Page 215 of Mad As Hell

“But if Gary wants to buy these companies, he’s going to come looking for the owners, and that’s us,” Court reminded him with a grim smile. “The problem with a shell game is the shells can crack, and we’re damn close to the breaking point. We can’t keep this up much longer. Someone is going to notice.”

“Especially since O’Shea is out of the picture,” Ryan muttered. “He was good at his job, but he was also easy to distract. The next attorney my father hires probably won’t turn a blind eye. If they dig, we’re fucked.”

“That’s why you were so hesitant to out Dean,” I whispered, ducking my head. “Everything is a house of cards, and taking him out of the equation rocked the foundation.”

Ryan’s eyes blazed as they met mine. “You’re worth it.” Then his gaze cut to Bex. “Both of you are.”

“But it’s a problem,” Bex murmured, looking unhappy.

“Not necessarily,” Ash hedged, his brows pulling together as he thought. “I could set up one last fake company to own them all. Gary would throw all his money in that company, and we transfer all the funds to Phoenix before dissolving it.”

“That still means Phoenix will go public,” Ryan said. “Are we ready for that?”

“No, but we could be.” Ash pressed his lips together.

“In a week?” Linc asked, incredulous. “No way. Besides, what about Beckett? He’ll still be a threat, and we’ll never get the shares of CI that we need to close him down for good.”

Bex snorted. “It’s a shame you can’t make two companies.”

Ash turned to her slowly. “Why?”

She shrugged a shoulder. “If they’re each fighting for controlling interest over a different company, they’ll be so busy watching each other that they won’t see you guys moving in the background. Give Beckett a heads up that Gary’s getting ready to make a move, so he invests everything he’s got left into that company while Gary does the same.”

“Huh.” Ash seemed to consider what she was saying.

“That’s a lot of variables at play, none of which we can control,” Court began slowly. “We’d have to hope neither Gary nor Beckett decides to really dig into the company profiles, or they’d see the shit they’re buying is an idea that doesn’t exist.”

Ash shook his head reluctantly. “It doesn’t really matter anyway. There’s not enough time to create a whole new company and concept that Beckett will have time to check out. Even I’m not that good.”

“So, we’re still screwed?” I sighed.

Ryan’s thumb brushed across my arm. “No.” But he didn’t sound entirely convinced.

“It doesn’t matter now,” Ash replied, his eyes flashing. “We can use this. I think Bex had the right idea, but the wrong approach.”

Bex’s eyes widened. “I did?”

“How?” Ryan asked with a snort.

Ash pointed at him. “You need to tell Beckett what Gary’s planning.”

“Wait, what?” I hissed, my jaw dropping open.

“Why the fuck would I do that?” Ryan stared at Ash like he’d lost his damn mind, which he very well might have.

Ash rolled his eyes, seemingly annoyed that we didn’t immediately get what he was thinking. “We have one last shell company we’ve been holding back for Beckett to buy into, right?”

“Right,” Ryan agreed cautiously. “The one Gary is going to see holds control over the other bogus companies he’s planning to buy out from under Beckett.”

“It’s Tuesday night, and the Cain board meeting is Friday morning. Gary might be able to scrape the money together to cover the existing stock options for the companies, but he’ll never have the capital to get to the parent company. And even if he did? We tie it up with red tape and stall.”

“But Beckett—” Court started.

“Ryan goes to Beckett and tells him Gary’s plan.” Ash’s eyes flashed as he looked at his best friend. “You sell that Maddie has turned on her father. We use the same plan that we used with Gary, but reverse it. You tell your father how Maddie is so in love with you that she’s planning to turn over her trust to you alone as soon as you can get married. Maybe even hint she’s been talking about eloping and cutting Gary out.”

“But Beckett and Madelaine set up Ryan. He’d never buy that she’s fallen for him,” Bex said, looking uncertain.

“True, but Beckett also knows how much Madelaine hated Gary,” I mused thoughtfully. “He’d might buy her playing Ryan to screw over her dad. Hell, Beckett might even think he’s still partners with Lainey. They’d cut out Gary and Ryan.”

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