He's Got Her Goat (13 page)

She exited and resisted handing him the key. The concern that she might be held prisoner here crossed her mind. She knew she was being childish, and at last dropped her crowded key ring into his open palm. The lawyers’ faces reminded her of funeral attendants, not letting a single emotion slip. She refused to let them get to her and smiled lightly as she marched through the glass doors they held open for her.

The lobby was remarkable. Marble floors and gold curtains randomly divided the spacious room into cozy chatting areas. The elevator was almost the size of her bedroom, and she wasn’t surprised when the two funeral directors, for that is what she had convinced herself they really were, hit the button for the top floor. What shocked her was who was waiting for her when those doors opened.

It took her eyes a minute to adjust to his stylish attire, but once she caught his gaze she was certain. “Sterling?”

His fingers latched around her upper arm. “I’m borrowing her for a minute, boys.” He all but dragged her around the corner to the handicapped bathroom and locked the door, so they were trapped inside. “Listen, we only have a second.”

Her mind felt numb. “Why should I believe anything you say? From what I’m seeing, I assume you aren’t jobless and homeless?”

“I may be after this stunt.” Sterling loosened his tie as a soft rapping came at the door. “Please, they’ve probably gone to get the key. I want you to know something isn’t right here. I don’t know what it is, but you’ve got to trust me, as crazy as that sounds.”

“I already did that. Look where it’s got me.” She thought about how comfortable their conversation at the Thai restaurant had been, and then for no reason he’d withdrawn and finally left. He must have gotten some vital piece of information he was looking for and didn’t need her anymore. He was probably part of this whole charade. No, she wasn’t falling for it again.

“I’m not lying now, Paige.” He drew closer to her. “You’ve got something special, and I want to be part of it.” His pale eyes met hers, and she wanted to melt, but she refused. She wouldn’t be pulled in and duped again.

Turning the bolt herself, she opened the door as one of the Bobs was bending to insert the key, further evidence that Sterling knew his part and was playing it full tilt.

Sterling clasped her hand. “I’m not leaving again. I’m going to help you.”

No
, she reminded herself. She’d already given him a chance, and he'd blown it. Yanking free from his grasp, she started to say something, but her voice cracked. She swallowed and could feel her eyes grow moist. “Haven’t you done enough?”

He didn’t try to touch her again. The two Bobs each stood on one side of her like bodyguards. They walked three abreast to a lush reception area. As they went, she gulped deep breaths to gain her composure. Sterling hung back a few feet, but from the determination on his face, she knew he’d fight anyone who tried to stop him. Though still angry at him for his deception, she was grateful for his presence. It didn’t make her feel quite so alone.

Moments later her friend Elaine entered the room. Paige was shocked. She had no idea what Elaine did for a living, but she never expected her to be a high-powered business woman. Elaine dismissed the lawyers and welcomed Paige into her office. “Sterling, you come too.”

Paige hoped to finally to get more information. Shaking the woman’s extended hand, she entered the door with Sterling behind her and sat in the chair closest to the floor to ceiling window. Peering to the right, she looked down at the street below and understood why people said the pedestrians looked like ants. It made her queasy.

When everyone was situated, Elaine stared at her for a solid minute, scanning her clothes, her face, her hair.

Paige felt self-conscious for the first time around this woman she had known for years and realized she really didn’t know her at all. She straightened the lapels of her jacket. “What is this all about?” she said as firmly as she was able.

Elaine broke into a large grin as if Paige was a toddler taking her first step and turned to address Sterling, “Did you see how she took charge? I like that.”

Sterling appeared as confused as she was, and Paige began to wonder if Elaine had lost her mind. “I’m assuming those are your lawyers, and you’re suing me for something?”

The older woman smiled. “You know your Uncle Bill and I have been friends for years, but what I haven’t told you is that I’m also executor of his will.”

“Uncle Bill didn’t have a will.” Paige hadn’t heard of any such thing.

