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“I do,” Brian said. “As your new corporate counsel. It’s your old friend who is worried about the consequences to your family.”
Trey shook his head, refusing to dwell on the meaning behind the word family. He pushed away an image of Kelly reading Jason a bedtime story, his son gazing adoringly at the woman he’d chosen for his new mother.
“Father refused to resign,” Trey said. “It’s either me as CEO, or they bring in someone new. I’m certain Senior would rather have me than an outsider he’d have less influence over.”
“Will he show to protest the vote?”
“Unknown,” Trey said with another glance at the monitor. Two men and a woman were now seated around the table. The board had acquiesced to a teleconference due to Jason’s situation. Trey wasn’t ready to leave his son yet since one kidnapper was still at large.
“Alexander could file suit,” Brian said. “He doesn’t have a case, but the litigation would be expensive and cause a stock dive.”
“I hope he doesn’t go that route.” Trey sighed. “My father is slipping, and he doesn’t want to admit it.”
“How bad is it?” Brian asked. “Could you have him declared incompetent?”
Trey shook his head and didn’t reply.
“I take it you don’t want to go there.”
“Not if I can help it,” Trey said.
The phone rang. Trey checked caller ID, wholeheartedly agreeing with Brian that he needed a permanent assistant, if for nothing else than to screen calls. His life was definitely about to make a radical change. He’d be attending fewer fund-raisers and answering more phone calls. He couldn’t help but think that had to be a good thing. He’d have less time to obsess about what was missing in his life.
One Officer Kelly Jenkins.
And this call was from the company that managed the apartment building where she lived. He’d been expecting to hear from them. He heard a chime from the computer and glanced at the monitor. The table was now full, so this conversation had to be quick.
The meeting to depose his father as CEO of Wentworth Industries was set to commence.
CHAPTER THIRTY
ALREADY SEATED WITH Sean at their usual table at the Coral Bagel, Kelly waved Trice over when she entered.
“Man, what a slow day,” Patrice said as she slid into the booth.
“That’s the way we like it, ladies,” Sean said.
“Speak for yourself,” Kelly muttered.
“I know you like to rock and roll, Kel,” Sean said. “But we can’t be heroes every day.”
“And you know where you can shove it, Sean,” Kelly said.
Sean laughed. Trice opened her mouth to say something, but shook her head and looked down at her menu. As if she didn’t already know what she’d order.
“What?” Kelly demanded.
Trice waved her hand. “You don’t want to know.”
Their server appeared, interrupting the conversation. Kelly scrutinized her friend as she requested her usual lunch. Trice knew something. Something big, no doubt juicy gossip about Trey. Kelly had been careful to avoid even hearing his name, but now she had to know.
When the server moved away, Kelly leaned forward. “What don’t I want to know?”
Patrice smiled knowingly. “That your lover is now in charge of Wentworth Industries.”
“What?”
“Trey staged a coup d’état and threw his dad out,” Trice said, picking up her water.
“Close your mouth, Kelly,” Sean said. “Even I couldn’t miss hearing that news.”
“What do you mean?” Kelly asked, unsure who to glare at now.
“It’s all over the news,” Sean said. “Don’t you watch TV?”
“He’s apparently some big financial wizard,” Trice said. “Who knew your party animal was a business genius?”
“Wentworth Industries stock went through the roof,” Sean said.
“That’s good, right?” Kelly asked.
Sean shrugged. “For the stockholders. The whole stock market is happy. Even my little 401K has gone up. I’ll bet yours has, too. Do you ever check?”
“When did this happen?” Kelly asked.
