Page 123 of Five Mountain Daddies

“I am right. This will make us solvent. We can’t keep everything for ourselves and expect the people that risk their lives for us every day to be happy with the peanuts we pay them. If we lose people, we lose people. We’ll hire what we need, or we’ll go forward with a more streamlined corporate structure.” I walk over to his desk and lean over it, palms flat on the top. “But either way, the greed stops here. Either the company dies, or we make the hardchoice.”

He leans back and watches me silently for a second. I sit back down in the chair in front of his desk and wait for him to respond, heart beating fast. That was my whole argument, everything I have, and if he doesn’t agree with me then we’refinished.

I can see all the miners and their futures, and how it all hinges on this moment. If I fail to convince Neal of the necessity of these cuts, then Ingram is going to get more violent, and people are going to get hurt. The miners might even give up their strike, go back into the mines, and they’ll end up with an awfulcontract.

I can’t let that happen. He has to listen to me. He has to know the truth, just like Ido.

“Okay,” he says finally. “Your passion is convincing, but more than that… the numbers make sense.” He picks up the contract again. “I’ll bring it to the board. OnMonday.”

I let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you,Neal.”

“Don’t thank me yet. I can’t guarantee the board’s going to approve this.” He smiles a little bit, “But I have a feeling you’ll convincethem.”

I blink, surprised. “I’ll be at themeeting?”

“Damn right you will. Make sure you give that speech, just like youdid.”

I laugh a little. “Sorry. I lost myself a littlethere.”

“No, it was good. We need more people like you,Amelia.”

“Like what?” Iask.

“Goodpeople.”

I can’t help but smile atthat.

We go over some more details, but eventually I stand and we shake hands. He promises to call early Monday morning with details of the meeting, and we’ll go from there. I leave his house, feeling better than I have in a long, longtime.

I pull out my phone, and there’s no message from Samuel. I type up a quickie text and sendit.

He’s taking it to the board on Monday. I’ll convince them. I think wewon.

I’m all smiles as I get back into my car and start driving back home. I feel like this is all finally coming to an end, I can get back to living a normallife.

Samuel knows about the baby, and he’s not running away. We finally have a contract, which means Ingram’s going to have to stop his attacks. He won’t be able to justify the violence once we’ve signed and finalized everything. Besides, I’ll make sure he gets pushed out and fired for all this, and I think he knows ittoo.

I suddenly have a sinking feeling. Ingram knows we have a contract and he knows that it means the end for him. Which also means he’s likely going to be very desperate, and desperate men do crazy things. Ingram is already crazy… and he might just do something absolutelyirrational.

My heart’s beating fast as I pull into my driveway. Nothing looks out of the ordinary, which is good. I hurry inside, ready to call Samuel. I dial his number and the phone’sringing.

“Amelia, hey,” he says, answering, but I don’t get a chance to say anything inreturn.

Because standing in my kitchen is Ingram, surrounded by five mean-lookingmen.

“Ingram’s at my house!” I yell, nearly a scream, but I don’t get to hear the reply or say anything more. Another man I didn’t notice comes up behind me, grabs my phone from my hand, and throws it onto the floor. The screen shatters as he shoves me up against the wall and starts to tie my hands behind myback.

“You made a mistake, Amelia,” Ingram says softly as he approaches, a wicked, crazy smile on his face. “And now you’re going to pay forit.”

They drag me over toward a chair, shove me down onto it, and tie my ankles together. I stare at Ingram, anger rolling throughme.

“It’s done already,” I tell him. “They have the contract. You’refinished.”

He laughs wildly and motions to one of his guys. I shake my head. “No, don’t,” I say, but it’s too late. He puts a gag in my mouth and shoves a cloth bag over my head, plunging me intodarkness.

28

Samuel

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