Damage Control Read online

But I was so very drawn to him, I think, reaching the desk, where I find a female guard I’ve never seen before.

  “Hi,” I say. “I work for Brandon Enterprises. I was here late two nights ago and a very nice guard helped me. His name was Randy. Big bulky muscular guy with dark hair.” I consider a moment. “Late thirties maybe? I wanted to tell his supervisor how much I appreciated it.”

  Her brow furrows. “We have a Randy, but he looks nothing like that. Actually, I don’t know of anyone here that fits that description.”

  “Maybe I’m remembering his name wrong.”

  “We still have no one that fits that description. The two guys that were on that night were Randy and Josh, but he is twenty-five, blond, and good-looking.”

  That’s one more guard than I saw the other night, but it doesn’t help me much. My formerly knotted stomach is now downright sick. “It must have been a Brandon Enterprises employee. Thanks anyway.” I turn away and start for the elevator. It could have been a Brandon employee. Seth will know. It has to be a Brandon employee. Right? I mean, who else could it have been?

  CHAPTER TEN

  SHANE

  By the time I manage to get Seth on the phone, he’s already sitting outside the house of Brody Matthews’s estranged wife, preparing to negotiate her silence. Ready to remove at least one noose from my neck, I instruct him to finish the job and meet me at my apartment, sans Nick, an ex-Fed who will no doubt pressure me to go to them for help when he hears about Martina, regardless of the price to the company. It’s a detail that has me uneasy about his employment, but hiring someone else always represents the potential of betrayal, which I won’t even consider risking. In the meantime, I busy myself reading through the documents Emily put together for me from my father’s office. Aside from the hedge fund data, which has a few potential red flags, my real point of interest is my father’s file on our largest stockholder, Mike Rogers.

  When I’d agreed to save the company last year, I’d initially thought owning a professional basketball team and having a public image to protect gave Mike reason to support my efforts to clean up the company, and I’d done everything to win his faith and keep him with us. And then he’d gone cold on me.

  Looking for that reason, I open his file, and turn on my computer to start comparing years of financial data, setting every other thought aside and losing myself in the investigative process. Time passes, and I down another cup of coffee before the doorbell rings. Eyeing my watch, I see it’s already near noon. Pushing to my feet, I stand and head to the door, hoping like hell Seth has contained at least one of our problems. I open it and he seems to know what I’m looking for, because he announces, “Brody’s wife took the payoff.”

  I give him a nod and motion him inside.

  “Emily’s rent was paid on time,” he adds, following me to the kitchen, “which means her brother is, at least, keeping her off the radar, an indication he’s not throwing her to the wolves.”

  “He already threw her to the wolves back in Texas,” I say, reclaiming my barstool. “The risk of the Geminis coming after her will always exist. She can’t return to the past, or law school, and I’m the person who is going to have to tell her that.”

  “She’s smart,” he says, claiming the spot directly across from me. “She already knows.”

  “Knowing it and accepting it are two different things.” I change the subject. “How much did Brody’s wife cost me?”

  “Three hundred, and she agreed to leave the country.”

  “Three hundred thousand dollars, and her moving expenses, all to cover up my brother’s mistakes. I’m living a year ago all over again, and then some. Adrian Martina showed up in the parking lot as Emily and I were leaving this morning. That’s why I sent her to the office ahead of me.” In normal Seth style, his reaction is a nonreaction, completely indiscernible, and I give him a rundown of the entire story.

  “Showing up with Emily by your side,” he remarks, when I’m done speaking, “that wasn’t a coincidence. He’s aware she’s close to you.”

  “And the irony of that,” I say, “is that he didn’t have to follow me, or watch me, to find out. My brother could have told him.”

  “I’m sure he did,” he concludes. “Derek made them promises or Martina wouldn’t be in your operation. There have been bumps, which means Derek needs a fall guy, because I promise you, he doesn’t want the wrath of the Martina cartel.”

