Troubleshooter

Chapter 14 - The Auditors

           

"MR. TALLEY will see you in a minute. He is just wrapping up his previous meeting," the assistant said. Paul, Brady, and Sam Lornsen sat down in the small ante-office area, looking out of the window, making small talk. They all wore dark suits with decent conservative ties, typical financial auditors at first and second glance. John Talley was the managing director of Strom Defense, a powerful position he filled well, as he had the profits to show.

Then the big white door to the main office opened and people started to file out. Paul and his companions stood up to go in.

Paul looked up startled when he saw a blonde woman appear in the doorway. "Hi, Isa!" he greeted Isabelle McAllister when she stepped out of the office.

"Paul, what a surprise. What are you doing here at Strom Defense?" If she was embarrassed or annoyed to see him, she didn't show it.

"Remember? I am working for this company. So I should ask you instead," Paul improvised, forcing a smile. They hadn't met for over a year, and Paul intentionally had avoided all the places where Isa and he had gone in the past. He hadn't know that she had joined Strom Industries. Some spy he was. Well, had been!

Isabelle shrugged. "Dad and his grapevine. He heard of a job opening, and I felt it was time to get away from my old ad agency job, so I applied here. Marketing Intelligence. Numbers, like you."

Paul didn't believe in coincidences. She must have known that sooner or later they would run into each other. Old McAllister and his scheming. Paul would bet ten bucks that the man made sure that the job opening gave an opportunity for a secondary objective: to reconnect Paul and Isa.

"Mr. Talley is ready now," the assistant interrupted and ushered Paul into the big office, so there was time for neither further words nor goodbyes. Paul gave a little wave. Brady gave an annoyed glance, urging Paul to concentrate at the task at hand.

Man, did she look good! Paul's reaction when he had first seen her almost four years ago had been exactly the same as just now and he felt his stomach contract. It took all his will and effort to switch gears again and step back into his role.

John Talley glanced at the three business cards in front of him. "Mr. Trouble, Mr. Lornsen and Mr... Schwartz, what can I do for you on such short notice? The head office made it sound urgent." If Talley was annoyed by the little group, he didn't let it show. John Talley was a bully man, with short gray hair and a fat-rolled neck. He was previously a US Marine, just like Paul, but for the last twenty years he'd been climbing on the corporate career ladder. Successfully, apparently.

Paul took the lead. "As you know, I work for Strom's Merger and Acquisitions unit. We currently have an opportunity that we would like to explore from a business development perspective. I have been tasked by Henry Daven to do a quick due diligence. We only have a short time window, and Strom's board would like to get an idea of whether it would work or not."

Talley gave him a long look. "So, is it a merger, an acquisition or a divesture that you have in mind, Mr. Trouble?" For him, it was the difference between job and no job.

"I am not at liberty to say," Tom apologized with determination. "Like I said, it will be quick. If we get your full management team's cooperation, we will be out by Friday. We will then prepare our recommendation to Mr. Daven over the weekend and then either proceed or kill it by next Tuesday."

"Who do you need from my team?" Talley asked.

"Yourself for an approximate one hour interview, preferably today. And maybe for a brief closure meeting tomorrow. The head of Research and Development, Mr. Turner. Your head of operations, Mr. Tao. The Financial Manager Ms. Tess Herbert and your Head of Engineering, Mr. George Kendall."

Talley nodded. "You can start with Tess Herbert, I had my regular meeting planned with her, but we can switch for your interview. My own schedule can be freed either later today or tomorrow, and my assistant will see that you get meetings with the rest of the gang. The only problem will be Mr. Kendall; he is away in Brazil on business."

"Let's see where we stand at the end of the day." Paul said. "Can you set us up a phone conference with Mr. Kendall as an alternative?"

"Sure, he should be in the air to South America all of today, but I'll have my assistant notify him and make something possible for tomorrow. Though late afternoon," Talley said. "Brazil is currently four hours earlier than us."

Paul pointed at Sam Lornsen. "Mr. Lornsen and his co-auditor Mr. Schwartz will have another look at the books for some deep dives here and there that will be relevant for possible market overlaps."

"Tess Herbert can help you with that, too." Talley called his assistant and gave the necessary instructions. Then he glanced at the clock. "Can you join me for a late lunch at around 3:00 p.m.? I can answer some of your questions while we eat."

When they left his office Paul saw Tom standing together with some other people, obviously waiting for their slot with the boss. Probably some first-day greeting thing. Tom gave a brief glance at Brady and him, but got back talking to the nice-looking young lady who looked like someone from HR.

Paul had to smile. Well done for an amateur spy.