"I imagine Lee talked your ears off and cackled that horrible laugh of his for the entire ride," Morgan inquired. Henry just shrugged and shook it off. "He was very friendly, took my bags and all. He didn't have to do that." Henry shared.
"Yes he did have to do that," Still corrected. "Lee's loyal, but I know he don't like our type of business coming in from the states. A lot of folks are like that up here. They don't want their secret leaked."
Still looked up to a large triangular window that hung in the wall. Thick trees waved in the summer wind. Still's lips curved at the edges.
"I don't blame 'em. I love the place," Still asserted.

He looked at Henry who was rubbing his glasses on his handkerchief. "I'd like to keep things as they are myself, but I know it just ain't possible." Still said with sadness. Emotion danced through this stone man's face. Next was enthusiasm.
"I'll tell ya this and I'm sure a numbers man can appreciate it. Buy land." Still leaned forward as if someone might hear such a secret. "I got acres everywhere, some in giant plots, some spread out. If I ever need to hide no one would find me. If I don't need to hide, which I don't plan to need, it'll just be an investment that goes up in value. Land's cheap here. And there's lots of it. Buy all you can." With that, Still sat back in his seat and scratched his stubbly chin.

Henry had his suitcases at his feet. Still sat in his own thoughts, allowing silence and conern for his guest. After a full minute, Still continued their discussion.
"Now, about our business. Aside from all my griping about the tourists I'm always glad to get new help from the states. I'll take all I can get. Nobody up here can run anything but a chainsaw."

Henry returned to his comfort zone when it came time to discuss his expertise. He liked his boss. He liked him a lot. Henry's sinister mind all ready began orchestrating a path to his favor. But Henry was smart enough to play modest.
"Like I said on the phone, when Steffi mentioned the action up here I couldn't get it out of my head." Henry put his heart into it. "I've been under a microscope my entire career. If it's not the IRS it's a damn corporate auditor. You'd think those guys would figure it out and get off my back! It used to drive me nuts! Not to mention I had to keep the books going."

The friendly curved tips of Still's mouth had disappeared. Henry noticed and changed his angle.
"I want to go for some quiet, some space, somewhere I can build something, make my own name," Henry steered carefully not to lose himself, "There's too many guys in the city, too many folks to get in the way." Henry made sure he finished looking Boss Still in the eye. "I want to plant some roots here."

The curves of his lips came back and Still leaned forward, shoulders hunched and hovering over the desk. He rubbed his knuckles and looked genuine. Henry thought he knew what genuine looked like.
"How is Cal?" he asked.
Henry did his best to stop his eyes from widening. Still knew Cal? Steffi hadn't mentioned it. Would Cal investigate Henry's abrupt departure? He was just an accountant.
"Cal's a great guy," Henry beamed. "He was always fair. That means everything to me."
It sounded like Still hadn't spoke with Cal. Henry hoped it wasn't a trick.

Still smiled fully, "Cal and I go way back. But we ain't talked for years. That's better for both of us." Still allowed a laugh and Henry followed. Still cleared his mind and got down to the books.

"I don't know where to start," he said. "I've got some stuff on computer disks but I ain't the best at keeping that organized."
Henry waved his flattened palm to show calm. "I'm very good with computers."
"Great!" Still brightened, "That's wonderful news! 'Cause I've been havin' Lee write down everything in notebooks. His writing is about impossible to follow. I've been reading the computer manual trying to figure this shit out myself." Frustration filled his face with these thoughts.

Henry closed his eyes and shook his head in cool, "No problem, Mr. Still. I'll get it all straightened out. Notebooks are no good. They're too easy to read." This was going to be easier than Henry thought.
"Please," Still corrected, "Call me Morgan."

He stood up and began walking around the desk to Henry's chair. "Yes, notebooks are way too easy to read," Still agreed. "That's what you'll need to do first." He stopped once he reached Henry's side. Henry just stayed in his chair and looked up to him.
"But I will apologize," Morgan continued, "You're going to have to sit with Lee and go through every transaction he recorded for the last eight months. You'll be earning your pay early." He smiled and patted Henry's shoulder. "Like I said, Lee's a necessity, not a choice. I'll be glad to send him back to a fishing boat once I can find better help."

Henry contained both his pride and admiration. He heard his boss give him two different jobs. His first job was to clean up the books. The second was to clean up the staff. Well, maybe Morgan hadn't explicitly asked him to do something about Lee. But Henry wanted to build something, make his own name. He wanted to plant some roots.