CHAPTER TEN
“Son of a bitch!” Brett shouted as he slammed the phone down hard enough to make the pens in the chipped ceramic mug rattle.
Per the corporate prick he just spoke to, because of the acquisition, Silverman Petroleum was sending two representatives to the rig for what they called a “routine pre-acquisition assessment.”
He snorted at the thought. There was nothing routine about strangers poking around his operation.
According to the guy on the phone, one was an engineer, and the other was a hotshot attorney tasked with reviewing contracts and liability concerns before the deal moved forward. The usual corporate garbage that buyers demanded before signing on the dotted line.
The timing couldn’t have been worse. With the next shipment due in less than a week and enough illegal cargo tucked away on Platform Three, the last thing he needed was two outsiders wandering around asking questions and sticking their noses where they didn’t belong.
The office door opened, and Clint stepped in, stopping short when he saw the scowl on Brett’s face.
“What’s wrong?”
“We’ve got visitors coming.”
“Visitors?”
“Silverman Petroleum is sending two reps out here for some pre-acquisition bullshit. A lawyer and an engineer.”
Clint stepped further into the room and shut the door behind him. “They’re coming here?”
“No, Clint, to my goddamn beach house. Yes. Here,” Brett snapped.
“When?”
“They will be here in two days.”
Clint dragged a hand over his mouth and looked toward the window.
“How long will they be here for?”
“I have no clue. It could be a few days, though I’ve seen some of these things last over a week.”
Clint’s eyes widened. “Isn’t there another shipment coming in next week?”
“Yup”
“How is that supposed to work with a lawyer and an engineer crawling all over the rig?”
Brett let out a humorless laugh and returned to his desk. “It’ll work the same way it’s worked the last twenty-two times.”
Clint didn’t look convinced.
“The shipment comes in at night when everyone’s asleep,” Brett reminded him.
“Plus, there’s no reason for anybody to be over on Platform Three without prior approval.
As for the Silverman folks, I’m sure they will want to have a look.
But because Platform Three is considered an active construction zone, they’ll need an escort for liability purposes.
And heck, most of it is empty, so it’s not like there’s much for them to see.
But either way, these people are not going to be wandering over that way in the middle of the fucking night. We’ll just be extra careful.”
“Do you want me to keep an eye on them?” Clint asked.
“I’m not so much worried about the lawyer as I am about the engineer.
The lawyer reads papers. She’ll just bury herself in files, maybe ask questions about vendor contracts or personnel crap.
The engineer is the one to keep tabs on.
Just make sure he doesn’t stumble onto something that could cause problems.”
Brett dropped into his chair and leaned back, staring at the ceiling for a moment while his mind worked through the angles. The shipment was manageable.
What had him concerned was the UUV project. He had told Andre he would be testing it in the coming week. Depending on how things go with the Silverman people, he might have to push back the test date to the following week.
“Prepare the double room on the executive floor for the Silverman reps.”
“Why up there when there are others on the crew floor?” Clint asked.
“Because I want them away from the crew.”
Clint nodded in understanding. “You want them isolated.”
“I want them comfortable enough not to complain and far enough away that they’ll have fewer chances of running into someone or overhearing something that isn’t intended for their ears.”
Clint leaned against the door, rubbing the back of his neck. “What about access? What do you want them to have?”
Brett’s fingers tightened on the armrest. During an acquisition, the acquiring company could request the inspection of almost anything. If Silverman Petroleum wanted to buy the company, its people had the right to look under the hood before handing over the money.
That didn’t mean Brett had to like it. But denying access would definitely raise a red flag. And he didn’t need any more attention drawn toward the rig.
“They get access to everything but Platform Three. Again, it’s off-limits without an escort.”
“Okay. And your office?”
Brett leaned forward. “This office stays locked at all times. There’s no need for anyone to come in here. Plus, only I have a key to this office.” His office had the only door that used an actual key, not a keycard.
Brett had things in the office that were meant for his eyes only.
“All paperwork they would need access to is out in the main office.”
Brett stood up and walked over to the window.
“The key is not to act like we have something to hide,” Brett said. “We will smile, hand over the paperwork, answer their questions, and keep them busy. They want to inspect the equipment? Then we show them the equipment. We don’t block them unless we have to.”
Silverman Petroleum could send whoever they wanted. Hell, they could send a priest and a circus clown for all he cared. But at the end of the day, no one was getting close to anything he didn’t want them to see.
“Should we let the crew know about their arrival?”
“Might as well. That way, if the crew sees them walking around, they’ll know who they are.”
“Is there anything else?” Clint asked.
Brett shook his head. “No, I think that’s it.”
“All right. Well, I’m going to go prepare that room. If you need me, just call.”
Brett nodded. As soon as the door shut behind Clint, he picked up the phone and dialed Andre.
He hated to have to delay the test, but if he needed to, it was better to be safe than sorry.