***Christian***
When I get in the elevator Monday morning Jessica gets in beside me, "Good morning Mr. Clark."
I look down at her, "Good morning, nervous?"
She nods slightly, "Yes."
I smile, "You'll be fine."
She sighs, "I'm glad someone has faith in me," she presses her lips together and I know she wants to say something more.
"What is it?" I ask.
She winces, "Well I heard about the chairity event and I have to wonder what your interest in Emerson is?"
I sigh, "I'm not really sure myself."
She looks surprised that I answered her question, and I continue, "Something about her just draws me in. I'm not sure what it is. And I don't even know if I want to know."
She nods slowly and finally says, "Em is a good person, but she's really guarded Christian. I know you're the same way...but just be careful."
The elevator stops and she gets off on her floor. When I reach the top floor I'm surprised to see Emerson walking off the other elevator. She's scrolling through her phone as she walks, not paying any attention to her surroundings.
I look her up and down. Her red hair was in soft curls framing her face and falling to her shoulders. She had on a light pink shirt and a grey skirt that hit above the knee and hugged her perfectly, and only made me think of how perfect her ass had looked the night before. I noticed she also had on the same pink high heels she had been wearing when she interviewed me.
I step up behind her and snake an arm around her waist, she jumps slightly causing me to chuckle.
"Did I scare you that badly?" I ask.
She leans against her desk and says, "I'm a little jumpy, I had two people trailing me today on my way here, one of them was your guy, and one of them was Harwells. I lost one of them, and I'm not sure which one."
My eyes widen just as my phone goes off, sure enough it's Wes, I pick it up, "I just heard. I want you in my office. Now."
Sir I-
"You're not in trouble. Just get here. Now."
I hang up and notice Emerson biting her lip, "Are you okay?"
She shakes her head, "Not really. Harwell has no reason to follow me. I haven't done anything," she pouts at the last part of her sentence.
I set my briefcase down on her desk and cup her chin, "Em look at me," she meets my gaze and gulps before I say, "He just wants you to himself. It's a game to him. You know something about him, something not many people know. That room...it's his secret, and it could bring a man like him down. He's worried that you're going to sell that secret. You could sell that secret and live off the money for the rest of your life. But I hope to dear God that you don't do something so stupid."
She gulps, "But I'm not going to...if I was going to I would have already done it."
I shake my head, "It doesn't matter. What he's trying to do is dig up dirt on you. He needs something so he can equal out the playing field."
She presses her lips together and looks down at the ground, "So he can threaten me right?"
I nod, "Yes," I tilt her head back up, "Em I need you to tell me if there's anything he could find that could hurt you. Whatever it is it needs to disappear."
She shakes her head and looks past my gaze, acting as if she's meeting my eyes, "There isn't anything."
She was lying.
I stroke her cheek for a moment before I say, "You better be telling me the truth Emerson."
She gulps, "I am."
I pull her into me, wrapping my arms around her waist, "If you're not I'll find out."
She looks up at me and says, "You did a background check when you hired me. You didn't find anything then and you won't find anything now."
I stroke her cheek gently, "I suppose that's true, but you see Miss. Sinclair, I've learned a thing or two about you the past few days. Perhaps you've slipped up."
She presses her lips together, "Perhaps you've forgotten, if I were hiding something I couldn't afford to slip up."
I hear the elevator open and I look up to see Wes stepping off, I step back from her and greet Wes.
"Good morning."
He gulps, "Good morning Mr. Clark."
I look at him expectantly, "How in the hell did someone manage to follow her?"
He glances at Emerson and then looks at me, "The car was there when I traded shifts with Jeff sir. It had tinted windows and you couldn't see that someone was in it. I didn't pay attention to it when it started up behind me as I kept my eyes on Miss. Sinclair on the way to her car. I'm so sorry sir."
I sigh and run my hand through my hair, "Did you tail it?"
He nods, "Yes, sir after making sure with Davis he was here to watch Miss. Sinclair."
I nod, "Where did it go?"
He gulps, "I don't know, a cab driver cut me off and I had to break to keep from hitting a woman's van. I did however get the license plate number."
