by Vivian Ward
I climb the stairs leading to the bedroom and find Ally sitting on the bed with her laptop in hand. She doesn’t notice me at first, so I just watch her and think about the meeting that she’s going to have tomorrow and wonder how things are going to play out. She’s putting herself in so much danger for me and I don’t know if I’ll be able to live with myself if anything happens to her. As I start to think about how wrong things can go with all of this, I formulate a plan to make it all right. The days of bullying us are over. I’m going to stop them dead in their tracks.
She hears me clear my throat and looks up at me. “You know I’m only trying to help, right?” she asks.
“I know, babe.” I walk over to her side of the bed. “And you will help. I have a plan. Get some rest because you’re going to need it.”
“What? Why? What’s going on? What did Mark say?”
Kissing her forehead, I smile. “You’re going to that meeting and wearing a wire. Don’t worry about a thing, I’m going to take care of it all.”
Like clockwork, Linda has fresh brewed coffee ready for me like she does every morning. I wish she’d made it extra strong today because I need it.
“You don’t look good today. Is something wrong?” She asks, studying the bags under my eyes that are giving me away.
I slept like shit last night but I don’t want to tell her that. I thought all night about what I’m going to to do and all the different scenarios how this could turn out. Linda has always worried about me even though I wish she wouldn’t. Instead of making her worry, I let her in on a little secret.
“No, everything’s fine,” I tell her. “I just didn’t sleep well last night because the room felt stuffy.” She begins to take eggs and milk out of the refrigerator but I stop her because I don’t have time to eat today. My schedule is about to get a lot busier than it normally is. “You know, Linda, I think I’ll skip breakfast today.”
Her usual smile falls as she looks at me closely. “Are you not feeling well? Are you getting sick?” she asks.
“No, it’s nothing like that.” My fingers grab hold of my stomach, “Just trying to watch what I eat. I’m not getting any younger, you know.”
We both laugh for a second. “Oh, that is silly. Come sit, let me feed you,” she insists.
“No, Linda. I’m not hungry and I have so much to do. I’ll take a cup of coffee to go if you don’t mind.” She purses her lips and narrows her eyes. I know she doesn’t like what she hears but I need to get to the office to pull some information that I’m going to need.
“Fine,” she huffs. “I will get you coffee to go but,” she emphasizes the last word, “when you are starving before lunch, remember that you could have had eggs for breakfast.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I say to her, smiling. She hands me a cup of coffee with the lid carefully placed on top. Piping hot steam rises from the tiny opening, threatening to burn my mouth if I try to drink it too fast. “Thank you, Linda. You’re the best.”
All morning long, I’m swamped with calls and meetings but I manage to make the two most important phone calls of my future. The first is to my lawyer, Jacob Winston, and the second is to my financial advisor. Carter Newman is going to help me secure the deal that will change mine and Ally’s future. Maybe I can kill two birds with one stone by purchasing The Gateway Times instead of letting the publications company buy it. Not only would that take care of the story problem but it would give Ally her own newspaper. She could run it how she likes and turn it into something better. I know she can with all the talent she has.
Chapter 12
Ally
I’m so nervous that I can feel the sweat beginning to bead up on my back. I wonder whether or not the wire can shock me, which makes me even more nervous.
“Mark are you sure this thing isn’t going to electrocute me?” I ask him.
“No, Ally, you’ll do just fine. I promise. We’ve had many people wear a wire and nothing bad has ever happened. If you start to get nervous or you get scared, just use a special phrase to let us know that you need out of there and will help you get out of the restaurant.“
“Like what?“
“Just mention that you need to get going so that you can phone Colton. If we hear you say that, one of us can phone you and you can act like you need to go for some reason.“
“Good idea. OK, I’m ready.”
“Good luck,” he says as I step out of the van. The minute I am standing on the sidewalk I know I’m all alone. I make my way inside Sweet Sensations and immediately smell the baked goods.
The sweet smell of cupcakes, icing, and candy fill my sense., I can almost taste the sugar on the tip of my tongue, but nothing will be as sweet as getting my revenge at this meeting. This is all about taking Darcy down and stopping her from causing harm. I see her sitting at a corner table with a folder beside her and a cup of coffee. Making my way over to her, she sees me and motions for me to join her. I think it’s just the two of us when suddenly Greg appears from the counter. The two of us walk alongside each other and have a seat at the table with Darcy.
“It’s good to finally see you,“ Darcy says. “The fairytale life seems to fit you just fine. So what’s it like being Rapunzel, all locked away in your castle?“
I do my best not to show my hate towards her and give a weak smile. “Oh you know how it goes. I’ve just been working on the stories and trying to help Colton the best I can. So tell me about the story. What’s in the folder?“
“You see Ally, we have a proposal for you,” Greg says, taking the floor as Darcy watches him with goo-goo eyes. “Instead of attaching your name to the story, we’d like to offer you something else.”
