THE Media Baron's Heiress (BOOK 2)

CHAPTER 5

'Bentley.'

'Yes Mrs. Blakely?'

'Please ask Casey Mason from Audit to come to my office.'

'Will do.'

Tessa made a copy of the Russian Business Daily proposal and proceeded to make confidential notes for herself. She smiled to herself, delighting in putting lines through some of the demanding clauses. She represented the buyer, they would do the demanding. At the knock on her door she closed her file and responded.

'Come in.'

'You wanted to see me Mrs. Blakely?' Casey Mason asked deferentially.

'Yes, take a seat,' Tessa smiled at the rake thin, head of GR's internal audit services. Casey was about two years older than Tessa. He had mousey hair, but he had sharp intelligent looking eyes. Tessa liked GR's head of audit services.

'Thank you Mrs. Blakely,' Casey waited for Tessa to open the discussion.

'Have you sent a forensic team over to Russia?'

'Yes. I have two auditors there for three days now. They have begun with an asset inventory.'

Tessa shook her head, 'at this stage, I'm not too concerned about their assets Casey. GR will absorb the costs of the assets. It will generate a return over time,' her eyes held his to convince him of her prediction. 'What I want very urgently is a market place report. Give me stats on their market share. Do they have any competitive advantage, or geographical strength for that matter? What are their weaknesses, competitor threats, etc?' Tessa rattled off.

'I have read their proposal Mrs. Blakely. There is an addendum listing those statistics.'

'I want a report from our people Casey,' Tessa instructed determinedly, 'I intend to use the data collected from GR's auditors to state my case.'

'Yes Mrs. Blakely.'

'Oh and one more thing Casey, I want a tax clearance certificate, and I want the forensic team to root out any vulnerability to litigation. Have there been any lawsuits filed or pending against the RBD?' Tessa was all too aware that newspapers constantly faced lawsuits. She would need to pencil in any exposure.

'I'll get right onto it Mrs. Blakely,' Casey nodded and exited.

Tessa critically studied Professor Ramsay Daly's translated document with a fine tooth comb. She called the office of UK Department of Trade and Investment and scheduled an appointment. She would seek their guidance on any salient issues that could hamper the success of the purchase of the Russian Business Daily.

'Tessa.'

'Yes darling,' Tessa murmured distractedly, as she was sifting through some audit documents.

'Tessa!' Brad called out a second time. Tessa looked over her shoulder from her meeting table.

Oh, why didn't you tell me you are not alone!

Tessa stood up. 'Hey Thomas,' she smiled at GR's executive financial director as she walked towards her husband. Thomas was middle aged, tall, about a head shorter than Brad. He dressed very smartly, just like GR's Chairman.

'Mrs. Blakely,' Thomas greeted with a smile.

'You're still busy?' Brad raised an eyebrow.

'Yeah,' Tessa looked at her wristwatch, and unconsciously linked her hand into Brad's. 'I'll be home in an hour, if you would like to leave,' she suggested, knowing her husband would find an excuse to stay.

'I actually came to inform you that Thomas and I are still busy, and that I'm going down to his office, if you want to leave,' Brad chuckled.

'I just called Stacy to let her know I'll be late,' Tessa smiled, playfully tugging at her husband's tie. 'You two are not planning on cutting our staff's bonuses are you?'