Ulterior Motives Read Online Free Page A

I’ll have to ask around and find out more about him.”
    “How does he ‘reorganize’?”
    “Top to bottom. He comes in, figures out everything that’s wrong with the center, finds a whole new staff if necessary, examines their finances, their methods, their location. He contacts new clients, old clients—and other schools’ clients, Shelley.”
    She leaned back in her chair as she considered Wayne’s words. “So they’re not just bringing in someone to clean up their own act. They want a piece of our action, too.”
    Wayne nodded. “And we’ve always agreed that, even with all this new business coming into the city, there still aren’t enough clients here to keep two language centers in healthy operation.”
    “How good is this guy’s reputation?” Shelley asked.
    “Very good. From what I understand, he totally turned around their school in Washington last year. That didn’t particularly hurt business at the Babel school there, but that’s a much busier city than this one. I gather he reorganized an Elite school in some French city a few years back—Toulouse, I think Charles said it was—and the competing language center closed down.”
    “All right,” Shelley said. “It looks like we may have a problem on our hands. I’ll call Chicago to let them know what’s happening and to see if we can find out more about this guy and his methods.”
    “I have a friend who used to work for Elite in New York. I’ll call her and see what she can find out—”
    Shelley hesitated for a moment, not liking the cloak-and-dagger quality of that. “All right,” she said. “Go ahead. The more we know about what to expect, the better. And in the meantime let’s keep in mind that this could all be hot air. I’ve never known Chuck to tell the truth before.”
    “I think he was telling the truth, Shelley. He seemed worried. If they decide they’re not pleased with the way he’s been running things, he’ll be lucky to find himself running a one-room Elite outpost in northern Alaska by the time this is over.”
    “I’m still skeptical. I wish I’d been there to talk to Chuck myself,” Shelley muttered.
    “So do I. Did you have a nice chat with tall-dark-and-handsome, by the way?”  
    “Never mind that,” Shelley chided. “You get on the phone and see if you can find a French teacher for tonight while I call Chicago.” She picked up the phone and started dialing the long-distance number. “When is this guy expected to arrive?”
    “He’s already here. He arrived yesterday.”
    “He’s here?” Shelley repeated. “Have you seen him?”
    “No. I asked Charles to point him out at the reception, but he had disappeared.” Wayne got up to leave.
    “I’d have loved to have talked to him, too. Tell Francesca to hold my calls for the next... Wait!”
    Drifting thoughts started to come together in Shelley’s mind. Something about Toulouse and a man who had disappeared from Keene International’s reception today... I may do some business with them... Michelle Baird... Director of the Babel Language Center...
    With an oppressive sense of irony she asked Wayne, “Did you find out what his name is?”
    “Ross Tanner.”
    Shelley slammed the phone down just as it started ringing in Chicago. “Somehow I thought you’d say that.” She rubbed her fingers against her temples, feeling a sudden headache coming on.
    “What’s wrong?”
    “Sit down. I have something to tell you.”

 
     
    Chapter Two
     

     
    Let me get this straight,” Wayne said. “You not only invited Ross Tanner up here, you actually showed him around?”
    Shelley nodded. “Francesca!” she called. “Have you got anything for a headache?”
    “Well, gee, Shelley,” Wayne continued, “as long as he was here, why didn’t you show him our books, tell him about our latest contracts, and let him sit in on a few language lessons?”
    “Stop it,” she chided. “I had no idea who he was. The only thing he said about his line of