Lena’s voice brought me back to present. “Logan Butler fucked up when he thought he could take what wasn’t his and then turn around and continue to control me.”
In my mind’s eye, I could see Lena’s smile and the shimmer of her brown eyes. “And Marlin came to his rescue, one of his many mistakes.”
Her laugh rang through the receiver. “I don’t mind helping you take down Marlin. Tell me why there’s such a rush.”
Inhaling, I debated telling my old friend about Julia McGrath. Call me selfish, but for a short time, I wanted to keep Julia to myself.
“Van?”
“As you mentioned, Wade Pharmaceutical has been vulnerable. I can list three different larger pharmaceutical companies, including two of the ones currently reaping the benefit of large government contracts, that are willing to swallow up Wade. Jeremy confirmed my suspicion that Marlin Butler was ready to buy additional stock. He’d already laid the groundwork with the shareholders, finding the ones willing to sell. If Butler would have carried out his plan, Marlin would be a few shares away from owning the majority of Wade, even without his son’s marriage.”
“I read that the two are working on reconciliation. Maybe Marlin wants his cake and to eat it too.”
I was certain that Julia wasn’t currently working on reconciliation with Skylar Butler, but I couldn’t share that without giving up my secret.
Lena continued “It doesn’t sound like Butler’s goal is to make Wade stronger.”
A grin came to my face. “Hell no. He’s been waiting to sell. Selling after the wedding would put Wade at a high. Marlin Butler would’ve cashed out and tripled the worth of each share.”
“So your rush to purchase wasn’t about owning Wade’s private stock but about stopping Butler from cashing in.”
“Now, I need to get Butler’s stock,” I said.
“Why do you want a tiny pharmaceutical company located in the Midwest?”
“Maybe I want to be philanthropic and provide low-cost medication to the masses.”
“Right,” Lena said, “your philanthropic desires have always dictated your financial moves. Besides, you know, Butler’s portfolio includes more than his shares of Wade. He’s diversified. If Wade drops in value as I anticipate, he’ll dump it.”
That gave me another thought. “There’s the issue with him being one of the original stockholders when Herman Wade offered stock to new investors.”
“If you’re insinuating that Marlin Butler will go down with the ship out of some sense of loyalty, your recent desire to help the masses has clouded your judgment.”
“I don’t just want his Wade stock, Lena, I want everything. I want to watch him standing on the bow of that sinking ship as it slips into the depths of Lake Superior.”
“I hear it’s cold.”
“Not where he’s going.”
Marlin Butler’s most recent sin was his plan to screw Julia. The nail in his coffin was Julia’s and my meeting. Yes, he’d been on my radar, but now that radar was laser focused.
My mind went to Julia and to her parents. I didn’t know them. My knowledge was coming in slowly. What little I’d learned in the last forty-eight hours gave me the feeling that Gregg McGrath had worked hard over the last decade, perhaps out of a sense of duty to his wife’s family, working to keep Wade liquid and profitable. I had a private detective digging for more information.
The McGraths weren’t big contenders in the financial world or even in the world of pharmaceuticals. Wade’s claim to fame began with one of the first patents of insulin. Julia’s grandfather made his mistake by putting too much time and money into fighting generic distribution. Instead of fighting, he should have jumped onboard, accepting the fate of generics and profiting from both sides.
“Marlin Butler is close with Gregg McGrath,” I said, “even though he was planning on screwing him.”
“It’s always easiest to screw those closest to you.”
She was right.
Lena sighed. “I’m going to ask one more time. Why are you, Donovan Sherman, devoting time to this small company?”
“I have an interest.”
“Beyond Butler?”
“I have a callout to Jeremy.” Jeremy was a talented and gifted wizard when it came to anything regarding market irregularities. “He’s watching Marlin Butler for me. If his private stocks go into the sale mode, I’ll know. Jeremy knows that I want them.”
“If you have a want list for Jeremy, you should answer my calls.”
If the world were divided up into the people on my side and those on Lena’s side, Jeremy was hers. She’d found him first. Lena had helped make Jeremy a very wealthy man. His talents have done the same for her. Of course, she has other assets and abilities that have also added to her bottom line.
Lena and Jeremy also shared other mutual interests.
Lena and I had explored those interests too.
We were better as allies with a common enemy than we were in other roles.
“You know how cell service can be up here,” I said in the way of an excuse.
Lena’s voice sweetened. “Of course you can use Jeremy, just be open with me.”
“I am.”
“Shall we discuss Madison…?”
She had my attention. “Let me call you back from my cell.”
“Yes, Van, let’s chat.”
I wasn’t certain how much I’d disclose. Lena knew my secrets better than anyone. I knew hers too. Now I needed to at least make her think she was in on my plan.
Julia
Walking down the stairs, I heard the sound of a vacuum before I came to the bottom step and face-to-face with a woman I assumed was Margaret, the lady who Van had mentioned. Wearing blue jeans and a sweatshirt, she was moving about the tile and wood floors with a pull-behind vacuum. Although she had some signs of age, such as a few wrinkles, with her short blond hair, fit figure, and abounding energy, I didn’t think she was the mother in this duo.
As soon as she saw me, a large smile blossomed across the woman’s face. “Hello, Donovan said he had a guest.”
I offered her my hand. “That would be me. I’m Julia.”
“Hi, Julia. I’m Margaret, and my mother, Paula, is in the kitchen. If you’re hungry she can make you something.”
Her friendly greeting left me with a smile. “Oh, that’s not necessary. I can find something.”
Margaret lowered her voice. “I don’t know how long you’re visiting, Julia, but here’s a bit of advice from me to you. When it comes to my mother, it’s her mission in life to feed everyone. She bakes cookies for the mailman, takes cakes to doctors’ offices, donates to animal shelters, volunteers at homeless food kitchens—”
“And supplies a week’s meals to Donovan,” I interrupted, using the name Margaret had used for Van.
“I know it may not seem like he’s as helpless as the dogs, cats, and homeless, but he is.”
That made me smile. So far, I didn’t see Van as helpless in any way, but our interactions had not included cooking and cleaning. “Are you saying that it would be a hopeless cause for me to refuse your mother’s cooking?”