32
ADAM STEPPED ONTO the plane, turned toward business class, and walked directly to his seat. He got the same seat every time and, unless some business deal prevented it, took the same flight. He nodded and smiled at the staff as they greeted him by name, took his coat and handed him the two pillows he always used for takeoff. He noticed some of the other business class passengers craning their necks to see who the staff was fussing over. He loved that.
“Here you go, Mr. Smith.” The flight attendant smiled, handing him his preferred brand of bourbon, no ice, just as he liked.
“Thank you,” he said and raised his glass in mock salute to the woman he thought of as Stew One. He never used their names and even made a point not to learn them. Instead, he used a numbering system.
Stew One was his favorite right now, but that might very well change during this flight. Stew Two appeared to have gotten new, bigger boobs, from the looks of it. A face-to-face, or rather boob-to-boob, comparison would settle the competition, he thought as he laughed at his joke, got comfy in his seat, and took a good long pull of his bourbon.
Thinking back over the past few days, Adam felt things couldn’t be better. After Japan, he’d flown to Thailand and had spent the past four days meeting clients. He took out his private, leather-bound book and looked over his notes. He had a thriving side business that also brought significant legal business to the firm, so the time he’d spent in Asia ended up being doubly profitable, at least for him.
There is nothing wrong with having my own business, Adam thought. Billy is heir to his family’s tobacco plantation and Trever to his grandfather’s ranch. They don’t share information about their family businesses with me; no reason I need to tell them about mine. It brought him a significant amount of cash—more than he had ever dreamed of having as the kid who hadn’t inherited any role in his family’s retail business. As the youngest, he was essentially pushed out as his older brother and father hadn’t wanted to share the profits with him.
Taking another pull of his bourbon, he leaned his head back onto his pillows with a self-satisfied smile, loving that his father and brother were now foaming at the mouth over his estate in the Hamptons. He’d sent them pictures when he’d purchased it last year. Bastards had the nerve to ask who it belonged to. Now that they understand I could buy and sell their stupid retail business ten times over, they’re kissing my ass.
“Mr. Smith, would you like a refill?” Stew Two asked.
Leering directly at her tits, Adam said, “Honey, I’d love one. And,” Adam said, touching her arm and beckoning her to come closer, “five hundred bucks if you undo just a few buttons on that uniform so I can see a bit more of those new assets. They are new, aren’t they?”
“Let’s see the five first.”
Almost salivating, Adam reached into his inside breast pocket and pulled out a wad of bills. Handing her five hundred dollar bills, he asked, “Now, the answer is?”
“Brand spanking new double d’s.”
“Baby, congratulations. You just became Stew One.”
CHAPTER
33
PULLING BACK THE heavy curtains in his suite, Billy squinted as he looked out over the ocean. The sun was already high in the sky over Miami, and the penthouse gave him views up and down the coast. The partners always gathered somewhere warm the first week of November to lock down final estimates of funds to be received year-end and to finalize the next year’s projected revenue.
Hearing the knock at his door, Billy called, “Come in. It’s open.”
“This is my favorite time of year. Counting our cash,” Trever said as walked over to admire the view. “Where’s Adam?”
“He called and said he’d be about five minutes late. He had to change his projections because of a new client he got yesterday. His staff is finishing the updates.”
“Man, he’s been raking it in over the past few years. The business he set up advising US clients who want to do business in Asia and vice versa has been beyond anything I would have predicted,” Trever said.
“I think, Trever, we are reaching the point where he’ll want a bigger piece of the pie. He’s thrown a few lines into the water hinting at that.”
“I’ve seen them. Adam is anything but subtle. As far as I’m concerned, though, that will never happen. We agreed that, no matter what happened year to year, the three of us would share the firm’s profits equally. None of us wanted to leave ourselves open to the traditional law firm bullshit of partners tearing each other apart over clients and money. He was certainly happy enough when we began and he could barely reel a dead fish into our boat, let alone one that was worth eating.”
“When one begins to make money, one often forgets who helped him along the way,” Billy responded.
Hearing a light rap, Billy and Trever turned as the door opened. “Gentlemen, how are you on this fabulous Miami morning?” Adam greeted them with a huge smile on his face.
Billy and Trever glanced at each other, knowing where this was headed. Adam saw the exchange and couldn’t have cared less. He used to dread their annual meetings. He’d arrive agitated and unhappy and stay that way until the end because his numbers had historically been much lower than theirs. Adam was forced to sit there for hours as kudos were given back and forth between Billy and Trever, the rainmakers. About three years ago, Adam’s revenue began increasing significantly, and consequently, his feelings about this meeting had changed. Last year, he’d been only a few million behind Billy and only half a million behind Trever. Judging by his demeanor this morning, Billy and Trever bet his revised figures placed him in the number one spot for the current fiscal year and projections for next.
Walking over to the fully stocked bar, Adam searched until he found what he was looking for. “Ah, here we are,” he said.
“A bit early for champagne, isn’t it?” Trever asked, using the exaggerated drawl he saved for times when he wanted to make a point.