I nod and look at Emerson, "When Mr. Brown gets here lead him to the first conference room, and then let me know he's here."
She nods, "Of course, anything else?"
I shake my head and turn to lead Wes into my office.
Once I've found who the license plate belongs too fear grows inside me.
"Are you sure this is right?"
He nods, "Yes sir, one hundred percent."
I gulp and pull out my cell phone dialing Davis.
Davis, he answers.
"I want you and Wes to find all you can on a David Cooper."
Yes sir, anything else?
"No, not right now."
I hang up and look at Wes, "Go."
He nods and walks out of my office. When the door is closing Emerson catches it, "Brown is here."
I sigh, "Can you come take notes?"
She nods and frowns, "Are you okay?"
I press my lips together, "I'll be fine."
She bites her lip as I stand up, when I'm out the door she has the iPad in hand and we head toward the conference room. When we walk in Mr. Brown stands up to greet us, "Mr. Clark, such a pleasure to meet you. I've heard great things."
I give the older man a geniune smile, "Mr. Brown, the pleasure is all mine. Your company is definitely an inspiration. I actually interned there during high school."
He nods, "I know, it's a shame I couldn't have taken you under my wing," he pauses and turns to Emerson, "And it's a shame you didn't stay there longer your freshman year of college. I could have taken you far," he looks back at me, "Keep a hold of this one. She's smart and doesn't like to show it."
Emerson bites her lip as I say, "I've noticed. But I plan on keeping her right here."
Brown grins and I gesture for us to sit.
Once sitting he says, "I noticed a few of your offices are empty."
I nod, "I'm moving a few people around. Grace Rayson is set to move up soon, little does she know. I prefer to make those moves quietly. It seems lately I've run into a few people I couldn't trust. They were double working for Harwell."
He nods thoughtfully, "You had a business dinner with him, isn't that correct?"
"Yes," I answer stiffly.
He nods and looks at Emerson, "And a little umm territorrial fight?"
I give him an amused but warning look, "Yes, I suppose you could say that."
He nods and sits back, "Harwell isn't a threat he doesn't even fully own his company."
I frown, "Yes he does."
He shakes his head, "No, he doesn't. I helped him start up, he will own it by the end of the summer, but until then he's not a threat to you."
I frown, "Then how is he buying those companies and making them brand new?"
He shrugs, "He's a rich man, money is power as you know Mr. Clark."
I clench my jaw and nod, "Yes I suppose it is Mr. Brown."
He smirks and says, "I know you're after my small publishing company, but it's being pursued by a man named David Cooper."
I glance at Emerson and notice her stiff posture as she listens to Mr. Brown, "David Cooper? He's from Texas right?" I ask.
He nods, "He is. A divorced man with a few play things around. He's a bitter fellow, after the divorce his daughter lived with him for a while, I think her name is Emma. Only a bit younger than you...anyway she left after a fight with his girlfriend. Went to live with her mom and brother and sister over in New York, she already attended a boarding school in France so when she finished up there she went home for a few weeks and then disappered off the face of the earth. Rumor is she's here in Seattle."
I frown at the thought and look at Emerson, she had a frown on her face, a frown that worried me and peaked my interest all at the same time.
"So what does he do exactly?" I ask.
He shrugs, "Buys businesses and helps restablish them, he even owned part of Harwells company at one point, but now he's looking to buy smaller businesses, that's why he's interested in that particular company. He's looking to work with Harwell again too."
I nod slowly considering my options, after a few moments I say, "Do you think he'd be interested in working together? I have a particular interest in that company. My birth mother's father owned it. I'd like it to be mine in the end."
He nods, "I can talk to him and set up a meeting. He's suppose to be in Seattle for your mothers ball and he'll be attending my companies annual ball as well. I'd love for you to attend."
I nod, "That's a good idea. I appreciate it."
He nods and glances at Emerson, "You'll be attnending again this year right Miss. Sinclair?"
She nods, "Of course Mr. Brown. I wouldn't miss it."
