Tangled Web
By Sarah & Lanie
Chapter 8
July 19th,
1999
Sinclair Investigations
Cameron sat at his desk sipping coffee and paging through a case file. Gary was sitting across from him, equally occupied with the pages he was reading. Although neither brother said a word, there was tension in the air between them. Gary couldn’t keep his mind from drifting back to the look he’d seen Cameron exchange with Tess Richardson at the Harbor Club the other night. There had been something almost… intimate about the exchange - They had seemed to be communicating without words. Gary hated the direction his thoughts were taking him. He didn’t like the suspicion he felt toward Cameron’s behavior with this supposed stranger. Gary had thought the deceit was all behind them.
Cameron could sense Gary’s misgivings about him. It frustrated him because he knew it was justified… and that there was nothing he could do to alleviate it. He couldn’t tell Gary the truth, and adding one more lie on top of all the others he was being forced to tell his family was not an option. All Cameron could do was finish the Logan case and hope that he could find a way to get free afterwards.
Gary looked up as Cameron’s cell phone rang. He watched intently as his brother answered the call. "Cameron Sinclair… I see. You know what needs to be done, right?… And you can handle it for me?… Ok, thanks for letting me know."
Cameron hung up the phone and looked over at Gary. His brother’s eyes held undisguised speculation. Cameron did exactly what he’d been trained to do. "I had to take that lemon I’ve been driving to the garage again. I swear that car is possessed or something."
Gary nodded and looked away. Cameron could see that Gary didn’t believe him. Although his car was in the garage, it didn’t matter. A lie disguised inside the truth might work with other people, but his brother knew him too well to be fooled.
Cameron couldn’t bear to sit there any longer. It wasn’t Gary’s mistrust that bothered him the most. It was the disappointment and concern that Cameron could feel coming off his brother that drove him up out of his chair and toward the door. He didn’t even look at Gary as he called out, "I’ll be back later" over his shoulder and walked out of the office.
Cameron walked for a long time, not even noticing the beautiful summer day. He didn’t notice much of anything as he tried to sort out his thoughts. He eventually ended up at the park. He walked over to a bench and sat down, propping his elbows on his knees as he closed his eyes. How did my life get to be such a mess? How did I end up here? And then he heard a familiar voice in his head replying to the unspoken question. If you want to know how you got where you are, start where it all began. Cameron leaned back and opened his eyes, staring off into the distance… and into the past…
March, 1988
Indiana State Prison
Cameron looked up as a guard stopped outside his cell and inserted a key in the lock. "You have a visitor, Sinclair" the guard said, his voice lacking emotion or interest.
Cameron stood from his bunk and silently followed the guard down the cellblock. He was slightly surprised when he was lead past the common room to a private office, but he asked no questions. He’d learned quickly that the guards didn’t respond well to curiosity and that, if left to their own devices, they often dispensed more information than if they were asked.
This time proved to be no exception. The guard turned to him and said, "Looks like you’ve got friends in high places, convict. The warden doesn’t usually allow private visits. But remember this – I’ll be right outside this door, so behave yourself."
Cameron didn’t reply or give any other sign of acknowledgement. The guard glared at him and snarled, "You better learn to show some respect, convict. An attitude like yours will get you nowhere fast… except maybe solitary confinement for a week." The guard smiled conceitedly and opened the door.
Cameron walked into the room and looked at the stranger before him. The man was dressed in a gray suit and looked to be in his mid-forties. He motioned to a chair and said, "Cameron, please sit down. I have something to discuss with you."
Cameron sat down and the man took the chair on the opposite side of the rectangular wooden table. "Cameron, I have a proposition for you."
Cameron read the man immediately as a law enforcement type, probably FBI based on his suit and mannerisms. When Cameron didn’t speak, the man continued, "Aren’t you going to ask me what the proposition is?"
Cameron shrugged, "I figure you’ll tell me whether I ask or not. You didn’t come down here to look at the view."
The man smiled as if he were enjoying a private joke. "I should have expected that. Very well, my proposition has to do with your sentence. I have the means to dramatically change your situation, if you’re interested."
Cameron stood up abruptly and said, "I’m sorry you wasted your time coming down here. I’m not interested in informing on other prisoners for the feds. I’d rather do my time without getting my throat slit for being a snitch."