  “And I’m the fall guy.” It’s this part of the equation I’ve spent the morning blocking with numbers and research and no one understands how Emily must feel with her own brother’s betrayal better than me.

  “Adrian Martina handed it to you, all right,” Seth concurs. “That whole ‘you’re practically family’ thing. That was a mind game, a way of telling you that through your brother, you’re in this now. You can’t get out.”

  “I’m not in.”

  “You’re in, Shane, and you don’t just walk away from the Martina cartel. There would be a price.” He studies me a moment. “Nick—”

  “No,” I bite out.

  “He has friends at the Feds.”

  “I said no. We are not going to the Feds. That would destroy the company I’m trying to save.”

  “There’s no reason it has to go public.”

  “We’ve had this conversation. Leaks happen all the time. Are you going to tell me they don’t?”

  “Dead people happen all the time with Martina too. That’s my concern. You are the only thing standing between Martina and Brandon Enterprises.”

  “Adrian is second to his father. He doesn’t have the final say.”

  “Roberto Martina is well known to be a brutal killer.”

  “Exactly,” I say, having read up on the man the moment I’d heard of their involvement with Derek. “That’s my point. Roberto bragged about killing Adrian’s brother for costing him money.”

  “Because he betrayed him.”

  “Failure to a man like Roberto is betrayal. We need to convince Adrian we’re the kind of fire he can’t put out. I planted the seed. I told him there is a reason cartels stay away from legit operations. We are watched like hawks. That’s where you get Nick and his men, to make that seem like reality.”

  He studies me for several drawn-out moments. “It’s a long shot.”

  “That we’re going to make work.”

  “I’ll talk to Nick. We’ll come up with a way to spook him.”

  “Do nothing until I approve it. Moving on.” I tap the paperwork in front of me. “Have you studied these documents?”

  “I made copies. I haven’t had time to analyze them.”

  “I’ve been comparing the transactions for Mike Rogers in this folder to the company database. One in four don’t match up. He’s too smart, and too involved with my father, to be a victim.”

  “We’ve always thought your father was helping him hide money.”

  “We also thought he had too much to lose to ultimately stand with Derek, but the man owns a professional basketball team and Martina is marketing to professional athletes. I can’t ignore where that’s leading me.”

  “While I agree,” Seth says. “He’s also filthy rich and well insulated. We have nothing to prove he’s dirty.”

  “We don’t have time for ‘well insulated’ to be the only answer you give me. He’s a twenty percent stock holder, the vote that hands the company to Derek.” My lips thin. “My father called a board meeting for Wednesday, after requesting a family dinner meeting on Sunday.”

  “Where do you think that’s headed?”

  “He may not have a choice,” I say, the words acid on my tongue. “Not if he wants to be around for it. The bylaws require the board have sixty days’ notice. He told me last night he’s not going to be around long.”

  “He has to be afraid you’ll cause trouble at the meeting.”

  “I assume that is why Sunday night is happening.” I tap the folder again. “The hedge fund. And our transportation division, which I assume is
a placeholder for someone else he’s hiding. I don’t believe for a minute that this is legit. It’s my father’s last hurrah, and he has nothing to lose.”

  “And Mike’s involved. We find out what it’s about and we have our leverage on him we can use for the vote.”

  “And clean up this damn company once and for all.” My cell phone beeps with a text and I glance down to read a message from Jessica: Stop blowing me off. I glance at Seth. “Jessica is trying to reach Brody’s people. Any news on him?”

  “Still missing. Nick’s folks are nosing around. I’ll come back here, once I have a full update.” I nod and he stares at me. “Say what it is you want to say,” I press, “but if it involves the Feds—”

  “The best way to find out what’s happening with that hedge fund is to squeeze those involved. Are you prepared to do that?”

  A month ago, I would have asked him to define squeeze, but a month ago Adrian Martina wasn’t inviting me for a morning chat, with Emily living in my home. “Get me what I need on Mike.”

