Beck and Call (17 page)

“This isn’t about the PR plan,” Keith told him, turning to face him. “This is about something else.

Sit down.”

The other man slowly complied, his eyes narrowing as he saw the slim recorder that Paul turned on. Keith sat down opposite him.

“Duncan Samuels, I have received two very serious complaints about you and your entire division. I would like to hear your side of the story before I take action.”

Shrugging, Duncan leaned back.

“Sure. I can’t imagine who would be complaining or what it would be about.”

“Sexual harassment and intellectual theft,” Keith said bluntly, sharp eyes catching the anger that flashed across Duncan’s face. “I’m not sure which is more serious to tell you the truth. One alone is intolerable, but combined,” he shook his head. “Start talking, Duncan.”

“Who is my accuser?” he demanded. “No, never mind,” he shook his head. “It’s got to be that little tramp, Debbie. She tried to sleep with me to get a promotion. This must be her plan for revenge.” He scowled. “Really, Keith, how on earth could you believe her over me? How could you even listen to her? I mean, really!”

“Because I have to listen to her. This is my company. When did she try to sleep with you?”

“She suggested we go to Vegas together and share a room during the technology trends show.

Offered to show me a very good time if you know 128

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what I mean,” he grinned. “It was tempting as she is a very well-built young woman, but I didn’t,” he said pompously. “I didn’t even take her on the trip. It wasn’t her turn to go, much less get promoted.”

“I see,” Keith murmured. It sounded reasonable, except for a few little things that Keith had thought to look up. “So who did get the promotion?”

“Steve Rhys,” Duncan replied, looking smug. “A bright young man who…”

“Has only been with the company four months,” Keith cut him off. A glance at his notes and he continued. “After graduating from, hmm, the same college you did, and, what an amazing coincidence,” he shook his head. “His mother’s maiden name is the same as your last name and he has the same home town.” Keith held Duncan’s startled gaze. “Nepotism is a rather nasty thing, Duncan, especially considering Steve’s grades in computer classes. Not a single one above a ‘C’.”

Paul gave him a tight smile. They had delayed summoning Duncan until Laura’s cousin, a specialist in HR, had been able to pull the information and get it to them. It had been a little tricky as Hester had just set new security measures, but the cousin had been chafing at Hester’s restrictions and favoritism. Plus, a request from the CEO was enough in her eyes to justify the action.

She had pulled information on everyone on the list Keith had given her, printed it, and slipped up the stairs before Hester could find out.

Keith was keeping a list of people helping him to make sure they were rewarded and protected.

Christmas was coming, he had observed to David.

Santa wasn’t the only one to make lists of naughty and nice. Duncan had been relegated to the top of the naughty list.

“Who told you that?” Duncan demanded. “Those files are confidential and…”

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“I’m the CEO of the company,” Keith said sharply. “I have access to any and all personnel records, including computer activity.” Duncan froze, before he forced himself to relax.

“So I promoted Steve over the tramp?” he shrugged. “Do you really want someone like that around the company? She and her wild-child friend Claire are bad news.” He leaned forward, a look of concern on his face. “You might want to be careful about your assistant.”

“Serena?” Keith questioned. “Why?”

“She’s been getting all too chummy with those two,” Duncan said quietly. “It’s a bit suspicious if you ask me. Serena becomes your assistant, gets her friend Claire her old position, and now they’re best buddies with Debbie. There’s no telling what…” A look of horror came over his face. “If Debbie’s accusing me of this, then you and Mark will be next.

There’s no telling what they’ll accuse the two of you of. Serena’s been with the company for over ten years and Claire for five…”

“Actually,” Paul spoke up. “Serena has been with the company just over eight years and Claire has been here three, including a summer internship.” He smiled calmly at Duncan. “Not to mention Mark has gone through five assistants in the two years since Serena became Keith’s assistant and Claire has only been in the position for five months.

Every

one

of

the

six

women

in

Programming is more qualified than Steve. Yet you passed over all of them.”

“Two of them are engaged and one is pregnant,” Duncan replied.

“What does that have to do with anything?” Keith asked.

“They won’t be with the company much longer so why waste time and money on them,” he shrugged.

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“Good lord,” Keith stared. “Paul, get to the punch-line. Fast.”

“Debbie has given us her statement. The other five women are as well. They all support Debbie’s allegations of sexual harassment, nepotism, and intellectual property theft.”

“I just told you that,” Duncan said impatiently.

“And the whining of a few women shouldn’t…”

“And then you and Hester threatened the six of them with their jobs if they said anything.” Disgusted, Keith rose and went to his desk to punch a combination. “Allen, it’s MacLauren.”

“On the way, sir.”

Duncan frowned now, as if just realizing what was happening.

“Wait a minute,” he shook his head. “You’re really taking the word of a bunch of women over me?

Your own, hand-picked VP?” He stood and started across the room. Paul quickly got in his way. “Out of my way, you legal pansy,” he ordered.

“Nope,” smiled the lanky lawyer.

As Keith heard the security detail in the outer office, Duncan shoved at Paul to get him to move.

Paul merely stepped back, still in his way. The door opened as Duncan swung at Paul. The lawyer caught the man’s forearm, twisted it around, and turned toward Keith, forcing Duncan to his knees. Five security guards froze at the tableau.

“He’s not taking this very well,” Paul observed with a glance at the CEO.

“Then you better keep him in that lock for a few more minutes,” Keith replied. “Duncan Samuels, you are fired on the grounds of nepotism, sexual harassment,

intellectual

property

theft,

and

attempted assault on a legal representative of MC.

