Changing Places with Yourself

Chapter 18

“That’s not likely to happen, any time soon.” I stick my tongue out at him, “This document gives us some room to play.  How do you feel about taking over as CEO for Stovard International?”  Wait?? Seriously, are you offering me this position?” he stuttered.  Grandpa uttered, “Actually yes, we are.  I looked over your CV and Adam’s as well.  You did much better in college than he did, plus you went to Harvard and he didn’t.  I believe that you should have been CEO all along, so we're just going to right that wrong.”  I interject, “Grandpa, since we're going to make Albert retire effect today, maybe we should let Tony be the president and he can choose whether Asher or Allen would stand in the CEO position, while they demote Adam to a lesser visible junior exec position.   Given all the press of Adam’s philandering ways, it might be time to have well someone less visible to the public in their “conquests” take over during this time doing damage control and helping make the image of the overall company better in the eyes of the public.” 

Collectively, we began to wonder how long it would take them to realize they had just signed over their company to us.  I had a press conference with the video proof that they looked the contract over and signed freely set-up at 2 pm.  Grandpa thought they wouldn’t figure it out until after that.  We also had so many witnesses that had seen it in person or on the live feeds.  We had going live to all of our employees, yes, it was set up so that Dylan's camera fed straight into the computer mainframes, which were linked to every video monitor in the building at the time.  We also had it playing on all the TVs around the lobby and various conferences or break rooms.  By Bruce’s estimation, we had over 200 witnesses who could refute any claims that they might have made about how they were coerced into signing.  We had to alert the media because this was a huge deal, Stovard International had been on the verge of going public by offering stock options, which was something we were going to put stop to today.  We were going to keep the company private instead that way we wouldn't have to deal with stockholders, a board of directors, or any of that other BS that comes with having given up control of a company to anyone else.  I went back to my office and changed out of the disguise into one of my normal business suits because I wasn't going to go in front of the press looking like that.  I was able to give Dante, my PA, some instructions to have some files brought to Grandpa’s office from Claude’s office, regarding Stovard’s finances.   Grandpa and Claude were still prepping Tony since we would announce that he was being named president, thus becoming Adam’s boss.  We already had planning to make Albert accept his retirement package.  Tony would be allowed to demote Adam and put one of his other brothers in the CEO chair, as he deemed fit.  Tony made the call to get Asher and Allen to come to our offices as fast as possible.  This would give us time that they could be prepped as well.  I told Bruce to take this as an opportunity to collect their DNA so it could be tested and get all the results from all of them at the same time.