  He gives me a sharp incline of his chin and turns for the door. I hit auto-dial on my phone and call Jessica. “It’s about time,” she greets me. “I’m in the lobby about to come up.”

  In other words, there are things she doesn’t feel she can say on the phone. It’s an epidemic today. “You know the code and the door is open,” I say, ending the call, standing and walking to the refrigerator and grabbing a protein shake, which I pop open and guzzle.

  The door opens and Jessica’s heels click on the floor before she appears in the kitchen, sans coat, and eyes the paperwork I have spread all over the island. “You really should tell your secretary when you plan a work-from-home day,” she says, setting her purse and a file on the counter.

  “I didn’t plan to work from home.”

  “Considering you gave Emily the Bentley, I figured as much, but I didn’t know. I thought maybe it was a ploy for breathing room.”

  “From my family, not Emily. What was urgent enough to bring you here?”

  She slides the folder toward me. “Your father’s having a meeting with six bankers at four o’clock in the conference room.”

  “Is he requesting my presence?”

  “No,” she says. “We only know about it because of Emily.”

  I indicate the folder. “And this is?”

  “Emily snuck me the handouts for the meeting.”

  “Let me guess,” I say dryly, “the documents are generalized and tell us nothing about what this meeting is about.”

  “Correct. They give a company overview, including a nonspecific financial picture. I figured this was just some of his normal hedge fund activity, but I also know you have concerns about the transactions he hides and don’t want him bringing on debt and problems you have to handle.”

  “If there was anything he didn’t want me to see or hear, he wouldn’t have given the documents to Emily, who he now knows I’m seeing.”

  “Yes, about that. I heard he saw you together last night.”

  It’s a prompt for details I don’t offer. “And as a response to that encounter, this meeting materializes. This is his way of testing Emily, to see if he can trust her.”

  She narrows her eyes on me. “Aren’t you worried he’s going to make a habit of this?”

  “Emily handles my father better than I do. And speaking of Emily. She moved here for a job that fell through and brought very little with her. Order her anything and everything you think she needs and have it delivered here. And whatever you do, don’t tell her. She’ll move out before I get her fully moved in.”

  Her lips part and she starts to speak and then stops, then starts again. “She’s moving in?”

  “She already did.”

  “Oh,” she says, and she looks like she might turn blue from holding back whatever she isn’t saying.

  I arch a brow. “Since when do you bite your tongue with me?”

  “I have whiplash. You were going to make her quit her job to protect her from your family. You even pushed her away and broke off contact. Now, she’s sitting at your father’s door with your blessing and living in your house. What changed?”

  “My mind,” I say, not about to tell her the details of Emily’s past. “Buy her what she needs. Have it delivered here and work with Tai to ensure it’s not all sitting out in the open when she gets home.”

  “In other words,” she says. “Bite my tongue again.”

  “Nailed my thoughts exactly.”

  Her lips purse. “Fine. Can I look at what she has already?”

  “Nothing. Start from scratch. Buy her everything she might need.”

  “Everything? As in clothes, shoes, makeup, and purses? Purses are expensive.”

  “Whatever she needs.”

  “Don’t you think she might want to pick some of it out herself?”

  “I’m sure she would, but it will be a long time before Emily freely spends my money and I’m not leaving her with nothing waiting for that day to come. Use my Black Card.”

  “The no-credit-limit card. Okay, well I’ll get some of my favorite sales ladies to help me make this happen today. Tell me again why we never dated?”

  “Because you like your men submissive and I like my women with less snark.”

  “I do not like my men submissive, but I get it. We’d kill each other.” She settles her purse back on her shoulder when her phone rings. She digs it from her purse and glances at the number. “Brody’s manager.” She answers and has a short exchange before covering the phone. “He has time this evening or in the morning.”

  “I’m glad he has time to talk about seven figures,” I say. “But his time isn’t the time I need. It’s Brody’s.”

  “They haven’t been able to reach him.”

