Olin exploded, his raging anger reverberating from his body as he shouted, “Are you out of your fucking mind?! You think I’m going to walk away from all I’ve worked so hard for, publicly humiliated and becoming the newest tabloid gossip cover boy? Do you really believe, in that shriveled up pea brain of yours, that I would remotely consider this as an option?! So what if I knew?! So what if Robert knew?! It is too late to do anything now, you stupid fucking cunt!”
Before he could say another word, Carl grabbed his shoulders from behind and forced him back into the chair, quickly spinning the seat around so that their noses were touching. “One more word, Olin, and you’re a dead man,” Carl grumbled, the words so deep and low that only he and Olin heard them. Olin locked his gaze on Carl’s eyes, searching his enemy’s depths, instinctively realizing that Carl was dead serious. Olin took a deep breath and faintly nodded his head once to Carl, a signal they both knew as surrender. Carl let go of the chair and stood up, facing Audra.
“Audra, I do not believe Olin has anything else to say. Again, please continue.”
“Thank you Carl. As I was saying, if Olin resigns his position and rescinds any monetary investments or proceeds due to him, then we will not be out the almost $10.5 million dollars since there would be no buyout.”
“Fucking-a-genius Audra! Just one glitch though; Olin will never sign it without someone forcing his hand,” Eric said, staring over at Olin, who sat stonily in his chair, a slight smile at the corner of his lips in his silent agreement with Eric’s assessment of the situation. “Although I have no problem with arranging for that to happen. But even if he does sign it, we still have the biggest problem at hand. His resignation will not affect our situation with Reed and this fraudulent audit, nor make the SEC decide not to shut our doors down as well.”
“Well, actually Eric, it will. Isn’t that right, Agent Fitzgerald?” Audra said, turning her delicate face back to the screen once again, smiling at the gray haired gentleman in a three piece suit that instantaneously appeared as he sat behind a large, sleek black desk, the Securities and Exchange Commission emblem looming large behind him.
The room went completely silent, save for the light undercurrent of electricity and vibration from the video screen, each partner dumbstruck as to what was happening. For those brief seconds, they each were lost in their own train of thought as they tried to digest the scene around them and come to grips with what was really going on. They were brought back to reality when the looming voice over their heads came through the ceiling’s microphone a split second before the lips of the Agent on the screen moved.
“Yes Ms. Tanner, it will. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. As Ms. Tanner stated, I’m Agent Roger Fitzgerald, Fraud Investigator with the Securities and Exchange Commission. I’ve been fully apprised of your situation by Ms. Tanner, and we have jointly come to the conclusion that indeed, the entire firm should not be held responsible for the deplorable actions of just three of its partners. That being said, Ms. Tanner has proposed, and the SEC has agreed, that if Mr. Kemper resigns per the terms that Ms. Tanner laid out just moments ago, as well as surrendering his license to practice public accounting, then Winscott & Associates will be free and clear of any wrongdoings and no liability will be assigned to you for their actions.”
“Holy shit!” Eric blurted out. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, Mr. Jennings, I am. Mr. Kemper, you have exactly five minutes to sign your resignation that formally ends any and all relationship and monetary ties to the firm, and that also states your individual role in perpetrating this fraud against it. The signed copy will need to be notarized and emailed to me in that time frame, or the offer is null and void.”
As Agent Fitzgerald was addressing the room, Audra had quietly slipped back over to the front of the table and removed the documents from her open briefcase and now stood next to Olin’s chair, the forms laid out in front of him, along with her pen. Feeling her presence, Olin jerked his eyes away from the screen and looked at her, his eyes almost black as his roiling fury seethed within him.
Olin’s mind was racing with twisted anger. To be duped into doing this by this previous conquest standing next to him made this wound pulse even harder and the pain all the more excruciating. He longed to stand up and grab her by her skinny throat, choke the life out of her as his eyes bored into hers, and watch her pathetic, boney body go limp in his hands. He wanted his blazing rage to be the last thing she saw before her eyes went blank forever. He wished he would have finished her off that night years ago. Instead, he just sat in his chair, staring up at her, hoping his eyes were conveying his uttermost thoughts to her.
And then the proverbial light bulb came on in his head.