The man raised his brows and replied, "That’s not what I’m proposing. If you’ll sit back down, I’ll explain." As Cameron returned to his chair, the man looked at him closely and asked, "How did you know I am a federal agent? I never introduced myself to you."
Cameron rolled his eyes and replied, "Please, it’s written all over you. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out."
The man nodded with satisfaction. "I knew this was the right decision and you just proved my point. You’re far too intelligent and resourceful to waste away in prison for the next twenty years. And I’m going to see that you don’t, if you’re willing."
Before Cameron could ask what he meant by that comment, the man said, "Would you care to tell me why you pled guilty to the murder charge? The evidence against you wasn’t airtight and there were… extenuating circumstances. You could have easily received a lighter sentence, or even been found innocent. I’m curious why a bright young man would give up his freedom without a fight."
Cameron stared back at the man in silence for several tense moments and then stiffly replied, "I didn’t see any reason to drag it out. My own brother thought I was guilty, so what chance did I have with twelve strangers?"
The man gave Cameron a look of complete disbelief. "That’s it? Do you really expect me to believe-"
"I don’t give a damn what you believe!" Cameron interrupted angrily. "You asked for a reason and that’s the only one you’re going to get, so back off! And while we’re on the subject, why would you care? I’ve never met you before in my life. I don’t even know your name, so don’t expect me to relieve your morbid curiosity any time soon."
For some reason Cameron couldn’t begin to fathom, his outburst seemed to amuse the man across from him. He almost appeared to be pleased. "You’re quite right, Cameron. We should be focusing on why I’m here rather than how you got here. As to my name, for now you can call me ‘Kane’."
"As in ‘Cain and Able’?"
"No, with a ‘K’ as in ‘Citizen Kane’. Why do you ask?"
Cameron smiled humorlessly. "I guess you’re not the only one who’s curious."
Kane nodded, then said, "Let’s get down to business, shall we? What would you say if I offered you a way out of here, a chance to do something important with your life rather than spending the better part of it rotting away here?"
Cameron sat up slightly. "I’m listening," he said non-committally.
"What I’m proposing is that you come to work for my organization. You would be trained by us, taught all you need to know, and eventually sent on missions with other agents."
When Kane didn’t continue, Cameron said, "Well, what is it?"
‘What is what?"
"The catch"
Kane looked Cameron directly in the eyes and replied, "I won’t lie to you. The missions you’ll be taking on will often be dangerous, even potentially fatal at times. If you’re caught, the agency will not be in a position to help you. You’ll be working deep undercover cases, cases the bureau cannot publicly acknowledge being a part of. And you’ll be bound to us legally until we’re ready to release you. Once you agree to this there’s no way out until the agency lets you out. Are you prepared to accept those terms?"
Cameron’s mind raced. He thought about what Kane was offering versus the alternative. There was only one choice that made sense. "Why not? I have nothing left to lose."
Kane stood and held out his hand. Cameron hesitated only a moment before shaking it. "Good," Kane said with a pleased smile on his face. "I’ll go arrange for the transfer to Pendleton."
Cameron’s brows shot up. "Pendleton? I don’t…"
Kane spoke before Cameron could finish the question. "Cameron Sinclair will be transferred to the Pendleton Correctional Facility to finish out the remainder of his term. You will be coming with me."
At Cameron’s confused look, Kane explained, "As far as the Indiana Department of Corrections is concerned, Cameron Sinclair will be locked up in Pendleton for the balance of his sentence. Once you leave here with me, another prisoner will be given your identity. It’s quite easy to convince a convicted felon to trade his name for a few special privileges and consideration at parole time. No one will have any reason to believe that you are anywhere other than where you’re supposed to be, unless… do you have any family that might come to visit you? I can arrange a transfer further away if necessary."
Cameron thought about Gary, about the hatred that had been in his brother’s eyes the last time they’d been face to face. Cameron shook his head. "You don’t need to worry about that. I don’t have a family. Not anymore."
Cameron’s answer seemed to bother Kane. There was an inscrutable look on his face for a moment before the mask of professionalism slid back in place. "That certainly simplifies matters. I’ll take care of the transfer arrangements. We’ll be leaving tonight."
