Page 237 of When a Soul Cries

“Mr. Devereaux, I don't have either of you scheduled for today's meeting.”

“We know,” Rome said. “We need five minutes with the Hollis team. We have information directly related to the proposal they're reviewing.”

A couple minutes later, a member of the Hollis team came to get us.

“Roman. Khalil. We weren't expecting you.”

“That was intentional,” Rome said.

The conference-room door opened.

Every conversation stopped.

Desmond sat on one side of the table with three representatives from the company he'd buried himself behind. Hollis's senior development team and legal counsel occupied the other.

Desmond's expression shifted the second he saw us, his eyes dropping toward the folder underneath my arm.

I smiled. “Morning.”

One of the Hollis executives stood. “Roman. Khalil. This is unexpected.”

Rome nodded. “We need a few minutes.”

“What the fuck are they doing here?” Desmond demanded.

The Hollis attorney looked toward us. “Let's hear what they came to say.”

Rome glanced at me.

Showtime.

I placed the folder on the table. “I'll make it quick.”

I slid several documents across the polished wood. “The company you're considering submitted qualifications that don't match public records. Two certifications are expired, another doesn't belong to them, and at least two developments listed as previous work can't be verified as theirs.”

The Hollis attorney pulled the documents closer.

I slid another set across. “And there's an undisclosed financial connection between this company and Desmond.”

The senior executive turned toward him. “Mr. Vance?”

“I'm not an owner.”

“I didn't say you were.”

His eyes cut toward mine.

Rome's hand settled on the back of a chair.

Behave.

The attorney studied the records. “These transfers need to be explained.”

One of Desmond's representatives leaned forward. “There are legitimate relationships between those entities.”

“Then verifying them shouldn't be difficult,” Rome said.

The executive looked toward him. “Has this information been independently verified?”