Page 56 of A Flower for Angus

“Aye, she is at that. But she’s dedicated and driven, just like Darro. Dal will have to work night and day to keep up with her.”

Her phone sent a notification and she glanced down as she took it from her pocket. It was from Mack—again. Closing the screen, she put in back in her pocket.

“Any news?” Angus asked.

“It was just Mack asking if I had considered coming back to run the company again. He’s been bugging me since Adrian died.”

“And have ye given it any thought? It sounds like they need someone at the helm now.”

“I don’t know anything about running a company, Angus,” she replied. “I thought I might try hiring someone or promoting someone from within the board to run it for me. Nevil Hanrahan is the senior member, so he’s the most likely candidate.”

Angus nodded. “To do that properly though, ye need to be there to interview yer candidates.”

“I know,” she sighed. “I said I wasn’t going back last night, no matter what, but I have been giving it some thought.” She looked up at him. “Maybe it’s time I stopped running and face this all head on. After all, I do have a solid alibi for when Julian took that medicine. How can they possibly charge me with colluding with Adrian when there’s no evidence? What do you think I should do, Angus? Any thoughts?”

“Didn’t ye say last night ye thought Edna might accuse ye?”

Poppy nodded with a shudder. “Yes, she hates me.”

“Then I’d start with her,” Angus replied simply.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I’d start makin’ some phone calls when we get back. Call yer mother-in-law and be blunt. Tell her ye suspect her of pushin’ Adrian to have ye charged and then see what she says. Right now, she must be feelin’ the pinch for money and not much chance of gettin’ any if the company is about to go broke. She may be more reasonable than ye think.”

Poppy was intrigued. “And what else?”

“Check in with Morgan and see if they’ve found anythin’ new. Call Mack and ask him for the complete files on Condoloro Enterprises and what the auditors have found so far.”

She frowned. “But I don’t know anything about accounting.”

“But ye do know investments and numbers. Ben is about to graduate in accounting and finance, and Darro and I have been involved in Neamh’s books for years. He believes in knowin’ what his hired help is doing on all levels. Mayhap between all of us, we can see some discrepancies ourselves, or spot where the money is leakin’.”

“Isn’t that tantamount to telling Mack we don’t trust him to hire someone competent?”

“Not at all. If anythin’, he should respect the fact that ye want to get involved. He’s been tryin’ to get ye to do that from what ye’ve said, so I can’t see him objectin’.”

Poppy sat up straight, hope filling her breast making her feel lighter. “You are right, Angus, thanks for the pep talk. I’m going to text Mack right now and ask him to send the files to my email. We’ll look them over when I get back.” Her fingers flew across the screen and his reply was almost instant.

‘Thank God, Poppy. Will advise the board that you are getting involved now and they should hear something soon. Files are on their way.’

Poppy bounced in her seat and read Angus the text. “He’s sending the files! And he’s not defensive or angry at all, just relieved.”

Angus shot her a worried glance. “I hate to say it, honey, but ye really need to consider goin’ back and run Condoloro Enterprises yerself. Interview and get a feelin’ for each board member. Sometimes corporations have rats in them that get to nibblin’ the cheese when they think no one is lookin’.”

Slowly Poppy nodded. “You’ve given me a lot to think about, Angus. So much of what’s been happening, based on what I know of Adrian, seems off somehow. Maybe you are right. Maybe I have been running scared for long enough. I thought I was through with Julian’s family when his will was read, but Adrian has been chasing me like a horrific nightmare ever since.”

Impulsively she grabbed his arm. “Did you mean it when you said you’d go with me if I went back? Can you get away from Neamh for very long?”

He nodded. “Darro and I have already discussed it. I told him I’d be goin’ with ye when ye decided to return. It was inevitable, Poppy. It’s a mess ye need to face and clean up fer yerself, even though none of it is yer fault. Ye had no right in Adrian’s business before he was murdered, but now ye have every right to investigate what happened to yer stepson, and to take over Condoloro Enterprises if that’s what ye decide to do.”

“I don’t want to stay in Chicago,” she retorted adamantly, “or in that mausoleum of a house any longer than I have to.”

“Ye don’t need to,” Angus said with a teasing grin. “Ye can run a corporation from anywhere in the world if ye have good people in place. Ye can live right here with me and be my housekeeper part time, and run yer business from my office the rest of the time.”

Poppy laughed. “You really are determined, aren’t you?”

“Of course. I always mean what I say,” Angus assured her.

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