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“How did he react?”
“He was shocked, but he wants to keep it quiet. If it comes out, it’ll jeopardize the acquisition. Vuarnex is a public company, and if there’s any impropriety, the deal goes south. Stan really believes it was suicide anyway.”
“But what if it was murder? Lillian thinks it was.”
“Who does she think did it?”
“She doesn’t know.”
“Do you think she knew about the embezzlement? She’s the bookkeeper. Was she in cahoots with him?”
“No, not at all. Tonight I have a chance to get inside Neil’s house.” I told him about adopting the cat.
“TJ, what areyougonna do with a cat?”
“Love it?” Then I remembered something. “Did Stan tell you that Lemaire was angling for CFO after the acquisition?”
John frowned. “No. Stan doesn’t even have a CFO. He runs the company like a mom-and-pop shop.”
“So what happens with the missing money?”
“Stan’s going to cover it up, so it won’t raise any questions.”
“Isn’t that illegal?”
“Yes, and I told him so, but it’s his books and his deal.”
I knew it was lawyerspeak for looking the other way. “So if we don’t go to the cops, we’re helping him cover it up.”
“As his lawyer, I can only advise him. The rest is up to him. Welcome to the real world.” John shrugged. “By the way, you wouldn’t believe that meeting with me, Dad, and Stan. It was like we were fighting over a woman.”
“Dad thinks you’re trying to push him out of the firm.”
“Iam,” John shot back.
I actually felt bad for my father. “Can’t you just let him be? Humor him on Runstan?”
“Why should I?”
“Because your last name rhymes?”
“So?” John fumed. “The fact that he knew Stan from before doesn’t mean anything.”
“What’s the difference to you?”
“Money.” John leaned on the desk, warming to the topic. “Mom and Dad bill by the hour, at five hundred bucks. Billing per hour is a typical fee structure for lawyers who practice family law, litigation, trusts and estates, and the like.” John glanced at the laptop. “But mergers and acquisitions can work differently, and I’m charging Runstan a premium tied to the sale price of the company.”
Whoa. “You mean a commission, like a realtor? Why did Stan agree to that, if it costs him more?”
“Good question.” John nodded, clearly pleased. “Because I set up the acquisition. I was representing Vuarnex on a minor matter, and I could see it made sense for them to acquire Runstan. I pitched both sides and put the deal together.”
“Like a matchmaker.” I thought of Patrick and his wife, Teresa, but John’s eye roll told me it was a dopey analogy.
“Vuarnex uses Morgan Lewis, and I represent Stan. I don’t make a big thing about it vis-à-vis Dad. I preserve the fiction he’s the head of the firm, I save his own faceforhim. But it’s coming back to bite me.”
“So what’s your fee for Runstan?”
“A million bucks.”