Kane had his hand on the doorknob when Cameron said, "Wait a minute." When Kane turned back to face him, Cameron asked, "Why are you doing this? Why me?"
Kane smiled secretively and deadpanned, "Why not you?" before turning the knob and walking out of the office.
Cameron came out of his reverie slowly. That day had changed his life forever. He owed the agency, Kane in particular. The obligation he felt toward them for saving his sanity, and probably his life, by pulling him out of prison was not something he took lightly. If he’d never come to Bay City, he would probably have spent his entire life in service to them without question or complaint.
But the reality was that they had sent him to Bay City. He’d met Amanda and reconnected with Gary. Now, no duty or loyalty came before his family. Cameron had to find a way out and fast. Lies had nearly destroyed his family before. He wasn’t about to let that happen again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
July 24th,
1999
The Island of Tanquir
Grant paced the floor of Enrique’s study. When the man finally entered the room, Grant growled, "Well? What took you so long?"
Enrique walked over to him brandishing papers. "I was waiting on a fax from David Halliday. The project is progressing nicely."
Grant glared at him and snarled sarcastically. "I’m so pleased to hear that. I’ve been waiting for that bit of news all day. To hell with Halliday! What about my son!"
"Kirkland is visiting with your father. They’re on a fishing trip in the Florida Keys."
Grant calmed slightly and said, "Well at least Victoria hasn’t tried to make him forget the Harrison family all together. It’s good for Kirkland to spend time with his grandfather. At least he’s away from McKinnon for a while. The thought of my son being raised by that… Well, it doesn’t bear worrying about. Kirkland won’t be living with that overgrown delinquent for much longer."
"Do you want us to take advantage of the fact that he’s away from home right now to move forward?"
Grant considered that for a minute, then shook his head. "As much as I want my son with me, it’s too soon. We need to plan this carefully. I don’t want to tip my hand to Victoria, but especially not to Logan. I want to make sure I’m clear of that overdressed hood before I bring Kirkland here. Besides, I want Kirk taken from Victoria, not from my father. I want her to know what it feels like to have her son snatched from her without apology or mercy. She’s going to learn the hard way that she underestimated me."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
July 28th,
1999
Cory Publishing
Amanda and Matthew sat at a table in the large conference room. They silently rifled through large stacks of paper and made notes on the computer printouts that were in front of them. The mind-numbing activity had been going on for several hours but both of them had agreed that the task was necessary after they’d received the summary reports. Finally, the last numbers were tallied. But as brother and sister looked at each other across the table, there was no relief or satisfaction in either of their expressions.
Amanda spoke first. "I was hoping it was just an oversight but I didn’t find anything. From the look on your face…?"
Matt nodded glumly. "Ditto. I didn’t see a proxy for The Polaris Group either."
Amanda shoved her chair away from the table and began pacing in front of the picture window. "I don’t like this Matt. I have this feeling in the pit of my stomach… I know they’ve been acquiring large amounts of Cory stock since the beginning of the year, but when they sent the proxy in for the first quarter board meeting I thought we were in the clear. Now I’m starting to wonder if…"
Amanda’s brother finished the grim thought for her. "If Cory is being primed for a hostile takeover… If Polaris sent in the first quarter proxy so they could catch us off guard."
Amanda stopped pacing and planted her fists on her hips. "Well if that was the goal, they succeeded with flying colors. Matt, how on earth can we defend against a takeover right now? Our cash flow is non-existent! If Polaris comes after Cory we may as well just kiss Daddy’s legacy goodbye!"
Matt stood up and walked over to Amanda. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her directly in the eyes. "Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This might not mean anything. The head of Polaris might be coming here to meet the other board members, since he couldn’t make the last meeting."
Amanda nodded, understanding the logic of what Matt was saying, but still unable to rid herself of the sense that The Polaris Group could be trouble for Cory. "Who is the head of Polaris anyway? I haven’t seen any chairman listed in their public information."
"I don’t know. I don’t think anyone does. Polaris is a holding company. The person behind it hasn’t seen fit to contact anyone here."
Amanda shivered slightly and grimaced. "I’m liking this less by the minute. The last time some mysterious benefactor started putting money into the company I ended up fighting for my life against a two hundred year-old lunatic."
