Beck And Call (18 page)

there. Someone who isn’t chummy with Duncan,” he

added.

“I’ll call Paul,” she nodded, ignoring Debbie’s

startled squawk. “Or David.”

“Serena!” Debbie protested again.

“Excellent,” he approved. “Debbie, thank you for

telling me. I know it wasn’t easy, and I appreciate the

courage it took.” Her brown eyes rounded in shock at

his words. “I have to get Duncan’s side of things, but I

would say,” raising his hand to silence both women,

“that he will have a very difficult time defending

anything he’s done. In fact,” he looked at Serena, “ask

David to sit with the women as they write their

statements and have Paul come in here while I’m

talking to Duncan. And then we’ll get Hester in here,”

he said grimly. “I want to know what the hell she was

thinking to let this go without taking action. Unless she

wanted my company to deal with a sexual harassment

lawsuit,” he frowned.

“Why would she want that?” Serena asked,

realizing he had thought of something.

“I’m not sure,” he said slowly.

But he was getting an idea. Hester had come over

from one of his father’s companies three years earlier.

As had Duncan. Could his father be trying to sabotage

him? Or could his brothers? He didn’t want to believe it,

but Debbie might just have revealed a conspiracy to

destroy him.

Not pressing, Serena nodded. Keith liked to think

things through, like a chess master before he made a

move. He knew it sometimes frustrated her, but

obviously she could fully appreciate his caution now.

“I’ll call Paul and David and have them come here

first,” she said. “You’ll want to talk to them before the

statements are taken and you talk to the caveman.”

Debbie choked back a laugh at Serena’s term for the

man who’d been slowly making her life hell. Keith

smiled slightly.

“An appropriate description, if rather mild,” he

commented. “I would prefer a stronger term, but it is

not one I’ll use in mixed company,” he added grimly.

“In fact, Serena, it might be better if neither you nor

Debbie were here while all this is going on. I have a

feeling that things could get rather hot.” He glanced at

Serena with sudden inspiration. “What about that

shopping trip you were talking about last week? Or was

that the other girl who mentioned it?”

“Claire, and it was with Debbie,” Serena filled in

and seized on the idea. “It’s perfect,” she smiled.

“Debbie was just talking about getting a couple suits for

work.”

“What?” Debbie protested. “I did?”

“I’ll call Paul and David and tell Laura in Legal to

reserve a conference room for the entire day before we

leave,” Serena smoothly overrode the younger woman.

Standing, she pulled Debbie up with her. “Come on,

Debbie. Claire might not be able to go with us, but I

know where we can get some incredible things you’ll

love.”

Keith had to fight to keep a straight face as Serena

pulled a protesting Debbie out of his office. Glancing

over her shoulder, Serena winked before closing the

door.

For a moment, Keith let the humor of the moment

fill the air. He and Serena made a pretty good team,

whether in or out of bed, he smiled. Dear God, he

thought, he’d had no idea things were as bad as Debbie

had finally told him. Serena’s shock had been obvious

as she had listened, slack-jawed. What the hell was

going on? How had he been so blind? Was it arrogance?

Over-confidence? He couldn’t believe this had been

going on under his very nose!

Inside five minutes, Paul and David were entering

his office. Initially jovial, they quickly became serious

as Keith outlined the situation. Nodding, they made a

few tweaks to the plan he’d come up with and set it in

motion. He didn’t mention the possibility of a

conspiracy to bring down the company. Or who might

be behind it. He was still having trouble accepting it. It

just seemed too far-fetched and coincidental to even

mention.

Paul headed back down to Legal where Laura was

setting up a room. David settled down with his legal pad

and recorder. Before Keith called anyone in, he made

sure Serena and Debbie were safely gone. He hated

that she would not be where he could see her, but he

wanted her removed from any situation that could turn

violent. And this had all the makings.

Serena practically dragged the reluctant, pouting

Debbie to the store where she shopped. The salesclerks

greeted her warmly, while looking at Debbie with some

trepidation.

“Makeover, ladies,” Serena told them, holding

tightly to Debbie’s arm. “Two mix-and-match three-set

combinations and tops for two weeks.”

“Serena!” Debbie gasped.

“Hush,” Serena whispered. “You’re not going to look

like an old maid like me, young whipper-snapper,” she

smiled, relieved at Debbie’s snort of laughter at the

reference to Friday night. “But you will look

professional. I would’ve brought Claire, too, if I could.”

“What’s the matter with Claire’s clothes?” Debbie

wondered.

“She’s not as bad as you, but she’s getting there,”

Serena said bluntly. “I love you both, Debbie, you know

that,” she said quietly. “But you both seemed to have

missed the chapter on dressing professionally for the

office.”

“But all the fashion magazines…!”

“None of them show real working women who have

to deal with the real world,” she replied, guiding her to

where two clerks had pulled out several items. “I’m not

saying you have to throw everything out, but you don’t

wear club clothes to the office.”

Debbie nodded reluctantly.

“Debbie, there’s something that I don’t quite get,”

Serena frowned. “You party and go clubbing. I’ve seen

you with boyfriends, although not for a few months, and

you’ll defend Claire like crazy. So why wouldn’t you say

anything to me? Or Keith?” Debbie’s mouth opened and

Serena frowned warningly. “And don’t give me any of

that nonsense about being a simple girl from West

Virginia. Claire believes you, but Claire isn’t here. So

why?”

“I was just scared. And ashamed. I know better, but

it started so slowly that by the time I realized what was

happening, I didn’t think I could say anything without

everyone thinking I deserved it.” Debbie grimaced. “Did

that make any sense at all?”

“Barely,” Serena smiled. “I kind of went through the

same thing with Todd. Even when I realized just how

big a jerk he was, I was afraid to admit it. I mean we

were together two years. How could I have not known

what an insecure bully he was?”

“And now you have Mr. Mystery Man,” Debbie

teased her.

“Nice change of subject,” laughed Serena. “All right.

Let’s try on some clothes.”

Keith stared out the window. Duncan would be first.

It appeared that he’d been the ringleader. David had

called two junior lawyers to go to Programming as soon

as Duncan was gone. They would start with the rest of

Debbie’s list of harassers before the men had a chance

to coordinate stories. Hester would be next. To keep

Hester busy, Laura had already been sent to her office

on the pretext of hiring a new intern and clerk.

“Morning, Keith,” Duncan sauntered in and closed

the door. “Have you had a chance to review the plan to

launch the new program on communications? I know

Mark was a little over-eager so I’m glad you called me. I

wanted to make a few suggestions.” He frowned seeing

Paul at the table near Keith. “What’s he doing here? Is

there a legal issue with the plan?”

“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 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…”

“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