by Lyz Kelley
“You don’t know nothin’. We ain’t got no parents, and Tyler knows he’s supposed to stay out of trouble.” Emma glared at her brother. “He’s being a little brat.”
“I see. But still,” Courtney never took her eyes off the girl.
Weston studied Courtney’s approach. The scene was like watching a contract negotiation. She was working all angles to connect and engage and get the parties to come to some kind of a win-win resolution. The process intrigued and amazed him and pulled him closer.
“I’m the youngest in my family,” Courtney continued. “My older brothers used to call me ‘brat,’ too. I can tell your brother idolizes you, just like I idolized my brothers.”
Emma rolled her eyes and looked away. “Nah-huh. He does things just to get on my nerves. Besides, how would you know? You got money. I can tell.” She pointed. “Nike shoes. LuckyBrand jeans. You got all the labels.”
Weston thought about his labels for a second and then moved closer, ready to jump in if needed.
Courtney nestled the boy against her side, cradling him in her protective arms. “Just because I’m wearing labels doesn’t mean I’m rich. I can shop at thrift stores with the best of the ’hood. Besides, I have friends who work in the garment district. So please don’t judge me. And I do know. I was in your brother’s position once.”
She gave the little guy a friendly smile. “I bet he’s trying to be like you. Look,” Courtney pointed at the table. “you were planting seeds, and he wanted to plant seeds too. It’s his way of telling you he loves and admires you, that he truly isn’t a brat or an idiot. He’s just a little boy who wants to help his older sister.”
The boy put his chin on his chest and sobbed a hiccup. “I wa-wanted to show her I can do things too, but I ru-ruined everything.” He tucked his fisted hands under his chin and leaned into Courtney’s shoulder. “I always ruin everything.”
The tiny little man cuddled closer. Courtney used a finger to lift his chin. “Please look at me.” His tearstreaked face lifted a fraction of an inch. “You don’t ruin everything. You didn’t ruin these trays. See?” She lifted a carton filled with dirt. “We can refill them, and they’ll be fine.”
“They will?” His eyes shone.
“Yes. We’ll get more seeds. Maybe we can all plant the starter vegetables together. Would you like that?”
“Can Mr. See help? He said we’d open the cans of worms later.” He clasped his hands over his heart. “Can we open them now?”
The expectant plea made Weston smile. “Of course. I’ll go get them.” He rubbed Tyler’s head and earned a ginormous smile.
He chuckled at the memory of his grandfather sitting on a rock with a fishhook in his hand, trying to teach his six-year-old self how to thread worms. The smells and feel of the glorious day were forever embedded in his memory, and he’d love to create a similar memory for this child to hold in his heart.
The child unfolded from Courtney’s embrace. “Oh, boy.” He jumped up and down clapping. “We get to play with worms.”
Warmth softened the lines of Courtney’s face as she stood. “Emma, would you like to join us?”
“Eww, no. That’s boy stuff.”
“Who says?” Courtney challenged gently. “Even some snakes, like garter snakes, are good for gardens because they eat leaf-munching pests like caterpillars and grasshoppers. Since you’re here, and are so carefully overseeing the seed planting, I bet you want a garden of your own someday. If that’s true, I can help you figure out what creatures will protect your gardens.”
Emma pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and kicked the dirt.
“You like snakes?” Weston tried to snatch back the question before it blurted out but failed. His childhood curiosity had returned and made him slip into his old, spontaneous self.
“I grew up with brothers,” Courtney replied, if her statement answered the question all by itself. “They thought it was hilarious to put a lizard in my bed to see how loud I’d scream. Not only did I not scream, I named him Marvin and made the three of them buy me an aquarium.”
Weston imagined her brothers’ disappointment and her standing in her room demanding a home for her newly found pet. “I would have loved to be there to see you in action.”
She was fun. He loved the fact she used drills and talked about bugs. Most important, he loved the way she connected emotionally with those she encountered.
He established commonality with his business acquaintances, but Courtney connected with people on a more intimate level.
The amazing fact was, she didn’t acknowledge her gifts—how easily she deescalated and reconnected people—which made her even more beautiful. She would do amazing things for Empower House. Things he never could. Not because he was a man, but because he didn’t have the off-the-charts passion she had. He felt her exuberant energy. Her grace.
“Are you coming?” Courtney had relocated the spilled cartons to the table with Emma and Tyler’s help.
The way the sun highlighted the red in her hair made his heart shed the outer shield of steel he’d installed as a boy at his father’s request. His dad prepared him early for the business world, mentoring him at every turn. The goal was to develop calluses to protect against the harsh criticism he might receive from peers and staff.
“It’s lonely at the top, son, so get used to it now,” his father would say,
He’d gotten used to loneliness, all right, by pushing everyone out of his life.
During his most recent flight to Europe, he read an airline magazine article about finding a balance between wealth, health and happiness. It seemed the writer was speaking directly to him. He certainly had wealth and health, but happiness? Happiness he needed to work on.
