Page 51 of Denying Davis
“I’m sure you heard me just fine, Davis. I know when you’re stalling, but I’m happy to repeat myself.”
“I think you should. You need to make yourself very clear.”
We’d moved from the garden path into his main office to have more privacy, but that had hardly done us any good. Any staffer who ventured past the closed door would have heard the tenseness in our voices.
“I know about the account,” he repeated. “Gregory called this morning while I was in Miami. He wasn’t very happy, and he said it was urgent.” Grandad sat in the chair behind his large desk. “Naturally, I was annoyed to find my trip interrupted by affairs I later discovered could have been avoided all along.”
I considered if I should reply then decided to keep my mouth shut.
“And of course, he alerted me to the large discrepancy in funds. The sudden transfer of money out of an account I set up for your purposes, Davis—an account that is not yours to share.”
“It’s not like this money will be missed,” I scoffed. “And I don’t understand what you are being such a hard-ass. I’m already doing what you wanted. I said I’d take over the business in Pittsburgh.”
“But all of that is contingent on whether or not I deem you worthy of such a role.” He pointed at the chair in front of his desk. “Sit down, son. Now.”
“The account is in my name. I have a legal right to the money.” I followed his orders but let out a long sigh as I did. “It’s several hundred thousand dollars, Grandfather. We have millions. Billions, even, at our disposal.”
“Comments like that are precisely why I’m still concerned you’re not ready to take on an important role with our company—the empire I’ve built.” He pursed his lips. “And that’s a shame, but it’s clear. Handing over such a large amount of money to a woman you don’t know is the absolute definition of reckless.”
I scoffed. “Weknowher. Her mother worked for us for God’s sake.”
“And that was a long time ago.”
“Not that long.”
Grandad slapped his hand on the thick oak of the table. “You don’t get it. You don’t. This woman’s family is dangerous to us.Dangerous.”
“What? Why? I wouldn’t use that word to describe them at all.”
“You should.”
I racked my brain trying think of reasons why that might be true. “Because of what? Because her mother took a large payout? Because my father was stupid? Because they’re not—”
Grandad held up his hand. “What did she tell you about that night? About the payout?”
I shrugged. “Just that the money came with stipulations. She and her mother needed to leave our lives forever, and they did.”
He nodded a few times then folded his fingers together and braced them on the arms of his chair. “I see. She left out a few key details.”
My stomach twisted. “She did?”
“Let’s just say the story has gone though some selective editing. That’s probably a kind word for it. It certainly sounds like she didn’t tell you the crux of the matter.”
“Please, tell me more,” I managed after a long, stunned pause.
Grandad swiveled in his chair and grabbed two glasses off the bar near his desk. “I think this conversation calls for a drink.” He took the decanter of bourbon from the tray.
“I don’t need—”
“You’re having one, son.” He poured two small drinks and passed me one. “Cheers.”
We both knocked back swift shots of bourbon. The strong liquor burned my throat and warmed my blood.
“So, out with it.” I place my now empty glass on the edge of his desk.
“This will be hard for you to hear.” He drank the last of his bourbon. “It might even affect how you view your father, and I’ve taken that into deep consideration.” My grandfather paused. “What happened to Samantha’s mother was criminal, Davis. Plain and simple. She had a criminal case, and we silenced it.”
Silence.
