Past Midnight

by Jasmine Haynes

  “But you’ll be wasting a lot of money.”

  “So will you.” He kept the genial smile as if it were pasted on.

  Dominic considered this a fishing expedition, nothing more. He wanted to see if Brooks would take the bait, so to speak. Dominic started it off by laying the latest WEU letter on the desk and sliding it across. “This amount is ridiculous.”

  Brooks blinked at the odd folds of the page. Dominic smiled. Could the man tell it had once been an airplane?

  Brooks pulled his glasses to the tip of his nose to read. “Oh my.” The curve of his lips turned slightly malicious. “Now that is a great deal.” He pushed the glasses back in place.

  “According to my calculations,” Dominic said, “that number is way overstated.”

  Brooks raised a brow, his scalp wrinkling. “I assure you the number is correct. We pride ourselves on accuracy here at WEU, both in our gauges and our numbers.”

  “How would you know that without an audit?”

  “We have our ways, Mr. DeKnight.” Yeah, the smile was definitely malicious.

  So, they did have his numbers. Dominic didn’t know how. He didn’t expect Brooks to tell him. “Then you’re going to have a fight on your hands, Garland.”

  Brooks smiled as if he were speaking to a very small boy. “If it comes down to a lawsuit, I’m afraid you’ll find our pockets are quite a bit deeper than your own.”

  “Are they?” Dominic asked.

  “Of course.”

  “Then why are you having trouble paying your vendors on time?”

  Brooks didn’t splutter. He didn’t even blink. “That’s a business strategy to even out the month-to-month cash flow.”

  “So you stiff your suppliers in order to smooth out your cash.”

  Brooks grimaced. “Now, Mr. DeKnight, I assure you no one is stiffing anyone.”

  Brooks was stiffing everyone. And on purpose. “That’s a matter of opinion, Garland. But DKG is going to fight you on this. We are right and you are wrong. That patent won’t stand. We know it and you know it. And we’ll win in the end.”

  Brooks leaned forward, laid his elbows carefully on his blotter and clasped his hands, gazing at Dominic over them. “Right or wrong isn’t the issue, Mr. DeKnight. The issue is who can hold out longer, an insignificant little company like yours or a worldclass firm like ours. For every dollar you spend, I can spend five. Long before you prove my patent isn’t valid, you will be bankrupt.” He smiled like a mob enforcer ready with his brass knuckles. “So I suggest you simply pay the money now and save yourself any further trouble.”

  Dominic gave him a full three-second look. “That’s what you did to the others, isn’t it.” It wasn’t a question.

  The other man didn’t say a word. He merely smiled that enforcer smile.

  Dominic rose, retrieving the letter he fully intended to ignore. “Thanks for the tip.”

  “My pleasure.”

  Dominic left WEU knowing three things. First, Brooks didn’t care whether his through-coat patent was valid or not. Second, they made their money off the threat of a suit. And finally, no way was Dominic giving in to that asshole. He would fight Garland Brooks down to the last dime.

  DOMINIC LEFT JUST BEFORE LUNCH, ONLY HALF AN HOUR OR SO since Erin had fixed her makeup after blowing him in his lab. Maybe, if he’d been there, Erin could have resisted herself. Instead, she gave in to that need to do something, even if it was dumb to call Bree into her office and ask what was bothering her. It would most likely end badly, with Erin saying something stupid like “Bree, did you give someone our through-coat sales numbers?”

  God, she hated that through-coat gauge with a passion. Without it, their lives would have been different. Now it haunted her. Perhaps it was poetic justice that the damn thing was going to bring them down.

  “Close the door and have a seat, Bree.” She pointed to a chair.

  Bree sat obediently. Was she nervous, worried about Erin calling her in there?

  Just be straightforward, Erin told herself. “You’ve seemed preoccupied the last few days.” How long had it really been? She hadn’t noticed anything herself, only had Yvonne’s frantic diatribe to go by. Erin guessed that made her a bad boss. “Is something bothering you?”

  “No,” Bree said quickly without meeting her gaze.

