"No problem," Jack said in a relieved tone. "Better yet--have the report sent to Mr. O'Shay as soon as it's ready."
Ms. McCall answered, "I'll do that."
Theodore's thoughts were on Kiernan. "Such a tragedy--for everyone--if she's guilty."
AFTER LEANING BACK into the armchair in Ian Broxton's office, Ariel's attention strayed to the right wall, only vaguely interested in a set of prints depicting a foxhunt scene from the 1800's. She next glanced with disinterest at the diplomas and the glass front bookcase with its numerous volumes of law books. Her mother occupied the chair next to her.
The door opened, and Ian Broxton entered. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Ms. Thorsen." He placed an electronic notebook on his desk as he took his seat. He flipped open the notebook, activated it, and lifted his eyes to Joanna. "I have the results of the test and have gone over them." His features sobered. "Ms. Thorsen, the results aren't good. They indicate you weren't truthful."
Both Joanna and Ariel sucked in their breath. Joanna grabbed her daughter's hand in hers, clutching it tightly.
Ariel blurted out angrily, "This is some kind of mistake!"
"I told the truth," Joanna protested. "How can the test show otherwise?"
"Ms. Thorsen--"
"This is Kiernan O'Shay's doing!" Ariel almost shouted. "She's behind--"
"Ariel!" Joanna put her hand on her daughter's arm, forestalling her from continuing. "Let Mr. Broxton finish."
He regarded Joanna gravely. "Ms. Thorsen, as you're aware, Benton and Greene have developed an almost foolproof method of determining whether a person is truthful or not. The Greene polygraph has been proven over the years to be 99.7 percent accurate--"
Ariel interrupted and said with disgust, "Ms. O'Shay bribed them. She--"
Joanna softly squeezed her daughter's hand. "Ariel, please, let him finish."
Ian regarded Ariel with curiosity, before asking, "What possible motive would Ms. O'Shay have in doing that, Ms. Thorsen?"
Ariel stared him straight in the eyes. "I refused her offer of marriage."
Her statement appeared to stun him. He recovered, scrutinized Ariel, and demanded, "Please explain that statement, Ms. Thorsen."
Ariel proceeded to do just that.
"WELL, MY DEAR, what is it you want to do?" Theodore asked from his chair in front of Kiernan's desk.
Kiernan closed her eyes, rubbing the lids with her right thumb and forefinger. "I can't believe she did this. She recently received a promotion and is making a good salary--at least twenty-five percent more than her prior salary. What possible motive would she have?"
"Good old-fashioned greed is my guess. I've been a lawyer for almost seventy years, and I can tell you even those with the greatest material wealth are often those who aren't satisfied and want more. Her new position provided an excellent opportunity for gain. She would have gotten away with it if only a routine security check had been performed. Jack's new hire discovered it. Sometimes it takes a different set of eyes to catch things that would normally seem innocuous."
"Still, I'm a good judge of character and Joanna Thorsen did not strike me as a dishonest person. My instincts are rarely wrong. Are you sure--"
"Kiernan. Be reasonable. You're letting your-- expectations--concerning Ariel Thorsen cloud your judgment. All the evidence points to her guilt. Her computer contained information that had no business being there, and she has no plausible explanation. Benton and Greene are the best in the business, and their results are accepted by almost every judicial system in the world as evidence."
Kiernan ran a hand through her hair and shifted uneasily in her chair, reluctantly thinking her uncle might be right concerning her judgment--at least in this matter. She wanted to believe Joanna Thorsen was innocent. But her first priority was to the company. "She could have done some serious damage to Stellardyne if she passed our new engine specifications on to any of our competitors. Are you positive she didn't get this information to any of them?"
"Jack isn't one hundred percent sure, but it appears she didn't, as the specifications were never attached to an e-mail, and the computer doesn't record it ever being copied to a micro-disc. I hate to say this--take my advice and make an example of her. If you don't, others will attempt the same thing. This will also send a strong message to whomever she was prepared to sell this to that you're serious and won't tolerate this sort of thing."