I study the two of them. Whatever they’ve cooked up smells like spoiled liver and I don’t want any part of it––not that I actually wanted my name printed with Colton’s story, but I can’t see these two offering me anything good. They’re both as rotten as they come. I lean back in my chair and fold my arms. “What kind of offer?”
“I’m sorry Ally, we’re being rude,” Darcy says. “Let me go grab you a coffee while Greg explains all the details. You’re going to love it.”
“Mmm, I bet,” I nod my head. “I’ll take it with three sugars and two creamers,” I tell her my order. This might be the only chance in history she’ll ever make my coffee so I’m going to take full advantage of it. Once she’s no longer an ear shot away, Greg smiles at me and grabs the folder.
“Now Ally, I know it was important to you that we put your name on this story. How you want to do that, I have no idea. Darcy is going to take full credit for this story but we did some brainstorming and I think we might’ve come up with a solution that’s even better than being on a story.”
My mind races to figure out what the hell he’s talking about. It could be anything since scammers are notorious for coming up with various ploys to do whatever they can to get their way. “What’s that?” I ask.
He opens the folder but doesn’t let me see the paper. “Before I can show this to you, Ally, let me tell you upfront that this is a one-time deal. There will never be any other offers and this is your best option.”
My eyes about fall out of my head. I’ know we’re not very far into the meeting but I can already tell it’s going to take a lot for me to hold it together this afternoon.
“I’m sorry, Greg. Normally, when someone tells you that this is your only offer or that you won’t find anything else better, it’s usually because that’s your only offer and they’re backing you into a corner. Is that what you’re trying to do, Greg? Or am I actually going to have a choice?”
His smile slowly fades as he leans across the table so he can lower he can speak in a lower tone without being overheard. “Let me say this now, Ally. You will not dictate what we do. The key here is remembering that we have the upperhand in this situation. I know you wrote the story and you were even kind enough to edit the story, but facts are facts and possession is nine-tenths of the law. Guess who’s in poss
ession of the story?”
He glides his tongue along his teeth and sucks in a deep breath as he leans back against his chair, pretending to run his fingers through his nearly balding hair.
“You realize that I do know about your affair with Darcy, right, Greg? One little phone call to your wife and you’d lose everything you’ve worked your whole life for. I know that Darcy likes to call me Rapunzel and compares me to being locked away in a castle, but isn’t your wife a housewife herself? Didn’t you pay for everything that she’d get to keep if the two of you were going to get a divorce? So I’d tread carefully if I were you,” I warn him. “Now, what was it you were going to show me.”
His nostrils flare as he tries to refrain from lashing out at me. “As I was saying,” he goes on with a bit of cockiness in his voice, “we have an offer for you that you won’t want to pass up.”
“Here you go,” Darcy returns with my coffee. “I got it just how you like it,” she says as she places my coffee before me.
“Instead of adding your name to the story, we’ve discussed things and we’d like to offer you something better,” Greg explains.
“What’s that?” I ask.
“Before we tell you, let me explain how this will work. You give us your USB drive that has all of your original data on it and we’ll sign this piece of paper.”
I look at the folder but I can’t tell what the paper says. “That depends on what the paper says. What is it?”
He turns the folder around to face me and pushes it across the table. I stare at the two of them, gazing their reactions to all of this. They seem awfully proud and confident about whatever the contents of this folder is. Slowly, I open it and begin reading it. It’s a contract to give me a column in the paper to write whatever I want to write––with approval, of course. It would allow me to cover any topic of my choice at any time and it includes an assistant, my own office, and a raise.
“You’re kidding, right?” I shut the folder. “I mean, are you guys trying to piss me off? Because there’s no way you think I’m this dumb, right?”
Flustered and afraid I’ll spill the beans about Colton having his plan, I stand up from the table and toss my purse over my shoulder. “I have some things to help Colton with so if you don’t mind, I’ll be leaving now,” I huff.
“Ally, wait,” Darcy grabs my arm. “Please, sit down. We want to work with you. Really, we do. So if this doesn’t suit you, what will? What can we do that will make you happy? LIke really happy? Is there a particular section you’d like to write for? A certain department you wanted to get in? You tell us. We’re not mind readers but we can work something out.”
Why is Darcy so willing to work with me on this? It makes me wonder what they know or want that I’ve not figured out yet. “I don’t know,” I say. “I need time to think but this all feels like a huge slap in the face.”
“Allison,” Greg says. “I assure you, this was not meant as a slap in the face. I’m sure we can work something out so that you can keep your spot at the paper and write something that you will enjoy.”
“”Give me some time to think about it. Do you mind if I take this with me?”
Greg looks at me suspiciously. “Why? What would you need it for if you’re not going to accept it?”
“Oh, I’d like to use it as a draft or a template, so I can draw up my own agreement. Because I’ll tell you now, I’m going to need a lot more than my own column and an assistant.” “Let me look it over and come up with something better. I’m sure we can work all of this out.”
“Of course,” he says.
My phone begins to ring and I see that it’s Mark calling from the van. I forgot that our cue for me to get out of there was to talk about Colton. “I’m sorry,” I say to Darcy and Greg, “Colton is calling me. I must go now.”