  Erin waited. Bree didn’t say anything else, didn’t offer an explanation, nothing. Bree had never been a vivacious, open person. She kept to herself for the most part, though she offered a smile or a laugh when it was appropriate. She’d always been a little closed.

  Or was secretive a better word?

  Okay, so what do you say when someone gives you no opening whatsoever? Accuse them of selling company information and gauge the reaction? “You can tell me if you’re worried about anything.”

  “I know.” Bree’s face was carefully blank.

  Erin was suddenly sure there was something wrong, that Yvonne hadn’t imagined it. Bree’s attitude was . . . off. Never effusive, Bree was nevertheless friendly, yet now her features and her voice were completely neutral, as if she was afraid something might seep through any cracks in her facade.

  Erin didn’t want to believe it had anything to do with giving away DKG information. She could believe it; she had that kind of suspicious nature. But she didn’t want to. “The door’s always open, Bree, if you need it.”

  “Thanks, Erin, but I’m fine.”

  She knew Bree wasn’t, but she also knew the other woman wasn’t ready to talk about whatever it was. She might never be ready to.

  But should Erin believe? Or should she suspect?

  Maybe because she had to, or because Dominic had been so adamant, or because she was just plain scared of saying something she couldn’t take back, Erin chose to believe. “Can you do another analysis for me?”

  “Sure.” The strange shadow didn’t leave Bree’s eyes even at the change of topic. “What do you need?”

  “A cost analysis for making the transducers in-house.”

  Bree thought for a couple of seconds, then nodded. “I can do that.” Her index finger tapped on the arm of the chair. “Are we done now?”

  “Yes. I need the analysis by tomorrow morning. I want to have a meeting with the techs.” Besides Matt, there was Susan and Tim. Having Steve at the meeting would be good, too. She wasn’t a democratic leader in that she’d let her employees vote on important decisions, but asking for ideas and opinions helped create buy-in.

  “I can have it by the end of the day.”

  She felt irrationally relieved when Bree left, as if by the skin of her teeth she’d avoided something huge. She didn’t have proof. She didn’t know how everything would have gotten screwed up if she’d accused Bree. She was glad she hadn’t succumbed to it.

  She thought of Dominic’s steadfast belief that no one at DKG would sabotage them. There was something admirable in that. Something worth striving for. She needed to make a peace offering for shutting him out last night. What they’d done in the lab wasn’t enough; he’d initiated that. No, she needed to give him something.

  The question was what.

  BREE DIDN’T CLOSE HER OFFICE DOOR. SOMEONE MIGHT NOTICE that and start thinking or questioning or wondering, especially since she’d just come out of a closed-door meeting with Erin.

  Sitting down at her desk, smoothing her slacks over her thighs, her hands trembled when she lifted them to the keyboard.

  She was so stupid. She should never have told Rachel. Rachel hadn’t blabbed, but Bree had seen Yvonne launch the attack almost immediately. Yvonne was a busybody, well-meaning, sure, but still a busybody.

  Which is why Bree should never have told Rachel. But the woman caught her at a weak moment, defenses down, a mass of emotions. And she’d spilled her guts. Okay, it wasn’t everything, not by a long shot, but she’d told Rachel one teeny-tiny thing that was enough to turn a snowball into an avalanche if Bree wasn’t careful.

  The computer screen swam before her eyes. S
he closed her lids, but it didn’t help; she simply felt dizzy. Scared and alone. With a dash of panic.

  “Everything will be fine,” she whispered. “I’m okay.”

  Yet she couldn’t help herself. All she needed was a little relief, then she’d be better. She dug her phone out of her purse and hit a speed dial. He answered on the second ring.

  And Bree said the magic words: “I need to see you tonight.”

  He didn’t hesitate, not even a slight pause to think about it. “Seven o’clock.” Then he was gone.

  She always did the calling, never the other way round. It was the way she wanted it, needed it. And he always said yes.

  Suddenly things felt so much better.