"Jordan Stark is gone, Amanda. Whoever is running Polaris has continued making stock purchases on a regular basis."
"I know… But if I go wandering off into the garden and speaking French for no reason, lock me up and throw away the key, ok?"
Matt returned his sister’s ironic smile. "You got it. And if I start walking around in a stupor asking women to marry me, you’ll do the same. Deal?"
"Deal!" Amanda said with a laugh. Speaking her fears aloud with her brother had diminished their power. Matt was right: Jordan Stark was gone. Now if only David Halliday was as easy to get rid of…
Bringing her mind back to the matter at hand, Amanda said, "We need to find out some information on Polaris and fast. The board meeting is next week. I don’t want to walk in there blind."
"I’ll go talk to Tess about it. Maybe she can use her industry contacts to help me dig something up."
Amanda nodded. "Good. I’ll see if I can locate some information on the Internet. Let me know if you find anything."
Matt nodded and pointed at her as he backed out the door of the conference room. "You do the same."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tess’s Office
Tess had her head propped on her hand, reading the file on top of her desk. She finished the page she’d been scanning and flipped through looking for the chart that went with the summary report. A knock sounded on her office door and she called out, "Come in" as she continued looking for the page. She heard the door close and looked up. Her hand froze as she saw Matthew staring at her. The expression on his face was inscrutable, but something about the way he stood there without saying a word made her heart leap in her chest. In an attempt to diffuse the tension, Tess said, "Hello Matt. Do you need something?"
Tess was shocked to hear a sensual undertone in her own voice. It hadn’t been intentional, but the way she’d spoken the innocuous words gave them a completely different meaning. Before she could explain or try to take the words back, Matt answered her as he slowly crossed the room toward her desk. "Do I need something? If you’re asking for a specific reason I came in here, I’d like to tell you. The problem is, I forgot what the reason was the minute I saw you."
Tess’s heart skipped a beat at the tone of Matt’s voice and the fire burning in the depths of his eyes. She wanted to make a sarcastic remark, but for some reason, the words wouldn’t come. She felt frozen in place as Matt approached. When he continued around the side of the desk toward her rather than stopping in front of it as she’d thought he would, she remained still no longer. Realizing on some level that she was being irrational, Tess jumped up out of her chair and started to walk in the opposite direction.
She was stopped by Matt’s hand on her arm. He spun her around and stared directly into her eyes. "Why do you always do that?"
Tess began slowly backing away from him. For every step she took back, Matt took a step forward, maintaining the minimal distance between them. Tess felt oddly like prey, fearing the predator but also having an insane desire to be caught. "Do what?" she choked past the lump in her throat.
"Run away from me."
"I don’t!" Tess replied, realizing the irony that she was still backing away from him as she said the words.
Matt small smile acknowledged the irony as well. "Don’t you? You either back off or turn cold every time I get near you. Why is that?"
Inside my skin there is
this space
It twists and turns
It bleeds and aches
Inside my heart
there’s an empty room
It’s waiting for lightning
It’s waiting for you
Tess said nothing. She was beyond being able to rationalize her behavior to Matt. She went to take another step backwards and found herself pressed against the office wall. There was no more room to escape that way. Just as she thought of moving to the side, Matt braced his hands against the wall on either side of her shoulders. He stared into her widened eyes and softly asked, "Who was he, Tess?"
Tess swallowed hard, desperately wanting to tear her eyes from his but unable to do so. "Who was he? I don’t understand…"
"Who was the man who hurt you so badly that you’ve cut yourself off from the world? What did he do to make you so frightened of feeling anything again?" When Tess said nothing, he continued, "Or maybe that’s not it at all. Maybe you’re not running from me because some man hurt you. Maybe you’re running away because of you."
That remark hit too close to home for Tess’s comfort. "Don’t be ridiculous! Why would I run away from you because of myself?"
"Because I make you lose control. And that’s the one thing that scares you more than anything else." Matt held her eyes with his as he leaned forward to press the full length of his body against hers. Tess couldn’t prevent a gasp of pleasure from escaping her at the contact. This was what she’d been fearing… and longing for all at the same time. The fear vanished as desire took hold of her senses. Matt immediately sensed the change in her and pressed his advantage. "Would it be so terrible to lose control, just for a little while?"
