Page 165 of Thorns of Malice

Craig Pohler answers. "Good morning, Mr. Carrington."

"Where are we at, Craig? Did you eliminate the side effects yet?"

He sighs. "Mr. Carrington, this takes time. You know how long it took to develop the drugs. I need your patience on this."

"Yeah, which is why you should be able to eliminate the side effects. You've had enough time," I press.

"It doesn't work that way. You can't rush science. We're doing everything we can."

"You're not working fast enough," I accuse.

"Would you rather we do something half-assed and then state it's not a side effect, but yet some people still experience it?" he warns.

I grip the wheel tighter.

I need to get it done for Ivy.

He adds, "We have to do it correctly."

"Just hurry up with it," I state and then hang up. I drive several more blocks, pull up to my office building, then get out of the SUV.

It takes another few minutes to get into my private office. I hang my coat in my closet and go to my desk.

Michelle's voice chimes over the intercom, "Richard Lyman, Sr.'s office is on the phone. Should I put him through?"

"Yes, Michelle."

"Okay, Mr. Carrington."

Line one blinks. I pick up the phone and sit back in my chair. I cross my ankle over my knee and tap the side of my armchair, answering, "Dick."

"What an interesting day, Dax," he states.

"Yeah? Why is that," I question.

"I received a call from Cooper this morning. Sounds like you had some issues at the estate last night?"

I groan. "Does my idiot brother think he's going to call you and you're going to solve his problems for him?"

Dick grunts. "Apparently, he does. I had to tell him I couldn't represent him and you simultaneously. Then, he tried to tell me he was coming after you, and it was in my best interest to side with him."

"When Hell freezes over," I mutter.

Dick continues, "He tried telling me that since I represent Carrington Enterprises, I represent him too."

I groan. "He gets stupider and stupider."

"I didn't have time to explain to him that a corporation isn't a person."

I chuckle. "Yeah, Cooper's not always been the smartest crayon in the box."

"Well, he was pissed. But you've got a fight on your hands. Kicking him out of the house without consulting me was a bold move."

I admit, "It just happened. Regardless, what's my nail in his coffin? I know there's the incarceration thing and $5 million minimum in the trust, as well as the moral code for the corporation. But what are my other legal options to make sure he never steps foot on the estate again?"

Dick replies, "There isn't anything concrete. We went through this. Nothing's changed, Dax. He has to drop to less than $5 million in his trust fund or be sentenced to prison. In order to not receive any paid-out corporate dividend payments, he has to break a moral code. Has he done any of those things?"

I spin in my chair and stare out the window at the water, watching the waves crash on the shore. I admit, "He hasn't done anything concrete I can make stick."

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