Page 96 of The Cinderella Secret
“Sounds like bullshit,” said Jackson.
“Of course it was, but Randall liked to make people do things.”
Jackson nodded. That had worked out for his mother, who liked to have people make her do things. “I guess I should send Sofia a thank-you note then.”
“What do you mean?” asked Charlie.
“My mother was also Ukrainian, where Sobranie is a popular brand even though they are made in England. Apparently, she was the only one at the hotel Randall was staying at who knew where to get Sobranies.”
Jackson didn’t add that that the cigarettes were only popular with the kind of person who wanted to look rich. To his mother’s ultra-conservative religious family, they had just been one more sign of Nataliya’s degeneracy.
Charlie gave a sharp bark of laughter. “Life is a funny thing.”
“Generally true,” agreed Jackson, flicking ash into the business man of the year award. “But I didn’t actually come here to reminisce about my DNA donors.”
“I didn’t think you did,” said Charlie, leaning back in his chair and watching Jackson carefully.
“I don’t know if you’ve managed to get the update, but since the bank with the financial records is still a closed crime scene, the Zhao were forced to file for a continuance yesterday. They’ve got a week’s stay.”
Charlie’s face twitched in displeasure. “That’s disappointing. I was hoping Aiden could press the judge to dismiss it.”
“He tried,” said Jackson. “Judge didn’t go for it. But it’s going to be a bit of a problem for us in about a week.”
“What do you mean?” asked Charlie sharply.
“Well, you and I both know those financial records are going to show that Bo was an employee.”
“Do we know that?” asked Charlie. “I can’t say that I do.”
Jackson gave him a look and took another drag on his cigarette.
“DNA donors indeed,” murmured Charlie. “Is there anyone else who shares your opinion?”
“Aside from you? No, not at the moment,” said Jackson. “And Aiden assures me that even if the files Charlie gave us were somehow wrong,” Jackson infused his voice with as much Aiden-esque enthusiasm as he could and saw MacKentier’s lips twitched in an almost smile, “we have plenty of precedent to show that the Zhao still shouldn’t get any shares. Bo died before stocks were distributed, yada yada yada. We can trust Charlie!” He took a moment to ash his cigarette and assess MacKentier’s reaction.
“That would seem to be true,” said Charlie.
“Is it?” asked Jackson.
“Of course you can trust me,” said Charlie, smiling.
“Uh-huh,” said Jackson. “I meant the other part about the stock.”
“That’s what the files show, isn’t it?” asked Charlie, side-stepping.
Jackson gave him a look. “I don’t care if Bo Zhao was an employee. I don’t care if he had a written promise of stocks in one hand when he died. Fucker’s dead. He doesn’t get dick. And his daughter and brother certainly don’t get it twenty years later. That offer has expired.”
“The Zhao probably don’t believe it either,” said Charlie with a shrug. “Aiden is right—this is a power grab. It’s business.”
“Nah,” said Jackson, leaning forward, putting his elbows on his knees. “It’s personal. There’s plenty of other company’s working on solar stuff they could target. This is about Bo, and it’s about Randall.”
Charlie frowned, seeming to chew on the idea.
“They want DevEntier. And here’s the thing, Chuck. I may be new to business and to being a Deveraux, but I have never in my life let someone take something that was mine, and I don’t intend to start now.”
Charlie smiled and Jackson thought it was the first time he’d seen a real smile on the man’s face, but it faded quickly. “It was my impression that Aiden was handling this matter for you.”
“He is. Aiden’s great. He’s got lawyer brains coming out his ears. He can lawyer shit all day long.” Jackson leaned back and flicked ash into the bowl again. He couldn’t help thinking that Eleanor would have some sort of fit of hysteria if she saw him do such a thing. “But I know enough about business to know that sooner or later the lawyers get tired of hearing themselves talk in a courtroom, and then they suggest they we go listen to them talk in arbitration.”
