Page 6 of Her Dirty Rival
Chapter3
Malcolm
Riley Hampton hasno idea who she’s messing with. I look on as the cops help her into the back of the police van. A smile rises up my face. I don’t have to spend a second looking into her file to know this is her first ever arrest. It’s written all over her panicked expression. Reality probably sets in the second they put handcuffs on her wrists and sit her down on the uncomfortable metal bench in the back of that prisontransportvan.
The funny part of all this is she made a bad play last night. Her cute little scare tactic only served to prepare me for today’s exact events. Building security is well staffed, and will be for the foreseeable future. Cameras are documenting everything. We even have the police on standby. So although I was at an afternoon meeting while she and her Columbia U colleagues pulled this stunt, I have noconcerns.
Well, I had no concerns. Pasttense.
Instead of heading inside to my office, I get back into my car and tell the driver to take me home. My phone rings on the drive over. Dear old Dad is slightly miffed by the ordeal. I do my best to reassure him I’m aware of the issue and it’s wellinhand.
“You must not have seen the video,” Dadbarks.
I have not, but I’m well versed on the entire back story that’s led Riley Hampton here. I just make a point of not telling Dad that I’ve been intimate with the littlehellcat.
“I’ll take a look when I’m back in the office tomorrow,” Itellhim.
“No. You’ll take a look now. Check your phone. I’ve sent youtheclip.”
“Fine. I’ll check it now,” I say, shakingmyhead.
“Listen, son. I’m making Dustin the point person on this one. He’s got the file. He’ll will liaise with legal until they see itthrough.”
“Sure thing, Dad,” I agree, intentionally keeping it short because I have something elseinmind.
My father doesn’t realize that I have the file he’s talking about. Riley’s little ploy last night woke me right up, but I put that time to good use by looking up her family’s name in our corporate database and document archives. The paper file is as big as my forearm, and I reviewed every report, law suit and settlement document to get an idea of what I was up against. Nothing in her family file surprises me. Alexander Industries has fucked up a ton of lives over the past hundred or so years. We keep hundreds of millions in a settlement fund for exactly that reason. It’s the way big businessworks.
Armed with what I now know about Riley, a longstanding plan I’ve kept hidden for years can now be implemented. It has been parked, waiting to be set in motion long before she and her awesome gang of yuppies made it to our head office. I just need to be sure no one else in Alexander Industries gets too close. Riley needs a taste of her ownmedicine.
“Listen out for a call from Dustin,” Dad says just as my call waiting beginstobeep.
“He’s on the other line. Later, Dad.” I click the end call button and accept Dustin’scall. “Yes?”
“We have a problem,” Dustin says calmly. He’d better be calm. The man is the company’s most senior advisor, and Dad trusts no one more than him. Sure, the Riley squad is a hiccup, and their timing isn’t great, but their little protest is by no means a reason forpanic.
“I heard. Can you give me some time to get a handle on it before the legal team dives in?”Iask.
“Sorry,” he says. “Gerald and Barnes are already ontheirway.”
“You’ve already sent senior counsel to deal with something thisminor?”
“It’s not minor, Malcolm. Take a look at the video. Do youhaveit?”
“Yes, it’s in myphone.”
“Look at it. I’ll wait. Keep an eye on the posters in particular. It’ll make sense why I sent the legal aces down to the precinct. Did your father get in touchwithyou?”
“Yes. Okay, hang on aminute.”
I press the home button and quickly navigate to Dad’s email with the link to the video clip. Pressing the play button, I watch. It looks pretty tame to me. Even the minor physical assault on Riley by the overzealous security guard can be easily taken care of with a dismissal, an apology and a small settlement. Dad and Dustin’s reason for panic isn’t clear to me until I catch sight of the five or six posters in the frame. I squint and take acloserlook.
Shit. I’m not sure how it’s possible, but these kids have information on two energy companies we own. These entities still use coal, and are supposed to be arm’s length from Alexander Industries. I only found out about this a few months ago, and have been pressing for Dustin to get the board to take steps to divest the two companies before federal regulators find out and stick us with tens of millions infines.
I clear my throat. If Riley Hampton has this information, it may explain why she played me last night. Or it could just be a coincidence that whoever put those posters together just happened to lump Alexander Industries in with those energy industry power players. Either way, I understand why there’s cause for concern, but I’m not ready to panicquiteyet.
“I’m back,” I tell Dustin. “I get it. Listen, can you get Gerald and Barnes to hold out for a coupleofdays?”
“Why?”