"If she's found guilty how much time will she serve?"
"She has a clean background and it appears she never sold the information. However, the intent was there, and the law does treat this as attempted theft. Six months is the minimum and a fine of one hundred thousand dollars. I think the judge will be lenient and sentence her to less time and a reduced fine. We can always make that recommendation."
Kiernan said, "Press charges. As you say, it will send a message."
"I'll take care of everything, my dear. It might take a few days to write the report and go through the process."
"Very well," she mumbled, her thoughts running to one thing now. Ariel would hold her to blame, and she would never stand a chance of changing her mind on accepting the proposal.
Chapter Ten
ARIEL PULLED UP another quiz on her computer to grade. She almost hadn't come in to work today, but her mother said she would be fine and for her to go. A soft knock on her office door alerted her to a visitor, maybe a student or colleague. "Computer, save." She looked to the door and said, "Come in."
She was surprised when Theodore O'Shay walked through the door and said, "Dr. Thorsen, might I have a minute of your time?"
Ariel was puzzled as to why he was here. This had to have something to do with her mother. She motioned to the chair by her desk. "I have class in twenty minutes."
"This shouldn't take long." He seated himself, placed his cane across his lap, and gazed at her with somber eyes. "I'm here to talk about your mother."
Ariel let out a harrumph and said, "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me. Unless you're here to tell me this whole thing is a farce, I'm not interested in hearing what you have to say."
"I'm afraid it's anything but a farce. Things aren't good for your mother. Kiernan plans on pressing charges--"
"She's innocent and you know it," Ariel said indignantly. "This is all some sort of revenge for--" She fell silent, wondering how much he knew about Kiernan's proposal, and debating whether she should tell him.
Theodore took away that decision. "For your refusing Kiernan's proposal. She would never do anything like that."
"Apparently she has. I'm prepared to testify in court to that fact."
"Dr. Thorsen--may I call you Ariel?" She gave him a barely perceptible nod. "That would prove nothing. She offered you a business proposal and you rejected it. Did she once threaten you with retaliation if you refused her proposal?"
Mr. Broxton, her mother's attorney, had asked her the same question. "That's the only explanation. My mother never sold information or intended to sell information."
"Ariel, let's face facts. Your mother had the specifications for our newest engine design in a hidden account on her computer. Only she had the password, and she has no explanation for why or how the specifications were on her computer."
"She was framed!"
"Her polygraph test showed she wasn't being truthful. You know the reputation of Benton and Greene. They're the best and most reliable in their field, and their testing is virtually foolproof."
"But I bet they're not bribe proof!"
"Be reasonable--"
"Reasonable? Reasonable is that this is all a sham--lies. My mother is innocent!" She glowered at Theodore. "If that's all, you may leave. I'll show you out." She stood and opened the door, waiting for Theodore to exit.
Theodore swiveled in his chair. "I'm here to help. There is a way to get your mother out of this situation. Ariel, please take your seat and listen to what I have to say."
Ariel hesitated before smacking the door shut and returning to her chair. "Go on
."
"I assure you, Kiernan has no idea I'm here talking to you, and I would appreciate it if you would keep this confidential."
Ariel wanted to roll her eyes. Here was another O'Shay with a confidence they wanted her to keep. She let out a sigh. "Yes."
"Whatever you may believe, Kiernan did not frame your mother. She would never do that."
She rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Oh no, of course not."
"Kiernan did discuss with me that you rejected her offer. She was quite taken with you, and it was a big disappointment for her when you refused her proposal. What I'm about to tell you--I don't know whether Kiernan will go along with it or not, but it is worth a try for your mother's sake and that of your siblings." He regarded Ariel closely before continuing. "If you were to take Kiernan up on her offer--"
"That is out of the question!"
"Hear me out, my dear."
Ariel studied him before saying, "Continue."