He smiles, "Good, Avery and her parents will be there. Along with Channing."
She bites her lip and nods as she types her notes.
When I look back up at Mr. Brown I catch him staring at me, giving me a knowing look. He clears his throat, "Well I hate to cut this short but I do have a line of meetings today. I'll email you Mr. Clark."
I nod and stand showing him to the door.
When I head back towards my office Emersons phone rings I watch her pick it up, "Harvey Publishing-"
She's evidently cut off and she frowns, "Miss. Delwood?"
My eyes widen and I motion for the phone, she looks at me curiously and says, "One moment please."
I take it from her and sit on the edge of her desk, "Miss. Delwood."
Oh Christian, I'm so glad I got a hold of you.
"I thought I told you not to call the office."
She sighs, You did, but you must have forgotten your phone today.
I frown, "It's in my office. What is it you need?"
Your mother wants us all to get together for lunch. How about today? She'd like to meet at your office.
I gulp, "Fine," I glance at Emerson, "When's my last morning meeting?"
She pulls up the calender and I walk around her desk standing behind her and leaning around her with one arm on her chair, "It's at eleven, it should only take thirty minutes. It's a phone conference."
"Come in around eleven-thirty."
Shall I call your mother?
"No," I bite out, "I'll take care of it."
I'll see you then Christian.
"Goodbye Miss. Delwood."
I hang up the phone and glance down at Emerson who really can't move from the way I'm leaning on her chair, "When that woman gets here do not let her into my office. I'll come out here for her. I'll keep the mirror up," she smirks at this, "And when Davis and Wes get here send them straight into my office."
She nods, "Anything else Mr. Clark?"
I sigh, "I could really use a cup of coffee."
She nods and I stand up straight, giving her room to move. I lean against the wall and reach into my pants pocket, "Here's your keys, and the new card."
I preceed to show her the keys for her desk, her file cabinets, the key for my office door, desk, and my file cabinets, and finally my house. She frowns at this and I say, "Sometimes I might need you to drop something off for me if Davis can't do it. It happens rarely, and usually only when I work from home on a Monday morning or Friday evening."
She nods and I say, "If you ever need to get into my office at my house there is a set of keys in the kitchen cabinet next to the sink. It's labeled and there's keys for the door and for the desk and cabinets. Plus the safe which is behind the Warhol painting."
She nods and turns to pick up her phone, I take the opportunity to step behind her, slipping the credit card into her palm I say, "Now go get us coffee. Starbucks, and make mine a Venti...Mocha Frappacino."
"Anything else?"
I shake my head, "No, that will be all."
When she leaves I head into my office and pull up Facebook. I had an account for the sole purpose of imposters. I didn't want anyone pertending to be me. When I open it up I type in Emma Cooper.
Not one Emma shows up, so I find David Cooper on Wikipedia.
David Cooper (August 6, 1970 ) is an American business man....
I skip down to his family life.
David Cooper married Evaline Holland Cooper on September 21, 1990 three years after the birth of their first child Coraline Cooper (July 31, 1987). They had two other children together. Benjamin Cooper (January 21, 1992) and Emma Cooper (July 21, 1990).
Their divorce was finalized on April 3, 2004.
David Cooper resides in Houston, TX
Currently Evaline Holland Cooper resides in New York City, NY.
Coraline Cooper resides in Seattle, WA as a dancer.
Benjamin Cooper resdies in Houston, TX with his father.
The whereabouts of Emma Cooper are unknown. She was last seen in New York on June 23, 2008.
I pull up Facebook again and type in Coraline Cooper. Sure enough she's the first one. I go immediately to her photos and find a family album, but no pictures of her sister show up. It's pictures of just her, her mother, and her brother.
I skim her other photos and find one of her in a school uniform. An idea pops into my head. I go to her about me section and find the school she had attended. The school was in Paris, France. I find their website and sure enough I find pictures of their students during assemblies. Right on the front page stood Emerson with two of her friends.
Her hair was blond, but it was Emerson. I had no doubt.
My only question was why she had left, and why she had been stupid enough to lie to me.
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