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THIRTY-FOUR
THEO
Today is the day, the day I’m going to stick it to Curtis Gerard. I spent the week getting my ducks in a row, working closely with the firm’s team of lawyers to make sure the deal he negotiated to sell Gerard Fine Foods is solid and to make sure Hadley is cut into the deal. She told me her father was a prick too, like Curtis, but his will surprised me. Curtis stepped into running the company as its CEO but if he sells it, the profit has to be split between him and Hadley. If he wants to cut out his sister, why sell?
Jeff, one of the firm’s lawyers, knocks on my door. “I’ve been looking through these financial statements Charlie Kirk’s office sent over. Curtis Gerard is in some serious debt.”
He strides into my office and drops a stack of papers onto my desk. I riffle through them, quickly determining what I’m looking at and whether it’s going to fuck up this deal. “How much debt?” I ask Jeff.
“Something like fifty million. He made some bad investments, bought too many boats, rich prick shit.”
“And how much is Hadley’s share?” A picture forms in my mind and I’m beginning to understand not only why Curtis wanted his sister out of this deal but also why he wanted this deal finalized on his turf. In Georgia, Charlie and his team can hide shit. Now that I’ve taken over, Curtis’s skeletons are coming out of the closet.
“She’ll clear about twenty-five million,” he informs me.
Not enough to pay off the debt entirely but enough to keep creditors off his back, especially if he can settle.
“Anything we can do to cut him out of the deal?” It’s worth a shot but I already know the answer before he gives it.
“Nope. The stipulation in the will is legal, and everything done so far is legal. He was just trying to hide his financials, which is shady but doesn’t mean we can legally cut him out of this deal.”
I nod in agreement. “Absolutely. Thanks for informing me. See you in a bit.”
Jeff leaves and for the next few minutes, I consider the leverage I have over Curtis. I know what he’s hiding and why he’s so desperate for cash. If he pushes me again, I’ll push back harder.
My cell phone rings. The screen flashes a number I don’t recognize but since the area code is from Washington, I assume it’s Serena.
“Hello,” I answer.
“It’s me,” Serena says. “Just calling to let you know I was released.”
“I know. My lawyer called to tell me.”
“Then you know I can’t leave the state.” She sighs and I swear, I hear a little hitch in her voice. “I want to see my babies, Theo. Will you bring them to me?”
Without Curtis, I might not be able to answer her. I’d probably still keep the kids from seeing her, but they know the truth now. It was hard telling them their mom went to jail and that’s why she had to go away. They were scared and thought she did something unforgivable, but I explained it as best I could.
“Yes,” I tell her. “Tell me how to get hold of you so we can make arrangements. I have a meeting in ten minutes, so I’ll have to get back to you.”
I jot down her new phone number and email address and before the call ends, she says, “Thank you, Theo. I’ve missed Piper and Colton so much.”
“You may have pretended to be another woman, Serena, but you’re still their mother. That’s probably the realest thing about you.”
When the call ends, I gather my files and head into the large sunlit conference room down the hall. Curtis hasn’t arrived, but the firm’s lawyers are all there, files stacked in piles in front of them. They’re taking the lead in this, making sure every aspect of this sale is executed perfectly. The firm’s founding partner, Albert Miller, is also in attendance.
“Didn’t think you’d show, Al,” I comment as I settle into my seat.
“I’m here in case things get nasty,” he says in his normally gruff tone. “Charlie can be prickly when he thinks he’s being attacked.”
“And is he, sir? Are we going after him?”
“Possibly. I’m not happy with how he’s handled this sale. We get creative sometimes with our investment recommendations, but we don’t hide shit.”
As if on cue, both Charlie Kirk and Curtis arrive, striding through the office with an arrogant swagger.Sorry, gentleman. This isn’t going down how you planned.
There is a brief exchange of pleasantries while I sit back, watching and waiting. I have no desire to shake hands and pretend I’m happy to see them. I’m more than happy to never see them again.
“Let’s get down to business,” Jeff finally says after the ass-kissing is finished. He turns toward a man at the opposite end of the table and acknowledges him. “Mr. Demming is here representing the company purchasing Gerard Fine Foods. Mr. Kirk is here as the representative for Gerard’s CEO, Mr. Curtis Gerard, and Mr. Franklin is here to represent Ms. Hadley Gerard, who is named as a beneficiary in the will of Mr. Walter Gerard.”