And I am wanting
And I am needing you here
Inside the absence of fear...
For an agonizing moment, Tess stood staring at Matt. Then she reached for him, surrendering to what they both wanted. Now Tess was the aggressor, grabbing Matt’s head in her hands and crushing her lips against his. She was wild, control forgotten in the raging heat of their embrace. Matt returned the ferocity of her kiss, putting his arms across her back and pulling her body against his. His lips left hers to travel down her neck and then up to her ear. He fervently whispered, "Tess"
There is this hunger
This restlessness inside of me
And it knows that you’re no stranger
You’re my gravity…
For I am wanting you
And I am needing you here
I need you near
Inside the absence of fear
Hearing him speak her name caused Tess to sigh in response. She waited for him to kiss her neck again or to return his mouth to hers, but he didn’t. She felt his hand on her shoulder and once again heard him say her name. Tess was trying to think of the words to get him to do what she wanted when she felt the hand on her shoulder shaking her slightly and heard…
"Tess, wake up."
Tess’s eyes snapped open. To her mortification, she saw Matt kneeling down next to her desk chair. Oh God, please tell me I didn’t say anything. A careful examination of Matt’s expression led her to believe she hadn’t said any incriminating words during the time he’d been trying to wake her up. Tess bolted to a stiff upright position in her chair and said, "I must have drifted off."
Matt smiled and said, "I hope we’re not working you too hard."
"Not at all. I didn’t get much sleep last night." It hadn’t been work for Cory that had kept her up half the night. She’d been on another fruitless stakeout of Logan’s warehouse until early in the morning. Tess feebly tried to convince herself that lack of sleep had caused the very life-like dream. Studiously ignoring the rush of blood in her veins at the mere thought of the dream, Tess said, "Do you need something?"
The minute the words left her mouth, Tess realized she had parroted the question from her dream. Hoping Matt wouldn’t notice her sudden discomfiture, Tess looked away. Matt rose to his feet while replying, "Yes, I need your help researching a holding company that has been buying up large amounts of Cory stock. I was hoping you might be able to come up with something through your contacts. I thought that one of the companies you’ve worked with in the past might have had dealings with this group. There isn’t much time since the board meeting is next week, but anything you can find out would be a big help."
"I’ll see what I can do. What’s the name of the company?"
Matt handed her a manila folder. "The Polaris Group. Everything we know, which isn’t much, is in that folder."
"I’ll make some calls this afternoon and see what I can come up with."
Tess’s breath caught when Matt sent her a devastating, bright smile. "Thanks." As he was walking out the door, Matt turned back. "One more thing. I’m sorry I interrupted your dream. It must have been a doozy."
Tess felt all the blood rush out of her face. "What makes you say that?"
"The smile on your face when I came in. You looked… satisfied."
Tess stared at Matt for a moment, vividly recalling the fantasy that had put that expression on her face. "Well, I wish I was able to remember it, but I have no idea what the dream was about."
Matt looked back at her with searching eyes, almost like he could sense that she was lying. The moment was broken when he spoke. "I guess some dreams are so good that reality can’t measure up. Maybe that’s why we forget them." Matt smiled briefly before walking out of the office and closing the door.
Tess’s posture immediately relaxed. She placed her hands against her heated cheeks and wished for instant amnesia regarding the dream. It had seemed so real… Tess shook her head and picked up the folder Matt had given her. As she read the brief report inside, her brow creased with concentration. "The Polaris Group… ‘Polaris’… that name sounds so familiar…"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
July 30th,
1999
David’s Townhouse
David stood in front of the mirror in his living room forming a Windsor knot in his tie. He was pulling on his navy blue jacket when a knock sounded at the door. He walked over and opened it. A smile spread across his features as he said, "Cindy! Come on in."
Cindy strolled into the townhouse saying, "I’ve got coffee and information. Which do you want first?" She held a folder in one hand and a takeout bag from The Lucky Lady in the other.
David gestured toward the beige sofa that had been delivered the previous day and said, "Let’s start with the coffee and go from there."
