Take Cover Read Free Page B

“I noticed something when I was covering for Julien. I would have mentioned it earlier, but I needed to do some more investigating,” I began. My father leaned back into his chair, his attention now completely mine as I forged on with my plan.
    “I believe we have a mole within the company. Some of the information I discovered seemed a bit too personal for The Crown Ivy to know, if not for an insider funneling them the information. I have my suspicions, but I need full access to resources to confirm my findings.”
    “Merde! Shit! Had you come to me when your suspicions first arose, I would have done everything to get to the bottom of it. Who knows how much information has been traded between then and now? What exactly did you find, son?”
    I stood to my feet and began to pace around in front of him, trying to give the impression that he wouldn’t like what I was going to say.
    “For the most part, The Crown Ivy’s resistance to giving up their company appeared genuine. But, when I broke down the minutes between the attorneys on both sides, there seemed to be great interest in one of our overseas projects. One that, I know for a fact, hasn’t been made public.”
    “The Crown Ivy has been trying to get the upper hand on us, for as long as I  remember. Julien had to fire several employees this past year, because he suspected them of providing inside information to them. I can’t afford to have this deal go south; I need concrete proof of your findings. Where are they?” he demanded, his veins protruded out on his neck.
    Just as I had hoped, my father was more than intrigued by my findings. “I passed them along to Julien to look over, when he returned to work. He didn’t think much about it, more than likely, too preoccupied with the opening of the new hotel downtown. How is that going by the way?” I asked, even though I knew the answer. I stopped my pacing, eager to hear his response.
    With Julien no longer running the expansion, and rumors swirling around the pushing back of the opening date, it was clear that my father was in over his head. Back when he ran the company solely, he rarely took the chances that Julien was now known to take. Now that his precious prized son was out of the business, he was lost. The glass of half-drunk whiskey on his desk, in the middle of a messy pile, said it all.
    He pulled away from the desk, stood to his feet and began his own set of pacing next to his desk. “I’m not sure what the hell that brother of yours was thinking when he started this project. The chefs he hired are inadequate. The managers he hired are incompetent, and I have had to push back the opening until I find suitable replacements,” he murmured, as he ran a hand through his salt and pepper hair.
    I nodded my head, seemingly agreeing with him, all for his sake. We both knew he wasn’t going to admit that he hadn’t the faintest idea how to make this project a success. At least, not like Julien could, but I wasn’t about to be the bearer of bad news. Judging from the deep creases on his forehead, he knew the truth.
    “Well, then, Father, you continue working on the hotel expansion. I’ll speak to our security team and have them screen the employees. I will also secure the files from Julien. I believe he’s home, right now,” I began, as I looked at my watch, “You know, since he is unemployed. I just hope Charlette isn’t there, so that we may speak freely,” I almost whisper to myself, just loud enough for my father to hear and he cocked his brow.
    “Charlette? Why would it matter if his wife is with him? It would be about time that boy started paying his wife some attention. How she manages to stay married to him, after all the mess he’s put her through, is beside me,” he muttered, before taking his seat back at his desk. Suddenly deep in thought, I wait for him to give his final command or dismissal. It was always the same with him, even when I was a kid.
    “Have Charlette give those