AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Jerome, I’m hearing every single word. You’re right. Like I said, it won’t happen again but trust me, you don’t want to go with Felman Richardson. You know that, and I know that. So let me hang up and fix this for you. Your club will be opening this weekend as planned. I’ll be there on Friday night, drinking your most expensive champagne, and we’ll toast at Charles Wickman’s expense.’
‘I’m not one for second chances, Drew. I needed you this weekend, and you let me down.’
I clench my teeth. If the man makes me forfeit anymore of my dignity, he can go to hell. ‘I know, Jerome. I’ll fix this for you.’
‘You’ve got an hour to tell me this is over.’
‘I’ll be in touch.’
I hang up and put my hand on the first thing I find: a paperweight. I launch the thing at the wall of my office.
Why didn’t she put on an alarm, goddamn it?
‘All this for nothing.’ The words grate through my teeth.
‘Hey, are you okay?’
I regard Sarah, standing on the threshold of my office.
‘I’m fine. I need to pay Charles Wickman a visit.’
She plants her hands on the hips of her white dress. ‘I think you need to calm down before you go anywhere.’
‘I’ll calm down on the drive.’
‘I’ll say one thing, then I’ll move out of your way. Charles Wickman is a class A dick, but whatever is going on with you and Becky isn’t his fault.’
‘This has nothing to do with her.’
It has everything to do with her.
* * *
Agatha, the receptionist in the SEC building, rises from behind her old rosewood desk, taking off her glasses as she does. ‘Now listen here, Drew Harrington. I don’t come to your place of work and barge into your office. I’ve told you to make an appointment to see Charles.’
‘Agatha, I like you, I do, but right now, you can either buzz me through or I’ll smash the damn door down.’
As I’m contemplating whether I’m angry enough to do just that, Charles Wickman steps out of the door to the side of the desk.
‘Your office, now.’ I storm toward him, leaving him no other option. As soon as he follows me into his small box of an office, I ram him up against the door, slamming it shut in the process.
I grip the collar of his shirt and watch as fear fills his eyes. ‘I am so fucking fed up with your bullshit, Charles.’
‘Take your hands off me before I have you locked up.’
I release my grip but not before ramming him back into the door again. ‘What kind of shit are you trying to pull with Jerome? I’ve read the file. You’ve got nothing on him. This is about me beating you in court two weeks ago. You’ve gone after me, not him, and you know it.’
‘No, I have reason to believe there may have been fraudulent activity within—’
‘Bullshit. It’s some bogus tip from one of his competitors. He’s a big client of mine, and that’s why you followed up. Let me tell you something. You go to one of my clients again and you threaten to freeze his assets when you know you have no goddamn case to do so, and I won’t be the one getting locked up.’
I cross the room, moving away from the dickwad to stop me from punching him in the face.
‘If you think you have something on Jerome, you bring it to me, his attorney.’
His lips curl and I swear I’m going to smack the smug bastard.
‘From what I hear, you’re no longer his attorney. Felman Richardson, isn’t it?’
