Chapter 3 -- Dinner Disturbed

Jets of water cascaded down the long narrow single-paned window. Turning back and forth in short quick arcs in his tall-backed navy blue leather chair, Barry Robichaux watched the water slide down the window, his left index finger against his upper lip while his left elbow was propped on the arm of the chair. He wasn’t really watching the window or the water, although his gaze was locked onto that vertical slot of sunlight. Barry was in his mind, examining the latest problem that faced Blockade Consolidated from every vantage point he could.

Barry was president of Blockade Consolidated, a corporation that included four businesses. While each of the four businesses had their own general manager, they all answered to Barry ultimately. The current general managers were capable men, and Barry didn’t concern himself with the day-to-day management of any one single company. His responsibility was to make sure that the businesses could all operate properly and safely. Barry’s interest in smooth operations went further than professional pride; it was a matter of family. The businesses of Blockade were inherited by Barry from his father, except for Lafourche Publishing, which was inherited from his father-in-law.

As Barry turned the problem over and over with his mind’s tentacles, he could only see one resolution. Not liking what he saw, he continued to twist it like a Rubik’s Cube but knew, as with the Rubik’s Cube, there was only one possible outcome. A knock on his office door made him slip back into his office, leaving the problem solved on the floor of his mind, all six sides of the cube displaying its own unique color.

“Come in, Marie,” he answered the knock.