The room contained only a booth table with seating that fit perfectly into the square space. I noticed the walls were covered in acoustic foam, and when I looked back at the door, a thick, quilted blanket-like material covered the back of it. The room was designed to keep noise in. I realised this was where private meetings took place; the kind of meetings you didn’t want to risk being overheard.
Cole waved her hand for me to slide along the booth, opposite the men, and she followed, sitting next to me so close that our thighs touched.
The redhead reached his hand across the table. “Oh, forgive me, I’m Tanner Mercer, and this is Levi Sterling,” he said.
Cole didn’t shake his hand; instead, she opened the bottle of water and poured me a glass.
“Thanks,” I said.
“Why did Jerome send you two?” she asked.
Tanner pulled his hand back like it had been slapped, holding it in his lap, and opened his mouth to speak, but just made a strange noise in his throat.
“I’m head of operations, and Tanner is head of commercial; together we have a complete understanding of the business. Jerome knows us, and he trusts us to be here in his place,” Levi answered.
Cole poured herself a glass of water.
“Do you know why we arranged this meeting?” she asked.
“You’re concerned about the stolen goods?” Tanner answered, but it sounded more like a question than a statement.
“We know it’s bad publicity, and we’re doing everything we can to make sure nothing of the sort happens again. That’s why we’re upgrading our fleet with superior armoured panelling and military-grade tyres. The insurer is covering the loss. We understand that such a high loss can shake confidence, but itshouldn’t shake faith in Sepher Logistics. We’re going to bounce back stronger than ever,” Levi continued.
“I’m not concerned about that. I’m concerned about the issue at the new warehouse,” Cole said.
Levi scratched his neatly trimmed beard.
“What do you know about that?” Tanner asked in an anxious tone, and he quickly brought the cigar to his lips.
“Sandstorm Credit House is unconcerned with whatever grey area of business Sepher Logistics operates within. What we are concerned with is the resulting collateral shortfall,” she told them.
“There is no shortfall,” Tanner replied with an exhale of smoke that made me cough.
Cole reached out and took the cigar from Tanner’s hand, stubbing it out on the table in front of him.
“I don’t tolerate lies,” Cole said coldly, and the half-smoked cigar rolled back and forth on the table. “Collateral at a value of $15 million was agreed. The recent… incident within the new warehouse and resulting damage and loss of uninsured goods, coupled with the loss of two new fleet vehicles and goods receivables as a result of such a public embarrassment, has brought our estimates of the total value of collateral down to only $12 million.” She leaned forward, her elbows on the table. “I know that the listed items lost during the warehouse raid last month were not the true loss. Maybe Sepher Logistics knew, maybe not, but you’re on the line for a large sum to some rather unsavoury characters. Perhaps Jerome thought Sandstorm Credit House was the easiest of his debts to ignore. I could understand his confusion and ill-informed conclusions, but sending you to lie about the situation in his place—that’s an insult to me personally.”
“We haven’t meant to cause you any offence,” Levi said quickly.
“I wasn’t lying; it’s just need-to-know,” Tanner added.
“Your largest creditor isn’t a need-to-know?” Cole asked.
The door opened before Cole could continue, cutting the tension in the air, and Frankie walked in, carrying a tray with two plates. Burgers. I could smell them immediately, and my stomach twisted with hunger I had been ignoring. I couldn’t even remember the last meal I ate. I hadn’t eaten before Ashford’s poker game, being too nervous. Now it didn’t matter how nervous or tense the situation was—I was starving.
Frankie placed the plates in front of Cole and me.
“Can I get you anything else?” she asked Cole.
“No, thank you,” Cole answered with a polite nod.
“Can I get another drink?” Tanner lifted his glass, downed the clear liquid, and shook the empty glass at Frankie.
Frankie looked to Cole, who shook her head no.
“I guess the party’s been cut off, boys,” Frankie told him as she left.
The burger was huge, thick, with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and fries on the side.
