“I didn’t really have a plan…” He shrugged. “I just knew I needed to sell it.”
“Did you know half your business was bullshit and propped up by a Ponzi scheme?” I asked. “That you ghosted me on hundreds of millions?”
“No, I…” He stuttered, his face reddening. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Rage crawled under my skin as I stepped closer to him.
“Would you like a drink?” he asked. “I think we should discuss this over alcohol. We can be friends, I think.”
“You know what?” I shook my head. “I apologize for coming here without a murder weapon.”
“You don’t mean that, son.” He took a step back. “Youlikeme.”
“In that case, you’re more senile than I thought.”
He turned away and rushed down the hall, forcing me to follow him.
His walls were lined with family photos—children, grandkids, holiday parties. Not a single business award.
Not that he deserved one.
In his parlor room, he poured whiskey into two shot glasses and handed me one. I took it down in a single swallow.
“I don’t even care that you sold me a company in terrible condition—or the fact that you knew damn well it was a house of cards.” I needed to make my true intentions quick and get out of here. “It’s disappointing, of course, but it won’t break me in the long run.”
“So, why are you here, exactly, Mr. Cross?”
“Why didn’t you promote Andrea to CFO years ago?” I asked the question that’d been stuck in my mind since week one. “She deserved it more than anyone.”
“She did.” He avoided my gaze. “But I couldn’t afford to pay her what she deserved.”
“You were paying plenty of people six figures to do nothing.”
“Tenured people who relied on me,” he said. “I kept hoping I’d get to a point where I could give Andrea more, but the budget was tight.”
“No, that’s not it,” I said. “Tell me the truth.”
“I didn’t want anyone else to get her, so I kept her hanging on in hopes it would change.”
“I’m only giving you one last chance to stop bullshitting me, Mr. Lewis.”
“Fine.” He sighed. “I didn’t promote her because I knew she would’ve audited the hell out of the books and discovered what I was hiding.”
“You mean, found out you were a fraud?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Does she know now?”
“She knows some, and I still have no idea why I hid the worst of it from her.” I glared at him. “I think it would’ve broken her heart.”
“I was really trying to change things around long before you came along… I promise you, Harrison.” He looked genuine, but I knew a con man when I saw one.
Well, now anyway.
“Are you planning to turn me over to the SEC or the government?” he asked, looking wary. “If so, I’d appreciate at least a full month’s notice so I can get my affairs in order.”
“I’m not angry enough to make things any worse for you,” I said. “I’m more interested in you making things better for all the employees you claimed to love.”
“Huh?” He looked confused. “What do you mean?”
