Changing Places with Yourself

Chapter 19

After introductions were made, Grandpa told me to go ahead and explain what was going on.  I gave them a copy of the contract as Claude pointed out the fine print to them.  Asher and Allen looked to Tony for confirmation and began laughing.

“This is priceless.” Asher was so happy.

“Please tell us there is no way for them to weasel their way out of this?” Allen pleaded.

Claude confirmed with the number of witnesses we had that there is no way any lawyer, on the planet, could get the contract nullified.  They cheered and high-fived each other.  Obviously, they were extremely overjoyed at Albert’s misfortune.  I told them we would be making him publicly retire and hand over the job as president to Tony,  “After which, Tony you can either announce one of your other brothers as a new CEO or just inform the press that you need time to decide on what the executive structure below your position will be carried on.” I state, “Grandpa will be there to field any questions directed at the takeover.  We aren’t going to reveal their illegal attempt to steal this company unless they force or force our hand by balking at reading the statements Claude will provide for them.  His PA and Grandpa’s are typing up everything right now and once Grandpa reviews them they will be printed off.”

“We also have added leverage since Albert has been stealing from the three of you for years.  Claude’s forensic accountant is the only ¼ of the way through the last 10 years since Asher joined the company and found at least $80,000 removed illegally from his paycheck alone.   He estimates, from what he has seen so far, Asher is owed at the minimum $320,000.  His best guess is that each of you had between $200,000 and $400,000 stolen by Albert throughout the years that you've worked for him.” Grandpa elaborated.

Claude added, “I will be filing actions to subpoena his personal banking statements and all financial records for the last 10 years to establish how much he pocketed from all of you.  As well as alerting the IRS, if needed, once we have seen his tax returns.”

They were all furious and rightly so, but we assured them we would make sure their proper wages were returned to them now that we had control of the company.  I went over to the minibar and offered each a drink.  Asher had a bourbon on the rocks, Allen asked for a glass of red wine, Tony wanted a beer, and Grandpa said he needed a shot of whiskey – straight up, while Claude and I stuck with bottled water.

Tony asked, “Can my brothers see the footage from this morning?” as I was passing out the beverages. We always know that there was a guard or two always watching or listening in, so it was no surprise to Grandpa or me when the TV came on.  Raw footage played showing Albert and Adam agreeing to be on camera while they signed without voicing a single objection to the content of the contract presented to them.

Allen turned his face toward me, looking me over when I appear in the frame of the footage hugging Grandpa, “Is that really you?”

Before I can answer Tony spoke up, “I was shocked last night when I saw her without that get-up, but she pointed out how Adam might try something if she looks the way she does today.”

Alan nodded, “Yeah if he saw her looking this fine, he would have been all over her like white on rice.”

“Oh, he tried yesterday anyway because Albert told him to distract me.  Do you guys want to see what happened?” I asked and they nodded, “Steve, play it, please. Grandpa and Clyde haven't seen this either.”  I spoke to the room in general and the images on the TV changed.  First, the highlights of their conversation in Joyce's office played then Adam’s attempt to seduce me ending with me dropping an ice pack on his lap.

Allen jumped up and hugged me, “Sweetie, that was absolutely brilliant.  Can I get a copy of your knee hitting his private parts?  Or at the very least just a screengrab of his face for my screensaver at work?”

“Me too, babe, that was priceless,” Asher added giving me a quick hug.

“I’m sure I can get you guys a few screen captures to choose from.  My guards have a few favorites already.”  I laughed.

Grandpa, on the other hand, was furious, “Claude, can we take any legal action against that prick for trying to make Becky service him sexually?”

“No, Claude, it's okay, really, there no need to retaliate at this time because I was not only able to stop him, but I also extracted an apology, of sorts, from him.  Grampa, if it will make you feel better you can tell him off today when he comes back.  Although, I’m sure whoever brings them back here will give him the ‘skinny’ on what will happen if he tries it again, considering he’ll finally see me as I am.” I interject

“Oh, baby girl, Adam will go crazy when he sees what you really look like.” Tony pointed out.

Steve stuck his head in the office and by the look on his face, the news wasn't good.  I grabbed Claude and followed him out.

“Test confirmed Evan was dosed with an unknown designer drug, Bruce thinks Amy made it herself by crushing a few pills together and then having him snort the mixture.”  He stated, “Dylan said Evan’s preliminary toxicology screen showed a mix of Ecstasy, Coke, Meth, and Fentanyl in his blood work. They're still waiting for the results from his hair and nails along with a full toxicology report, which could take up to several months.”

“Couldn't that mixture be deadly? It only takes a small dosage of Fentanyl OD, which is why hospitals keep close tabs on people they give it to.  Also, it can cause vivid and wild hallucinations.”  I insert.

“That could very well be how Amy was able to keep her control over him.  I’ll have my experts find out on the side effects when those for drugs interact.  We may be able to add attempted murder to the charges against Amy.  Either way, she is never spending another day breathing free air, if I have anything to do with it. ” Claude voices as he pulls his phone out.

