Page 20 of Our Cracked Pieces
I’d never be her again.
That being said, I got a perverse satisfaction whenever someone underestimated me. I liked it when someone sized me up and stereotyped me. I liked it when they saw the blonde hair, big boobs, and thought ‘blonde bimbo’ or ‘blonde airhead’. Like many people, I was able to say that, while I’ve done some stupid shit, I wasn’t stupid.
I looked Mr. March in his eye, our nice, neat, typed-up reports between us on the conference table, and asked, “So, am I correct in understanding that you are telling me that the Charter account found in the firm’s database, but not in the parent company’s database, is usual practice?”
Mr. March cleared his throat, and his beady little eyes glanced over at Brandon, my colleague and partner, before looking back at me. “Wendel Simonson does not micromanage its firms,” he replied.
I leaned back in my chair. “I never said it did, Mr. March,” I countered coolly. “But this is the only account that doesn’t line up with the parent company’s database. Every account at the Goodville branch matched perfectly. And every account at this branch matches perfectly, except this one.”
Wendel Simonson owned Wendel Simonson, Incorporated, and he recently passed away a few months ago. After his death, his will had been clean and simple. With only two sons, who already worked for the company, they were to receive equal stock in the company, and life would go on as normal, they were just a little more wealthier for it.
The first thing they’d requested, after the will had been read, was a full audit of the entire company. By all accounts, Wendel Simonson had been very savvy and successful, but he had also come from the deal-on-a-handshake era, and when dealing with a successful marketing company, the sons hadn’t wanted to take any chances that they’d be inheriting some golf-game deals and favors. So, they had contacted HCA for a complete account of the corporation’s business dealings.
And it’d been a surprise audit.
Brandon and I had been assigned this branch, and Trudy and Marissa had been assigned the Goodville branch, and they had reported perfect findings for that branch. The parent firm had been assigned a team of six auditors, and they had reported the same thing.
The thing about surprise audits was they had to be done as a coordinated plan of attack. If you audited one branch of the business, word got around quickly, and it gave the other branches a chance to hide shit or start pointing fingers. So, HCA had sent us all out to hit each branch last Monday, and surprise had been on our side.
“Surely, you realize that Wendel Simonson isn’t concerned with minor accounts, Ms. Lewis,” he replied. “We have the authority to take on smaller accounts.”
“Except, this account isn’t all that small, now, is it?” I pointed out. “And I’m not here to question your authority, Mr. March. I’m simply asking why this particular account is not in the parent company’s database?”
His finger pulled at his collar, and no one should be sweating that much in an air-conditioned building. “A simple oversight, I’m sure,” he lied.
“For seven months?” I leaned forward and placed my arms on the table. “Explain that to me.”
He glanced over at Brandon again, and Brandon just chuckled under his breath. “Itispossible, Ms. Lewis, when dealing with as many accounts as we do.”
I leaned back. “I agree,” I said as I reached into my briefcase and pulled out another folder. Tossing it on the conference table, watching it come to a stop in front of him, I cocked my head. “That’s why I tore that account apart, and I don’t have to tell you what my findings were, do I, Mr. March?”
He was in a full-blown panic now. “Look, I don’t know what you think you found-”
I gestured towards the folder. “Open the file and you’ll see exactly what I found.” With that, Brandon stood up, signaling the end of the meeting.
Mr. March started sputtering. “Wait, hold on-”
Brandon let out a tired sigh. Not tired from the job, because he lived for this shit, but tired from the same old crap when someone got caught up in the wrong. “Our findings have already been submitted to the parent company, Mr. March.” Brandon jerked his head towards the reports on the table. “This has all really just been a courtesy since youarethe branch’s acting manager.”
I grabbed my briefcase and stood as well. “Get yourself a good lawyer, Mr. March,” I said. “That’s about all the advice we can give you.”
Hansel March stood up. “You…you can’t do this!’ he sputtered. “It’s a misund-” Brandon and I walked out in the middle of his lies.
It didn’t always happen this way. Sometimes, they slumped in defeat. Sometimes, they gave in with as much dignity as they could muster.
Mr. Hansel March was going to take everyone who was involved with this account down with him.
It still wasn’t going to save him, though.
Chapter 16
Lorcan~
She wasn’t being subtle at all.
Like, at all.
And, normally, I didn’t mind a hot woman hitting one me. However, hitting on me in the middle of a business luncheon bothered me.
