CHAPTER 80
CHAPTER
ONE WEEK LATER, RHETT TEMPLE marched into the offices of Sybaritic Investments and said hello to Ellen Douglas, the matronly receptionist.
“Mr. Temple, we haven’t seen you in quite a while. You look different,” she added, running her gaze over his more muscled and toned physique. He had shaved off the Fu Manchu.
“I’ve been at a spa, Ellen. Good for the body and soul.” He nipped a cookie off the platter set on her desk. “How are things here?”
“They seem to be fine.”
“Neisha Mirza?”
Douglas’s lips curled in displeasure. “She. . .seems to have her own way of doing things.”
“I’m sure. But don’t worry, Ellen.”
“What do you mean?”
Temple grinned. “I mean. . .I’m back!”
He bit into the cookie and banged his still-activated security pass against the sensor, and the door clicked open. Temple strode down the hall and then poked his head into one office.
“Rhett!” said Elaine Fixx. She rose from her desk. “What are you doing here?”
“I own the company, Elaine.”
“No, I mean, I thought you’d basically retired and were traveling the world.”
“Well, now I’m unretired. I’ll be back in two minutes. Stay right there.”
“What?”
But he had already walked off.
Temple marched to his old office, knocked on the door, and opened it before receiving an answer.
The woman behind the desk, Neisha Mirza, rose. She was in her forties, tall, poised, and intimidating.
“What are you doing here?” She did not sound or look pleased.
“Nice to see you too, Neisha. I’m here because I always like to deliver good news face-to-face.”
“What good news?”
“I’m taking over as CEO. Your services are no longer needed.”
“How is that good news for me?” snapped Mirza.
“Well, I didn’t say it was good news for you.”
“You’re actually trying to fire me?” She stared at him as though the man had lost his mind.
“No, not trying, I am firing you. I have other plans for the place. Big plans. Big goals. Goals that you have not accomplished, or so I was told. . .by someone. Which is the only reason I’m here.”
Now Mirza did not look so confident. She said, “I. . .I was unaware of—”
He cut her off. “Neisha, at this level, you always need to be aware. . .of everything. If you’re not, things don’t tend to end well.”
“I was told that—”
“There has been a changing of the guards. I’m sure you’ve been watching the news. Steers is probably dead.”
Mirza looked like she might be sick. “I did see that, but I didn’t think—My God.”
“God won’t help you, unfortunately. You need to help yourself. Starting with leaving here. Quickly. Before certain other people show up.”
Alarmed, she glanced around her office. “But. . .I. . .my things.”
“I’ll have them packed up and sent to your place.
We appreciate your service.” He stepped forward and put a hand on her arm.
“And Neisha, this is not something you need to talk about to anyone. In fact, doing so would be very unfortunate for your. . .survival. And, reading the tea leaves, if I were you, I would get on a plane and fly as far away as possible as fast as possible. And if you’ve ever fantasized about becoming someone else, now would be a good time to realize that fantasy.
I don’t have to give you this warning. In fact, I’m taking a risk doing it.
But I’ve been in your shoes before and I know none of this is fair.
But such is life. Hell, if I didn’t have to be here, I wouldn’t.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a choice in the matter. ”
She paled and grabbed the edge of the desk to steady herself. “But—”
He gripped her arm harder. “I will take care of everything on this end. But if you don’t do as I say, I cannot guarantee your safety.
And I don’t say that lightly, Neisha. You know the lay of the land.
And when these people are displeased, it is not good for the target of their displeasure.
And, like I said, I would not be back here if I didn’t have to be.
But I have a new boss. And I can tell you that his wish is for you to disappear off the face of the earth, because you were hired by Steers, who he probably had killed.
What I’m offering you is a way to disappear, on your own terms. But the grace period is limited.
Twenty-four hours. Think you can manage it? ”
She grabbed her purse from a desk drawer, fled past him, and raced down the hall.
A few moments later he walked slowly back to Fixx’s office; she was standing in the doorway. “What did you say to Mirza? She just hauled ass out of here.”
“I just told her I hoped the criminal investigation against her wouldn’t be too tough.”
“Wait, what? How do you know there’s an investigation?”
“Because I was the one who filed the complaint. Now, I want you back in Walt’s old job.”
She looked askance at him. “So you’re promoting me after demoting me? Twice?”
“Third time’s the charm. Pack your stuff. Now go.”
After Fixx sped out of the room Temple walked back to his office and sat down in a chair.
His bravado was hiding more than a little anxiety.
His conversation with Nash and Steers had been, to say the least, eye-opening.
He was in serious trouble, he knew that.
And it was coming from the law on one hand and Connor Lord and the Chinese on the other.
The former could land him in prison for life.
The latter could propel him into a grave for eternity.
He pulled out his phone and looked at the number. He drew a deep breath and made the call. The phone rang, and Temple waited for someone to answer.
Okay, here we go, killer.