If he signed this agreement and walked away, he was free and clear! Free to no longer worry about the daily running of this place; free to watch it sink, as it inevitably would, and not run the risk of losing any more money; free to travel for the sake of traveling rather than for business; free to devote all of his time to finding a way to ruin this miserable, emaciated bitch and every other female that had ever betrayed him. Ah hell, it didn’t matter what he did, he would be free, period! As these thoughts struck him, he smiled his best wicked smile at Audra, who had been steadily holding his gaze with her stony blue eyes the entire time, not even blinking once. He tried to read what was lurking behind them, but oddly, he saw nothing except superiority. Stupid bitch actually thinks she has won!
Olin snatched the pen off the table and scrawled his signature at the “sign here” sticker, then laughed out loud as he dated it. “Well, you all got what you wanted; I’m out of here. I don’t need these paltry millions. I have way more than that in my sock drawer at home. Hell, I spent more than this buying my yacht that I soon will be floating around in as I sip sweet champagne from a gold rimmed crystal flute. But really, I’m getting the last laugh, since I’m now free to leave all of you sorry ass motherfuckers and watch from a distance as one of you pathetic idiots attempts to run this place. Good luck with that!”
As Olin was giving his little speech and no one was paying any attention to her once again, Audra had picked up the signed resignation and walked to the door and unlocked it. As she did, she said to Agent Fitzgerald, “I will now have the document notarized, in your presence, and emailed to you.” She opened the door and several people gasped as Gabrielle walked in.
“Thank you, Gabrielle,” Audra said as she handed her Olin’s signed resignation and a pen. “Agent Fitzgerald, I would like to introduce you to my new assistant, Ms. Gabrielle Lincoln. After she notarizes this, she will email it to you immediately. Will you kindly let us know when you receive it?”
“Yes, Ms. Tanner, I will. And Ms. Lincoln, it is a pleasure to meet you. Ms. Tanner, I look forward to receiving the document.” And with that, the screen went blank and the lights came back on as Gabrielle finished her signature and affixed her seal, looking at no one in the room but Audra.
“Thank you, Gabrielle,” Audra said, her eyes never leaving Olin’s. Gabrielle never said a word as she just smiled and walked out and Audra shut and locked the door behind her.
Olin, who had been full of triumph for his assumption that he had outsmarted a stupid female yet again, was now full of confusion and a slight tinge of dread after Gabrielle had walked into the room. What the hell is she doing here, and why did Audra introduce her as her assistant? Olin sensed something was amiss, and he had the strangest sensation that he had just fucked up. His instincts were telling him to run as an odd feeling of danger settled over him. He decided that he would heed those goose bumps sliding up his back and headed for the door.
“Well, it’s been a really fun adventure, kids! I hope all of you enjoy fighting over who will be the next managing partner! I, myself will be on my jet in, oh, maybe an hour, heading to my yacht to sail somewhere warm and full of sun, thinking of you as I sip my ridiculously pricey champagne. Adios!” Olin quipped with a fake salute.
Kevin, Eric, Carl, Robert
, and Nicole were still silent, completely dumbfounded and lost in their own thoughts as they each let sink in what had just happened in the less than thirty minutes they had been in the conference room. Kevin wasn’t exactly smiling; he had more of a shocked smirk on his face as he sucked in a deep breath and let his shoulders finally relax for the first time in weeks. Nicole and Eric were grinning from ear to ear as they looked over at each other, completely relieved that their nemesis was not only gone, but had taken the fall and given them a way out of financial ruin. Robert’s heart was pounding heavily in his chest as he finally grasped the situation and knew that, for the first time in over thirty years, he was free from residing with the gum under Olin’s heavy shoe.
Carl, who was still standing by the door, was the only one other than Olin that sensed the meeting was not over, as he looked over at Audra and noticed that her entire frame was rigid, her eyes still full of silent anger as she stared at Olin. I don’t know what she has on her mind, but it must be good, he thought to himself as he moved his body in front of the locked door, blocking Olin’s hasty departure. “I do not believe we are done yet, Olin. Perhaps you should stay?” Carl said, crossing his arms over his massive chest. Olin stopped just in front of him, his eyes full of angst and nervousness, like a trapped wild animal that had just taken the bait and found itself locked in a cage.
