by Hart, Alana
CHAPTER TEN
"Striker's coming to my office tomorrow morning at nine and said that if you aren't there, he'll take that as your answer."
She laughed. "That asshole is pushing even harder now that he thinks he holds all the aces. He must be getting nervous after spending the money on Thom's stock and not managing to get me to return his calls."
"Are you ready to meet with him?"
She looked at Riley. "I think so."
"What have you decided?"
She laughed. "Riley, I am going to decide when I face him. I have more than one option, and I need to balance them against one another. I mean I have to look at working for Striker versus going on vacation." She laughed, feeling giddy.
He grinned. "Oh, that. Yes. I said you could probably use a vacation."
"Well, it turns out that the answer to that suggestion has important ramifications for me. What I think about that goes straight to the heart of what I might fundamentally want."
"Which is?"
She kissed him. "Unfortunately, that is the as yet unanswered question."
"To which you will come up with an answer by tomorrow morning?"
She poured a glass of water from the pitcher and drank slowly. "Yup. Actually, if I'm right, in the morning the answer will make itself clear. I think we'll all get to learn what it is at the same time." The words sounded odd, but she felt comfortable that she'd gotten it mostly right.
"That doesn't make sense."
"You know the old saying about it isn't what you say but what you do that counts?"
"Of course."
"Well, then we will just have to see what I do because although I have thoughts, they pull me in every direction, and my only decision is to see how and where it all goes. No planning; no getting laughed at."
Riley put his hand on hers. "I think you are a little bit crazy. It's all this… stuff. Not that I mind in the least, but I thought you should know that I've noticed you are total lunatic. I still love you. Maybe the truth is that I could only love a lunatic."
"You are a brave man, Riley. A very brave man. Perhaps too brave."
"You can't be too brave."
"Sometimes you can. We just don't know if this is one of those times."
He looked into her eyes. "Something changed. You've had another talk with Sal."
She blushed. "Yes. He's no prettier."
"But he's still Sal. I have a feeling you are seeing past that face. See, you look like a woman who has already made some decisions even if she doesn't know it." She caught an undercurrent of sadness that made her wonder where his thoughts were headed.
"Maybe I have. If so, I don't know what they are. Can you trust me on that, believe that I'll tell you when I've decided?"
"Yes."
"And I need a favor."
"A favor?"
"In your capacity as a financial person. I want to make an investment for me, but I don't want it in my name."
"That's why God invented holding companies."
"Does it take long to start one?"
"Forever. That's why it's easier to buy a shell company."
"Can you do that for me?"
"Of course. If you want me as temporary director, I could buy the company today and make the investment as soon as you give me the money."
"I can transfer the money today."
"What's the investment?"
She opened her briefcase and took out a computer printout. "Here's all the information. I want to buy all the stock I can get for $250,000."
After he'd read it, scowling as he went over the numbers, he looked up. "I assume you have your reasons, but I've never heard of them, and it isn't the kind of thing I'd recommend to anyone."
"I understand."
"Can this be done tomorrow?"
"Sure. By late today, I'd imagine, if that's what you want. Under the circumstances, I mean the cash need at Diamond, can I ask where you got the money?"
"You can ask me anything, Riley. It's Sal's money."
He smiled. "So you have made a decision."
She smiled. "Call it part of one. And now I'm off."
"To see Sal?"
"No. I need to do some data collection and feed the decision-making machinery. I need to see Craig to get some feedback on options and then do some thinking and digesting." She kissed him again. "Just let me work this through."
"Of course."
* * * *
Craig gave her his best imitation of a firm businesslike face and told her the truth. "I did it because I had to show Crystal that I care about the future."
Craig's naiveté could still amaze her. "So you gave away our bargaining chips, my ability to negotiate with Striker to secure the future? That makes no sense."
His smile was smug. "It put money in my pocket."
"Where pocket change belongs. In return for which, we lose the company."
"No. I just agreed to sell my shares if we don't get funding."
"Which means Striker will sabotage any outside investment. His buying Thom's shares made things hard enough. With your shares, he gets controlling interest. Then he can do what he wants with the company." She watched him squirm in his chair for a moment. "Who gave you the idea of talking to Striker?"
"I don't remember."
"Liar. It was Lenora, wasn't it?"
He looked uncomfortable. "Yes."
It all added up. "I know she's all cuddly and cute, and probably a great lay, but she's been working for Striker from the beginning."
"What?"
"She's the one that fed him information. Then, she was sleeping with Thom. She convinced him not to fund the project, and then to sell his shares to Striker."
"Why?"
"Beyond the likelihood that she's sleeping with Striker, she wants to be the new CEO of Diamond Software. Once Striker takes over, that won't be much more than a ceremonial position, of course, but there's a nice career ahead of her being his flunky. It's sure to pay well and help her make other connections. And she'll get that stock position she wants so badly. Of course, when she demanded we change her deal and give her stock, she was only trying to complicate our efforts to find an investor to give Striker time. I didn't see it then, but the way things unfolded, I'm sure of it now."