“Yes, he did. It was written before you were born, but I assure you, it’s completely legal.”

Paige folded her arms. She couldn’t come to a conclusion about Elaine just yet. “What does the will say?”

“It’s not so much what it contains,” Elaine said, “as what it means to you. At the time he wrote it, I was his employer and insisted all my employees have one. He owned very little, and since we were on good terms, he left everything to me.”

Paige shook her head so hard that tendrils fell from her bun. “That’s not what Uncle Bill would have wanted. We built the goat farm together. Fifty-fifty he always said.”

“I’ve been trying to buy into your business to avoid all this,” Elaine explained. “Fifty-fifty, that’s my proposal, not only of your assets but of your liabilities.”

Sterling rose to his feet. “What are you saying, Elaine?”

The woman took a deep breath and sat straighter in her chair, if that was even possible. “Paige, I’m a very wealthy woman. I’ve built a significant empire. When I saw the notice of Bill Lindon’s death and remembered about the will, I had planned not to bring it to light at all. Then I was approached by a man claiming rights to your soap formulas.”

“What claim?” Paige grew wary.

Elaine lifted a page from her desk. “Does this look familiar?”

Paige reached across the cherry wood surface and took the yellowed paper. At a glance, she knew what it was. “It’s our first recipe. I remember because the milk is used only to dissolve the lye. Uncle Bill and I figured out that with increased fat content, it could replace a portion of the oil, too.”

“Think.” Elaine’s voice was deep. “Did Bill suggest it or you?”

“It wasn’t like a single conversation. We toyed with the idea for almost a year and started researching breeds to make it happen.” That was a great time. It was right after Uncle Bill went into remission the first time. They had travelled the Orient and much of Europe.

Elaine lifted a pink half sheet of paper from the file in front of her and deposited it before Paige. “Does this look familiar?”

Her hands trembled as Paige realized what she was seeing. “It’s a receipt for our trip to China.”

“Read the bottom corner.” Elaine said flatly.

Paige’s throat wasn’t working. She had to clear it before she could say, “Paid for by Emu Bliss.”

Elaine rose from her chair. “Emu Bliss was considering using goat milk as an additive for their personal care products. They paid your uncle to research the subject, but he told them he couldn’t find a goat species that would work, and his contract ended.”

“That’s not good,” Sterling said.

Paige wasn’t certain Sterling meant to say that out loud—it sounded so genuine—but she couldn’t agree more. “I went to school and got a degree in bio-chemistry to finish developing the formulas. It’s a patented process. That’s got to count for something.” Paige threw the slip of paper back on the table.

“Don’t you see?” Elaine stuck the offending document in a folder and closed it. “EG’s chemists may have done the same thing if your uncle had shared his findings with them.”

Paige didn’t want to believe it, but both Sterling and Elaine were in unison on this, and the evidence was certainly damning. “What can I do?”

“Our first priority is to keep it out of court. You could lose everything and owe a ridiculous amount on attorney fees,” Elaine said.

“I don’t have much to pay for anything right now.” Paige swallowed. “I have spent everything on medical bills.”

“Oh, I’ve done a terrible job of explaining all this.” Elaine lowered her eyes. “You see, once I filed the will with the court, I was apprised of your uncle’s account with the hospital and paid the bill in full. They agreed to reimburse what you’ve paid so far to your accounts. It may already be there.”

Paige recalled her original vow, not to believe anything until she knew it for herself. She took out her cell and tapped the screen. It took a few minutes, but when her balance lit up, her mouth fell open. It was all there. She’d never seen six figures in her bank account before. “How is that possible?”

Elaine smiled. “Most of your banking was done with joint accounts, and I have Bill’s power of attorney. If you don’t contest it, I will act in Bill’s behalf for his portion of your assets. Sterling, tell her what that means.”