“I have no interest in watching you hungry beasts fight over who gets the biggest chunk of meat. Step out of my way, Carl, I’m leaving,” Olin said, trying one last time to use his feigned authority over Carl, but it was useless. Carl never said a word, he just steadied his eyes to Olin’s, holding firm in his position at the door, almost wishing for Olin to attempt to pass him. He didn’t want Eric to be the only one that got a good lick in on Olin before the day was over. Before Olin could say anything in response, the lights dimmed again as Agent Fitzgerald’s image appeared on the screen.
“Ms. Tanner, we received the documents, and all appears to be in order. Mr. Jennings, Ms. Simmons, Mr. Folton, Mr. Robertson and Mr. Denton, you are hereby officially notified that the Securities and Exchange Commission will no longer hold Winscott & Associates accountable for the actions of your previous managing partner’s actions prior to today.” As Agent Fitzgerald’s last word was spoken, the room broke out in applause, several of the partners thanking him for saving their company. Eric and Nicole unabashedly hugged and kissed each other, not giving a damn who was watching in the room; Robert and Kevin slapped each other on the back as they both smiled ridiculously at each other, like two football players that had just won the championship game, while Carl just smiled from his guard position at the door. Olin, who was still standing next to Carl, just seethed.
Audra stood in front of the room again as she addressed the screen. “Thank you, Agent Fitzgerald, for your understanding and willingness to work with our decidedly delicate situation and for your help in resolving this matter. Working with you has truly been a pleasure,” she said, demurely glancing up at him. Agent Fitzgerald smiled and replied, “No, the pleasure was ours, Ms. Tanner. We will be in touch later this afternoon.” He stood from behind the onscreen desk and began to clear the items from it and then, almost absentmindedly looked up, almost as if he forgot something, and said, “Oh, and please remember to send me the signed documentation on your appointment as managing partner, and congratulations!” Then the screen went blank, the light came on, and the room exploded into a sea of screaming piranhas.
“WHAT THE FUCK DID he just say?” Nicole squealed, her voice at the highest pitch it had been all day.
“What documents? What the hell is he talking about? I am not signing anything that ends with you running this company!” Eric bellowed, now on his feet and facing Audra, his voice booming. “You are not qualified to do so! And even if you were, there is no way on God’s green earth that I would ever vote for you! No female has ever managed this company, and no female ever will!”
Olin, who had been silent for the last few minutes as he was desperately trying to figure out a way to get past Carl, burst out into uncontrollable laughter, his fears from moments ago gone, replaced by morbid curiosity. “Oh, my God! I’m so glad I stayed! Has this been your plan the entire time? You think that you deserve to run this place just because you finagled some ‘deal’ to get us out of a little bit of trouble? Shit, I did that every day! You’ve got some balls, you psycho bitch, I’ll give you that. But it seems now that you’ve grown them, they’ll just be cut off, since none of these greedy bastards will stand for you being their boss.” He sneered, waving his arms towards all the remaining partners. “This I’ve got to witness with my own eyes!” he said, plopping down in the nearest chair. He looked over at Lily and said, “Can you believe this shit?” Lily, stone faced and pale as Casper the unfriendly ghost, just looked at him with fear behind her eyes.
Audra, standing in front of the video screen once again, reached into her briefcase and extracted some paper. She held it up for all to see as she said, “This is the signature page of my Partnership Agreement, installing me as the new managing partner, effective immediately,” she said, her voice noticeably different from before as it took on a deeper, more businesslike tone. She moved over in front of Kevin and gently placed it in front of him on the table.
“Kevin, you get the first vote,” Audra said, as she handed him a pen. “Oh, and just in case you or anyone else in this room needs any reassurance as to my capabilities to run this firm, may I offer the following visuals before each of you cast your votes?” With that, the screen came to life once again, this time displaying a section from medical records results of the DNA testing of Edward McDaniel, the sections marked “Mother: Miranda McDaniel” and “Father: Kevin Robertson” highlighted in yellow.
“Holy crap, you’re Edward’s father?” Nicole said, her pouty, over-injected mouth hanging agape.