"Your mother can fight this charge and possibly win, but it would ruin her. What kind of future would she have? Decent employment prospects would be hard to find. It could take months for this to go to court. And what toll would that take on her, and your siblings? Then there are the court and legal fees--"
"I'll help her--"
"Yes, you will. But will you be able to support your family, and pay off her legal debts?"
"I'll take out a loan if I have to."
"My dear, be realistic. Do you have enough of a credit history, or work history, to secure a loan for what could well be a legal fee of well over a hundred thousand dollars?"
Ariel's eyes widened with shock. "I--I'll find a way."
"I know you want to do whatever you can for your mother and family. No price should be too great. Accept Kiernan's offer on the condition she doesn't press charges. Her offer is generous and your family won't have to worry about their future. I think she would accept. She needs you, Ariel, as you need her." He stood and headed to the door, stopped, and regarded her before saying, "Thank you for your time, Dr. Thorsen."
Ariel barely knew he had departed. Her heart beat in thuds that were almost painful, her breathing shallow and fast. Panicking, she didn't know which way to go. Never had she found herself in the position of making such a tough decision.
The only tough decision she'd ever had to make was which college to attend. All the prestigious universities with top physics programs offered her full scholarships. Of course, it hadn't been that tough. She wanted to attend the best one, and the best was MIT.
It was easy to be in a relationship with Mysha because she didn't push her into making a decision on further commitment.
It was easy to accept a professorship at Missionary Ridge Junior College rather than the more prestigious ones offered her at MIT or Cal Tech. The professorship at Missionary Ridge allowed her to stay at home with her family and help her mom.
Besides, with her family she had a familiar routine, and her mother took care of those mundane little things Ariel found tediously dull like keeping track of bills and shopping, with Ariel contributing money, doing some chores, and watching the twins if her mother was delayed or had some errand.
Her mother had encouraged her to take one of the more prestigious positions, telling her she could cope with the twins, her house, and job with no problem. But Ariel used the excuse the Missionary Ridge position wouldn't have the pressures of a major university and would afford her the opportunity to see whether teaching was what she preferred, instead of going into research. If she found she liked teaching, she could always accept a professorship at one of the more prestigious universities.
Now she had a decision to make--a difficult decision. She could let her mother go to trial and accept the consequences, offering what support she could. Or she could consider taking up Ms. O'Shay's offer if it meant her mother would be safe. Logic dictated one decision would be the path of least resistance to help her family. But it would by no means be the easy choice for herself and her future.
Throwing her head back, she pressed her hands to her face before ordering, "Telecom on. Contact Brice Stafford, audio only."
"Brice Stafford," her teaching assistant said.
"This is Ariel, I have an emergency."
KIERNAN WAS SKIMMING over the latest online issue of The Wall Street Journal when Kelly announced over the desk-com, "Ms. O'Shay."
"Yes, Kelly?"
"Security at the front desk states that a Ms. Ariel Thorsen got past the guard at the front gate and is now here demanding to speak with you. They want to know whether they should call the police--"
"Of course not. Have security send her to my office right away," Kiernan crisply ordered.
"Yes, ma'am."
Kiernan knew Ariel was here to plead her mother's case. If she were in Ariel's shoes, she would do the same. She wanted to see Ariel, but not under these circumstances.
Not a day passed she didn't think about Ariel and what she could have done to convince her to accept her proposal. In a way, she was angry with Ariel and thought her a fool. She could provide her and her family a secure future. She admitted part of her anger was because Ariel had dealt a blow to her ego by refusing her offer. But the greater part of her anger was due to Ariel making it difficult for Kiernan to obtain what she wanted.
"Ms. O'Shay--Hey, you can't--come back--" Kelly's voice said over the desk-com.
The office door opened forcefully and Ariel strode in with an irate Kelly following close behind.
"Ms. O'Shay, I --" Kelly protested.
"It's all right, Kelly, you may go," Kiernan said, and stood behind her desk to face her visitor.