Craig looked nervous and embarrassed. "I'll ask her."
She laughed. "She'd probably fuck you again for old time's sake, Craig, but I doubt she'll tell you the truth. She's going to have some story to explain her promotion, about how Striker saw her unrecognized talent. Why would she tell you anything else when she expects you to be one of her key employees?"
"I can quit."
"Only if you're ready to retire to Europe with Crystal. You signed a five-year contract last year, and it has a non-compete clause. That's part of what Striker gets for his money."
Craig slumped. "Shit."
"So what do you want to do?"
"Me?"
"You. What future do you want?"
"I don't know."
That was the problem. "I'm trying to do what I can for us both but if you don't see the future, then I can't help you get there, Craig."
He scowled. "What do you care? It isn't your problem anymore, Megan. You ended our personal relationship a long time ago."
The words contained bitterness, but she grabbed on to an insight. "Thank you, Craig. You're absolutely right, and I appreciate you pointing that out to me."
He gave her a confused look. "What?"
"That it's none of my business. I tend to take on more than I should. I appreciate you giving me your honest opinion of my help." She felt a marvelous release from one of the conflicting burdens she'd been carrying, and it opened a world of options. The outcome she wanted was beginning to get clear.
* * * *
In the evening when she finally left work and met Riley he ushered her into his apartment, fixed her a drink and handed her a thick envelope. "Congratulations,
you are now the CEO of Turtle, Inc., a Delaware corporation that ostensibly makes turtle food, although as far as I know you have no obligation to do so."
"Turtle food?"
"The company was formed to be sold. It's a shell company that does nothing, but the forms ask questions, and they had to put in something. Just be glad it isn't nuclear waste disposal. The stock shares are transferred into your name, and the paperwork for assigning the other shares are in there as you requested. You just need to fill in the form and send it in. The balance of your money was duly invested as you directed. The timing was perfect. The shares apparently had been falling for two days before we bought and you, via Turtle, are now the majority stockholder."
"Great. And what your bill for doing this?"
He refilled their drinks. "Consider it a gift, of sorts. You paid for the company and the stock. I bought a minority interest in that company for myself. I figured if you were investing in it, I stood to make a bundle without having to do all the nasty thinking that normally goes along with investments. Call us even. I do have some questions for you, though, and if you feel you owe me something, I'll blackmail you for some answers."
"I told you I'd give you my answer..."
He reached over to touch her shoulder. "Not that question, Megan. I'm not pressing that now."
"Then you want to know what the hell I'm doing?"
"That's more like what I was wondering. You could've used a fraction of that money to get controlling interest in Diamond Software and then use the rest to launch the program. That would put you right on track with where you were headed a few days ago. But all this smells like a course change to me. Seeing as I'm involved in this, I thought it would be handy to know what you intend to do."
"This course change as you call it is more a way of keeping a promise. At least, I hope it is. It's kind of confusing, Riley."
"Can I help clarify things?"
She touched his cheek. “You are part of the confusion. How I feel about you and these strange comments about vacations and walking away… You've made me think. Even though I want to succeed with Diamond Software, I know I'm not going to sacrifice myself on the altar to make that happen. I might be able to buy out Craig and spend years fighting with Striker over every damn thing, but that wouldn't exactly be a victory. With Striker involved, it's going to be a battle."
"And as long as you need money people there will be someone like him looking over your shoulder."
She nodded. "And breathing down my neck. So this company, Turtle, is another option that has many ways to play out."
He nodded. "That makes sense, but you aren't telling me everything. You haven't asked for my money, even though the offer is still there, and now you've invested Sal's in another company. "
She laughed. "Fair enough. The truth is I don't know what's possible in the meeting tomorrow, and I'll need to send up some trial balloons before I can finally decide. There are some factors that are going to make it pretty damn hard to come up with a result that I'd consider workable. Sal gave me the money to invest based on the idea that it would allow me to follow my dream. Your offer is to help me get what I think I want, but Striker's games have made that impossible. After what I learned from Craig today, I think that dream, if not the company, has run its course anyway. At the meeting, I intend to enjoy myself and see if I can't earn a little money. What else comes out of it we'll have to wait and see."
Riley stood up and walked to the open doors that led to his patio. She watched his shoulders move as he took long breaths. Without turning, he spoke in that marvelous resonant baritone that always thrilled her, carefully choosing his words. This time his words chilled her. "You still love Sal."
The simple statement was said with such finality that it sent a shock wave through her. As it rumbled to her core, she knew it was true. "I don't know."
"I do." He turned around. "You would too if you weren't in the middle of such a damn jumble of things, and worrying about my feelings, afraid of hurting me at the same time." She started to speak, but he interrupted her. "Don't worry, I've known you didn't love me for long enough that I had a chance to accept the idea, even if I didn't like it."
"But I didn't know myself."
