Corporate Secrets

CHAPTER 13

COLE

The next few days are crazy busy. Barnes gets back to me that they may have a lead on Manning, and I tell them to bring him to me whenever they find him.

Meanwhile, I have to shuttle between New York and Chicago while Charlton and I are taking care of the affairs of the company. I know Richard and Leah must suspect what is going on. They take over the handling of most of the business in Chicago while I focus more intently on New York.

They don't ask me though. They know that I will inform them of whatever they need to know when it's time. Well, it's either that or they are already getting the information from their friends at the New York office.

It's one thing I've learned not to underestimate, the grapevine of large businesses. The vast network of secretaries and personal assistants and the guys who work in the copy room is one of the best sources of information.

It's one of the things I've learned to use to my advantage. I try to sleep for about four hours a day, taking my drugs even though I would rather not.

But this is not the time to appear weak. The eyes of the entire business world are on Charlton right now, and I can't let them see a man who slurs his words and cannot stand once he gets a migraine.

Charlton introduces me to a few people, and we have to go to different events together. When I ask him how his children are handling the fact that they won't be getting his shares, he shakes his head.

"They don't even care about any of that. All they care about is the monthly payment they will be getting from the trusts I set up for them." I can see that thinking about it aches him. Knowing he poured his heart and soul into the business and none of his children are interested in inheriting the legacy is difficult for him.

"Well, there's no point thinking about that now. We've got some documents that we need to sign."

I nod. We talk about some other things while we wait for the firm's lawyers to bring in those papers. The stock prices for the firm have dropped a bit, mostly because the firm is changing hands.

"Most people need to have security before they are motivated. Once they see that it's business as usual and that no sudden drastic changes are being made, things will return back to normal."

I nod. I'm not arrogant, but I'm self-assured. I know exactly how good I am and I have learned a lot from working with Charlton as well as other businesses - I decided not to take him up on his offer to intern here during my breaks back in college.

Instead, I spent time at other companies, learning how they worked and studying how efficient and effective the different processes and procedures they each used were.

At first, Charlton was pissed. By the time I graduated and came to work for the firm - with all the knowledge I'd gained - he got over it quickly.

Once the lawyers get here, we are given the papers we need to sign. I already received the soft copies and digested a lot of them over the past few days.

For something so weighty, it's done in too short a time. Once we are both done signing everything we are asked, the lawyers leave.

Charlton turns to me and holds out a hand. Then he scoffs and pulls me to himself for a hug. It's weird because we have never hugged before. And yet It's one of the most beautiful moments I've ever experienced in my life.

"Do well," he says. Then he takes a long look around the office. It's mostly bare now. It used to be his, but now it's mine.

When he leaves, I walk to the chair. Not the one behind the desk, but the one for visitors. My life changed the first time I sat in this chair.