Paige turned to Sterling, who seemed as dazed as she was. He was sizing up Elaine, almost staring her down even. Finally, he turned to Paige. “Elaine is willing to fight for you. Paige, she’s never lost. I don’t know why she’s doing this, but she is.”

“That’s my Sterling,” the older woman laughed. “Honest to a fault. I’ll tell you why I’m doing it. It’s time I pay something back. Bill Lindon was a roofer when I started flipping houses. I’d never be where I am today if it weren’t for him, but this isn’t a free ride. I’ll expect something from you, Paige Lindon.”

Paige cringed. From the woman’s determined stare, she wouldn’t be surprised if Elaine required her firstborn child.

Then Elaine’s eyes widened, and she almost smiled. “I expect you to make your business as big a success as it can be, and I believe you can do it. I’ve already given Sterling a run-down of next year’s projections from what little information we could gather. He’ll share that with you in due time, but for now I’ve got three things I need you to do.”

Pushing back her leather throne slightly, Elaine removed three papers from her desk drawer. Paige noted from across the desk that they weren’t long pages of extensive writing. Instead, each one held about a paragraph with two empty lines beneath.

Elaine got to her feet. “Here’s what I’m proposing. I’ve had the president of Emu Bliss in my office most of the morning. He’s agreed to work with us as long as you are willing to keep the goats in a neutral holding area until this is settled.”

“No.” Paige gripped the leather arms of her chair until her knuckles whitened. “If they aren’t milked every twelve hours, their production will decrease.”

“None of us wants that.” Elaine sounded like she meant it. “We’ll hire professional milkers and have a vet oversee them. I even have chemists on hand to mix your product according to your specifications. Orders will be met, and the money put in escrow until an equitable settlement can be reached.”

Paige was listening. “How much time are we looking at?”

“All I need is one week.”

Elaine laid the first page in front of Paige. “Here is his signature. Now I need yours.”

Paige glanced over the signature which was nothing more than a big “R” with scribbles behind it. Then she began reading. The words seemed so clear it was as though Elaine had been reciting from it. Even the week duration to settle the case was there. If it took longer, the prosecution would lose all rights to sue for restitution. She liked the sound of that and picked up the proffered pen. As she bent to sign, the ballpoint was snatched from her.

Sterling was standing over her. “Are you sure you don’t want a lawyer to look it over?”

Normally, Sterling’s warning would make sense, but the woman in front of her had put hundreds of thousands of dollars in her bank account. Everything Elaine said seemed reasonable, and there was that single week clause. What could happen in a week? “I’m following my gut.” Paige took the pen back.

He knelt beside her so that he could look in her eyes. “You did that when you met me, remember?’

Her face warmed and the feelings she had been keeping at bay crept out of the corners of her mind and back to center stage. “I’d do it again.”

“Funny. So would I.”

She signed and passed it back to Elaine who gave her the next one. “This gives Erickson Holdings power of attorney on your behalf,” she said. “Since I’m already representing a portion of Bill’s assets, it simply clarifies that the decisions I make in negotiations will be final pursuant to your written wishes. There are lines to delineate your desires, and I’ll take it from there.”

This was harder, but if she got to choose the conditions, it would be better than if she were to try to go it alone. Paige thought it through and soon began writing. She could only come up with a few. First, that all products would be subject to her inspection for quality before being sold. She didn’t want this hiccup to ruin her reputation. Second, that the goats would remain in her control for all major decisions such as breeding and treatment. Last, that the Lindon name would continue on the brand since Uncle Bill often told her that one of her most important jobs was to bring honor to the Lindon family name, and she was determined to do it. Feeling confident, she signed and passed the page back to Elaine.

Paige could have sworn she saw a tear edge Elaine’s eye as the older woman read the additions then said, “You’re an impressive young lady.” Elaine passed her the final document.

Feeling a little calmer, Paige lifted the paper and couldn’t believe what she was seeing. “This is a statement of employment. You want to hire me?”