“Sure,” she says. “Nice seeing you.”
With a final hug, I bid them goodbye and make my way around the corner where the van is still parked.
“You did great, Ally!” Mark says. “You’re a natural at this. Hell, I’d even offer you a job.”
The two of us laugh as he removes the wire from mye. “Thanks but no thanks. I was so nervous in there, you have no clue.”
“Well, you did better than I thought you would. You sounded like an old pro, to be honest. You got everything we need in case Colton needs some leverage.”
“Leverage for what?” I ask. “I got everything we need. They talked about me writing the story and didn’t deny their affair. What more could we hope for?” I laugh. “I think it went perfect.”
Mark stares at me in disbelief. “I think you need to talk to Colton.”
“What is it? Why would I need to talk to him?”
Without another word, he tosses the mic and wire inside a drawer and ceases the conversation. He must know more about Colton’s plan than I do and that bothers me. We live together and this is all my fault. Surely, I should know before some outsider. I dig out my phone to send him a text and to my surprise, my phone goes off as I’m trying to unlock the screen.
It’s Colton.
Chapter 13
Colton
Between appointments and phone calls, I’ve been waiting to hear back from my financial advisor all day to find out what type of offer I should make The Gateway Times. I’ve also been worried sick about Ally and her meeting with Darcy. To make matters worse, my lawyer isn’t calling me back either. I’d really like to begin drafting a business proposal to buy The Gateway Times. Even though I’m not sure what its value or worth is, I can leave that part of the proposal for later and just plug in the numbers when I get them. I don’t know how much more pressure I can take.
“Mr. Kaswell,” my secretary buzzes my office phone.
“Yes?” I answer a little too agitated.
“Mr. Newman is on the line. He says he has some numbers for you.”
I thought he’d never get back to me. “Yes, patch him through right away. This is very urgent so please take any messages until I’ve finished with him.”
“Yes, Mr. Kaswell.”
The line is silent for a moment until I hear his familiar voice on the other end of the line. “Hey, Colton,” Carter Newman says when I answer the phone. He’s been the family’s financial advisor since I was about five years old. “I received your message and was calling you back with those numbers you asked about.”
“It’s good to hear from you and thank you so much. I really appreciate it. I know it’s short notice but like I said, it’s very urgent.”
“I don’t mind a bit, that’s what I’m paid for,” he chuckles.
“What did you find out?” I ask.
“Okay, this was tricky because you wanted to know the net worth of The Gateway Times which was hard to determine. I had to look at their numbers in terms of how many employees, their annual revenue earnings and other factors, but I also had to compare these numbers to other news stations.”
“Right? What was so tricky about that?” I ask.
“It’s like comparing apples to oranges, my friend. Their revenue is grossly under that of their peers so I had to look at why, and this is what made it so difficult to determine a value if you were to attempt to make them an offer.”
“So give it to me,” I say, frustrated that he’s not giving me a straight answer.
“I would estimate The Gateway Times is worth a million dollars if you were to make them an offer.”
That’s such a low number that I find it shocking. How can a news outlet in such a prominent, large area like St. Louis only be worth one mill? It doesn’t make any sense.
“Only a million? Why?”
“Honestly, it’s really hard to say because they don’t offer the same things as other news sources. For example, they do not have majority of their articles online. They also do not live stream any breaking news. It always gets published the next day. They just don’t have the reach that they could have which severely limits their potential to step up as a leading news sou
rce. As a result of that, their earnings are dangerously low.”
“What would you recommend I do in terms of making them an offer?”
“I hate advising you of this, but I’d say offer them the million that they’re worth. They may say yes, they may say no. If they balk at the offer, you could offer them more but I’d be careful with that. In the moment, they’re not worth much more than that. The potential is there and you could easily make your money back and then some if you implement technology, but doing so will cost money. You’ll need to put together an entire department to determine the best solution to streamline everything to make it simple. Putting a team together will cost money. Then there’s the expense of servers, bandwidth, things like that. You’ll need to bring on an IT team to make sure it runs smoothly. Like I said, it can be done but it will cost you.”
“What’s the bottom line? How long do you think until I’d make my money back?” I’m not even sure why I’m asking him because it doesn’t matter. I have to make sure this story doesn’t get published and when it comes to Ally, I’d spend any amount of money to make sure she is happy. I wouldn’t care if I never made the money back.
“The St. Louis area is huge, Colton. The potential is there. If you can improve the delivery of news and become more competitive, I’d say you could turn it all around and double your money in the first two years.”
Of course, hearing that is music to my ears. This is a no-brainer. It needs to happen and the sooner it does, the better.
“Thanks, Carter. I’ll sit down with my attorney and begin drafting a proposal. I appreciate it.”
“Good luck,” he says before we disconnect the call.
Hearing how I can easily scoop up The Gateway Times and double my money in the first couple of years is the best news I’ve heard all day and I can’t wait to share it with Ally. Pulling out my cell phone, I send her a text to call me right away and she does.