Van
Icovered Julia’s hand with mine as the Chicago cityscape passed by the windows of the hired car. As Chicago is one of the larger cities in the country and not a great distance from Ashland, I come here often for business. There was a time that a small neighborhood on the outskirts of this city was my home. Living in the heart of a city never appealed to me.
My thoughts weren’t on the past or even the scheduled meetings. My mind was consumed with Julia, a complete about-face from my thoughts that usually preceded an important meeting.
I wasn’t unprepared. I’d adequately done my research for my meeting with Marlin. I’d purposely scheduled it for after the meeting with the executive board. I’d also done my homework on the board members. The thing about a privately owned company, the executive board and the shareholders tended to be one and the same. While like larger companies where the shareholders elected the board members, there are fewer candidates.
Wade Pharmaceutical has had the same board members since Herman Wade’s passing: co-chairs Gregg and Anastasia McGrath; vice chairs, Marlin and his wife, Gwen Butler; and secretary, Elenore Rose. In essence, Julia was walking in on her parents and Skylar’s parents three days before the date of her canceled wedding.
It was no wonder she had doubts.
The recent shuffle of Wade Pharmaceutical shares made one particular member of the board stand out, Mrs. Rose. I didn’t know much about her other than she and her late husband were friends of Julia’s grandparents. They willingly purchased fifteen percent of Wade shares when the company was first privately divided. Mr. Rose passed away five years ago after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Now at eighty-two years of age, Mrs. Rose was more than happy to sell her shares and move on. The transaction was all set for Marlin Butler’s taking until I swooped in, offering her twenty-five cents more on the dollar.
Gregg McGrath told me that she offered her resignation from the board following this emergency meeting. It will then be up to the board to reach out to all shareholders, old and new, and ask for nominations. I personally know the owner of Aphrodite Corp. would jump at the chance to work Wade from the inside.
It’s GreenSphere that had me at a loss. Despite two days of digging, I had no information on the people behind the SPAC.
“Is there anything you can think to ask me?” I asked. “Anything that you think will be helpful with your father or the board.”
Her blue stare came my way. “You’re going to be with me for the board meeting.”
She didn’t ask, but I answered. “Yes, and I’ll do what I did on Christmas, say as much or as little as you need.”
“Is that how you succeed at what you do?”
“Yes. I’ve walked into meetings and eliminated entire departments, fired vice-presidents—most companies are top-heavy. And I’ve done it all without excessive explanation. When it comes to dollars and cents, no one gives a shit about flowery words.”
She sighed. “I don’t have questions for you, but I do for the board and for Dad. Marlin will have every reason to treat me as less if I’m without information.” She sat taller. “Van, when are we headed back to Ashland?”
“If I had my say, I’d take you back this afternoon and keep you locked away” —I ran my finger over her cheek— “in a place that didn’t make you stressed.”
Or me.
Lena’s concerns over Logan Butler and Phillip had me thinking. Ashland was one place, but in Chicago, we were vulnerable. Michael, the driver taking us to the Wade Pharmaceutical executive offices, was also a bodyguard, one from an established security firm that Connie found. Michael wasn’t working alone for me. He was the most visible. There were three others who would have their eyes and ears on us whenever we were out of the hotel suite.
On top of that, my private detective was currently checking on my dear brother and confirming that he was in Texas with his daughter where he belonged.
“I know what I want to say to the board,” Julia said.
“Go on.”
“I want to tell them that I intend to follow my grandfather’s stipulations. I’ll confirm our engagement and explain that you paid the balloon payment and will pay the one due in sixty days if needed, but here’s what I know I need to do...”
With each word, each sentence, and each phrase, Julia’s confidence was building. I saw it in her straightening posture, heard it in her voice, and felt it in the air. Fuck, the way she took on life was addicting to watch and to experience.
“I’m going to demand the files regarding the new research. I want it all. I want everything from the R&D concept proposal through the up-to-the-minute research. I want to know how much Wade has spent and what the projections are for future expenditures.” She reached for my arm. “More than that. We need profit-and-loss reports going back at least five years. Oh, and bank statements, records of our payments and debts.”
I couldn’t hide my smile at her growing enthusiasm.
“I want to know why the bank lost confidence. My gut says it’s more than the cancellation of my wedding.”
I nodded. “And you want to stay here in the city to go through everything?”
“I do.” Her expression clouded. “If you need to get back to your office, I understand. I think I’d like to stay at the hotel.”
I had no intention of leaving Julia in Chicago alone; nevertheless, I asked, “Why not stay at your parents’?”
“Because when I’m there, they see me as their child. I need the separation.” She shrugged. “In all honesty, when I’m under my parents’ roof, I see myself as their child too.”