You will be escorted out of the building by building security and will not be permitted inside the building at any time for any reason. Your personal 131

Abby Gordon

effects will be forwarded by HR representatives.

Which, by the way, will not include Hester Bridger,” he smiled when Duncan’s head snapped up. “Oh, yes,” he nodded. “She’s next.” He looked at Allen.

“Would you escort Mr. Samuels from the building and make sure everyone in your department knows he is not allowed back?”

“Absolutely,” he replied. “Len...Pete,” Allen glanced over his shoulder.

Two men stepped forward and caught Duncan by the upper arms as Paul released him. Venom spewed from Duncan’s mouth. Just arriving, Laura froze by Serena’s desk as he was dragged past her.

Seeing Keith and Paul at the door, she stepped forward and held out a file.

“Here are the statements from the women,” she said.

“That was fast,” Keith observed.

“They already knew Debbie was talking to you.

It took about twenty seconds for them to realize that if she hadn’t been tossed out of your office yet you were taking it seriously.” Laura smiled slightly. “We have keyboards built into the conference table and they’re fast typists. Hit print, sign, and deliver.”

“Paul, double her bonus.”

“Absolutely,” Paul nodded.

Giving them a tight smile, Laura nodded and left.

“How can you stand there so impassively as if this was an everyday occurrence?” Paul asked.

“Wait until I hit the speed bag,” Keith replied.

“I’ll probably knock the damn thing out the window.

Let’s see what they wrote.”

Not trying to hide his weariness and disgust, Keith sat down and started reviewing the statements. Paul settled in his chair and added to his notes on what Duncan had said.

“Good God, what else is going on that I don’t 132

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know about?” Keith shut the file and tossed it across the desk toward Paul. “Unbelievable!”

“How bad?”

“The entire fucking department.” Paul grimaced and skimmed through the first few.

“Holy hell,” he muttered. “What are you going to do?”

Keith shot him a hard look.

“Duncan’s fired,” he stated firmly. “Sexual harassment, nepotism, intellectual theft, and attempted assault on the two of us.”

“And the rest?” Paul prompted.

“Given these statements, can you seriously ask that?” Keith frowned.

“Have to,” Paul shrugged. “Comes with the job.” He put the file on the desk and leaned back. “What brought all this on?”

“Serena brought Debbie to me because HR

hadn’t done anything.” Keith glared at the file. “I had to do something. There was no way in hell I could ignore one, let alone the rest of it.” He banged his hand on the desk. “I won’t have predators on my payroll.” He shook his head. “God, these men are worse than some I’ve ever seen at the club.”

“I can agree with that,” Paul nodded.

Inside ten minutes, they had fifteen men in the office. Some had the decency to seem embarrassed, as if they’d gone along with the others to fit in. Keith could understand that...if they’d been in high school...but not considering what had been in the statements of the women! Allen had assembled an entire security detail for this group. Keith saw quite a few outraged expressions on the uniformed men.

In short order, the worst offenders were taken out.

Two stammered out more damning information.

Paul pulled out his cell phone and his assistant arrived to take the two men down the hall for 133

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further questioning with the police.

“God!” Keith groaned, falling back in his seat.

“What else is going on?”

“Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll,” drawled Paul.

“Why the hell do I feel like I’m back in college?”

“Please,” winced Keith. “Freshman year was a nightmare I’d rather not relive.”

“Keith!” a woman called from the outer office.

“Hester,” Paul murmured.

“And the nightmare continues,” muttered Keith.

A second later, a middle-aged woman strode in without knocking. Her gray air was pulled back in a severe bun. Black rimmed glasses hung from a chain around her neck over a dark gray blouse and pinstripe pantsuit.

“Your flighty assistant seems to have taken the day off,” she snarked.

“My assistant is absent on my orders,” he replied mildly. “Sit down, Hester.” Paul inserted a fresh tape into the recorder, turned it on, and placed it on the desk.

“What is this about?” she demanded, taking the chair next to Paul.

“Your

inaction

on

sexual

harassment

complaints.”

She stared at him.

“Keith, I worked for your father for thirty years.

I do not have to sit here and listen to you—”

“You work for me now, for however long that employment lasts,” he added. “So you will listen. Six women have come to you in the past four years to complain of sexual harassment. You did nothing,” he lifted the file before dropping it on his desk. He watched Hester’s eyes widen slightly and her mouth tighten. “I want an explanation.”

“Have you met any of those sluts?” she challenged the men. “Have you seen them?” she emphasized. “The way they dress? The way they 134

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talk? The way they act?”

“Their attire is not the issue at hand, Hester.

The way they have been treated is.”

“Sluts, every one of them,” she insisted, fire and brimstone in her voice. “Wearing scraps of material that barely pass as clothing and flinging themselves at every man they come across! It’s shameful!” She shivered as if in disgust. “None of them were very serious about their complaints. And they were highly defensive when I pointed out their attire was the problem. If you dress like a tramp, then you shouldn’t be surprised when you’re treated like one.”

“Like a rape victim?” he threw the question out casually, glancing at Paul who was studying Hester.

“She’s asking for it?”

“Precisely,” she smiled. “Would you believe that one of them, Delia, I believe is her name, actually came to me saying Duncan Samuels had gotten her pregnant and was threatening her if she didn’t have an

abortion?

A

family

man

like

Duncan!

Preposterous, I told her…”

“It’s true,” Keith told her, fighting down the nausea. “According to statements, he slipped her a rape drug. The women were all threatened.”

“Bah!” Hester waved a hand dismissively.