The elderly woman straightens up. “What if we transfer management of the Pendleton family trust to Rainier Equity?”
“Hm.” I pretend like I’m considering it, like I didn’t hope that this would be a happy addition to my plan.
“I understand you’re a businessman. I’m hoping we can discuss this like civilized adults,” the elderly woman continues.
“Yeah.” Her son comes over and shoos one of the younger adults out of a chair. “This is a multibillion-dollar trust. You’ll need the equity for the port contract.”
My scowl is back. “I don’t have that contract, thanks to your son.”
“Linda was my roommate in college,” his wife pipes up. “We’ll make sure she understands the situation.”
“And you.” His grandmother points a bony finger at Jaxon. “Your trust check will pay for you to be kept in a very remote cabin in the Alaskan wilderness.”
“See that he stays there. And don’t bother trying to transfer the trust elsewhere,” I add. “I’ll make sure any action on that front results in the shares of any companies you buy going sky-high right before you make a transfer. Then they’ll tank and decimate the trust.”
“You can’t do that,” Jaxon blusters.
His grandmother shoots him a glare.
“I can.” I smile. “You can try and go to the government and complain, but I’ll just press the little red button.”
Jaxon’s dad blanches.
“See, I’m like a cockroach—I was born in garbage, I have a hundred siblings, and I can survive in a nuclear wasteland on spite and shit. Can you?”
Jaxon’s mother clutches her designer handbag. His younger cousins glare at him.
“We will make sure that Jaxon never comes to this city again,” his grandmother assures me.
I shake the elderly woman’s hand.
Then she snaps her fingers at one of the Clarke & Turner lawyers. “Prepare the paperwork.”
The family sits back down.
“There’s one more matter, before we adjourn.” I lean forward.
They look at me apprehensively.
My lawyer slides a document in front of Jaxon, along with a pen.
“I’m going to need that dog back.”
47
MANDY
Linda’s eyes are full of concern and remorse when the receptionist leads me into her office.
“Please sit down. Let me make you a cup of tea.” She ushers me to a chair. “I had no idea Jaxon was behaving that way. His mother is just beside herself. It’s just shocking behavior from him—he was always a charming little boy.” She stops herself. “Obviously, I did not know him as well as I thought I did.”
“Right.”
“Why don’t we go grab lunch or maybe a drink?” Linda offers. “I know it’s the middle of the day, but I’m sure you could use it.”
“I actually have somewhere I need to be after this, and I can’t stay long.”
“Oh.” Linda looks sad. “Mandy, I am very sorry about what happened.”