Cindy sat down, placing the folder on the coffee table and pulling items from the paper bag. "I remembered you saying you’re not the breakfast type but I bought some muffins and fruit anyway. I thought you might want some extra energy for your little research project."
David took the coffee cup she handed him and sat down on the sofa next to her. "You remembered that?" He opened the lid on the paper cup and smiled. "You also remembered that I like milk in my coffee. I’m impressed."
Cindy grinned at him with mischief sparkling in her eyes. "I remember a lot of things." When David looked at her speculatively, Cindy quickly glanced around the room. A few moving boxes were stacked in a corner and she noticed a price tag hanging from one of the lampshades. Reaching over to flick it with her finger, Cindy pointedly asked, "So are you ever planning on doing something with this place?"
David looked at her over the rim of his coffee cup as he took a sip. Putting the paper cup down on the table he replied, "What do you mean? I’ve bought furniture and had some things sent from Omaha. I’m feeling quite at home here already."
Cindy raised an eyebrow at him as she removed the price tag from the lamp and held it up to dangle in front of her. "Yeah, I can see your personal stamp on this place big time" she said with slight sarcasm. "Seriously David, why did you bother moving out of the hotel if you just need a place to hang your hat until you take off to your next conquest?" Cindy sobered at the thought that David would be leaving eventually. He didn’t exactly have ties to Bay City. She couldn’t imagine that he’d be staying permanently.
David watched Cindy’s expression change. He wasn’t sure what was disturbing her so he simply took the question she’d asked at face value. "I moved out because that hotel suite wasn’t my style. It was too dark and quite frankly it bothered me that the entire staff knew who I was, or at least thought they did, when I didn’t recognize any of them. Besides, I plan on being in Bay City for the foreseeable future so I figured it was high time to get a permanent address."
Cindy smiled brightly at him, cheered by the idea that he planned to stick around for the "foreseeable future". "Let me know if you want some decorating tips. I have intimate knowledge of all of the most exclusive stores in town. I’d be happy to help you make this place your own."
David raised a brow and grinned at her indulgently. "I’ll keep that in mind. Rest assured, if I ever need assistance spending money, you’re the first person I’ll call."
Cindy grinned back at him. "I’m glad there’s at least one person in this town who appreciates my talents."
David chuckled at her and said, "Cindy, you are one in a million."
Cindy and David stared at each other in a charged silence for several moments. Not wanting to push her luck, Cindy gestured to the folder on the coffee table and said, "I brought everything I could find on Cameron Sinclair and the Cory family. I also wrote out some notes on things I knew that weren’t documented."
David cocked up an eyebrow at her and teased, "So you know some of the ‘inside scoop’ on the Cory family? Cindy, have you been holding out on me? I didn’t know you had crossed paths with them."
Cindy looked away. "Only Paulina. There was a time when we were really close… Anyway, nothing in there is a big secret. Just some things happened that were kept out of the newspapers. Like I told you before, Bay City is a small town. Everyone knows everybody else’s business for the most part. Why did you want that stuff anyway?"
David took a sip of coffee and began leafing through the newspaper clippings and Internet printouts Cindy had compiled. "I like to be prepared for any situation. Knowing details about the Cory clan could come in handy."
Cindy studied his face as he scanned through the information. "Are you expecting trouble?"
David looked up and met her eyes. "Am I expecting it? Not particularly. Do I plan to cause any? … Well, that remains to be seen."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
August 7th,
1999
Cory Boardroom
Amanda glanced around the boardroom, watching as people milled about and talked. She could tell from the multiple glances coming in their direction that much of the conversation centered on her mother and Carl. Many of the board members hadn’t seen Carl since his return from "the great beyond" and they were clearly curious about his presence there. Although Rachel had retained the CEO position, Carl was there in an advisory capacity. A part of Amanda wished that Carl had stayed away. Even though having him there was comforting to her mother, his presence was a distraction to everyone else in the room. They could ill afford to have any preoccupations considering they had to deal with the mysterious Polaris Group.
That thought inspired Amanda to look around the room more carefully, hoping to spot an unfamiliar face in the crowd. Since this was a meeting open to all members with voting stock, Amanda saw several people she didn’t recognize. Giving an internal sigh of frustration, Amanda decided she’d just need to be patient until the Polaris representative came forward.