Jane hands me some pages from the printer and said these were 3 of the statements for the press conference; Grandpa's, Tony's and Albert's.  She and Joyce were still working on my opening statements and what the other brothers should say, in particular, how Adam should embrace these changes if asked.  Steve told me Bruce left with the driver who is picking Adam and Albert up to bring them back to the office for the press conference.  I feel just a small bit of pity for Adam because I know how protective Bruce is of me compared to the other guards.  He had been watching over me the longest. Therefore, he was the one who saw me at my lowest right before my parents were buried.  I handed the papers to Grandpa so he could make any more changes that he saw fit.  While he was perusing them, Steve gathered the glasses everyone drank from to take them to be “cleaned”.  Since each had drunk something different, it was easy for Dylan, who was waiting in the lobby, to bag and tag them.  Soon Asher’s and Allen’s glassware was on its way to the lab for DNA testing.  About 30 minutes later, a very mad Albert was led into Grandpa’s office; I had taken the boys to my office to watch the fireworks on my big screen TV with surround sound.  We noted that Adam looked a little more defeated than angry when he went in behind his dad.  I wish I had the body cam feed from Bruce to see what he told him, but knowing Bruce he probably switched it off to ensure no witnesses.  Pretty sure Grandpa gave him a few instructions before he left as well because I swear I saw fear in Adam’s eyes as he looked at Grandpa before sitting down.  Albert, on the other hand, was so oblivious to everything but what he wanted, which made this victory so much sweeter.

“Harold, what the hell are you trying to pull?  I have a signed contract right here that gives me full control over your company Novell Industries.” Albert yelled while waving his papers around in the air like a madman.

“Actually, look closer, Albert, neither of you bothered to verify that the contract you were signing was the one that you switched out yesterday.  See, thanks to Joyce and Becky, I know you altered our original merger contract to a takeover one.  So, I had my lawyers make a few corrections to your ‘amended’ contract that allowed you to sign over your company to me instead.  Look closer at pages 2 and 3, the differences are only word changed here, or another added there.” Grandpa countered, “And Adam, I'm guessing by the look on your face my head of security, Bruce, told you what would happen to you if you go near my granddaughter again.”

“Yes sir, he did in great detail,” Adam confessed.

Albert shrieked out, “That fat ugly b***h, she played us, played me, and made me look like a fool.”  He wadded the papers together standing to throw the contract into the trash.  “You can’t have my company.  I’ll tell the press I was forced to find that damn thing.  My lawyers will get it thrown out.”

“Don’t you ever speak about my Granddaughter that way again, you won’t like the consequences.”  Grandpa threatened, “You will always look like a fool, plain and simple if you think you could pull a fast one on her or me.”

At this point in my office, I told Steve to roll the footage from yesterday on Grandpa’s plasma.  Suddenly, Adam’s voice was saying as the images of them standing in the outer offices appeared.

[Adam:  Dad, listen we may have a golden opportunity here.

Dad:  What are you talking about?

Adam:  Harold has enough business sense to see through some of the BS that we came up with to try to get this merger pushed through.  She doesn’t and we might be able to use that to our advantage by seeing if she’ll sign the “updated” contract.  You know the one you played with earlier today that had changes added to our favor.

Dad:  I see what you are talking about now.

Adam:  Plus, if we tweak it a little more and play this right, Mrs. Novell in there might just end up handing over the company because she can’t have a clue how to read a legal document as involved as the contract we have made.

Dad:  Yeah.  Yeah, if we make a few slight changes as I did earlier we can make this merger agreement into a takeover.  What little fat b***h won’t know what happened until it’s too late.  We have to work fast and get her to sign before Harold shows back up today and possibly stops her.

Adam:  You run back to the offices and have the lawyers amend the documents, while I distract Little Miss CEO wannabe in there.

Dad:  Get in there, boy.  Use that s*x appeal if you have to.

Adam:  Not a problem, she was totally checking me out when we came into the office and I could see that she is definitely suffering from s****l frustration from when I kissed her fingers.  Remind me to disinfect my lips later, please.]

He then switched the video to show all of us sitting at the table in the conference room as Dylan walked in.  Clear as the day you can hear them both giving their full permission Dylan to video record the meeting.  Then again they were asked one more time and again they confirmed that it was all right with them to have cameras recording everything before they went ahead and signed the contract.

“Over 200 employees watched you sign those papers, on our live feeds, of your own free will.  You could try to fight it but then we will just turn over your embezzlement scheme to the feds.   I'm sure they will understand you stealing over $1 million from Asher, Allen, and Tony over the course of the last 10 years via their paychecks.” Grandpa concluded.

“I was taking their expenses for living in my home, and that's not illegal.” Albert tried to defend himself, but Claude interrupted him, “Truth be told, you have no legal lease with any of them filed with a housing commission, nor do you have a signed waiver from them stating that you're allowed to withhold any of their wages from their paycheck.  My team is very good at their jobs, so rest assured once we get a court order for your finances, we will see if you claimed that money as income on your taxes.  If not, we can’t stop the IRS for doing a full audit on you for tax evasion, which is very illegal.”  Albert look like a fish out of water as his mouth open and closed but no words were coming out.

Adam looked furious, seriously, “Dad, you took their money?  No wonder they all started to hate me.  I swear I’ll make it my personal goal to force you to pay back every red cent you stole from them.  Man, now it all makes sense while you got mad when I tried to help them find a big enough apartment for all of them in the building I rent my penthouse from.  You were using the money, you took for some reason and couldn’t afford to let them move out it would have made you lose that income.  You really were embezzling from your own company and stealing from your own sons.  How stupid can you be, Dad?  Didn’t you think that all this would have come out in the financials with either the Novells here or when you took the company public and sold off shares?  Truly, I can't stand to look at you right now.  Mister Novell, do you need me in here anymore?” Adam finished.  Grandpa shook his head and Adam left the room, slamming the door in his anger.  That office fell silent as no one inside said another word.