  Not the answer I’d hoped for, but at least his estranged wife is handled. “Tell them I have time when Brody has time.”

  She nods and has a short exchange before ending the call. “They’re trying to reach him. Are you going to tell me what that’s about?”

  “No.”

  “Okay. I’ll ask again later. Do you need a ride to the office?”

  “I’ll meet you there.”

  “All right then.” She turns and heads for the hallway, but pauses, and turns to face me. “I like Emily.”

  “Then we have that in common.”

  “I once told Emily that if she hurts you, I’d hurt her, but now I know she’s devoted to you. And now I’m going to say this to you: Don’t hurt her and don’t let your family hurt her.” She doesn’t wait for an answer. She walks away, her footsteps sounding until the door opens and closes. I sit there a moment, staring after her, my gaze landing on the paperwork she’d brought me from Emily. I pull it toward me but I don’t open it. My father tested Emily today, and she failed him, but came through for me. She protected me and I am protecting her, but it doesn’t stop Jessica’s words from clawing at my mind: Don’t let your family hurt her. My family that connected the dots between us and the Martina cartel. Between Emily and Adrian Martina.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  EMILY

  It’s nearly one o’clock, and I’m juggling travel arrangements, phone calls, and questions I can’t answer about the board meeting, when Jessica sets a slice of pizza from the joint downstairs in front of me. “Eat.”

  “I don’t have time.”

  “Make time. My orders.”

  “Is Shane here?” I ask, as both the security guard and the call from my brother still nag at me.

  “He’s going to be soon.”

  “Can you tell him I need to talk to him?”

  “Of course.”

  “What about Seth? Is he here?”

  “I have no idea. That man checks in with no one but Shane. Why? What in the world do you need Seth for?”

  My intercom buzzes and Brandon Senior barks, “Get Fitzgerald back on the line.”

  “Right away,” I say, refocusing on Jessica. “Thanks for the pizza and I’m back to wo
rk.”

  She leans on the desk. “Do you need me to find Shane or Seth for you?”

  “No,” I say. “It’s nothing important.” I hope. I think. “I can talk to Shane this evening.”

  “Everything’s okay?”

  “Yes. Fine. Please don’t bother them.” My brow furrows. “Why are you being so motherly? It doesn’t suit you.”

  “Motherly?” She pushes off the desk, a frown on her face. “I have never been motherly. I am not that old. Eat your damn pizza.” She turns and walks away, and I laugh, grabbing the phone to get Fitzgerald on the line, but not before deciding I’ll have to delve into Jessica’s mothering syndrome over lunch sometime soon.

  Another few calls and I finally stuff a bite of pizza in my mouth, and at that very moment, Derek walks around the corner, an older version of Shane in a black suit paired with a red tie. He’s standing over me before I can blink and swallow, watching as I choke and reach for a bottle of water, never saying a word, and I hate that he will think he’s rattled me. I hate it so much. Finally, I’m no longer struggling and find my voice.

  “Sorry. I swallowed wrong.”

  “Tell him I’m here.”

  I pick up the phone and buzz Brandon Senior. “Derek is here,” I say.

  “I don’t have time for his nonsense right now. Get rid of him.” He hacks in my ear for several seconds. “Get me more of that damn tea you’re always shoving down my throat.”

  “Right away,” I say, quite enjoying the opportunity to send Derek away. I hang up and say, “It’s a bad time. He’s about to be in a big meeting.”

  “Is that what he said to you?”

  I paraphrase, though nothing would make me happier than to repeat Senior’s exact words. “He said it’s not a good time.”

  His eyes glint hard, lingering on me and he abruptly moves. Before I know what is happening, he’s opening his father’s door. The door shuts again, but not before Senior’s angry spewing of profanity reaches my ears. I sigh, resigned to the chastising I will get over this, like I can control Derek. I need to go get the man his tea. I stand up and stick both of my phones back in my waistband, and head for the lobby.