Beck and Call (19 page)

Someone is behind all this.”

Paul frowned. “Are you thinking conspiracy?”

“Hester said it. She came from one of my father’s companies to make sure I ran mine the way a MacLauren should,” he said quietly, finally giving voice to his thoughts. “Duncan and Mark also came over from my father’s company.”

“You’re thinking sabotage,” Paul murmured.

“But why?”

“No idea,” he admitted. “Unless you want to count envy—I made something of myself without their help. Or anger that I didn’t fall flat on my face and come running back with my tail tucked between my legs.”

“As if,” snorted the lawyer who had been with Keith from the beginning.

“I feel as if I’ve got to start allover again,” Keith muttered. “I’m going to have to weed out anyone who came over from ML and…”

“Take it easy,” Paul cautioned. “Not all of them are assholes. Some of them genuinely prefer working for you than for your father and brothers.

MacLauren Limited has had a high turnover rate the past ten years.”

Someone knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Keith sighed.

A man and woman entered.

“Mr. MacLauren,” the man asked. At Keith’s 143

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nod, leather wallets were opened and badges displayed. “Detectives Sanders and Erickson. Have you called your assistant?”

“Yes. She’s on her way in. I’m sorry, Detective.

This entire thing has gone way beyond what I…” he shook his head. “Mondays need to be banished, don’t they?”

“In many ways,” the man nodded. “Personally, I’d prefer if assholes like we’ve dealt with today were put away on a remote island.”

“However,” the woman added, glancing at her partner, “we have to get both sides and let the courts decide.”

“I understand,” Keith nodded. “Do you see a lot of this?”

“A lot of harassment?” the man questioned.

Keith nodded. “More than I’d like. We don’t see too many people at your level taking action the way you have.” He gave Keith a wondering look. “It’s both refreshing and disturbing.”

“Disturbing? How?”

“If more CEOs did what you did, Erickson and I would be out of a job all too soon.” Sanders grimaced.

“Maybe this will start something,” Keith murmured. “No woman should go through what they did. I can’t believe it went on so long without me having a clue.” He clenched his jaw. “If Serena, my assistant, hadn’t brought Debbie in, then I’ve no idea how long they’d have gotten away with it. I just…,” he shook his head. “There’s no excuse. This is my company. I should have seen…,” he exhaled and shook his head again. “I should have seen
something.

Something that…”

“Mr. MacLauren, your actions right now, what you’re doing,” Erickson leaned forward. “Are more important than you realize. I’ll be honest with you,” she smiled slightly. “My younger brother has talked about your company and how innovative you are.

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But to be honest, your reputation with ladies is less than stellar. So when we got the call to come here, I thought you would try some kind of smoke and mirrors job on us.”

“My father didn’t treat my mother very well,” he said simply. “My mother went through hell. I don’t want other women going through that.” Keith’s phone rang again.

“Private line?” Paul guessed when Keith glanced at it and scowled.

“Yeah,” he nodded, picking up the receiver.

“Hello?” His head fell forward. “No, Penny. I realize you think he’s a wonderful guy…I didn’t accuse him of anything!” he bellowed. “Yes, he just admitted it to me. And he was recorded saying it in front of witnesses.” He shook his head. “No, Serena doesn’t want him and neither does Claire…well, for one thing, I don’t think either of them like Mark and for another they’re both involved with other men.” Sitting down, he rested an elbow on the desk and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Penny, I know this is hard as hell for you. I’m sorry. Mark pulled a fast one on you. Just be glad you found out before you married the guy. I promise that…” His head came up sharply. “What? You still plan on…are you out of your mind?” Swearing, he put the receiver back in the cradle. “She hung up on me.”

“She’s taking his side,” Paul observed.

“Yeah, she won’t listen to a word I say. She refuses to leave him.”

“She loves him,” Serena’s voice came from the door. “Of course she won’t leave him.” Taking off her black trench coat, she draped it over her arm and stepped in. “Hello, Paul,” she smiled. “What’s the emergency? It looks like everything’s over. And I thought you said on Friday that you weren’t going to tell Penny about how Mark behaved?” Keith shook his head.

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“I didn’t. Something else came up.” He met her puzzled gaze. “You better sit down, Serena. This concerns you. These are Detectives Sanders and Erickson,” he gestured.

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The only thing Serena could think of was that Keith had somehow found out about Master and was going to fire her. Her legs trembled so much she nearly collapsed. Paul was there first only because he was closer. Keith was there in the next breath and the two of them helped her sit down.

“Concerns me?” she rasped out, eyes wide in her pale face. “How?”

“Mark was in here, ranting that I couldn’t fire half my Programming division and that he was getting calls from the media.” Keith hesitated. “I told him I wouldn’t tolerate harassment toward any of my employees and he started talking about a date the two of you went on about a year and a half ago.

Apparently he thought since he bought you dinner…”

“Keith, you’re leading the witness,” Paul interrupted, starting the tape recorder. “Serena, tell us

what happened

when

you

dated

Mark

Hammond.”

“We never dated,” she said firmly. “My immediate replacement had just left, about three and a half months, I guess, after I became Keith’s assistant. He asked if I could come by after work to review some of the files Hester had sent him.” She bit her bottom lip. “He said since the first one had left so quickly he thought maybe I could help him find someone who could handle the pressure.” She swallowed nervously. “There were nearly two dozen and it was late so he ordered dinner before I came down to his office.”

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“Did you see it as dinner on a personal level?” Paul questioned.

“No, I didn’t,” she confirmed in a certain voice.

