I pivoted my gaze from Rick’s profile to look out the window. I lifted the cup of coffee to my lips, letting the warm caffeinated beverage make its way down my throat. In my gut, I knew Rick was right. There was something deeper. John was behind the leaks, but he’d felt he had my father by the balls for some reason, and it wasn’t just the handful of activities that Rick had uncovered. Sure, they weren’t legal, but any shrewd lawyer could’ve easily explained them away.
“I’ve thought about it as well. But I won’t ever find out what my father’s hiding if I don’t make this move. Townsend Industries is being held back. There is so much more we can do, and he’s a fucking fossil. His time as CEO has come to an end.”
Rick turned to me. “I figured you’d say that. I’ll continue digging.”
After tipping the half empty cup of coffee in his direction, I placed it on the table and stood, my hand going to the pocket of my pants suit.
“I got it this time,” Rick insisted, holding out his hand. “As much as you’re paying for my services, I can afford to splurge on your coffee this morning.”
I dipped my head at him and sauntered off to the car waiting outside to take me to Townsend Industries.
The trip took about thirty minutes to get from the diner to Townsend headquarters but I was still about a half an hour early. I headed into my office on the second from the top floor, exactly one floor below my father’s office. I thumbed through and sorted the files I would need for the meeting that was to begin promptly at nine a.m. It was an emergency meeting of the board. Since John had been arrested, and it became public that he was behind the leaks at our company, the board members had all flown in, and were scrambling to put out fires. They’d questioned and damn near interrogated my father on what he knew. So far, he’d held firm, acting just as shocked as everyone else at discovering his long-time friend and ally was behind the leaks.
I knew better. I also knew how good of an actor my father was, in all areas of his life.
“You ready for this?”
I lifted my gaze from my desk to see my father at my door. Surprised at first, I quickly recovered. My father rarely ever ventured down from his office floor to where I worked. He always had his secretary summon me to come to him. I peered at him as he moved into my office, closing the door behind him.
I frowned at the trickle of sweat that ran down the side of his face. He wiped it away with a handkerchief and began pacing back and forth, his face red.
“I’ve fucking told them all I knew about John. Now here they are with this emergency meeting bullshit. Don’t they know I’ve got work to do! We are still doing damage control for all of the shit John stirred up. Look …” he urged, moving toward my desk, staring at me wide-eyed, “don’t say anything. Let me do all of the talking. I’ll just reiterate what I’ve told them before, they’ll find nothing the matter, and we’ll go on to business as usual.”
I stood, planting my palms against the shiny wood of my desk. “Is that what you want?”
“Yes.”
I shrugged. “Fine. Let’s get to it, shall we?”
Loading my files into one hand, I extended the other for my father to proceed out the door. I followed, shutting it behind me.
Minutes later, we exited the elevator on my father’s floor, after he insisted we take it for one flight up.
“Remember, don’t say anything,” my father muttered under his breath as we entered into the conference room that was a ways down the hall. A few of the board members had already arrived, and were filling their plates with the catered fruits and croissants.
My stomach growled, reminding me that all I’d had that day so far was a half a cup of black coffee. But I wasn’t in the mood to eat. I’d satisfy my appetite after the meeting was over.
“Gentlemen,” my father greeted, extending his hand to shake with the board members.
I did the same, greeting each member who was in the room or that entered. Within minutes the room was filled with ten men, excluding my father and myself. We all sat around the long, extended, oval-shaped conference table, files in front of us.
“Robert.”
My father and I both turned to the first man who spoke, Graham Dunleavey.
“Graham,” my father answered.
“I know that each one of us has spoken with you individually, but we all agreed that it would be best for everyone to meet together. To get some clarity on the situation and to figure out where Townsend Industries goes from here.”
“Well, gentlemen, that’s precisely what I’ve been wanting to discuss with all of you.”
Raising an eyebrow in his direction, I sat back in my chair, folding my arms over my lap and crossing my legs. I was looking forward to hear what he had to say. Seeing as how not twenty minutes prior, in my office, he was ranting about how much he wanted them all to go the hell away.
“Gentlemen, it came as much of a shock to me, as it did all of you, to learn that John Lassiter was working behind all of our backs to betray Townsend Industries and leak some very private information to the press, as well as our competitors. These leaks not only harmed Townsend in the minds of our customers, but it emboldened our enemies. Some of which, have actively sought out to steal partners from us, move in on customers, and even recruit employees. John’s machinations did a lot of damage. Nevertheless, it was my diligent pursuit to find out who was behind these leaks that prevailed. Not only did Townsend’s security staff push to uncover the truth, they quickly responded once it was found out that John was the culprit behind all of this mess.”
“Is that right, Robert?”
Everyone turned to Jaimie Lane, chairman of the board.
