Parker saw the concerned faces of his investors. "Gentlemen, I assure you there was nothing illegal done in the purchase of this property. Our attorneys make sure of legalities, and any documents you request can be provided to you." Parker let out a fake laugh.
"I don't even have my grandfather's belongings out of that house and here you're going to tear it down?" Emily didn't even realize how loudly she was yelling.
Parker was getting angry. If this woman thought her outburst would have the power to stop a man like himself, she was as crazy as she looked.
"Miss Carson, I'm going to ask that you leave. If you'd like to make an appointment, I'll be happy to discuss any of your concerns. Now is not the time." Parker's jaw was starting to tense.
"Was talking my grandfather into selling fifty-thousand acres of my family's land, while on his deathbed, good timing?! You promised him you'd make that land a nature preserve. But I found out you lied to him and are building an airport! How could you do that?"
Parker was now having serious thoughts about how his brother may have handled the situation. Did he make promises he shouldn't have? All of this was news to Parker. The last thing he needed was for powerful investors to doubt him. His good reputation was worldwide. Hopefully this outburst wouldn't end up in the paper.
"Please leave, Miss Carson, or I'll have to call security and have you escorted off the premises."
"Don't bother, I'm leaving. You won't hear the last of me. You guys need to take a look at this man. That's the face of someone who takes advantage of the elderly. I'll be in touch with you soon..."
Emily stormed out of the conference room with only half of her purse contents, but she didn't really care. She had to cry, but she wasn't going to do it in that snake's presence. As soon as she left the elevator she ran outside the doors of Davis Enterprises. She didn't get very far when her heel got stuck in the sewer grate. She couldn't get it out. Her face was stained with tears and running mascara; her hair was a hanging mess.
Russell Davis was getting ticked off. He was only a block away from the office so he gave the cab driver some money, lifted his briefcase, and jumped out of the cab. If he sprinted he could get there with only being a few minutes late.
Half a block later, he slowed down when he spotted a young woman with her heel stuck in the sewer. She was crying and, by the looks of her torn skirt up the back and her torn pantyhose, she must have fallen while trying to free her foot.
Russell felt badly for her and had to stop to help. "Let me help you."
"Get the hell away from me, you bastard!"
No sooner did Russell stop in shock, he felt the burning slap across his face from the woman's hand.
Emily reached down and unbuckled the shoe strap, removed her foot, and began to hobble up the sidewalk as quickly as she could. When she was about twenty feet away from the Davis slime ball, she removed her other shoe and just ran.
Russell stood there staring at her. He didn't stop very long before he was sprinting again towards the office. He walked in the conference room just as the men were walking out the door. One look at his brother's face told him that things didn't go very well.
"In my office," whispered Parker through clenched teeth.
Russell followed close behind Parker and sat down in the chair by the large desk.
"You want to tell me what went on in Colorado? And what the hell happened to your face?"
"Some crazy woman had her shoe stuck in a sewer and obviously didn't appreciate my help. What a train wreck." Russ reached up and rubbed the swollen, red handprint on his cheek.
"Auburn hair, cheap black suit, crazy blue eyes?"
"That'd be the one."
"She's caused us a bunch of problems this evening. You need to start from the very beginning, Russ. She may have caused the company to lose this project..."
Emily walked into her motel, threw her clothes in the trash, and then put her comfortable, day-to-day attire back on. She checked out of the room and hailed a cab for the airport. Getting out of New York was the first thing on her mind.
Chapter 3
Russell was laughing hysterically. The visuals that his brother was providing had him practically doubled over.
"She just went sliding on the floor?"
"Yeah, pretty much." Parker had to admit it was a funny sight, but the thought of this Carson woman potentially squelching his deal ended all humor.
"What are those things on your desk? Since when do you wear lipstick?"
"Those are the things from Miss Carson's purse when she went flying."
Russell lost it all over again. "Did you help her up?"
"The investors did. By the looks of that handprint on your cheek, I'm glad I didn't try to help her. She must have mistaken you for me."
"Remind me to grow the mustache again."
Parker picked up the Colorado file. "How did you find this land? This entire situation has blown up. Her accusations were extreme and she announced that we abuse the elderly. We may be thirty, but our investors aren't. A couple of those men are in their seventies. They took offense and decided to hold out on any commitment until this is resolved. They don't want to be in the middle of a scandal."
"Do you think she'll go public?"
"We have to be prepared in case she does. How did you hear about this property?"
"You know me, I have feelers out everywhere. When I was informed about someone wanting to sell fifty-thousand acres in Colorado, I hopped on a plane. It's not unusual for me to do that. If I wasn't on top of things, we wouldn't be the owners of all the property we've acquired."
"Yeah you're right about that. Did you go meet the man or talk to his agent?"
"He didn't use an agent, he sold it directly. I hopped on a chopper and flew over the area. Beautiful land. I went to the house to see him. He had cancer and was unable to travel. I offered him five million and he jumped at it."
"The guy didn't want more money?" Parker thought he would just add another ten or fifteen million onto that and Miss Carson would disappear.
"He only wanted enough to make his granddaughter comfortable. There was never any arguing or squabbling about the offer. I had the papers drawn up that day by our lawyers and had them delivered to me. The next day he signed them. I could have offered more money, but that's not how you get ahead in business. You start low and work upwards, not the other way around."
"Did he mention anything about a nature preserve?"
"He mentioned that his granddaughter loved animals, is a veterinarian, and wanted to make the land a preserve, a safe haven for animals."