by Wolfe, H. M.
CHAPTER 13
"Mister Stark, it's a real pleasure to meet you," James Weldon, the older of the two senior associates in the firm said, shaking Alastair's hand. With his three-piece suit, silk tie and antique watch attached to the vest, the man was the embodiment of the successful lawyer concept.
"I am glad to meet you, too, Mister Weldon," the former CIA director smiled coldly, "I heard a lot of interesting things about this law office in general and you in particular."
"Well, I only hope those interesting things you heard of were also good things," Weldon replied. As he found out from different, more or less official sources, Alastair Stark had the reputation, among other things, of making good use of words and their meanings.
"They sure are, Mister Weldon, they sure are. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here, would I?" the redhead said, smiling mysteriously. "I've come in peace to bring you good news, but let's wait for Mister Somerset first, he deserves to hear them too. You are partners after all.”
”Sure, it's the right thing to do,” the lawyer approved, mainly because the other man didn't leave him any other choice. That farmer’s son who was his associate made it clear in the discussion they’d had over the weekend that he, the great James Weldon, had to pack his things and leave the firm, first thing in the morning. Before that, he was going to impress Stark, show him what a real boss was made of.
When Somerset gave him the news that all the firm’s shares were in his possession, Weldon had yelled at the man, accused him of betrayal, then ended up begging to be spared public humiliation, and his partner agreed. He was going to retire discreetly, packing his personal belongings after the meeting. With the generosity of the winner, Somerset also allowed to his soon to be former associate to be the one who’d meet Alastair first.
”Sure, it's the right thing to do,” the lawyer approved, mainly because the other man didn't leave him any other choice.
Like all the other well-reputed law firms and independent professionals from New York City, James Weldon also heard of Alastair Stark's search for an office able to provide top quality, prompt and exclusive services. Together with his associate, Matthew Somerset, he decided to try the waters, although the competition was fierce.
While the two men waited for the other senior partner, Weldon thought that Stark's presence in his office could mean only one thing. They had been selected to represent Bloom Enterprises and Stark, Inc. His thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door, most likely one of the experienced employees, or even Ricky Benard, his wife's nephew, a young man with a great future ahead.
To Weldon's disappointment, it was only that old, black woman who was playing receptionist, when in fact she was Somerset's eyes and ears in the lobby and reception area. He would have kicked her big, fat ass out of the office a long time ago, but his associate had decided to keep her around.
”Yes, Gloria, what is it?” Weldon asked in a bored voice, showing the woman she was not welcome there.
”Mister Somerset said he’s been waiting for you and Mister Stark for twenty minutes already, wondering if you read the memo I put on your desk.” The woman shook her head, rolling her eyes. Then suddenly, she saw Alastair. ”Well hello there, Mister Stark, nice to meet you in person.”
”Nice to meet you too, Miss Gloria,” the man smiled charmingly, shaking her hand. Then, casting her a worried look, he continued. ”I hope everything is well with the boys. Did you see them already this morning?”
”Not yet, but they will appear soon, those blessed souls are never late like others are most of the time,” Gloria replied, shooting daggers in Weldon's direction.
As an exasperated Weldon showed Alastair the way to his partner's office, he turned to the woman, winking at her and grinning widely. She chose to ignore the man's coded messages, but her heart jumped joyously for her favorite boys. This Mister Stark was indeed a man of his word. A good man, she could sense it.
”Come in. I've been waiting for you," Matthew Somerset, the main senior partner in the firm, spoke, inviting the two men in his office. I can't tell you how honored I am having someone like you here, Mister Stark”, the man continued, shaking Alastair's hand.
”The pleasure is mine,” the answer came, accompanied by a smile directed to Somerset. ”I heard a lot of good things about you and some of your younger employees,” the former head of CIA continued.
”Do sit down, Mister Stark, and tell us more, please, about the reason you're here. You can take a seat, too, James,” Somerset ended the sentence on a less pleasant voice than the one he used when speaking to Alastair.
”Well, after going through a ton of emails, a particular one got my full attention. It was a complex business law case study, that, according to my humble opinion, demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of the federal and state legal stipulations regarding different conflicts that can affect a contract or impending transaction. I was so impressed that I decided to search no more, and go with your office instead.”
”It's a very inspired decision, Mister Stark, I and my associate will do everything in our power to make you happy. By providing you with the most competent legal advice. Helping your companies develop and prosper,” Weldon couldn't contain his excitement at the news.
”I may be an old-school gentleman, but this doesn't mean I am not open to everything that's new. There's something heartwarming about young people's enthusiasm. Especially when they want to prove they're worthy of the boss', or bosses,' trust. That is why I want to know the younger lawyers working in this office,” Alastair smiled mysteriously.
Neither of the two associates offered him a reply, each of them having his ideas about what younger lawyers meant. Weldon, who came from an old money family, was always frustrated that it wasn't him who’d turned a small law office into a successful firm, but his associate, the son of a mere farmer. That was why he was hellbent on smoothing the way for his nephew, Richard Benard so that the young man could take over the firm, his associate's share included.