  20

  THE BAR WAS CROWDED FOR HAPPY HOUR, OFFERING GREAT APPETIZERS, primarily deep-fried stuff, and cheap drinks. Where there were cheap drinks, good food, and big-breasted waitresses, there were lots of men. The noise level was therefore earsplitting, mitigated only by the fact that Dominic and Hansen had a small table in a corner by the front window and were spared the volume on two sides. Dominic had set up the meeting right after leaving WEU today, but he hadn’t chosen the place, Hansen had; one of his favorite haunts.

  Short and sandy-haired, Hansen had probably been hassled as the freckle-faced kid when he was a schoolboy thirty-five-odd years ago. If so, it had toughened him, or maybe being a lawyer, which was a confrontational occupation, had done it. Lawyers moved from one battle to another, hence the reasons lawsuits were either “won” or “lost.” Because they were always a fight.

  Dominic slugged his Italian soda. He had to drive. Hansen had ordered a very expensive chardonnay, a glass of sparkling water, and deep-fried artichoke hearts that smelled too dangerous for his arteries.

  “Is this going on my bill?” Dominic asked.

  “Of course,” Hansen said without cracking a smile. “Lawyers live by one rule: everything is billable.”

  “Good to know.” Nevertheless, Dominic doubted the food and drink would show up on his “expense” section. He figured it was lawyer humor.

  “Okay, show me what you received.”

  Dominic pushed the WEU letter he’d received this morning across the table for Hansen to read.

  After his visit to Brooks, Dominic had half a mind to throw the letter in the trash for good, call Hansen off, and take his chances as to whether Brooks would follow through on his threat. But Erin couldn’t live with that risk. He wouldn’t force her to.

  Hansen gave an infinitesimal nod signifying he’d finished reading.

  “It’s an extremely accurate guesstimate,” Dominic said. “I paid Garland Brooks a visit about it today and he—”

  Hansen slapped his hand on the table. “You did what?”

  “I talked with Brooks,” Dominic answered, uncowed.

  Hansen put his hand to his forehead and looked heavenward. “Lord save me from my clients.” Then he pointed a finger. “Don’t get in my way, Dominic. You’ll just make the situation worse and my job more difficult.”

  Dominic had known he’d say something like that, but he didn’t care. “I wanted to know what I was up against. Brooks doesn’t give a damn about the validity of that patent. He wants to extort money, and he figured I’d find it cheaper to pay up than spend the money to defend myself against him.”

  Hansen flapped a hand and went back to the artichokes. “That’s standard operating procedure, Dominic.”

  “Yeah, well here’s his mistake. He asked for too much, and he pissed off my wife.”

  Hansen gave a belly laugh. “Your wife scares me.”

  Dominic added his smile. “Me, too.”

  “Then let’s nail his ass to the wall.” Hansen tapped the letter. “This isn’t from their attorney so I consider it a scare tactic, as you’ve already surmised.” Hansen held up his hand before Dominic could interrupt. “But I’m still taking it seriously.” He took off his glasses, setting them on the table as he attacked the artichoke hearts. “The biggest point in their favor is that they have other manufacturers paying them a royalty. Which gives them validity and muddies our waters.”

  An expletive rose to his lips, but Dominic shut himself down, letting Hansen go on.

  “That will be our biggest hurdle, and we’ve got to have all our ducks in a row, no stone unturned, et cetera, et cetera.” Those et ceteras were going to cost DKG big bucks. Hansen shrugged as if he could see the dollar signs flashing in Dominic’s eyes and went on. “These other guys could be paying just to avoid the hassle of having to fight it. Or hoping someone else will fight their battle.”

  Because if DKG proved they didn’t have to pay the royalty, then all WEU’s leverage was gone. Dominic felt his blood pressure rising. Garland Brooks was playing the bully on the playground, and everyone else was rolling over, sticking DKG with the bill for going toe-to-toe with the big boy.

  “So what you’re saying is we have to sit and wait.” And pay Hansen’s fees up the wazoo.

  Hansen nodded, his mouth full. Dominic would have scarfed an artichoke heart, but he’d told Erin he’d be home for dinner. Not that he expected they’d be talking at dinner. She was probably going to punish him for his high-handedness in the lab. He didn’t care; it had been worth it. It had turned around his whole attitude from the previous night.