Suddenly, Amanda heard a voice off to her left that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up on end. Knowing what she would see but hoping against hope that she was wrong, Amanda turned her eyes in the direction of the voice. Just as she’d suspected, there was David Halliday chatting with Robert Carpenter and Daniel Sparks. As if he could sense her staring at him, David turned his head and met her gaze with silent challenge. The tense exchange lasted only a second before David smiled knowingly at her and returned his attention to something Robert was saying.
Amanda turned to Matt and grabbed his wrist to get his attention. When her brother looked to see what she wanted, Amanda plastered a smile on her face and spoke with her teeth clenched. "What the hell is he doing here?" she said as she subtly gestured in David’s direction.
Matt looked over and his brow furrowed into a frown when he saw David. Knowing his sister’s question had been rhetorical, he said, "I thought Cameron got him to back off."
Amanda sighed and replied, "I thought so too. I haven’t heard word one from him about Brava in over a month. I guess it was too much to hope for that I’d never have to see his face again."
Carl noticed the tense conversation going on between Matt and Amanda. He led Rachel over and asked, "What seems to be the problem? You two look quite distressed."
Rachel had noticed David when they had joined Matt and Amanda. "Halliday" she said with more than a little loathing in her tone. Turning her eyes to Amanda, she asked, "Are you ok with him being here?"
Amanda took a deep breath and said, "Not really, but there’s not much I can do about it." Seeing the concern in her mother’s eyes, Amanda reached over and squeezed her hand briefly. "Don’t worry, Mom. I can deal with it."
Carl glanced at each of them in succession and said, "Whom is this ‘Halliday’ person and why is his presence so upsetting to you, Amanda?"
Amanda had no desire to explain the whole Jordan Stark fiasco prior to the board meeting. Rachel realized that and stepped in. "I’ll tell you all about it later. It’s a long story and it’s almost time to start the meeting."
A short time later, Rachel called the meeting to order. They had gone through several items of business before discussing the proposed European acquisition that Matt and Tess had put together. When they opened the floor to discussion, Robert Carpenter vehemently protested the idea, claiming it was too risky given the current business climate. Matt answered with several points of his own but Carpenter held his ground. The tension in the meeting became palpable as the factions for and against the deal squared off. It was clear that the vote would be close based on the number of high-powered board members who sided with Carpenter.
Amanda cringed inwardly when David Halliday requested the floor. She watched with outward calm as Rachel acknowledged him and he stood up to speak.
"I have always been a gambling man myself," David said with a slight smile. "So I know all too well the inspiration behind this proposal. However…"
David paused and glanced over at Amanda briefly before settling his glance on Matt. Here we go Amanda thought with frustration as David continued, "There’s a big difference between going out on a limb and jumping off it blindfolded. I’d be all for this deal if the financial status of Cory were more secure. But facts are facts, and right now the company can’t afford a risk this big. I have to agree with Mr. Carpenter. This proposition should not be passed."
Amanda glanced about subtly and saw several board members nodding in agreement. After a few more minutes of discussion, they took the vote. As expected, it was very close but the proposition did pass, thanks in large part to the votes from The Polaris Group. Amanda and Matt exchanged a glance when they noted who was voting the Polaris block of shares.
After the meeting broke, the man representing Polaris began packing up his briefcase. Rachel was walking over to him with Carl. Amanda nudged Matthew and they followed their mother over to meet the stranger.
Rachel held out her hand to the man and said, "My name is Rachel Cory-Hutchins. I’m glad to finally make the acquaintance of the newest Cory investor. This is my husband, Carl Hutchins, my son, Matthew Cory, and my daughter, Amanda Sinclair."
The man shook her hand and replied, "It’s very nice to meet all of you. My name is Nelson Price. I must tell you that I’m only representing the chairman of Polaris. He was unable to make the meeting but he felt it was important that we have representation here. He wanted me to send you his regrets that he is unable to be here personally and also to convey his full support for the family in all matters."
Rachel absorbed that piece of information and replied, "If you would, please tell your employer that the family appreciates his support and that we look forward to meeting him when his schedule allows."
Nelson nodded. "I’ll be sure to tell him." Mr. Price glanced at his watch and quickly snapped shut the latches on his briefcase. "Please forgive me for cutting this short but I have another appointment in an hour. Good day to you."