From the bliss on Courtney’s face she was already living her happiness. And that was why she’d managed to sneak inside his formidable shields.
“I’ll be there in a moment.” He pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “I want to put the tools away. Don’t want any of the kids to get hurt.”
There it was.
The undecided reflection.
The one asking, who are you?
She couldn’t reconcile between the wealthy man and the average joe.
He purposefully presented an image to the world to keep people guessing and asking—who is the real Weston Carver?
The trouble was…even he didn’t know some days.
Chapter 6
“This is the second quarter and we’ve barely met our profit objectives. The stockholders are not happy.” Weston leaned back in his executive chair and searched the faces of the Carver International top executive team seated around the conference table. “What is being done about the business units not pulling their weight?”
The Asia Pacific Business Development Vice President pulled at his shirt collar. The North American Distribution Manager found his cufflinks rather interesting. Weston waited.
The team of thirteen remained silent.
Weston, aware of what needed to be done, wanted to hear their opinions. He didn't want to attend another family dinner and discuss his “pet project” distractions or how he needed to focus. He was focused. Now he just needed to push his team into action.
“An ongoing meeting to discuss mitigation factors for units lagging behind is scheduled.” Liam, Weston’s brother and Senior VP of Operations, broke the silence.
Weston sighed. Leave it to his brother to come to his aid. How was he going to get the other twelve engaged? Perhaps another offsite meeting at his family’s estate in Newport was warranted.
Liam reviewed his prepared notes and then looked directly at him. “The marketing group is putting together a new campaign to re-target prior customers. I’m certain—”
“Hold on. Wait. You can’t go in there.” Linda, Carver’s top executive assistant raced after several police officers. The men and women in blue swarmed through the door and spread out in all directions.
Several members of his executive team stood, whil
e others froze. Liam glanced at Weston and shrugged.
“Officers?” Weston pushed up out of his chair and turned to face the person he believed to be in charge. “What is this all about?”
The burly man didn’t answer. Two men at the other end of the conference room forcibly rolled Liam’s chair back and practically lifted him to his feet. “Liam Carver, you are under arrest for the sexual assault of Jessica Pallson. You have the right to remain silent…”
Fear drowned out the remaining words. What the hell?
Liam’s face turned ashen gray as one of the officers held his head down and bent him forward. The other policeman yanked a hand behind Liam’s back to secure a handcuff.
“Is this really necessary?” Weston asked the nearest officer.
The uniform held out an arm to hold him back.
Thankfully Liam’s legal background gave him an edge. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t even make a sound. His expression was beyond furious.
Weston, now lightheaded, gripped the edge of the conference table, the thud of his heart pounding in his ears. Weston moved to intercept the officers who were forcing Liam to walk the length of the conference room. “Wait a minute.” Weston stepped into their path. “I would like to see the arrest warrant.”
A female officer thrust a folded piece of paper in his direction. Weston worked to steady the paper in his hands as he scanned the page.
“Guys. Really?” He hated the pleading whine in his voice. But this was Liam. His baby brother. His older-brother-protective gene stiffened his resolve. “Don’t parade my brother through the office like a criminal. I’m sure there’s been a mistake.”
The officer holding Liam looked toward the door. A larger man with several more stripes than any other officer in the room nodded. “Cuff his hands in front.”
One of the police officers holding Liam pulled out a key and released his brother’s hands. Weston removed his jacket and set the wool over his brother’s re-cuffed hands, meeting his younger sibling’s gaze with as much reassurance as he could convey. “I’ll have our lawyers meet you at the station. We will take care of this.”
Liam’s nod was slow and direct and communicated so many things.
His brother trusted him. Knew Weston would do whatever was necessary to protect the family. Every Carver would do the same. Not one member would put self before family. Ever. Which was why Weston worked tirelessly to run Carver International and get Empower House to the point where it could again effectively serve the abused women who so badly needed its services. And, it was why Weston was already convinced the charges against Liam wouldn’t hold up in a court. His brother was innocent.
Weston’s job would be to prove Liam not guilty.
After quickly dismissing the executives with a promise to reconvene soon, he followed the officers to the elevator, then turned back toward his office, hailing Linda. “Call our lawyers and alert them to prepare for Liam’s bail hearing.”
“A…right…okay.” Linda was literally shaking, her blinking eyes focused on the closed elevator door. He’d seen his exceptional executive assistant handle a six-hundred-person conference with precision, but this, Liam’s arrest, had unhinged her. “Linda. Look at me.” He waited for her face to turn his way. “It will be okay.”
Tears swam in her eyes. “Liam would never, ever sexually assault anyone. Not after—” She took a long, deep breath. “Let me make those calls.”
Weston released her and glanced at the paper in his hand. He unfolded the warrant again and reread the contents, then pressed redial on his cell phone as he walked to his desk. “Mike. It’s Weston. We’ve got a problem. I need all the information you can find on a Jessica Pallson. I want you, and you alone, to work on this. Liam’s been arrested, supposedly for assaulting Pallson sexually.”