Somerset, on the other hand, worked hard for a full scholarship and even harder to pay for the books he needed that he couldn't borrow from a library or another student. Because of this, he valued those employees who put extra time and effort to keep the standards at the high level he had set them decades earlier. That was why he became attached to Mallory Ashburn and that pale, quiet blond who always hung out with him, Elliott Spellmann.
”Sure, Mister Stark, in fact, I was about to talk to you about the most promising young lawyer working here, an outstanding talent when it comes to negotiation, the future of this company,” Weldon started, as always, to exaggerate his wife's nephew's qualities.
”You are talking about either Mister Ashburn or Mister Spellmann, I suppose,” Alastair relaxed in the giant armchair.
”No, not at all, those two are mediocre at best, the name of the young man in question is Richard Benard.
”Well, it isn't his lucky day, because I came here determined to meet Ashburn and Spellmann and talk to them,” the Stark family's patriarch smiled ironically. ”However, Mister Weldon, you can bring that Benard guy in here, too, if you insist.”
And there they were, Mallory and Elliott under the scrutiny of the critical client who could make the firm they worked for even more famous than it already was. Mostly because he spent almost the entire Sunday with Eugene and the kids, enjoying their company, Elliott looked better, more confident than usual, the bags under his eyes less dark and heavy.
Mallory, on the other hand, had another sleepless night, trying to figure out how to make the most of his already stretched to the limit budget. The debutantes’ ball was less than three weeks away, and his younger sister needed a dress for the occasion, the payment for his brother's car was due in a week, and he hadn't managed to buy anything for himself, not even a shirt.
Suddenly, Mallory lowered his head, too ashamed of his old suit and shirt, out-of-fashion shoes and lack of jewelry to look into the redhead's eyes. The man was the epitome of sophisticatio
n, why would he want to have anything to do with someone like himself?
”Are you all right? Sorry, I don't know who is who here. I am Alastair Stark, by the way,” the man spoke, extending his hand.
”Mallory Ashburn, meeting you is an honor, sir,” he replied, shaking the hand the redhead offered.
”Elliott Spellmann,” the blond introduced himself, giving the older man a vigorous handshake.
”I am thrilled to meet both of you,” Alastair gave them a warm, fatherly smile. ”Let me congratulate you on the project you submitted on behalf of your firm. It was quite impressive. I am happy to inform both of you that, from now on, you, under Mister Somerset's supervision, will be in charge of everything regarding the companies’ part of the Stark and Bloom estate.”
Eyes widened in shock, the three lawyers stayed silent for a few seconds. Then, summoning the little courage he had, Mallory decided to speak. ”With all due respect, sir, this cannot be. Elliott nor I would disrupt the hierarchy, bringing chaos to this office.”
Looking into the young man's beautiful, chocolate-brown eyes, Alastair could see he didn't lie. That he was determined to leave the things as they were, most likely because he wasn't born to the right family. ”What if I told you that having you and Elliott in charge is a mandatory condition for sealing the deal?”
Mallory shook his head slowly, taking a deep breath. ”Don't do this to your companies. Don't blow the work of your parents and ancestors into the wind. All those people worked so hard to bring them to where they are now. And you, instead of passing on their legacy, are ready to destroy everything for a whim?”
As he looked into Mallory's eyes, Alastair could see the mix of disappointment and despair in them. The former head of the Dragons' House knew, deep inside, that the young lawyer was right. None of his more experienced, arrogant co-workers would listen to him, so all the pressure, the hard work, would weigh down on Mallory's and Elliott's fragile shoulders.
”There is a way for everything, including this,” Somerset broke the uncomfortable silence in the room. ”Anyway, Mister Stark, first I would like to make sure that this is what you want." The lawyer looked straight into his potential client's piercing, dark-green eyes.
Alastair nodded. ”Yes, I want Mallory Ashburn and Elliott Spellmann to be in charge of everything related to Stark, Inc and Bloom Enterprises. I won't change my mind. You have my word.”
”Good. Look, this is how I am going to solve the problem. You appoint me as the associate in charge of everything, and I am going to need two assistants to keep up with the huge volume of work. Then, I am going to delegate my work regarding your companies to my new assistants.”
”And the names of the two new assistants happen to be Mallory Ashburn and Elliott Spellmann?” Alastair smiled amused.
”Exactly,” Somerset answered, returning the smile. ”You see, Mister Stark, Mallory is right, no one will listen to him or Elliott, if they go there by themselves, no matter how hard working and intelligent they are. On the other hand, invested with my authority...”
”They would carry the orders of the big bad boss, and no one would dare to oppose them,” Alastair finished the sentence, smiling maliciously. ”You know, Mister Somerset, I am starting to like you very much. We have a deal, then.”
Right then, a knock on the door signaled the return of Weldon, accompanied by a young man about Mallory's age, maybe a year or two younger. He was dressed in a designer suit, wore classy shoes and expensive accessories, his nails manicured and hair perfectly styled. The brown-green eyes of the young man had a self-sufficient expression that made Alastair dislike him instantly.