Matt watched him walk away then looked back at Rachel and Amanda. "What did you make of that?"
Rachel was still staring after Mr. Price when she replied, "I’m not sure. I think we should keep looking into who’s behind this Polaris Group. Whether friend or foe, I’d like to know exactly who we’re dealing with."
Amanda nodded, then stopped as her eyes caught on someone else preparing to depart. "Speaking of people we have to deal with, there’s someone I need to talk to."
Mathew looked in the direction of Amanda’s gaze and saw David Halliday. Amanda started to walk away when Matt caught her wrist to stop her. When she turned to look at him, Matt said, "Are you sure you want to talk with Halliday alone? I can go with you."
Amanda appreciated Matt’s protective instinct but shook her head. "No. This is between David and me. I can handle it."
Matt wasn’t sure it was a good idea but he could tell by looking at her expression that Amanda wouldn’t change her mind. He nodded and released her wrist. He and Rachel both watched her with concern as she headed off after David.
Amanda caught up to him in the hallway. She said, "David, we need to talk."
David turned around and looked at her with narrowed eyes for a moment. Then he shrugged and said, "Sure. Why not?"
Amanda walked past him and he followed her down the hall to her office. Once they were inside, she shut the door and dropped all pretense of civility. "Why did you come here today?" she said abruptly.
David cocked up an eyebrow and replied, "I thought that would be obvious, even to you. But since you have apparently developed selective amnesia where I’m concerned, I’ll spell it out for you. This was a meeting for everyone with voting stock. I have shares, which you sold me by the way-"
"Don’t be dense!" Amanda interrupted angrily. "I want to know why you came here when you told Cameron you were backing off!"
David faced Amanda’s fury with complete calm. "After that thug you married got in my face, I told him that I’d leave the day to day operations of the magazine in your hands. I have done exactly that, haven’t I?"
"Yes, but-"
"And until you give me reason to doubt your ability to manage it, I’ll continue to do so." David said as if Amanda had not commented at all. "A board meeting is another matter entirely. Decisions regarding the financial security of my investment are my business. No threats will ever make me back away from something that important. Is that clear enough for you? Or perhaps I should draw you a diagram-"
Amanda interrupted David’s condescending offer. "So it’s just ‘business as usual’ for you to personally try to shoot down a deal my brother worked a long time to put together. It had nothing to do with me, right?" Amanda interjected with derision dripping from her tone.
David smiled placidly, knowing that his demeanor was goading Amanda further. "I know this may come as a total shock, but the universe does not revolve around you. My position in that meeting was based solely on experience. Unlike you and your blackmailing husband, I don’t let my personal feelings get in the way of my business dealings." David watched Amanda’s eyes flare and he gave her a superior half-smile and raised a brow. "I think we’re done here," he said before walking past her.
David stopped at the door and turned back around. He snapped his fingers and said, "I almost forgot." He pulled a business card out of his breast pocket and held it up. "If you have any more papers for me, please send them to my new address. I’ve written it on the back."
As David placed the card face down on a table next to the door, Amanda said, "When is your flight back to Nebraska?"
David chuckled at the obvious anticipation in her voice. "I’m sure you’ll be relieved to hear that I’m not going anywhere. I just thought it was high time to get a permanent address in Bay City." Seeing Amanda’s reaction to his use of the word "permanent", David smiled widely and opened the door. "I look forward to doing business with you for years to come, Mrs. Sinclair" he called out cheekily as he strolled through the doorway.
Amanda walked over and shut the door, barely restraining the urge to slam it behind him. She ran her hands through her hair in frustration and walked over to drop down into her desk chair. She should have listened to Matthew – Confronting David in the mood she’d been in hadn’t been the best idea. She hated the fact that she’d let her anger get the better of her. She was furious that David had gotten the better of her. Amanda leaned back in the chair and tried to decide how to deal with the situation. No matter how much she wished for the contrary, it appeared that she wouldn’t be getting David Halliday out of her life any time soon.
Author’s Note: The lyrics in this chapter are from the song "Absence of Fear", written and recorded by Jewel for her album "Spirit". Click on the hyperlinked title to listen to a Real media clip from the song.