Page 1 of Desperate Creed

1

Chicago

Frankie Russo’s head was already throbbing when her cell phone started blaring salsa music. At five o’clock in the morning she immediately regretted the new ringtone. She tried to tamp down the dread in the pit of her stomach as she stumbled out of the bathroom.

Nobody called at five in the morning with good news.

Her hand swiped along the wall, searching for a light switch in unfamiliar territory. Where had she left her phone? She stumbled just as her fingers found the switch. The unpacked boxes in her new apartment made her dance through a maze. She was dripping wet, adjusting towels, and deep down she caught herself hoping she’d miss the call.

Please just let it go to voicemail.

If it had something to do with her father, she’d rather the news be filtered. A recording didn’t wait to hear your reaction.

Finally, Frankie saw her phone on the kitchen counter. Before she touched it, she could see who the caller was and relief washed over her. She was relieved, but at the same time, she was pissed off at the request for a video-chat. She adjusted the towel tighter around her body then answered the phone.

“It’s not funny, Tyler,” Frankie said to the smiling face. She pushed at the second towel on top of her head, and it almost threw her off balance. “You know I hate when you want to video-chat with me at home.”

“I’ve been hoping to catch you in a towel.” The boyish grin only broadened without a hint of apology.

Frankie was too old for Tyler. Fourteen years older. Yes, she had already done the math. And yet, his inappropriate comment made her blush just a little. Instead of scowling at her co-worker she pretended it was no big deal. She tilted her phone giving him only a headshot and a whole lot of her kitchen ceiling.

The two of them had become comfortable with each other. Probably too comfortable. For almost a year their teamwork on different advertising campaigns had spilled over into their personal lives. Frankie blamed herself for not putting up any boundaries. She was the older and wiser one, the so-called seasoned professional assigned to work with the hotshot new kid, fresh out of college. But suddenly, she and Tyler became the envy of McGavin Holt. Paul McGavin, the managing partner of the advertising firm, had put the two together time after time, highlighting their successes as if it were because of his brilliant decision to make them a team. Frankie didn’t care if he bragged or took credit. What mattered more was the much-needed boost to her career. And the timing helped take her mind off the recent failures in her personal life, like the reason for this new apartment.

“You won’t believe what Deacon and I discovered,” Tyler was saying. “It changes everything.”

She took a closer look at him and noticed his beard stubble and tousled hair. He hadn’t shaved yet, and he was out walking. She could see streetlamps, brick buildings and slices of empty streets. His eyes were bright and wild, most likely from too little sleep and too much caffeine. If she didn’t know him better she’d say he was drunk, but Tyler and his friends didn’t drink alcohol. Red Bull and Monster were their addictions.

“Where in the world are you?” she asked. She glanced at the digital clock on the microwave. “It’s five-fifteen in the morning.”

“I just left Deacon’s place. Remember I told you about my friend, Deke? Deacon Kaye? You said he sounded like a rapper. He loved that, by the way.” He was rambling.

“Why are you calling me, Tyler?”

“Remember I said I was going to have him use one of their labs to do a chemical breakdown of those organic breakfast bars?”

“And remember I told you we don’t get paid to do chemical breakdowns. Tyler, we’re supposed to be creating a marketing campaign.”

“What about honesty, Frankie? There’s nothing organic about this product.”

“Honesty?” She laughed while she put down the phone to pour herself a cup of coffee. At least she had unpacked and set up the coffeemaker. The aroma filled the kitchen, contributing a small semblance to her upside down life. “We work for an advertising and marketing agency, Tyler.” She readjusted the towel on her head and tucked the one around her body a bit tighter before picking up the phone again. “That energy drink we worked on last month doesn’t really give anyone super powers.”

“No, but it also won’t give you cancer.”

She frowned at him. His smile was gone, but he was still wound up.

“Glyphosate showed up in all the samples. And that’s not all, Frankie, the levels are pretty high, beyond the limits of safe. Glyphosate’s an herbicide. It’s found in weed killers. The World Health Organization considers it a carcinogen that can cause cancer in anybody who works around it on a regular basis. It’s not supposed to show up in food. Carson Foods has been hiding it in their research. They know about it, Frankie. If glyphosate can cause cancer from handling it, can you imagine what it does if you eat it?” He brought the phone closer and said, “And how bout if you eat it every morning for breakfast?”

He said all this with too much bravado, reminding Frankie that he was still just a kid. He also sounded a bit out of breath but continued to walk.

“Look, Tyler, maybe you should ask Mr. McGavin to take you off the project.”

“Cancer, Frankie.”

She rolled her eyes and took a sip of coffee.

“Did you just roll your eyes at me?”

“Do you know how many things supposedly cause cancer?” She held up her mug. “Depending on what latest survey you read, coffee causes cancer. Being out in the sun causes cancer. Doesn’t mean I’m going to stop drinking coffee or spend the rest of my life indoors.”