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I gasped, astounded. “So you’re gonna be a millionaire?”
John didn’t reply except for a spreading smile.
“John, are youalreadya millionaire?”
“Duh, what do you think?”
Wow. “How much is Runstan selling for?”
“Stan’s about to come into twenty million dollars.”
“What? Stan, who drives an old Explorer? If I were coming into twenty mil I’d drive…” I fantasy-shopped. “A Maserati I didn’t have to sell for rent.”
John chuckled. “Vuarnex is going to pay him a nice salary, and he’s going to run the company at the same office. That’s why he doesn’t want to go to the cops.”
“Because it would cost him twenty mil.”
“Yes, and the Runstan acquisition is my deal. That’s why it’s ridiculous that Dad’s fighting me. He thinks Runstan is his client and he wantshalfof my fee. Five hundred grand.”
Ouch. “Can’t you negotiate with him?”
“With my own father?” John’s face flushed with anger. “He should be happy for me, not trying to take money I earned.”
“If you go by your hourly rate, what would your fee in Runstan be?”
“Thirty grand. I told him I would give him my entire fee as if I had worked on an hourly-rate basis. We all keep our own fees, after we throw in for fixed costs.”
“So you’re at thirty grand and Dad’s at five hundred grand.” I groaned. “That’s pretty far apart.”
I hadn’t known how they handled billing. I hadn’t thought of it as my business, but in a way, itwasmy business. At least it was my family. Anyway it was my family business, which was confusing.
“We pay fixed costs off the top.”
I realized I myself was one of the fixed costs, like ballpoint pens. I made $80,000 a year as an investigator, and I thanked my lucky stars every day. There are worse things than being a Bic.
“Gabby does her pro bono work on her own dime. It’s her choice to save the world.” John glanced at the TV, watching a player score.
John folded his arms over his tie. “I’m not giving in.”
“He’s not, either.”
“He’s greedy.”
“I don’t think it’s about money.”
“TJ, everything’s about money.”
“I mean, it’s about ego. It’s hard for him that you bring in so much more.”
“That’s not my problem.”
“Yes, it is or you wouldn’t be fighting with him.”
John waved me off. “I don’t care, he doesn’t need the money. They’re set for life.”
“Mom and Dad?” I realized I didn’t know anything about my parents’ finances. I knew they were comfortable and everybody was more comfortable than I was. Basically, I was uncomfortable. “Tell me.”
“They have fifteen million invested with the same people I do.”
