Page 64 of Takeover
“Happened?” She finished for him. “That’s fine. Well, no, it’s not, but for this, it doesn’t matter.”
“I’m sorry,” Sam said. “Truly.”
Michael wasn’t sure if the apology was for him or Greta or both of them. He reached across the table and gave Sam’s hand a squeeze. “What I said before still holds.”
Greta blew out a puff of air. “You never make things easy, do you?” She raised a hand to catch the attention of the barkeeper. “I’m ordering a Bloody Mary and you’re paying, Randy. Then you’re going to tell me everything.”
“Deal.”
They added two waters to that order, and when the drinks came, they started. Everything meant everything, apparently, because Michael found himself telling her about Curaçao in general terms, but also the stupidity of the former CEO and what led up to Sam taking over Four Rivers. Sam filled in his own details—the financial corruption of Michael’s old boss, Taylor, his suspicions about William, though not what Fabian had passed along. Then he told his account of Curaçao—and how he and Michael both tried to be on the up and up.
“I take it that failed?” Greta’s amusement was evident.
Sam actually blushed, and that was answer enough. He cleared his throat. “Now William wants the site manager position.”
“Why?” Michael tapped a finger against the brushed chrome surface of the table. “He doesn’t know a damn thing about routers.”
“That’s the part that baffled me. He’s hardly qualified and hates that kind of work. He said something about using it as a way into Sundra, but that makes no sense. Unless he has his fingers in something else.”
Greta toyed with the celery in her drink. “Well, William won’t get the job even if you were to sing his praises. It’s a position for someone with a technical background, not a venture capitalist. And we don’t take well to bigots.”
Sam winced. “So you heard that part of the conversation this morning.”
Greta scowled into her Bloody Mary. “The man needs a muzzle.”
“He also tried to sink Four Rivers,” Sam said. “I’m not so egotistical as to think he’s just getting back at me.” Sam shook his head. “From the way he acts, he’s a homophobe, but I can’t think this is all about that, either.”
Michael still reeled from some of the information Sam had spilled. “What do you mean ‘sink’?”
“He wanted to give you a week for testing after freeze.”
Michael sat back in his chair. Sam had gotten him three and he’d been furious. If they made it out of this, he’d owe Sam. Big time. Now more than ever. “Well, shit.”
Greta put her drink down. “I saw your test plans. That’s— No way in hell you could have done your testing in one week.”
“It’s all very hinky,” Sam said. “And I was dumb enough to give him an opening.” He scrubbed his face.
“We.” Damned if he’d let Sam take all the blame. “You didn’t act alone.”
The corner of Sam’s mouth twitched as if to smile. “No, I didn’t.”
Michael stared at his water. William had never been kind, had always been an ass to him, even from the day the board took over. Michael still had no idea what Rasheed and Susan had told the board about him. He looked up. “Do you think he knew about me? From before?”
“I don’t know,” Sam said. “The paperwork I had access to was scrubbed clean.”
“Before what?” Greta’s question had the snap of irritation.
Well, she had asked for everything. “I helped found Four Rivers. Why I’m not on any of the paperwork is screwed up and entwined with personal reasons, but I was there.”
“From day one,” Greta said.
“Yes. Except I was also—” Michael’s throat tightened. Because he still couldn’t betray Rasheed. Not even after all these years.
Greta took another sip of her Bloody Mary. “You and Rasheed Esfahani were lovers.”
“How did you know?” It was Sam who asked the question Michael wanted to. Good thing, because Michael couldn’t. Not through lungs so tight he could barely breathe.
“Mr. Esfahani told us.” She set her glass down. “I told you we did our diligence.”