  Hansen swallowed. “Nothing’s going to happen until after the holidays anyway.”

  The holidays. Dominic hadn’t forgotten, though this year there was no holiday potluck at work, no gift exchange. The office hadn’t been decorated. Erin used to arrange all that stuff. She hadn’t even brought it up. No one else had either. The whole group worked tomorrow, Wednesday, but then there was the four-day weekend for Christmas and the holiday for New Year’s the following week.

  Christmas might not be coming to DKG, but those four days loomed ahead of him. A huge reminder. What the hell were they going to do with four days? The twinge in his gut rose to an ache around his heart. Christmas without Jay. Jesus. Last year, they’d been so torn apart, they’d been numb to the meaning of the days. This year, the holiday season was like a chasm looming ahead of them, almost as if it were the first Christmas without him.

  He didn’t know what Erin would do. He didn’t know what the hell he’d do for her.

  “So,” Hansen said, “who’s feeding WEU information?”

  “No one at DKG,” Dominic said emphatically.

  Hansen didn’t say a word. He merely smiled as if he were looking at a completely delusional man.

  “We don’t put out public financial information.” They had an annual report, but it was primarily for customers, and they didn’t publish the P and L. “We’ve got the governmental stuff; property tax, sales and use tax, income tax.” He waved a hand to encompass the sheer volume of forms.

  “Well, the government’s not giving it out.” Hansen savored his chardonnay a moment. “Who does all your filings?”

  “We have an in-house accountant who prepares the data, and an outside accounting firm who prepares the actual forms and submits everything.”

  Hansen wiped his fingers on a napkin. “Do you trust them?”

  “Yes.”

  This time Hansen didn’t say a word or make a face. “Have you applied for any loans online, any new credit applications?”

  “No. Besides information is never that specific, right down to the product line level.”

  Hansen sighed, twisted his lips, thinking. “Dumpster diving?”

  “We use a bonded shredding service.” Dominic had already considered this stuff, and sadly, the most logical explanation still came down to someone in the company.

  “Okay, okay.” Hansen sipped his wine thoughtfully. “What about your data storage?”

  “We’ve got an online enterprise system for all our manufacturing, accounting, sales, everything. All the data resides on their server, backed up regularly, and I already called to see if they’d had any hacking problems.”

  “That doesn’t mean that you
couldn’t have been hacked.” Hansen narrowed his eyes. “Maybe you’ve got some malware on one of your computers.”

  “But malware isn’t that targeted.” At least he didn’t think it was. “Besides, we have virus protection.”

  “Some of these things can be really sophisticated and damn near undetectable coming in.”

  Dominic drummed his fingers on the tabletop.

  Hansen smiled. “You’re the one who says the numbers are too close to the real thing, so it’s your choice, Dominic. Targeted malware. Or one of your employees.”

  Hell, it was worth the expense. “All right. I’ll bring in a geek to go through all the machines.” They’d need an expert. He’d tell everyone they were optimizing the computers.

  DOMINIC WAS MEETING WITH THE LAWYER. WHEN HE’D INFORMED her, Erin had an irresistible urge to invite herself along. Almost irresistible. She’d stopped the runaway thought. Instead, very wifely, she’d told him to be home in time for dinner, which was usually whatever one of them felt like picking up.

  That was the epitaph for her life over the last year; she couldn’t be bothered. Even now, she cut up cheese, salami, and apples, putting it all on a plate with some crackers. After staring a moment, she added a handful of peeled baby carrots and cherry tomatoes to the plate. So it wasn’t gourmet. At least she’d poured his beer into a mug. That was saying something.

  She carried the plate and mug out to the back patio. The chairs and table were still covered with plastic protecting them for the winter, last year’s winter. They’d never even uncovered them this summer.

  What had been the point?

  Erin closed her eyes against the ache.

  Setting the plate and glass down, she removed the plastic from one chair, pulling it over to the stand-alone fire pit. The night was chilly but dry. Glowing logs arranged in a metal casing, the fire pit was gas and lit easily despite having been idle for so long. They’d used it in the spring and fall, when the days were lovely but the nights could be cool.