He turned at the sound of rapid footfalls approaching.
“You better take a look at this.” Linda turned on the large screen television in his office and changed the channel to the local news.
Anger flared in his gut. “Mike? If you are close to a television, turn to Channel 4 news.” Weston grabbed at the necktie choking him to loosen the knot. “Liam’s been set up. There’s no way the news outlets could have gotten here this fast. I want you and your team working every angle. I want to find out who’s behind this.” He yanked off the tie and flung the silk on the desk. “Mike? You still there?”
“Yep. Jessica Pallson. Isn’t she the one in marketing who went to Human Resources last month claiming she’d been discriminated against? Something about getting an unfair work review?”
Ah…that’s why the name sounded familiar. “Human resources investigated and couldn’t find any grounds for discrimination.”
“She also claimed Liam trapped her in his office,” Mike added, “yet I couldn’t find any security footage showing her on the executive floor at all.”
Weston ran his fingers through his hair. “Yes, and Liam had no idea what I was talking about when I questioned him. He wasn’t acquainted with the woman.”
“Haley also looked at event footage going back several months. The only images she could find of Jessica were from a town hall meeting with over two hundred employees present. There wasn’t one stich of evidence to support Jessica’s statement. We even pulled the elevator tapes.”
“Please have IT review her emails and intra-company messages. I want to know every detail about what Ms. Pallson’s been up to.”
Weston turned to stare out the window at the street below, the events of the past three years pummeling him. Three years ago, Kirsten. Last year, McKenzie. Now Liam. When would the trouble end? He rubbed his chest to ease the ache.
“And if our investigation proves Liam guilty?”
His stomach twisted into a tighter knot. “It won’t.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Mistreating a woman—anyone, for that matter—isn’t in his nature, and that kind of behavior is light years from the way we were raised.” He fought to keep his anger in check.
“We all have secrets, boss.”
“But Liam would never do something like this.” On a long-needed inhale, Weston let the oxygen fill his lungs completely before releasing the air. “Liam might be reckless, as you said, but he’s not stupid. Someone’s set him up, and I want you to find out who...and, better yet, why.”
“Okay, boss. I’ll call you once I’ve got more information.”
“Good.” Weston disconnected the phone and tossed it on his desk, staring at the building across the street without really seeing it.
“The lawyers are on their way,” Linda stood at the edge of his desk, her arms wrapped around her waist. “Is there anything else I can do?”
Linda rubbed her arms, as if trying to wipe off the fear. He needed to give her something—anything—to do.
“My father and mother are in Italy. If you could please track them down and suggest they get on the next plane home, I would appreciate it. The Carvers need to unite. McKenzie is giving a presentation at New York General today on our new equipment line, so send Haley over. I don’t want McKenzie to be ambushed by the media. And we need to figure out next steps.” He forced himself to exhale, then focused on pulling in another breath.
“And the staff? What do we tell them?”
“Let Human Resources draft a memo. Stick to the truth, and keep it simple. Make sure to put something in there stating that we’re cooperating with authorities to investigate this matter, and we take these charges seriously, because the Carver companies have a zero-tolerance policy regarding such behavior.”
“Okay.” Linda nodded. “By the way, your next appointment is waiting for you in the small conference room. Shall I reschedule the meeting?”
“What’s the meeting?”
“A job interview with Ms. Kramer.”
His head dropped forward, and he pinched the bridge of his nose to ward off the thumping ache in his temples, the weight of responsibility heavy on his shoulders. Liam. His family. The homeless. He would
and could serve them all. After what happened to Kirsten, he wanted to make sure others didn’t suffer. “I need to take this meeting. I can’t postpone.”
“Surely Ms. Kramer will understand.”
He rolled his head to ease the ache in his neck. “No. I’ll take the meeting. Besides, there’s nothing I can do right now. It’ll be hours before Liam is processed. Have the legal team call me as soon as they track down more information.”
Pain shot up from his lower back as he leaned over his desk to get his organizer and phone. He ignored the pain. Just like he ignored the fact he hadn’t slept more than two or three hours a night in weeks—no, months—and wouldn’t be getting sleep any time soon. Carver and Empower House were both full-time jobs.
At the conference room door, he hesitated. Think. Focus. What’s your next move?
A chess player all his life, he usually anticipated the next move and the six after that, but today he felt backed into a corner, his king in check. What was his next move?
Courtney’s proclamation about his money not being wasted brought back a flicker of life. She had a purpose. A mission. Just as he did.
He liked being surrounded by individuals with drive and insight.
He opened the door and scanned the room to find her pacing.
“I was beginning to wonder if you were going to keep our meeting.”
“My apologies. My other meeting was…interrupted. Are you here to accept my proposal?”
She held up her phone with a newsfeed playing. “If you can give me one good reason why I should accept a job from a man whose brother has just been arrested on sexual assault charges.”
Chapter 7
Weston Carver didn’t look at her phone or say a word. He just stared into her eyes like he saw through her pretense. Damn him. No ordinary reaction. No explanation. No please have a seat.