Chase leaves the room obediently and my father focuses all of his attention on me – the last fucking place I want it. I adjust in my chair, sitting taller. He looks me over. “You will be a good man to replace me one day. It is your hesitation that is the problem.”
It’s not a question, so I don’t offer anything.
“I worry that you won’t make the hard decisions in the necessary time. The decisions that have no ideal outcome. Someone gets hurt no matter what. I fear that your feelings will stop you from seeing the greater good. Fix that.”
“Of course.”
“Lief mentioned a psychologist who can help. Perhaps you should book an appointment and get to the root of your attachments. Your indecision.”
“Yes, Father.”
“I’m giving you an assignment this weekend, best that your brother doesn’t know about it.” He says before handing me a manila envelope. “Everything you need is there. Make the decision and give Lief the order by Tomorrow night. It’s more time than I have for some of my choices.”
I don’t want to open the folder. I can’t. My fingers are numb.
“Prove yourself as an asset or out yourself as no better than Stefan. I name my successor, no matter who it is. If you are not selected, understand the position it will put you in.”
I nod and leave with the wave of his hand, stuffing the manila envelope in my jacket. I’m not going to like this choice. I know that. Just like I know if I don’t come through, if I’m not named successor, my brother and I will have to leave. I’m sure we could go to New York and that would be far enough, it’s dangerous to carry things out if they’re not an immediate threat.
Maybe that would be better. If we got the news while my father was alive, we could make the necessary plans. I don’t know if Lief would go with us, but it would be easy to get jobs with Gunner, Roman, and them again.
No matter what, we’d survive, as long as the timing is right. But timing is fickle.
In my room, with the door locked, I open the manila envelope. In it is a picture of a man, transcripts of some inconsistencies, and a note that he should be investigated as potentially leaking secrets. Our accountant.
He’s been interviewed, but there is still some doubt. Father hasn’t given me any options to choose from, but dropping Lief’s name has made things clear. He’s to be brought back in. For questioning … or taken care of.
Why aren’t we having Chase investigate his internet history? So many people send emails, do research, make their plans through their computers now and it could give a clear cut answer. Why are we only taking the old options?
This man has a family, a wife, children, and a grandchild. Not to mention, any kind of murder will draw attention to him, involve the police, and then they will look through his things, which means we will lose our accounts or be investigated as well. Our ‘security’ firm and ‘consulting firm’ will be investigated as a part of an innocent attempt to find out who killed the man.
If Lief has been involved once, it’s hard to believe that his wife doesn’t have suspicions. How much has he told her? Would she need to go too if I put the hit on him?
I scrub my forehead. Father’s put the pressure on me, but I have to see this through. I have a brother to consider, a legacy I don’t want on my shoulders, Valerie to protect, Lief’s trust to maintain, and still my Father, trying to pin strings to me so he can order me around like a puppet.
Groaning, I drop my head to the table, pushing the paperwork to the side. The answer is so easy. I know I’m going to take Chase as the option. I know my father will criticize my soft heart, comparing me to my mother, calling me a flight risk, saying I need to be hardened by the world.
“Fuck!” I hiss. How does Lief do anything he does? “Fuck this. Fuck everything. I should have gone to see her.”
I should have. It would have been easier to spend time with Valerie.
There’s just too much. I have to simplify. I look at the photo again.
Fuck my father. Fuck his opinions, and fuck his old-school methods. Those methods won’t last and I can’t believe that murder is the answer. Especially when we could make more money by focusing on the business fronts instead of this … organization. We’d save expenses, be able to help more of our community, and make drasticpositivechanges.
But what do I know? That’s just my soft heart talking.
VALERIE
Ijust gape at Lief when I see him waiting for me outside. He’s sexy as ever and he’s actually here. I was sure he’d have some issue, that somethingwould come up and I’d end up staying in and prepping for my counseling sessions on Monday or studying and explaining more to my stuffed animal.
Lief looks me over and offers me his hand. I take it, savoring his rough palm against mine. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”
“I wouldn’t be here if I weren’t.” He assures me, opening the door for me and letting me sit down. “I’m glad you invited me.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”