I was at the office by six a.m. because I wanted to get in there before everyone else. I’d tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep because of everything that had happened. I always knew my father and uncle didn’t see eye to eye, but I never thought he would be capable of murder. He took the only parent I had left, and I would make sure he’d pay dearly for that.
“Feeling better I see,” Roland spoke as he stood in the doorway of my office.
“I am. What are you doing here so early?”
“The question is why are you here so early?”
“I wasn’t in yesterday and I have a lot of work to do. Things to catch up on.”
“And a merger contract to sign, right?” His brow raised.
“Yeah. Do me a favor and tell Leo to bring the contracts tonight at five o’clock. We’ll get them signed and get this deal closed.”
The corners of his mouth curved upward into a sinister smile.
“I was thinking around ten o’clock. Why wait until five, Asher?”
I steadily narrowed my eye at him as I leaned back in my chair. What I wouldn’t give to punch him right in the face.
“This is my company, Uncle Roland. I’m the CEO and I make the decisions. If I say five o’clock, then that’s when we’re doing it. What does a few extra hours matter anyway?”
“I guess it doesn’t. Let’s go out and celebrate tonight after the merger is completed. Drinks are on me,” he said.
“Definitely. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”
“Yeah. Me too. I’m going to grab some coffee, can I get you one?” he asked.
“Ah, no. I already had some this morning.”
“Sure. I’ll talk to you later, Asher.” He tapped his hand on the doorframe before walking away.
As soon as it was nine o’clock, I called Detective Daniel Langley.”
“Detective Langley,” he answered.
“Daniel, it’s Asher Remington. We need to talk.”
“Asher, I was going to call you. I read through your father’s journal last night and handed it over to my captain this morning. He’s got the FBI here and we’re getting a warrant to search the offices of your attorney and your uncle. We’ll be making the arrests today.”
“I hope it’s before five o’clock. That’s when I told my uncle I’d be signing the merger papers.”
“Don’t worry. You’ll be seeing us soon.”
I sighed as I ended the call and ran my hands through my hair. I was afraid of what the ramifications were going to be for the company once this was over and the news got out.
Daniel called me when they were on their way, so I arranged to have a meeting with Leo and my Uncle Roland.
“What’s this about?” Roland asked.
“I want to talk to the both of you regarding the merger.”
“What about it, Asher?” Roland narrowed his eye at me.
“See here’s the thing,” I said as I stood up from my chair. “My father had changed his mind about the merger because he found out some things the two of you had planned. Things that would financially ruin and bankrupt this company.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Leo asked.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. The night he had his heart attack, he’d just come from a meeting with the two of you and he told you he was backing out of the deal.”
“You’re crazy, Asher,” my Uncle Roland spoke.
“No. I don’t think I am, Uncle Roland. See, I found a journal my father had hidden somewhere in his penthouse. A journal that outlined your plans to ruin him and this company. To bankrupt him and have him arrested for tax invasion, fraud, and other illegal doings. The two of you were setting him up. The question is: why?”
I could see the panic on Leo’s face, but Roland remained as cool as a cucumber.
“If you back out of this deal, I promise you will live to regret it.” My Uncle Roland pointed his finger at me.
“The only thing Mr. Remington is going to regret is trusting the two of you,” Daniel spoke as he walked into my office.”
“Excuse me? Who the hell are you?” Uncle Roland asked as he abruptly stood up from his seat.
“I’m Detective Langley and this is my partner Detective Alden. The FBI is in your office right now as we speak with a search warrant. After that, they’ll be doing searches of your home.”
“What the hell is going on here?” Leo asked.
“The two of you are under arrest for conspiracy and corporate fraud.”
“Detective Langley, we found this in the locked drawer you told us about,” one of the FBI agents spoke as he stepped into my office holding up a small vile.”
“And now we’re adding first degree murder to the charges.”
As Daniel read them their rights, Leo was yelling at my Uncle Roland to keep his mouth shut.
“Get them out of here,” Daniel spoke to the FBI agent. “It’s over, Asher. You can go about your business now without worrying about those two. They will most likely spend the rest of their lives in prison.”
“Thank you, Daniel.”
“No problem. But you really should be thanking Everly. I know you’re a skeptic, but if it wasn’t for her, you’d be going down the rabbit hole.” A small smile crossed his mouth as he walked out of my office.
I called an emergency board meeting first. Once I was finished, I called an employee meeting where I discussed the events of the day and how the company was going to continue moving forward. I’d already been bombarded with calls from various law firms in the city wanting me and my company as their client. I promoted Joe Kent to president of the company. He was my choice after my father passed away, but it was stated in my father’s company will that Roland was to take over my position once I stepped into the role of CEO.
10
One Week Later
Asher
The week had been a shit show. I’d barely had time to breathe, let alone do anything else. Keeping my company under control and reassuring clients what had happened did not affect them in any way was draining. I was tired, irritated and stressed. Thank God I was seeing Tabitha in my suite tonight. I needed sex, and I needed it bad.
“I’m heading out for a while,” I spoke to Isabelle as I stepped out of my office. “I should only be gone about an hour.”
“Okay, Mr. Remington.”
When the elevator doors opened to the lobby, Diana was standing there.
“Hey, Mr. Remington.” She smiled.
“Diana.” I gave her a nod as I stepped out.
As I approached the building doors, I saw Everly exiting the building.
“Everly?”
“Oh, hi.” A bright smile graced her face.
“What are you doing here?” I asked as we both stepped outside.
“I met Diana for lunch. I just walked her back.”
“I see. Actually, I’m glad I ran into you. Do you have a few moments?”
“Sure. I was just heading over to Starbucks for a coffee. Care to walk with me?”