Forgiveness Creek: The Creek Series (21 page)

I watched as Stella rolled in at the last minute. She must have taken the flight right after mine and hadn’t gotten her beauty rest, because she looked like a warmed up corpse, pale and eyes sunken in dark circles.

I explained to the group there would be a cleaning of the house, and each one of them would be receiving an envelope with their new assignments or their final severance. We were generous to everyone that would be leaving the company.

There was much grumbling and even some who voiced their concerns vividly, but security ushered them out. As the team disbanded and those that were removed from their roles left the room, I studied the final six sitting before me.

“You are the chosen team. My grandfather hand-selected you to build our company, and he wants you—and I want you—to stay and make this new adventure a success. Your commitment is requested, and if you don’t want to move forward, please let me know so a generous severance can be prepared for you.”

No one budged.

“Great. That means we have an emergency situation on our hands for our distribution channels, but first, I need to speak with Stella. Wait for me in my office please.”

Stella stood in a huff and jerked her handbag from the table. I watched as she exited the room and walked down the hall through the glass walls.

I pushed play on the video monitor. “The rest of you, please watch this video and put your heads together. I need five action plans from each of you by the time I return. Breakfast will be arriving shortly and please let your families know to expect you by the normal dinner hour. We’ve got twenty-four hours to turn this around.”

I walked out of the conference room and made my way to the large office at the end of the hall. It wasn’t just one corner office. It was two, expanding from one corner of our floor to the opposite side, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Dong Cheng District of Beijing.

“Want to explain to me what you were doing at the ranch?” I asked as soon as I closed the door behind me.

She sat up straight in her chair and picked at some fuzz on her black skirt. “I…um, wanted to speak with you and saw that you had company.”

“Bullshit. Try again.”

“What do you want with me, Dane? You’re toying with that little girl who you know can’t please you like a real woman.” Stella stood and started pacing by the window, like a caged lioness looking for an escape.

“You stole the remote to the gate of my house from my car.”

“Prove it.” Her snarl warped her once beautiful face.

“Honey, it’s the least of your worries. I want to know what you and Carl were going to do with Wrenn.” I stood from behind my desk and pressed a very inconspicuous black button. Then I closed the distance between us. “In less than three minutes, the police will be here to remove you from my building. There will be no severance for you. You see, that check you’re holding isn’t signed. Unless you tell me what I want to know, you will not see a penny. I don’t have anything to have you arrested here in China just yet, but there are plenty of charges coming for the U.S. should you return there—including kidnapping.”

Stella slapped me hard across the cheek. “You’re nothing to me. You’re nothing but a little boy who cannot handle a real woman. I will take you down. You can bet on that. I’ll find that micro-chip, and when I do, I’ll own this company.”

By the time she finished spitting her words, the guards threw back the door and entered with guns drawn. Stella raised her hands in defeat, but I was certain this was a painful new beginning, rather than a peaceful end.

I called Grandfather to keep him abreast of the situation. “Stella’s gone, and I’m headed right back to Texas as soon as I get business under control here. Travel agents are monitoring the flights for her name, and the FBI is watching for her. I need Wrenn to make a statement, but without a phone, that isn’t going to happen.”

“I can’t believe you let her get away without finding out where that place was.”

“Don’t rub salt in the wound. I have a plan, and I’ll let her hide out because she’s safe, but when I need to find her, I know how. The truck would’ve just been easier. She’s so damn stubborn.”

“And you’re not, son?”

“Goodbye, Grandfather.”

I went back to the conference room to find my team elbows deep in projects, like busy bees on steroids. They had QC records and regulatory team members on their way in. Seemed that Stella and some of her flunkies had been in the process of a huge takeover and had left more of a paper trail than they’d probably thought.

Had the Chinese government not complained about distribution, we wouldn’t have known, until things were too late to resolve. Stella had no idea that my insiders within the government had told me about the new chips being released. Chips that weren’t ready for the open market. It had been a huge tip-off.

I went back to my office and stared at the picture of me and Wrenn that was taken on the Kiss-Cam at the Stars game, grateful that a friend had taken a snap shot of it and emailed it to me. It was my favorite picture of us.

I pulled out the sonogram photo from my wallet and kissed my little peanut.

Stay safe, little one. Daddy’s on a roll now.

To be continued…

Redemption Creek, Part Three of The Creek Series available November 25, 2014

Will Wrenn and Dane find the happiness they’re

desperately searching for?

Find out in the final installment of the Creek Series.

Redemption Creek

Secrets and lies of the creek...
When escaping isn't enough.
Never underestimate the power of a woman…
Money can’t buy every girl in town…
Nice guys finish last…sometimes.
Between trying to sell the company and fixing his private life, Dane Lawrence underestimates Wrenn’s stubborn streak and seeks out the help of his grandfather. Little does he know, he’s being seriously played, but by whom?
Wrenn fights her attackers with everything she’s got and she’s grateful that Stephan taught her to shoot, but there were bullets that even she didn’t see coming.
When the nightmare’s return, Wrenn’s physical health in in serious danger. Dane whisks her off to France to save her from herself. Can Wrenn finally put the pieces of her life together and find the redemption she deserves?