Page 11 of Stolen Wife
I remember her briefly starting right before everything went to shit. “All but two. They are calling in, though, Mr. Marchetti. Would you like anything to drink?”
“A bottle of water will do.”
“Here you go,” Joey says, handing back my case. I smile to myself and then up to him because of what’s in here. They aren’t going to like me.
“Thanks.”
She walks to a nearby cooler and brings me a bottle. “Thank you.”
I burst through the doors, hoping to catch them talking while I leave Joey outside of the conference room to watch the comings and goings of those in the office. My sudden release and arrival has probably taken them all by surprise. Most of them don’t know if they’ll have a job tomorrow. That’s not my intention at all. I want my company to operate as it always has.
“Hello, I’m back,” I cheer as all heads turn to me. Suddenly everyone stands up but one.
“Just in time,” Glen Denton says, barely disguising his disappointment as he sits on his ass. I’ve always hated this fucker, but he’d been on the board before I took over this company. It takes a lot to get one of them kicked off, but I have an ace up my sleeve and I’m about to play it.
“Yes, I’m sure that you’re glad I’m back, Denton. Now, everyone, sit. I don’t have a lot of time. My life has gotten remarkably busy.” I wait for everyone to take their seat before making my way over to my seat at the head of the table. Undoing my jacket button, I sit comfortably as if nothing has changed in two years. “I’m still the controlling owner, and I plan to implement some ground rules. My assistant, Martin Giuseppe, has created a draft handbook. I have to go over the details with the company lawyer, who will be meeting me tomorrow to do all of this. Please read these over. As the board, I’m giving you some options. I have appreciated that some of you have believed in my innocence.”
“Some of us think you belong in prison.”
“Well, then, you can resign from the board because you’re a liability to my company. It was proven that I was not only wrongly convicted, but the real killer had been caught.” Is he stupid enough to continue talking shit?
“Yeah, but that’s just one of the many bodies you could be tied to.” He’s stupider than he looks.
“Really, Denton, please inform everyone of the information you have that I don’t have.” I’m going to bury this bastard one way or another. Financially seems like the best way for this sick fuck.
“Everyone knows who you’re related to.” I roll my eyes and check my watch. I don’t have time for this, so I’m going to just toss him a little parting gift.
“Yes, but not everyone knows you’re related to a child molester, do they?” Denton turns white as a ghost. “Yes, I know about him. I also know that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. You learn a lot of things in prison that you didn’t have access to as a free man. I expect your resignation by the end of the day.” The authorities have already been given the information and are keeping tabs on him right now. I’ve made a charitable contribution to an agency that deals with the victims of sick fucks like Denton. That’s the extent of my involvement, though. I’m just trying to get my life back.
Denton stands up without looking at anyone but me. “You’ll pay for this, Marchetti.”
“I already have. Two long years. Trust me when I say that I’m done playing fair. Get out of my building before I have you arrested.”
He storms out. Then I address the rest of the five members of the board and the two that are listening in. “Anyone else have a problem with me?”
A cacophony of “nos” go around the room. “That’s what I thought. Now, let’s get down to business.”
I got a lot of reading done while in prison. Since I still owned the company and it couldn’t be taken from me without giving me millions, I received all the materials for the meetings, copies of the contracts. I may not have had my freedom, but I had access to everything to make shit happen. Thankfully, I was smart enough to put a clause in there regarding imprisonment. With everything my family is involved in, I couldn’t be too careful. My company staying afloat was the only thing that kept me from losing my mind in that small cell.
“Okay, so I see that the cost of timber has gone up with the brush fires that swept California this year. I suppose it was expected. What are your thoughts? Price increase or decrease in manufacturing.” I own a multibillion-dollar legal timber mills and iron ore mining company. One of my professors in college hooked me up with a friend of his in Africa who helped me get started. When he died, he left everything to me with the hopes that I would expand and donate as well. I kept my promises on both ends, and now it’s time to assess the company’s direction and make the necessary changes to keep us relevant and competitive while maintaining best business practices.
The meeting lasts two hours. As that’s happening, I check on my brother’s location. He’s in the Bronx with his mistress, or at least that’s what I believe. I don’t want to go home and find him in bed with Giada or I might slit his throat on the spot and forget my plot for revenge.
“Thank you all for taking the time to meet with me. I’m glad to be back and I’m ready to continue to make the company a success.” While I stuff everything back into my case, I put a monitoring device underneath the table. My plan is clear. I want to hear everything going on in and around my business. At this point, I trust no one. I go into my office and slip on a pair of gloves to avoid leaving my own trace as I set up three hidden cameras in the office with both voice and audio. It takes me twenty minutes to go through my things and organize them the way I like. My office has recently been cleaned and aired out, but when I was first arrested, my office was ransacked and my personal belongings seized. Fucking Feds. I leave after grabbing a few things I need. After the weekend, I’ll know a lot about who I can trust and who I can’t.
As I open the door, I pull off the gloves and tuck them into my pocket. Joey’s waiting on the other side, leaning against the wall facing my door.
“Ready?” he asks, tilting his head toward the elevator.
“Yes. Let’s go,” I say before addressing Karen again. “I’ll be back on Monday.” I don’t have to do anything else in the office until then, especially because I’m betting someone sneaks into my office by the end of the day.
“Did you monitor the car?”
“Yes. No one has gone near it.” We have cameras all around the building, and I made sure to watch for a slick play by anyone. I’ve never felt so damn paranoid before, but things have changed and they’re going to get a lot worse before they get better.
“Great.” As soon as we’re in the car, I reveal our plans. “I’ve already gathered the team you want. We don’t kill anyone. I want to be in and out with her. The cameras need to be down and the men out cold. The rest I can handle on my own.
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