the losses were a mental concept. But at least the final bottom had been found. “I was hoping … well, it is what it is.”
“I am prepared to come on board on an interim basis and sort everything out. I’m going to want to get rid of your senior management, all of them—”
“I read through their employment contracts last night. There’s a gag clause in every one of them. So we can fire them for not catching the improper diversion of funds, which is cause, and even if the news reports say something else is going on, there’s nothing they can say otherwise. Not unless they want some back-breaking penalties, and they won’t. Those bastards will be looking for jobs, and no one hires snitches.”
“They could go off the record.”
“I’d find that out. I promise you.”
Jeff nodded briefly. “Fair enough. My goal is to keep the trains running on time, keep the money coming in, steady the ship. ’Cuz right now, you might as well be in a hostile takeover for what morale has got to be like. And we don’t have the wiggle room for delays in shipments, account collections, product order processing. The employees are going to need positive motivation.”
“Amen to that.”
Lane turned away and started walking through the woods to the house.
“Where are you going?” Jeff called out.
“Back to my car.” Lane just kept going, some paranoia that Jeff would change his mind making him antsy. “You and I are going down to headquarters right now—”
“And in return, I want an annual salary of two point five million dollars—and one percent of the entire company.”
The words were spoken like they were bombs being dropped, but Lane just swept the air with his hand as he continued to march out of the woods.
“Done,” he said over his shoulder.
Jeff grabbed ahold of Lane’s arm and spun him back around. “Did you hear what I said? One percent of the company.”
“Did you hear what I said? Done.”
Jeff shook his head and pushed his glasses up higher on his nose. “Lane. Your company, even in its dire straits, is probably worth three to four billion dollars if it were up for acquisition. I’m asking for between thirty and forty million here, depending on valuation. For an initial investment of two point five.”
“Jeff.” He echoed that strident tone. “Your money’s all I’ve got in this cesspool of debt and I don’t know how to run a company. You want one percent to be interim CEO? Fine. Dandy. Have fucking at it.”
When Lane started walking again, Jeff fell in step. “You know, if I’d had any idea you were going to be such a pushover, I’d have asked for three percent.”
“And I’d have paid you five.”
“Are we doing a scene from Pretty Woman?”
“I don’t want to think like that, if you don’t mind. Hostile work environment. You could sue me. Oh, and there’s one more thing on our side.” They stepped out of the tree line and onto the manicured grass. “I’m having the board appoint me as chairman. That way it’ll be easier for the both of us to get the work done.”
“I like your style, Bradford.” Jeff nodded at the gun. “But I think we should leave that in the glove compartment. As your new CEO, I’d like to come in on a conciliatory note, if you don’t mind. The second amendment’s great and all, but there are some fundamental management techniques I’d like to try first.”
“No problem, boss. No problem at all.”
THIRTY-NINE
With a relieved sigh, Lizzie splashed cool water on her hot face. She was so glad to be out of the sun and up in the suite she was sharing with Lane, the dry AC’ed air wicking the sweat from her overheated body. It had been a long day working in the gardens, she and Greta attacking the beds around the pool with a stress-related gusto that was warranted, but ultimately useless except as it related to removing weeds. Neither of them had said anything about the visitation, nor had the subject of the engagement gotten much coverage.
Greta remained suspicious of Lane and nothing except time was going to change that.
Reaching blindly for a towel, she pushed the soft fibers into her forehead, cheeks and chin, and when she looked up, Lane was standing behind her.
Man, he looked good in that linen jacket and open-collared shirt, his aviators tucked into the breast pocket, his hair ruffled in a way that meant he’d been driving around with the top down.