Pulling expertly on the cork until it loosened into his hand, Adam filled three crystal flutes. Handing one to each of his partners, he answered, “Not at all. Today is one of celebration. This is one of the best years we’ve had as a firm, and I’m predicting amazing things on the horizon, some of which I’ll discuss with you during the planning phase.”
Unable to take much more of Adam crowing, Billy suggested, “Shall we begin? Adam, you have new numbers to give us?”
Adam pulled documents from his folder and passed them out. “I had to revise my numbers and the firm’s cumulative revenue this morning because two of my largest clients committed to paying their December invoices before the end of the year for tax purposes. We’ll email their invoices on the thirty first, and they’ll wire the funds into our account before midnight.”
Adam sat back while Billy and Trever poured over his changed figures. He almost laughed watching them try to keep their eyes from popping out of their heads.
Billy made a few notations and felt a bit annoyed at losing his number one spot to Adam, but at least he was still a few million ahead of Trever. Looking over at Trever, he asked, “Ready?”
“Yup. Adam,” Trever began, “congratulations. You’ve done a great job over the past few years and, based on these numbers, this year in particular. You helped beat our firm projections by more than three million. You’ve really outdone yourself.”
“Thank you, Trever. I am rather proud of my numbers.”
“I couldn’t agree more, Adam,” Billy joined in. “You’ve done a fantastic job of expanding into Asia, and that’s been key to significant growth for our firm. When no one else thought it was going to amount to anything, you persevered and now, look what you’ve built.”
“A few questions about next year’s projections, Adam,” Trever stated.
“Of course.”
“You’re projecting an almost 20 percent increase in your revenue stream. That’s a significant increase and, coupled with Billy’s and my projections, th
e overall firm projects an increase of more than 30 percent. While I don’t for a minute doubt your ability, our projections have always been on the conservative side. I don’t want to change that.”
Adam knew he’d be questioned about his projections for the coming year and had been looking forward to it. “Trever, I appreciate your concern, and I don’t intend to change the way we project firm revenue. This is my conservative number.”
Billy’s eyebrow quirked slightly, and he looked directly into Adam’s eyes. “If this is your conservative projection…just for kicks, what’s the number you think you’ll actually bring in the door?”
Adam smiled, relishing the attention. He finally understood why his partners had always loved these meetings. It was exhilarating to discuss revenue and projections when you were at the top of the heap.
“I think the best thing I can do is to give you the number I’m comfortable with, which is the conservative one. In almost fifteen years of doing this, none of us has been off by more than 5 percent, yet we’ve never drilled down into each other’s actual projections. Let’s leave well enough alone, shall we?”
“I agree,” Trever said.
“Fine,” Billy acquiesced. “Will you need additional staff or attorneys to reach any of these numbers? We want to ensure you have everything you need to hit your targets.”
“No. I’m good with the team I’ve got. If we’re done with this part of the meeting, let’s turn to the planning phase.”
Both Billy and Trever nodded.
Adam reached into his folder and passed around a color-coded chart. “This is what I believe the firm can do over the next five years. Take a minute, digest it, and then we’ll discuss.”
Trever looked up first. “Adam, while I appreciate the exuberance reflected in these numbers, there is no way we can staff up quickly enough to bring in this kind of revenue.”
“I have to agree,” Billy joined in. “These numbers are too high, almost fantastical.”
“Let me explain,” Adam said, pulling out two additional documents. “This one,” he said as handed it around, “shows my projections of our revenue and costs if we expand to these countries organically, meaning if we hire and train the people we need. This next one,”—he nodded at the second document—“shows our growth rate if we strategically purchase firms native to these countries and bring some of their best income-producing people on board. As you can see, the difference is striking.”
Both Billy and Trever took their time looking over the documents. “How solid are these numbers?” Trever asked.
“Rock solid. The firms I’ve listed expressed an interest in selling. Each provided me with its financials for the past three years and projections for the coming year. The next steps, if we agree, are for the three of us to sign confidentiality agreements and arrange to meet their partners.”
“How long have you been working on this?” Billy asked Adam, looking at Trever in a silent ask if he had known.
Adam caught the exchange. For years, he had put up with their shit doesn’t stink attitudes. It was more than rewarding to watch them try to keep their footing when he had just walked them to the edge of the cliff.
“Over the past three years,” Adam answered, pulling out a final set of papers and handing them to his partners. “We can discuss the details today, and I’ll answer any questions you might have. But the prudent thing to do is to execute these documents and then arrange meetings. The managing partners are willing to fly to the US, so there should be little, if any, disruption to your schedules. In fact, I’d like to arrange the first meeting in February. That will give you enough time to review the background information I’ve provided and for us to have a second meeting before they arrive.”
“That’s fast. Why the rush?” Billy asked.
“No rush. It’s opportunity knocking. If we don’t walk through the door, I promise you, one of our competitors will. They’ve given us first opportunity, but they won’t wait forever.”
“Why would these two firms have come to us first?”
Trever asked.