He smiled. "Exactly. If you'd loved me, you would have known right away. The fact that you had to think about my proposal told me a lot. The memory of Sal came between us. You cared for me in much the same way as you did him, and for some of the same qualities. You more or less told me that yourself." Megan listened, hearing a powerful echo of Carla's words about her relationship with Sal and how it made her feel like an unwilling substitute for Megan. "I pretended you'd eventually let go of your memory of him, and we'd be fine." He laughed. "I had shitty timing, though. He came back. And as much as you say he isn't the same, once you told me he'd come back I knew I never stood a chance."
"And you said nothing?"
"No. There was a long shot chance I could be wrong, that he'd do or say something that would drive a wedge between you or that Carla would cling to him. Besides, I wasn't willing to give up when I might have a chance. That's not my style."
"No, it isn't."
"But now you are investing in this small Italian company and thinking of things outside of Diamond Software. Your focus shifted, and there is only one thing I can think of that would make you do that—Sal."
She got up and came to wrap her arms around him. "And so, despite trying not to, I hurt you anyway."
He laughed. "That's pretty normal for life, isn't it? It's hard to make choices that don't hurt someone even as they help others. If you lived your life doing nothing that hurt anyone, you'd do nothing. Besides, you were almost mine for a time and when it comes to unforgettable memories, I've got one."
No words came to mind, and she just stood there, her arms around him, her cheek on his back. "What do we do?"
"Do?" He laughed. "We go about the business of life, Megan. We go to the meeting tomorrow and find a way to spike Striker's plan and extricate you from the tangle he created. And then, when you know where the ground is, which way is up, you do what you need to do for yourself."
"And you?"
"I'm a big kid. I can love and lose and bounce back. If you don't mind, I'll exercise my right to pout and sulk a bit first though, as I came damn close to getting what I wanted."
She felt a moment of helplessness, wishing there was something she could do to ease his pain, cheer him up, and make him smile. But his happiness that was out of her control now, just as much as Craig's was. "I'd better go home then."
"That's a wise idea. Otherwise I might try to use my copious masculine charms in a last sneaky attempt to steal your heart. And while I don't mind being sneaky and underhanded in the least, I doubt it would make either of us happy tomorrow." Then he turned and kissed her. "Go now."
* * * *
Striker arrived wearing his cheap suit and the smug smile of a poker player with five aces. Even though it annoyed Megan, she understood how he felt. He'd set things up nicely for himself and put her on the back foot with some swift moves. She hadn't been ready to counter them, and he was proud of himself. A player among players.
He sat opposite her now, dropping a stack of folders on the table with a gesture that seemed to say: "I've got it all in hand." He accepted a cup of coffee from Riley's ancient secretary and sat back in his chair. Riley fussed with something at his desk. A short time later, Craig came in and sat, carrying a can of coke. Seeing him, Riley shook his head, then came to the table and sat. "I suppose we should get started."
Bill Striker waved a hand. "We're waiting for one more person."
Riley pulled out a chair. "Who would that be?"
He grinned. "Lenora."
"This meeting should be about ownership of the company, not operations."
The door opened, and Lenora came in. She wore a tight dress that showed her figure well and a smile that was even more smug than Striker's. "She's a stockholder,
" Striker said. "I gave her five percent from my stock."
Lenora sat next to him and folded her arms. "Not gave. You don't give anyone anything but shit, Bill. I earned those shares."
Megan noted the look of surprise on Craig's face and resisted smiling. Craig was getting a lesson in the ways people looked out for themselves. He had to learn it eventually if he wanted to play with this crowd.
Striker placed his hands on the table. "So let me lay out the game the way I see it unfolding. Unless you've got an investor now, I can exercise my option for Craig's shares and I'll have a majority."
Megan enjoyed his intense frown of concentration. "That's right, Bill. What do you intend to do?"
"If you sell me your stock I'll make Diamond a subsidiary of Striker Enterprises, as I told you I would. If not, as majority stockholder, I'll sell my company the program and dissolve the company."
Megan smiled. "I see. Well, the truth is that I have two potential investors." She glanced at Riley. "They are both willing to buy in and let me vote their shares, which means you wouldn't have a controlling interest even if you still bought Craig's stock."
"Where's this money?" Striker looked furious.
"I don't have it right now."
"Then it isn't real. You are bluffing." The smug smile came back.
"Oh, it's real, but I decided to play outside your game plan. As CEO and according to the decision of the board at the last meeting, I've them both the right to buy the treasury stock next week, after you acquire Craig's stock."
"So you'll go back to plodding along."
She liked the way he looked indignant. "No. Neither of my investors really wants to be involved, and I don't either anymore. So we'll sell Craig's program as you want, but not to you. I've talked to three companies willing to pay a substantial amount for it."
"But then the company is worthless."
She held out her hands. "Looks that way. We'd have the money from the sale to divide up and what we get selling whatever assets are left. We're debt free so it would all go to us. Of course, you wouldn't get back nearly what you paid Thom for his shares, Bill, much less the amount you'll have to fork out to Craig."