Trigger Read Online Free Page B

before
then?”
    Silence from DeShaun. Shit. Not good. “I appreciate
your time and effort, DeShaun. You know my purpose is to make this
work, not only for us but for Wade and Shockley too.” She listens
to DeShaun for a long time while all eyes are on her. “Thanks
DeShaun everything you’ve told me will be kept in confidence. Have
a good weekend and don’t worry. Okay?”
    Franklin and the staff watch her closely. She’s sure
they’ve seen her happy demeanor fade. Calm and controlled, “Charles
please check Shockley’s website and find out which products he’s
buying from Perry. Then compare those products to the
financials.”
    “You want to know what percent of his sales are
Perry products.”
    She nods.
    “You’re thinking that Simon will pull the product
line.” Franklin stares at her. She watches his face harden. “Still
the company is in great shape now, at least as far as the bank is
concerned.”
    “Yes. But after. I promised Mr. Wade that I wouldn’t
break up the company and let all his employees go. I won’t be able
to keep that promise. DeShaun and the Shockley employees will have
to go too.”
    Charles looks up from his laptop. Inexperienced and
innocent of having to make hard decisions, his face mocks her.
She’s falling into the same strategy pit as Simon.
    “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Judy. Let’s get
the facts first.” Franklin’s voice is also calm, but his eyes bore
into hers. The trap door at the end of this hallway she and
Franklin are being forced to walk, just got bigger.
    She sits down and reaches for her endless mug. She
can’t drink anymore.
    “Do you know Marshall Distributing, Miss Mason?”
    “I only know what they do and that they are only a
couple of years old. Dion is in one of my business groups.”
    Chandler picks up his laptop and sits down next to
her. “Look at their website. They are competitors to both Wade and
Shockley and I happen to know that they aren’t doing so well. His
wife is a teacher at the same elementary school as Gretchen. They
talk. What if we throw him into the mix? Add his customer base to
Wade’s and Shockley’s and we’ve got a good size company.
    “To grow, Dion has had to reach out farther. He’s
active regionally and according to his wife, is looking to grow
nationally. Apparently he’s been seeking out contacts and is
getting serious interest,” Chandler explains.
    Judy studies for a moment and then merges Chandler’s
information with what she knows. “He is forward thinking and
fearless. I haven’t had a lot of discussion with him, but what I
have I got a hint that he’s a great salesman, but not the best at
managing. I wonder what his interest would be, if we made him head
of the new company.”
    “Buy three companies, Judy? The bank is going to
laugh at us,” Franklin smiles trying to keep his concerns
undercover.
    “Do you really think so, even if we come up with a
killer business plan?”
    “Banks don’t care about business plans, Judy. Assets
are all they are concerned with.”
    “I know. I was reaching.”
    Walking around the table again, “But on the other
hand, all we are concerned with at this moment is getting the money
to buy Wade and Shockley. Right? After that our next task is to
make it work. Would Dion simply move in with us?”
    Franklin laughs. “He has a monetary investment that
will need to be satisfied, Judy.”
    “What if he was close to loosing it? Would he trade
his investment for a good salary, plus stability and growth? You
know we can provide that, plus a hefty incentive package. We’re
living in an Obama administration, anything goes. There are no
rules anymore. The President of the United States confirms that
every day.”
    She glances at Charles, who is staring at her. His
bright blue eyes happy again.
    “What do you think, Charles?”
    “Miss Mason, I have no idea.” He blushes. “After
all, my boss is wearing tiger tights, a tank top with a gun
attached to her ankle.