“A former supervisor was asking for my help. That seemed normal and…” She spread her hands slightly in a helpless manner. “Well, business-natured.” Paul glanced at Keith. This, he realized, was where things could get very sticky.

“Did you kiss him or lead him on? Do you remember what you were wearing?”

“I never kissed him or even tried to. I certainly never flirted with him,” she said firmly. “As for what I was wearing?” She frowned, then shook her head.

“It was early spring and rainy so I was probably wearing something like a turtleneck or sweater, wool slacks, and boots.”

“All right,” Paul nodded, encouragingly. “What happened after you ate?”

Keith ground his teeth as she wrapped her arms around her herself. He gripped the armrests so hard his knuckles turned white.

“We were nearly done reviewing the files,” came her whisper. “I’d pulled out about five or six that I thought looked like good prospects. And he…,” Her breath hitched. Taking a deep breath, she plunged on. “He was suddenly on top of me and pulling my clothes up and down. When I tried to push him away, he grabbed my arm and started hitting me with his belt. He kept saying I would learn my place and it didn’t matter who my boss was now because he could get me to do what he wanted.”

“How did you get away?” Paul asked quietly.

A ghost of a smile appeared on her face.

“Paul, I have three older brothers and seven male cousins. They’ve taught me all sorts of self-defense tricks.”

“Why didn’t you file a police report?”

“I did,” she whispered, lifting her head. “I don’t 148

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know what happened to it, but I did go to the police.

They took pictures and my statement and everything.”

“Do you remember who the officer was?” Sanders frowned, focusing on his notes.

“I kept his card,” she nodded, voice low and shaky. “I might still have it at home.”

“I’ll look it up,” Erickson promised her.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Keith wanted to know.

This was way beyond Debbie feeling intimidated by the CEO. This was his assistant not telling him she’d been assaulted by one of his VPs! In his own damn building! “My God, Serena, how could—”

“I’d only been working for you four months,” she told him. “I didn’t know you well enough to say something like that. And after,” she shook her head.

“Shame can keep people quiet as well as fear.”

“Shame? There’s no shame there for you,” he said firmly. He studied her bowed head. He was certain what her answer would be, but needed her to answer for the police. “This is why you pushed so hard for me to tell Penny about Mark.”

“Yes.”

“God, I wished you had told me then,” he said.

“You said it yourself, though. She wouldn’t have believed either of us. She doesn’t now.” Her eyes fell on the tape recorder. “You can probably play that back for her and she won’t believe it. She won’t want to. She might eventually, but that’s something she has to decide.”

Paul leaned forward. His hand covered both of hers on her lap.

“Serena, Allen’s men went through the recordings. They have a file of you going into Mark’s office, the food arriving, and then you leaving just after eight.”

Her head came up.

“I never thought of that,” she whispered.

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“He tore your clothes,” Keith said, his voice sounding strangled. “They also have him coming after you, holding his belt.”

She moaned softly and curled around her purse.

“I got in the elevator and managed to close it before he could stop me. I put my coat on and went straight to the police.”

“And you didn’t hear anything about this?” Paul scowled, glancing at the two detectives. “Nothing?”

“No,” she shook her head. “I don’t know what happened.”

“Something else to look into,” muttered Sanders.

“God, if the officer was paid to bury this complaint…” he shook his head. “Internal Affairs will have a field day. I’m sorry, miss. This should have been prosecuted.”

“How the hell have you been able to work on the same floor with him?” Keith wanted to know. He held up his hand. “The other day when the rose was delivered. That was part of it, wasn’t it? He’s been intimidating you the entire time.” He shook his head. “Dammit, Serena! That doesn’t sound like you!

You’re not intimidated by anyone.” He studied the way she twisted her fingers on her lap. “Serena, look at me.” Slowly she lifted her chin. “Who did he threaten?”

“Claire. Others…”

Keith’s phone rang.

“I’m about to disconnect my private line,” he growled. “Yes!” he barked. “No, Kevin, I am not taking him back! We weren’t dating, for crying out loud! It was business and no, I am not going to take him back for Penny’s sake. If you think he’s so damned wonderful, then find him a job in one of your companies, but he can’t have one in mine.” He slammed the phone down. Seeing Serena wince, he quirked a smile. “At least I didn’t break this one.”

“I’m grateful for small favors,” she smiled 150

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slightly. Catching Paul’s puzzled look, she shook her head. “Late night conference call. Don’t ask.”

“‘Nuff

said,”

he

murmured,

eyeing

the

thoroughly irate man.

“All right,” Keith finally said, glancing at the detectives. “Paul, stay in touch with the detectives and find out what happened to Serena’s file from before. See if that can be prosecuted on its own or be added into everything else.”

Sanders glanced at Erickson and they both stood. With practiced ease, they handed Paul their cards. He pulled his out and the white squares disappeared.

“We’ll be in touch as soon as we find out anything. Miss Traydon, we may need you to come down to the station and give a statement regarding said the incident in question.”

“I understand,” she nodded. “If it helps, I think his name was Andrews. And the other name was Jackson.”

“Shit,” muttered Erickson.

“What?” Keith frowned.

“They’re already under suspension,” Sanders replied. “We’ll get this information to Internal Affairs and our lieutenant. We’ll take care of this.”

“Thank you,” Serena smiled. “I’m sorry I didn’t follow up on it.”

“We’ll take care of it now.”

“Thank you,” Keith replied, hand out.

The detectives left and Serena lifted her gaze to meet Keith’s. Blue eyes held hers. She could see the anger, the sympathy, all the turmoil he’d been going through. For a brief moment, she nearly rose and went to him, wanting nothing more than to hold him. To take care of him. And then all she could think of was Master. What would his reaction be?