Kelly shot Ariel a glare before exiting the office.
Kiernan surveyed Ariel, noticing her black jacket, blue jeans, and a pair of black Tefla-hide boots. Her hair was in a ponytail, leaving no doubt she had ridden her motorcycle over. With a stiff stance, she glared at Kiernan with outright hostility.
"Have a seat so we can talk." Kiernan motioned with her hand toward the armchair in front of her desk.
Ariel ignored Kiernan's request, her voice strident and accusing. "This is your way of getting back at me for not accepting your proposal, isn't it?"
Feeling a rush of anger, Kiernan replied with irritation. "I resent that remark. I would never do anything like that. That's not me. Not me at all."
"So you say. You expect me to believe that?"
"Yes, because it's the truth," Kiernan said emphatically, annoyance still evident in her tone.
"No, it's not."
Kiernan let go of her anger with a sigh. She knew nothing she could say would convince Ariel otherwise. "She failed the polygraph test."
"I don't care. My mother isn't a liar or a thief. She didn't need the money. How do you explain that?" Ariel followed her words with a challenging stare.
"I'm sorry. I know you believe her and I respect your loyalty. But, I can't let her get away with this. If I do that, others will attempt it. Corporate espionage is a crime. She could have damaged this company. I'm sure, seeing as she has no criminal record, or even a speeding ticket, the judge will be lenient. Perhaps a few months in jail--"
"I'll do it," Ariel said quietly.
"Do what?"
"Marry you and have your child, if you don't press charges against my mother."
Kiernan couldn't believe what she was hearing. This is what she wanted. But did she want Ariel like this--coming to her under these circumstances? Ariel would always believe Kiernan set this up and she'd resent her. But Kiernan would have Stellardyne and the resources she needed.
Kiernan tapped a button on her desk-com. "Kelly, cancel my three o'clock meeting with quality control, and get Mr. O'Shay in my office, pronto."
"Very well, ma'am."
Kiernan saw Ariel was pale and had placed her right hand on the back of the chair for support. "Have a seat, Ariel, before you drop." She went to her bar. "Can I get you anything to drink?"
Ariel ignored the offer. "Does your p
roposal still stand?"
Kiernan finished pouring her drink and took a sip of brandy before leaving the glass on the bar. Turning to Ariel, she searched her eyes. "Yes, my proposal still stands. Fifty million a year to you, and twenty million for your family. There are, of course, a few more things I would like to include in the agreement."
"What things?" Ariel asked suspiciously.
"If you take a seat I'll tell you."
Ariel slipped into the chair and perched on the edge. Kiernan walked to the front of her desk and leaned back against it, facing her. "I want you to take the name O'Shay. Our child will also carry the name O'Shay."
Ariel nodded in agreement though her frown conveyed her distaste.
"You're going to be my wife. And you'll have obligations as my wife. One obligation is that you must maintain a certain decorum, and you'll have specific duties. I expect you to accompany me to any social function I attend, be it related to business or otherwise. There'll be times I entertain at home and at those times you'll be expected to be by my side and act as a gracious host.
"This includes you showing me respect in public. I don't expect you to fawn over me, but I would like for you to at least pretend you hold some regard for me."
Ariel closed her eyes, her posture sagging slightly, and let out a resigned sigh. "All right."
"There is another matter. You will tender your resignation from your teaching position effective immediately."
Ariel's eyes popped open, and she straightened up. "I can't do that! I'm under contract until June."
"All you have to do is tender your resignation and tell them it is family related, and you must resign at once. If they give you a hard time, I'll deal with them."
"Please enlighten me as to the reason for your--command--before I do that."
"I want you to have time to adjust to your new status and duties as my wife--and after our child is born, you'll have enough duties taking care of her to occupy your time. My grandmother's will states I'm to stay in the marriage for at least five years, and we will reside together throughout the duration of our marriage. I expect you to agree to this, and reside in my home, Crestview."
The Dreamer, Her Angel and the Stars Page 8