”Good morning, Matthew, sorry I'm late, the traffic was hellish this morning,” he said, taking a seat without being invited to. Then, noticing Alastair, he stood up again, extending his hand. ”I am glad to meet you, Mister Stark. It will be a pleasure to work for you. My name is Richard Benard, but I think James already mentioned it.”
Alastair took the extended hand, but he only held it for a few seconds before letting it go. ”The traffic is hellish, indeed, but, if you leave from home earlier... Anyway, what does an old man like me know? Mister Somerset here and I belong to another era. We still cling to politeness and other values that are considered outdated by the younger generation.”
Benard looked at the man, not knowing what to say. Suddenly, he saw Elliott, his favorite bullying target. ”Hey, Matthew, what is this loser doing here? Who let him in? That Gloria woman should do her job better and not let just anyone into your office.”
”Elliott and I are here as per Mister Stark and Mister Somerset's express request," Mallory spoke coldly. ”You better show him some respect. I am saying this for your good, Benard.”
”Oh, really, Ashburn? How sweet of you to defend your little lover! Well, it looks like the two of you did end up in bed together, after all.” Richard fell silent, waiting for the bomb he dropped to produce its effect.
To his great disappointment, none of the four men made any comments to what he said. Both Elliott and Mallory had neutral expressions. They didn't even flinch when Benard called them names. The one who reacted was Somerset, who smiled slyly and pressed the intercom.
”Gloria, would you be so kind as to bring me the contracts I gave you this morning? Please, girl, make it ASAP!” Then, he turned to his associate's wife's nephew, ready to put the bastard in his place. ”Yes, it's an official thing, there's no point in denying it any longer. Mallory and Elliott ended up together, in the same bed, and it's entirely my doing.”
”What do you mean by that, Matthew? You knew it all along and chose not to inform my uncle? That is...” He was cut short by Gloria, who came in bringing two manila folders.
”Anything else, sir?” the woman asked Somerset, putting the folders on the desk, in front of him.”
”No, thank you, young lady,” the lawyer smiled. ”Oh, you should stay here a little longer, I think you are going to like this.”
”As you wish, Mister Somerset,” Gloria answered, a confused expression on her face.
”OK, boys, these are the documents I was telling you about earlier. Once you sign them, everything becomes official.”
The two lawyers nodded, signing the papers in front of them. As they did, Alastair studied Somerset's expression. Something was off there, he could sense it, but it wasn't something wrong, at least not for the boys. There was more about the old lawyer that meets the eye, the former CIA director thought.
”Good job, fellows,” Somerset smiled, shaking Mallory's and Elliott's hands. ”Now, about your uncle, Benard, and the role he plays in this firm. Starting from today, James Weldon is no more a partner in this law office, not when his share is only ten percent.”
”But ...but he owned forty percent of it, what happened to the rest? You stripped him of his share, didn't you, Matthew? Nothing more than a greedy, manipulative farmer's son that is all you are!” Benard lashed out, without giving a fuck about who was listening to him.”
”Over the years, your uncle James borrowed huge amounts of money from different people, using portions of his share as collateral. I couldn't sit and watch how he destroyed what I've spent the best years of my life creating. So, every time James did this, I paid his loans in exchange for the shares he guaranteed it with. This morning, I informed your uncle about the new situation and asked him to leave, which he agreed.”
Richard Benard was shocked by Somerset's revelations, but he also suspected something even more terrible. ”So, you intend to run the office by yourself now, huh?”
”Not at all. I am going to retire, leaving some younger, more qualified lawyers to run the firm from now on. Gentlemen and lady, it's my pleasure to introduce you to the new bosses of the office, Mister Mallory Ashburn and Mister Elliott Spellmann.”
CHAPTER 14
"What?!" Richard Benard couldn't believe what his uncle's partner just said. "Are you out of your mind, Matthew? How could you leave the office in the hands of these...these..
." He was unable to continue, anger and frustration suffocating him.
"I would be more careful with your words, if I were you, Dick," Mallory intervened in an ice-cold voice. "He may no longer be an associate here, but you still owe him respect as a senior employee. That is, of course, if you still want to keep your job here," the young lawyer smiled coldly.
"Well, as I see it, congratulations are in order," Alastair left his seat, shaking hands with Elliott, then turning to Mallory. The former Supreme Dragon took the lawyer's hand and smiled, lightly massaging it. "Congratulation, Mister Ashburn, you deserve this and more."
"So, looks like I am going to have new bosses to work my ass off for," Gloria smiled brightly, pulling both young men into a warm, motherly hug. "I am very happy for you, my boys," she added.
"I worked in and for this office, since I was twenty-five — a fresh law graduate with nothing more than a diploma, the will to succeed and hard work. I worked for almost thirty-five years in a row, not allowing myself to rest. No wife or kids by my side, because I had no time for distractions. Here I am, at sixty-two, with no one I could leave the firm to until you. Then you came into my life, dear boys. I've put you to the test enough. Now I can rest assured, knowing that the fruit of my hard work is in good hands." Somerset stated, emotionally.