House of Cards (Tech Billionaires)

by Ainsley St Claire

  Diane Carlson, the U.S. Attorney in Minnesota, walks up to the microphone. “The defendants have allegedly engaged in a brazen scheme to unlawfully transport and conceal millions of dollars of controlled substances believed to be derived from illegal activity. They allegedly did so for personal profit and with the aim of avoiding law enforcement detection. My office is committed to rooting out such criminal activity.”

  FBI Assistant Director William Sweeney then takes the microphone. “Transporting illegal goods across state lines is criminal in and of itself, but operating an unlicensed money-remitting business, especially from outside of the United States, will almost certainly result in additional federal criminal charges. The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure this type of behavior ceases to exist.”

  Sheriff Carl E. Dubois approaches next. “We continue to work closely with the FBI and our other federal partners, and the success of this long-term investigation is proof of the benefits in these relationships. Illegal importation of drugs poses a great risk to our residents. Law enforcement must continue to work together to deter criminals from operating and engaging with organizations that allow them to break the law.”

  Finally, Marci approaches the podium. “It’s been widely reported that my clients—Margaret, Christopher, Steven, and Murphy Reinhardt—had absconded with millions of dollars and gone into hiding. I’m pleased to announce that the Reinhardt children are all here and accounted for. They were, in fact, instrumental in taking down the crime ring, which has put both their company and their personal safety at great risk. We want to thank the San Francisco and Minneapolis US Attorney’s offices, the FBI, and the Minneapolis Sheriff’s Department for their help.”

  Reporters wave their arms and begin yelling questions, most of which aren’t focused on the arrests but on us and our involvement. Marci patiently answers those that address what she’s agreed to speak about, and she deflects the rest.

  A publicist steps in and stops the questions after an hour, and our security team moves us out. A fleet of Suburbans transports us to the Four Seasons, where we’re ushered into a ballroom with coffee and snacks while the official paperwork is filed.

  “I notice the press didn’t seem to catch on to the RICO portion of the announcement,” I note.

  “They didn’t, did they?” US Attorney Walker smiles. “That’s good news for Nancy, for the time being. Maybe she won’t be quite so high on the Kryetar target list.”

  “They aren’t dumb. They have to figure she’ll rat them out,” I say.

  Walker stirs his coffee. “Nancy will have a dedicated protection detail, so she’ll be okay.”

  The Kryetar arrests are more complicated and will take some additional legwork. Some have gone underground, but others are expected to be rooted out after the arrests of my mom and Herbert. In the meantime, we all have our own protection, thanks to Jim and Clear Security. I hate it, but until things settle down, I know it’s the smart thing to do.

  “I’m not sure I want to know, but what happened with Patrick Moreau and Alex Walker?” I ask Marci.

  “Mr. Moreau was also arrested for his part in the embezzlement from the Foundation. He’s singing like a bird on a beautiful day.” She winks at me.

  “Marci, thank you for pulling the will filed with the state,” I tell her. “I’m glad to know I had the correct version.” I look to the heavens and thank my dad for helping me out. I’m sure he’s guiding me through this.

  “I’m glad too.” Murphy puts his arm over my shoulders and pulls me in for a side hug.

  That’s great for Murphy and his mother, but not so great for me because I’ll still need to marry to take charge of the business. I may have escaped Alex and the Kryetar, but my personal life remains in shambles. We need to talk to the executor of the estate. Marci has indicated that he could be firm and follow the will to the letter, but we won’t know until my siblings and I sit down with him.

  As usual, any time my thoughts drift to my personal life, I think of Jonnie. After leaving literally in the middle of the night, and not being able to contact him since, I’m not sure what he’s going to think about my stability as a partner. Honestly, I’m not sure either. The time I spent with him made me realize I’ve never had a real relationship, and Christopher said he was worried out of his mind when I left.

  But now that we’re out in the open again, the restrictions are off, and I have to at least try reaching out to him. I take a moment to text.

  Me: I’m so sorry about everything. This is the first time they’ve allowed me to reach out to you. I miss you. (This is Maggie BTW)

  It’s crazy with people around me. I see the bubbles rotate, but I don’t see a message pop up. I must check my phone every two minutes. But nothing. Maybe it’s technical difficulties? Or maybe not… I can’t blame him.

  The conversation around me is focused on my mother and Herbert and the Kryetar. I realize I’m not hearing anything about Alex.

  “What about Alex?” I ask no one in particular.

  “He was being blackmailed as well, but he will be arrested and probably go to jail for the theft of funds from his inheritance. The trustee is his mother, and she was very angry. She’s anxious to press charges against her husband, Moreau, and Alex,” the Sheriff says.

  “Is there any way he’ll get out of it?” I ask.

  “Depends on his plan to replace the funds,” Marci says.

  That makes me sad. I still can’t believe Alex betrayed our friendship, but I know the reason he took the money was loneliness, not greed. He has a bad picker when it comes to men. I hope he gets his life figured out.

  “Thank you for letting me know,” I tell them.

