Page 15 of Insidious Threats
Mickey took note of their postures and sighed. “I’m guessing Maisy is rejecting the offer?”
“Your instincts are spot on,” Sasha said. “There’s an existing enforceable contract between the parties. Ms. … er, ATJ’s eleventh-hour effort to impose a new obligation on Maisypost hocis insulting. And everyone here knows the court would never go for it.”
“This is a negotiation,” ATJ spat. “I’m negotiating.”
“Pro tip,” Naya said. “You should offer something she’s not already entitled to. That’s how negotiations work.”
“Does she want more money?” ATJ countered.
Mickey cocked his head, intrigued by the suggestion.
“No,” Naya said. “She wants her million and no new restrictions.”
“She’s being intransigent.” ATJ bit off each word and clenched her hands into fists.
Mickey held up a hand. “I’ve heard enough.”
“Will you reconsider the financial discovery?” Sasha asked, taking a flyer.
He shook his head. “No. There’s no need. I don’t care whether WACB releases the funds from escrow or Mr. Delone finds a million bucks in a pair of trousers in his dirty clothes hamper. I’m ordering ATJ to ensure the full amount is transferred to Ms. Farley by the close of business tomorrow. Is that clear?”
ATJ’s eyes bulged. “That’s not feasible. I can’t—”
“With interest,” Naya reminded.
“Right, with interest,” Mickey clarified.
ATJ’s face turned red, then purple, then, finally, a sickly green color. After a long moment, she turned and spoke to Gabe in a low, furious voice. “Does an ADR neutral even have the authority to order us to pay? I mean, this is appealable, right?”
Gabe gave her a cool look. “When Thor acquired the station, you—or someone—sent out a revised employee manual. All the employees, including Ms. Farley, were required to sign a statement accepting the terms in order to keep their jobs. One of the changes was that all employment disputes are subject to the federal court’s alternative dispute resolution program. No exceptions, no right to appeal. I’ll note that nobody consulted the station’s employment counsel, aka me. If they had, I’d have said that the change was making it almost impossible for the station to appeal unfavorable outcomes, as well as the employees.”
Mickey leaned over the table. “And I’ll caution the pair of you: if the station or Mr. Delone appeals this decision on frivolous grounds, I’ll recommend sanctions for their attorneys. To be clear, ‘Mr. Delone doesn’t wanna’ is a frivolous argument.”
Maisy grabbed Sasha’s arm. “Ask them about Thor,” she whispered.
Sasha kept her focus on the back and forth between Mickey and Delone’s attorneys as she answered. “What?”
“Thor. Gabe said Thor acquired the station. Can you find out—?”
Whatever Maisy was about to say was lost in the commotion when ATJ banged down her coffee mug, pushed her chair back from the table, and stormed out of the conference room, trying and failing to slam the door behind her. Instead, it swung closed with a soft, nearly silent click.
They sat in silence, looking at the door, until Gabe wondered, “Why didn’t the door slam?”
Sasha pointed at the closer installed on the top of the door frame. “Hydraulics. Really cuts down on the theatrics.”
“Yeah,” Naya deadpanned, “you know Will Volmer. He’s a dyed-in-wool drama llama.”
Their giddy laughter cut through the awkwardness of Amanda Teale-James’ departure. After a moment, Gabe started to pack up his papers.
“I guess I’d better catch up with my drama llama before she takes out her rage on some innocent bystanders,” he said with a heavy sigh.
“Better you than me,” Mickey told him.
Gabe crossed the room and shook Sasha and Naya’s hands, then told Naya he’d be in touch to arrange the wire transfer in the morning. He bent and whispered something in Maisy’s ear, something that made her blush. Then he thanked Mickey for his help and headed for the door.
After he left, Mickey aimed a gentle punch at Sasha’s upper arm. “You should’ve seen your face when I said I was denying your discovery request. How about a little faith, McCandless?”
She wrinkled her forehead. “I have a question about that, Mickey.”
