"What they did was play on my grandfather's heartstrings, knowing he had a limited time to live!"
"Emily, where are you going? I don't think it's a good idea for you to be driving while you're this distraught."
"Distraught? I'm not distraught...I'm pissed! Send me the bill. I have a flight to catch."
"Don't tell me you're going to New York."
"Yes I most certainly am. They aren't getting our land."
"I'm sorry, Emily, but they already own it."
"I don't even have my grandfather's belongings out of the house. How dare those ruthless bastards!" Emily stormed out of the office and headed towards the airport. Airport!"
When Emily calmed down enough, she called Mick back at the clinic.
"Hey how are you?"
"Mick, some real estate developer got their hands on my grandfather's land. All of it!"
"What the hell happened?"
"They took advantage of a dying man, that's what happened. They're going to turn it into an airport. How could someone do that?!"
"Emily, calm down. We'll think of something. I'm sure they screwed up someplace."
"Jason Montgomery said it was all legal. They stole that land for five million. They'll have our property over my dead body. I'll be gone a little longer than Monday. Will you be okay?"
"Of course, Em, take as much time as you need." His heart was breaking for his friend.
"There're heirlooms in that house! I can't believe this..."
"Is that where you're going now?"
"No. I'm going to fly out to New York and visit the little scumbags who stole my grandfather's property."
"Those sharks are pretty vicious, Emily. Please be careful."
"I'll talk to you soon, Mick." Emily hung up the phone and looked down at her clothes. She lived in jeans, t-shirts, and hiking boots. She was used to traveling to farms and treating large sick and injured animals, not busting into corporate offices. She'd have to get some clothes that told the tale of a woman who meant business.
Emily pulled over into a parking lot and called the airport. There was a flight leaving at three that afternoon. She'd have time to get to her apartment, dig in her closet, and make her flight.
Emily walked in the door and past her kitchen table littered with bills. Some were paid, some weren't. She dragged a suitcase out and set it on the bed. Making her flight would be easy. Finding appropriate attire, however, would not be.
She was the owner of four nice outfits: a six-year-old white sundress, a lavender skirt and blouse from her graduation, a navy blue dress she'd worn at her grandpa's funeral, and a black suit that she purchased for ten bucks during a sidewalk sale three years ago. Out of the four, the black suit was going to have to be it. Luckily, her purse she carried every day was black.
The hot shower felt good even though it was quick. She put her long auburn hair up so she'd look more professional and then added a hint of makeup, which made her blue eyes stand out. Everything was going good...until she had to zip up the back of her skirt. Are you kidding me?! Sucking in her gut as much as she could, Emily was barely able to get the skirt closed. She knew she put on a few pounds during college but was unaware of how much the ten pounds collected on her waistline. Could today get any worse?
She slipped her feet in her black slingback heels, grabbed her suitcase, and struggled down the stairs to the parking lot. She hated wearing heels and avoided them at all costs. She'd just have to suffer through it. Her pantyhose were already making her feel uncomfortable. She was on a mission and was going to give Davis Enterprises something to remember her by.
She just didn't know how true that was going to be...
Chapter 2
Parker Davis leaned back on the black leather sofa in his office, located on the twenty-second floor of Davis Enterprises. He kicked off his shoes, unknotted his tie, and began to rub his temples. What a long day. Just when he thought he could get a few minutes of rest, he heard his office door open and his secretary's loud voice disturb his peace.
"Parker, the meeting starts in fifteen minutes. The rest have arrived, minus your brother."
"He's giving the first half of the presentation, where the hell is he?"
"I put a note on the kitchen counter this morning, reminding him to grab the file, but of course, he forgot it."
"Rhonda, you have to help me keep that husband of yours in check."
"Russell said to go ahead and start without him. He'll be here shortly."
"Is coffee available?" Parker continued to rub his temples.
"It has just a few more minutes."
"If you weren't my sister-in-law, I'd fire you just for that." Parker winked at Rhonda.
Russ and Parker were impossible to tell apart. They were identical twins, best friends, and schemers. Parker owned the company but Russ was second in command, having just enough callousness to get his hands on property. Parker was a king at developing land into lucrative businesses. Through both of their efforts, they'd turned the small company's worth into the billions.
They both dressed in fine black suits, black ties, and stark white shirts for formal meetings. Their identity was questioned often, and it wasn't beyond the brothers to pretend to be the other. Fooling women, however, was crossing the line, and neither had ever stooped to that. When the business first began, Russ had taken to wearing a mustache. It didn't take long for the twins to realize that covering for each other was both productive and fun. Russ shaved it off and neither had any facial hair. 6' 2", olive complexion, black hair, and dark eyes had always gotten them lots of female attention. But Russ was happily married to Rhonda and adored their two young daughters. Parker, on the other hand, had women who stayed available when he felt the urge for companionship, but as far as any relationships went, he ran far and fast.
The meeting was to start at eight. Parker had been at the office since six in the morning, and it was going to take everything he had to sit through the long meeting. Russ better get here. He looked in the mirror, ran a quick electric razor over his stubble, fixed his tie, and then headed straight for the coffee pot. Rhonda could make one heck of a pot of coffee. But nothing was going to help the situation if Russ didn't show his face. He stepped back into his office to grab his briefcase and phone his brother.
"Russ, are you on your way?"
"Yeah I'm in the back of a taxi, stuck in traffic. There's an accident."
"Are you close enough to walk?" Parker was feeling the panic.
"No, Parker, I'm not walking. Just sideline the investors with something and I'll be there as quick as I can. I would have driven myself but the Jag's in the driveway with a flat. Today couldn't go downhill much more."