  I walk over and join my brothers, who’ve huddled in a corner. They’re talking excitedly, but their conversation tapers off when I approach.

  “What’s going on?” I ask.

  “We’re just talking about getting together more often,” Christopher assures me. “Let’s be involved in each other’s lives. You know, now that we’re a whole family again.”

  We all laugh.

  “Actually, I was wondering—do you want to run the company?” Murphy asks me.

  “I suppose,” I tell him with a shrug. “I mean, it doesn’t seem like any of my brothers are interested.” I give Christopher and Stevie the evil eye. “Murphy, your life is in Colorado, so that leaves me. Dad prepared me, and I’ll be okay. I know you’re all just a phone call away. But honestly, my ability to do it could change once the court-appointed executor reviews the will. If he confirms that I have to be married, I’m currently out of luck. So we’ll have to wait and see.”

  “Well, perhaps I can help you out,” Murphy says. “My future is looking a little different than it was just a few weeks ago, and I’m wondering if you’d like some help? Now that I’m not dead, and with the twins on the way, Anna and I would like to be closer to my mom, so my life might not be in Colorado anymore.”

  I look at him. “Really?”

  He nods. “We’ll still have the person you hired managing the day-to-day—and I did go to business school despite being dead. I know enough to run the board, with all of your help. And then you can keep managing the Foundation and you can be married or not married—whatever you want.”

  I almost can’t believe what he’s saying. That would be perfect. “What do you guys think?” I ask Christopher and Stevie. My heart races. This would solve everything. I can manage my own love life—and make sure it includes love—and I won’t have to be messing with the stores. I can focus on my passion.

  “I love it,” they say in unison.

  I jump into Murphy’s arms. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” I give him a kiss on the cheek and look at him. “I can’t tell you how much it would mean to me if you would do this job.”

  “You’d be free to come out to California any time—” Bella tells me.

  “Or fly down to Florida,” Genevieve interjects.

  “And you’ll h
ave your family home in Minneapolis, too,” Anna says.

  “That’s too much house for me.” I look at Christopher and Stevie, and they nod. “You know, Hazel and Richard would love to have children in the house again. I’d recommend at least a night nanny, but there would be room for your mom, too. It’s the family home, and if you’re going to be chairman of Reinhardt Corporation board, it’s where you need to be. Plus, I’ve always wanted to live in a cool downtown loft.”

  He looks unsure. “I’ll talk to my mom and Anna about it. I’ll have to think it over.”

  I nod. “Murphy, it’s the right thing to do.”

  Richard appears. Always dependable, he’s ready to bring us home.

  We rush over to greet him, and Christopher engulfs him in a hug.

  “How did you know we’d be here?” I ask.

  “I have my sources. Plus, they arrested your mother this morning at five, and we were told there’d be a press conference later today. Hazel has been cooking up a storm. I hope everyone is coming for lunch.”

  “I wouldn’t miss it for anything,” I tell him and give him a huge hug of my own.

  My brothers and I pile into the car and fight for shotgun like we’re teenagers again.

  “So, Richard,” I ask as he pulls away from the curb. “What would you and Hazel say to a few little kids at the house?”

  “I think we’d love it.” He smiles, his eyes never leaving the road.

  Chapter 36

  Jonathan

  “Hey, man,” Christopher says as he answers my call.

  “Hey, I saw the news yesterday,” I tell him. I lean back in my chair and cross my legs at the ankle on my desk.

  “You mean the fact that Minnesota is blanketed with snow in early September and we here out west are sitting pretty?”

  “Yeah, that. The whole quarter of an inch of snow.” I roll my eyes. He knows I’m talking about his mother’s case. She was sentenced yesterday. “How are Stevie and Maggie doing?”

  He blows out a big breath of air. “We’re all doing okay. The news that my mother is looking at fifty years is a little difficult to swallow—not that we don’t think she deserves that and more after what she did—but she is still our mother. They were going to keep her in the minimum-security prison in Minnesota, but instead, it looks like now they’re moving her to a medium-security place in Pennsylvania, given current developments.”

  “What happened that makes her a risk?”

  “She tried to bribe a guard to take out Maggie and Murphy.”

  “What? Take out? What do you mean?” I’m stunned by this. It didn’t make the news, and I’ve been watching the case carefully. “Why?”

  “She hates Murphy because he doesn’t have any Hudson blood, and he’s inheriting a quarter of the company and will be chairman of the board. And she’s angry that Maggie helped put her in jail—not to mention, she’s always been jealous of the relationship Maggie had with my dad.”

  “How did this not make the news?” I ask.

  “We only learned about her shenanigans at the sentencing yesterday.”

  “Were you there?”

  “All four of us were. We thought we’d show her our support, and when the prosecutor’s office told us they were petitioning to move her out of state, we didn’t understand why. Once they told us, we asked if it could be in the sealed record for the sake of privacy.”

  “I hate to ask, but was she upset about the change?”

  “Only someone who knows her would ask that.” Christopher chuckles. “Remember the time we were in the basement, smoking pot with those two girls we were hoping to screw?”