Kevin’s pale face drained what little remaining color he had left and turned an ashy shade as he began to shake uncontrollably. The roller coaster ride of emotions that he had been on all day had just taken a nose dive, and his stomach lurched in protest. “How, how did you get…” was all he could say before he leaned his head over and vomited violently onto the floor.
“What the fuck?!” Eric yelled, jumping out of the way of the flying, putrid liquid.
“You must be out of your mind, Audra! Completely ready for the straight jacket if you actually believe we will vote you in! I know I most certainly will not. I nominate Eric!” Nicole spouted. “He is the only one in this room that we can truly trust! Besides, he was managing partner for years before Olin slithered his way in and is more than capable of stepping back up to the plate to take control again.”
“Really? You trust him, Nicole? With everything you have? Are you one hundred percent sure about that? Wait, before you answer that and cast your vote,” Audra said, changing the image on the screen again, “maybe you should rethink your assessment of him and his commitment to you.”
With that, the image of Eric and an unknown, much younger and strikingly beautiful woman with long, silken red hair shone brightly for all the room to see in high resolution pixels. There he was, kissing her in his car, followed immediately with another image of them embracing on the deck of his private boat on the lake, dated only days before, and as all eyes turned to Nicole to see her reaction, they each expected the violent volcano to start spewing hot molten flames. Eric just sat there stunned in silence, cringing on the inside, knowing what was coming next. They all were quite shocked to see that Nicole had utterly been rendered speechless as she just stared at the picture on the screen, mouth slightly ajar, all color drained from her face, making her makeup truly appear as though she were wearing a mask as the bright colors stood out against her white face. It was obvious that she was immersed in an internal battle with herself to retain her composure.
Before anyone else could say another word, Audra silently changed the image on the screen again, this time to a collage of vibrant photos of Eric and
Nicole, inside and outside of their love-nest, his office, her office, both of their cars, several in quite compromising positions. Olin burst out laughing again and said, “This is better than watching the Jerry Springer show in person!” as the rest of the room fell silent.
“Why you lying, cheating son-of-a…” Nicole said through clenched teeth. She wouldn’t even turn her head toward Eric as she quickly clamped her mouth shut, refusing to say anymore. She leaned over the table, snatched the agreement form from Kevin, and quickly scrawled her name first. She started to walk toward the door, but she stopped as Audra held up her hand and began the soliloquy she had rehearsed countless times in her head, waiting for this day and this audience to deliver it to. Blood pumping through her veins, she inhaled deeply and drew out all the hidden anger, pain, shame and sadness she had been internalizing for the last five years and let it finally purge out of her, feeling alive for the first time in years.
“When I first started here, I gave everything I had to this firm—my time, my sweat, my tears and my blood—thinking that my hard work would pay off for me in the end. That devotion cost me my unborn son and my marriage, alienated me from my friends and my family, and finally drained me of my soul the night that Olin made me an equity partner after raping me on the floor in his office, telling me that I was now ‘officially’ part of the inner circle. Kevin, you remember that night I’m sure, because you were in your office, closing your ears to my screams of agony as I lay on that rug bleeding, right?” she said, staring at Kevin, her words burning like caustic acid spewing forth from her. Kevin never raised his eyes to meet hers as he stared at the floor, but she wasn’t waiting for a response from him anyway, as she continued.
“Eric…Nicole, I’m sure you two remember watching me stumble down the hall from Olin’s office that night, covered in blood and bruises as you had just finished fucking on Eric’s couch. You let me pass without offering any help or comfort because you didn’t want your own sinful behavior exposed. Oh, and Robert, I’m sure you recall Olin telling you that I had ‘done my bit’ to make partner, most assuredly understanding exactly what he was talking about, especially when you came to my office the next day and noticed my battered face. You saw the bruises and my swollen, cut lips, but you never asked me how I got them or what had happened to me. Remember that? You all knew and yet did nothing!” Voice rising, Audra was unable to stop the tide of emotions that she had just released as they came flooding out from behind the dam that she had kept locked for so long. The room remained silent as she continued, each partner unable to look her in the eye, for they all knew she was right.
Eviscerating the Snake - The Complete Trilogy Page 11