“They know and trust me. And, let’s not sell ourselves short. We’ve built a good firm with a solid reputation. They believe, like we do, that the legal profession will continue to be dominated by mega firms that service the international corporate community.” Sensing his partners’ reticence, he reassured them. “Meeting with them doesn’t mean we have to proceed, but not meeting them would be one of the stupidest decisions we could make.”
“Here’s my concern,” Billy said. “Except for 10 percent, the three of us have complete and total ownership of our firm. As far as I know, there are no other firms like that. I have no intention of altering that arrangement, and I doubt Trever does either.” Trever shook his head, indicating his agreement with Billy. “So, if they can’t have ownership of the pie, why would they want to merge their firm with ours?”
Adam got up, grabbed the champagne, and refilled his partners’ glasses. “I think I can convince the majority shareholders to sell us their firms lock, stock, and barrel. That way, we get rid of the equity partners by paying them a hefty sum to step aside, and we keep the smartest and hardest working associates and non-equity partners.”
“Why in the world would they want to do that?” Trever asked. “I’m sure they’ve worked through the same numbers you’ve shown us. It would make no sense for them to walk away from a potential gold mine.”
“I’m sure they’ll have their reasons,” Adam said as he smiled and raised his glass. “To us, to world domination, and to the future of Acker, Smith & McGowen.”
Billy and Trever glanced at each other, wondering the same thing, but the amount of money they would make if Adam’s deals went through would make them some of the wealthiest lawyers in the world. That was all they needed to give Adam the go-ahead. “To us,” they echoed.
CHAPTER
34
IT WAS HER favorite time of day. There’s something tangible and calming about twilight, Victoria thought as she breathed in deeply, savoring the fresh air. It was the first time she’d been outside the building where she and Armond had been locked in meetings all day. “I’m a bit embarrassed to admit this, but I actually thought the sun might not set in the West in Hong Kong.”
“Really?” Armond responded with a sideways glance.
“Oh, don’t give me your smarter-than-thou look. Not all of us were brought up with a silver spoon in our mouth and daddy’s private jet waiting outside our kindergarten class. I’ve only been out of the country one other time. How would I know?”
“I don’t know. You’ve had years of schooling,” Armond answered with a dose of sarcasm. “Perhaps you’d pick it up along the way?”
Victoria gave Armond a good, strong elbow jab in his ribs.
As they walked in silence toward their hotel, Victoria felt at peace. It was the feeling she always got when she’d put in a solid, productive day’s work. She’d apparently been tense earlier, nervous about adding value for Renoir Productions, because she could feel her shoulders and neck relaxing. At least now, she thought, I can enjoy the sights and sounds of Hong Kong. Looking around, Victoria understood why Hong Kong was called the Pearl of the Orient. The soaring skyscrapers, the nightly light show, and the deep blue of the harbor made it a tucked-away gem. If she had to describe the city, she would say it was alive. It felt as if every beat and pulse had a purpose. Everyone was in a rush. And if she listened, she could hear as many as five different languages being spoken at any moment. Enjoying the sense of relaxation, mixed with the heady power and beauty of the city, she linked her arm through Armond’s. “I feel much better today. I think the jet lag’s finally worn off.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Just in time for the trip home,” Armond responded, steering them through the throng of people.
“I’m assuming it’s easier on the way home?” Victoria asked hopefully. When she got no response, she gave him a nudge. “Armond? Are
you ignoring me?”
Armond had been watching Victoria’s hair sway as she walked, thinking it had an almost ethereal quality. Shaking his head, he willed himself to stay focused on the increasingly crowded sidewalk traffic. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I asked if the jet lag is easier on the way home,” Victoria repeated.
“No. The trip home’s a killer,” Armond answered, glancing at Victoria. “It usually takes me a good five days before I feel somewhat normal and a full week before I stop nodding off in the middle of the day.”
“Well, that’s not what I wanted to hear,” Victoria responded. “We return to the US the day after tomorrow?”
“Yes. We leave on Wednesday and because we’ll cross the International Date Line, we arrive on Wednesday. The day we lost on the way out, we get back on the way home.”
“Weird. But I’m glad to hear it. I have a major hearing in federal court on Friday. As soon as we land in LA and I turn back into Cinderella after stepping off your private plane,”—Victoria gave Armond another nudge with her elbow—“I’ll have to catch the next flight to Chicago and prepare on the flight home. Our briefs were filed almost two months ago, and at this point, I can’t remember half the issues.”
“Oh,” Armond said, surprised at how sad he felt at the thought of her leaving.
“Oh, what?” Victoria asked, looking up at Armond.
“I had assumed you would stay in California at least through the weekend so we could brief my parents about the trip and maybe have a few days to relax.”
“I’m sorry, Armond. I had no idea you wanted me to stay after we returned.”
“Can’t you push the hearing?”
“No way. My opposing counsel’s a dick—I mean, a real big one,” Victoria said, using her hands to express just how big a dick she thought he was. “There’s no way he’d agree to move the hearing. Besides, the judge let us know he set aside two hours Friday for oral argument. If we called his clerk this close to the hearing date to reschedule, I’m sure he’d blow a gasket.”
Private Agendas: A Victoria Rodessa Legal Thriller Page 14