Once I was changed, I headed to Grandpa’s office. Joyce jumped and hugged me, “I do love this look on you, far better than the one you had on earlier.  Please tell me, I can have Dante burn that fat suit and wig?” I chuckled, “Let's donate the wig to a charity who gives them to kids going through chemo and the suit can go to a clown college or something.  It would be a waste to burn them when they might be used to brighten someone’s day.”  “I'll get right on it,” she jumped back to her desk to research where to send them and sent an IM to Dante on who to mail those items to.  I walked into Grandpa’s office and found him and Claude still talking to Tony. They were still going over a few ideas for him to use to help him make the transition to CEO easier.  June arrived with the information I had requested regarding the financial records Albert had submitted at the beginning of the merger talks.  I pulled her and Claude to the couch to pour over some aspects that had me very curious.  We were supposed to have the full statements including how much was paid out for payroll to each employee, but that wasn’t in the file.  June assured me that this was all they had sent over and I could see that although Grandpa was still talking to Tony he had an ear on our conversation as well without missing a beat.  “Claude, I need to see those payroll records.  Tony told me his “father” took out forced payments for “living expenses” pretax.  Only all the records we did receive are jibbing with that info.” I inform him.  “Well, now that their company is under your control, I can have a forensic accountant go in and do a thorough and in-depth search of their records to see where that money is going.”  Claude advised as he looked at his PA, “June, please get our best man over there ASAP.”  I added, “Have them focus right now on Asher’s, Allen’s, and Tony’s payroll records.  I would like to know where that money is going to verify if anything illegal is going on.  I don’t think that Albert is allowed to withhold that money from them.”  She got up to head to Joyce’s office area to make a few phone calls to get that ball rolling.   After she closed the door behind her, Claude began, “I’ll have James go with the accountant to make sure that they have signed waivers in place that would permit such deductions.”  I stop him, “Hey Tony? Did Albert ever make you sign anything to allow him to withhold your “expenses” at home from your paycheck?”  He shook his head, “Not that I can remember, he just handed us each a list of costs and told us how much would be held back from our weekly direct deposits.”  “Can you pull up a copy of either your paystubs or your bank statement?  I would like to provide that information to the accountant we are sending over right now to check on this matter.”  Claude inquired.  Tony said he would need a computer with an internet connection, so I handed him the new laptop I had gotten from IT just for him.  Well, ok, to be honest, Dante got it from IT, but I was the one who asked for to be readied this morning, just in case our plan was a success.  Soon, Tony had pulled up both his stubs and statements, which had Claude taking the laptop to Joyce so she could connect it to her printer and he could have hard copies.  He also had June email them directly to James and the money guy they had headed over to Stovards.  “What’s going on?  Why is this a big thing?  Father was just taking our rent, utilities, food, and other expenses out before taxes.” Tony was stumped.  Grandpa answered before Claude or I had a chance, “What he was doing could be considered embezzlement because only a licensed agency can garnish wages.  Even then, there has to be a court order in place to permit them to take any money from a person’s paycheck.  It seems like Albert was just using this as a way to line his own pockets.  Claude, please make sure they focus on Tony’s for right now and let’s try to get proof before the press conference in 4 hours.  This will be another way to convince Albert to accept his retirement plan, minus however much he has stolen from Asher, Allen, and Tony during the length they have been working for him.”  Claude stepped out to pass along Grandpa’s request and Joyce came in to say that Asher and Allen were at the reception desk.  Grandpa asked Joyce to show Tony the way since it would make them more at ease to see their brother greet them.  Once he was gone, Grandpa turned to me, “So, you have sent a few things to a DNA lab, my dear.  Would you care to share your reasons?”  I chuckled, “Bruce told on me, right?  I should have known he can’t keep a secret like this from you.”  “What secret?”  Claude asked as he stepped back into the room.  “Well, you should hear this too, there are legal ramifications if I’m right.” I start, “Yesterday when Tony jumped in to help me his back was blocking out the sun casting his face in shadows.  I couldn’t help it, and I called him Evan by mistake.  You have to admit the resemblance between them is almost spooky.  One of the guards with you all yesterday got the coffee cup that Dad drank out of and Bruce got a sample of Evan’s blood from his police connection, both of which were taken to the lab for DNA analysis.  While Tony was at my penthouse for a BBQ dinner, I had Dylan collect a few of the beer bottles he was drinking out of, which were also taken to the lab for comparison.  Steve is supposed to get samples of Asher and Allen’s DNA while they are here to send to the lab as well for testing.  I know about the married woman Jimmy was romantically linked to for a few years before he met Judy.  She was Amanda Stovard, wasn’t she?”  Grandpa nodded.  “Given the resemblance of the 3 younger sons, I do believe Evan isn’t an only child, and this would take care of everything because now you may have more grandsons to choose from.  Not to mention all of them are more than qualified to take over from you now, Grandpa, that way you can retire happy knowing your son’s heirs are handling things, instead of your witchy sister’s greedy a-hole of a son, Stewart.” I added.  Grandpa and Claude laughed at how I described Clare and her son.  “Why did you try to keep this from him?” Claude probed.  “Until the results come back next week, I didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up.  This way if I’m wrong – it’s no harm, no foul and if I’m right, there will be a celebration that night.” I couldn’t help the rhyming thing it’s in my writer’s blood.  We agreed that once they sent the results I would forward them on regardless of what they say to Grandpa and Claude.  Then a minute later, Tony and Joyce walk in with Asher and Allen in tow.