  I draw a sharp intake of breath and cover my junk at the memory. “She was that upset?”

  “Times at least one hundred.” Christopher snickers.

  “Wow. That’s pretty pissed.”

  “During the sentencing, the judge asked Maggie and Murphy if they wanted an apology.”

  “That must have been fun. What did she say?”

  “She wouldn’t apologize.” Christopher snorts. “The judge was dumbfounded. But Maggie was awesome. She stood up and addressed the court and explained that obviously Mother’s actions were misguided and misaligned with the values she’d tried to instill in us growing up.”

  “Good for Maggie!” I say.

  “It gets better. Maggie never faltered or stumbled. She didn’t look at Mother, but she wished her the best as she navigates her prison sentence. She stressed that no apology could ever wipe away the bribery, embezzlement, trafficking, and extortion—nor would it ever be genuine—so it wasn’t of any value.”

  I sit back hard in my seat. “Wow. Maggie is going to be a total rock star as chairman.”

  “Actually, Murphy is going to take over running Reinhardt. He and Anna want to live closer to his mom, so he’s going to move into Reinhardt House. Maggie will continue running the Foundation for us, and she’s considering moving out to San Francisco. Right now, though, she’s fully consumed with managing the PR campaign to keep the company afloat. She’s doing a lot of work to put the scandal behind the brand, but I hope she can get past it herself, too.”

  He clears his throat, and I know what he’s getting at, but for some reason I panic.

  “My mom wants to make a meal for you guys,” I tell him. “She’s beside herself that Catherine would do this to her children.”

  He sighs. “Your mom is awesome, but tell her that while we really appreciate it, right now the only thing keeping Hazel going is cooking. Well, that and preparing for four babies.”

  “Four babies? Who’s pregnant?”

  “Who isn’t.” Christopher quips.

  My heart skips a few beats. “Maggie’s pregnant?”

  He laughs. “I bet you’re panicked. No, Murphy’s having twins, and Stevie and I are both expecting.”

  Surprisingly, I wouldn’t be panicked—as long as I was the father, of course. It would move things along for Maggie and me. “Well, that’s fantastic news for all of you. Congratulations, man.”

  “Thanks,” Christopher says.

  Then he’s silent, and I know I have to talk to him about this.

  “I miss her,” I tell him.

  “Have you called her?” Christopher asks.

  “I did. She sent me a text after the press conference, and I called her back, but I spoke with some yahoo who would only take a message.” My heart hurts. “Then I got paranoid that it still wasn’t safe to be calling her. But I miss her, man. I keep hoping she’ll reach out to me.”

  “I know it’s not unsafe for you to contact her at this point, and I know she misses you, too. It’s funny, she’s finally free to do what she wants to with her personal life, but I don’t think she’s had time to do much of anything. She may not be running the company, but she’s burning the candle at both ends to make sure we still have a company, and she’s still dealing with all the lawyers. She’s been bouncing between Minneapolis, Colorado, New York for the PR company, and San Francisco. She’s a trooper, though. Don’t give up on her.”

  I need to change the subject. I didn’t realize that talking to Christopher would only make me miss her more. And I really need to find a way to talk to her about that, not him.

  “So, Murphy, Stevie, and you are all pregnant?” I laugh. “That’ll make the tabloids for sure: ‘Reinhardt Men Pregnant.’“

  “Okay, you’re right, we are not expecting. However, our wives are. Well, Genevieve is refusing to marry Stevie right now, but I think they’re common law.”

  I suppress a snort. “When is everyone due?”

  “All in the spring and early summer.”

  “And you guys didn’t even plan this.”

  “Total coincidence,” he assures me.

  “What’s the plan for baby showers?” I ask.

  “I don’t keep up with that shit,” he scoffs. “I just go where I’m told. No messin’ around, no arguing. Just show up and shut up is my modus operandi these days.”

  “Sounds li
ke a good plan. You know I’d love to host you here at the hotel,” I offer.

  “I like that idea. It might give the guys something fun to do. Check with Maggie—she’s organizing it.”

  Maggie. There’s my reason to reach out again, and perhaps a way to get to see her too. I just need to figure out how to get her to agree.

  “Thanks, man, I will,” I say. “And, please, let me know if there’s anything I can do to help or just be a sounding board—although I’m not sure I can offer anything better than your show-up-and-shut-up plan.”

  “Trust me. With all these pregnancy hormones, it’s my best bet.”

  “I’m taking notes,” I promise.

  We talk for a few minutes longer about how the Vikings will win it all this year—at least in our fantasies—and my mind starts trying to figure out how to plan my next move with Maggie.

  When we hang up, I take a deep breath and text her.

  Me: Hey. I just spoke with Christopher and he said you have the monster task of organizing three baby showers. Have you ever considered the Shangri-la?

  It takes her some time to respond, and each agonizing second seems like hours.

  Maggie: I didn’t know how to ask, but that would be perfect. Would you have room for two hundred-plus guests in early January?

  I have no earthly clue, but I would bump someone for this. I quickly call Gillian. Once I explain what I’m looking for, she asks, “What day?”