Mixed Signals Page 17

  There was another moment of silence in the room. Alex leaned forward and brought his fingers to his lips, pensive. He was not a tall man, but he had the aura of power and authority that, Benjamin supposed, he had been born into. It made it even weirder that Frank was generally so laid-back, but then, it was clear that Nancy Sheldon-Kane was the heir to the throne of power in the family.

  “So. Where do we go from here? Because let me tell you, Corsak isn’t letting this go. He’s already sent a threatening message to Teague this morning, trying to push his buttons. I don’t know if Teague has responded.”

  Sheldon-Kane sat up straight. “Teague thinks that by taking down MudzNewz, he’s neutralized the threat.”

  “But he hasn’t.” Benjamin shook his head, and they all gave him questioning looks. “I told you, I have already lined up people to take over the cause. I want out, and not just because of Frank. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for the past year. Mudz’s reputation is more than I can handle. I get way too many hot tips to even follow up on without making it a full-time job. I’ve vetted a couple of people who are interested, and who have the know-how. I think one of them is with either the NSA or Anonymous, maybe, but having dark web skills is pretty crucial, and—uh, I see you don’t care, okay, point is, Teague can take me down, but that’s not going to stop MudzNewz, and it sure as hell isn’t going to stop Corsak.”

  “If Paulie doesn’t confess, though, you’ve got nothing,” Sheldon-Kane said.

  “Hence the sting operation.” Benjamin sighed.

  “Yes, but—”

  “I want that bastard destroyed,” Alex said out of nowhere. Sheldon-Kane blinked at her father in shock, and her husband did a visible double take.

  “Father?” she asked tentatively, like she was handling a bomb. Benjamin thought maybe that was the case, because he had not noticed it while rambling on, but Alex looked furious.

  “I saw how Frank talked about him. Paulson hurt him repeatedly, broke his heart and led him along and then ruined his career. It’s not enough that he doesn’t become governor. I want him gone from the face of politics in this state.” He tapped a finger on the table, then pulled out his phone. “Sally? Call Emerson, and pull the board together…. Emergency, yes, I suppose so…. You remember the proposal Emerson put together two years ago? Hm? Yes that one. Get it, update it, have Emerson check the numbers again. I want it refurbished and on my desk by 3:00 p.m. Oh…? Yes, Lombardo’s for the food, sounds lovely. Thank you.” He disconnected the call and slowly placed the phone on the table.

  “Father, what did you do?” Sheldon-Kane looked at him suspiciously.

  “Nothing. Yet. Don’t you worry, my dear, it will all fit together.” He turned to Benjamin, who just barely refrained from jumping under the table to hide. The expression on Alex’s face was predatory. “You’re the expert here, Benjamin. What do you think it will take to pull a confession out of Paulson?”

  “Teague? Honestly not sure at this point. His outing me as the guy behind Mudz was way, way off my radar, which means he’s got someone advising him who is smarter than he is.”

  “I’m betting it’s Gunster. I hate that guy,” Sheldon-Kane said with a growl. The name was only vaguely familiar to Benjamin, which said a lot about why he had not seen the hit coming.

  “The problem is that we can’t record him; that’s illegal. We’re a ‘two party’ state, meaning both parties in a conversation have to agree to being recorded on audio. Teague would, obviously, not agree to being recorded. It’s a minor violation, so we thought about it, honestly, because once a recording is loose in the wild it can’t be called back. But that would open Corsak up to being sued by Teague in civil court, which, you know, that would ruin him.” He waved a hand at Sheldon-Kane. “Also, you don’t want that associated with your campaign, which at this point it would be, whether valid or not.”

  She nodded, but Alex shook his head. “We’re past that now.” He leaned back in his chair.

  “Look, we’re talking ‘signed confession’ here. That’s it, that’s all we’ve got. Teague isn’t brilliant, but he paid for Corsak’s, uh, services in cash, and their communication back then was all verbal. There is very literally nothing to track, and if Corsak just comes out and says what happened, it’s going to be hysterically easy for Teague to call him a liar and shut the whole scandal down with a smear campaign against the guy. His wife is a kindergarten schoolteacher, okay? They attend a superliberal hippy church that rescues birds from oil spills. Letting Teague ruin them would be the moral equivalent of throwing a butterfly at a spider.” Benjamin rubbed at his face in the drawn-out silence that followed.

  “Nancy, Warren, I need you to leave now,” Alex said. It was funny how fast they did as they were told, practically running for the door like little kids at recess. Benjamin watched them go with longing in his heart. He, too, wanted to get out.

  “What?” Benjamin asked suspiciously at the expectant look Alex was giving him.

  “We don’t need Corsak, except as a witness. We have the wronged party, and he can meet with Paulson, get him to confess, and we can record it. I’ll pay any fines, and if Paulson sues, he’ll be going up against Sheldon holdings, which he won’t because that is always a losing proposition. We get it on record, and we ruin him.”

  Benjamin’s jaw dropped. “You mean Frank. Frank? Your son?”

  “He’ll do it.”

  “That’s… oh my God, that’s not the point! It’s a shitty thing to ask him to do! He hates Teague!”

  “He’ll do it,” Alex repeated forcefully.

  “Holy shit, you are serious!”

  “I am dead serious, young man. Francis will do what I tell him to do, and he will get Paulson to confess. Your job is to handle the, ah, the ‘sting.’ You’ll work with our detective agency; they will have all the equipment for wiring and recording.”

  Because of course the Sheldons had their own detective agency. Benjamin tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling. “I’m also serious, you know. Frank doesn’t deserve this.”

  Alex sighed, his posture slumping a little. “No, he doesn’t. But we’re backed into a corner, and while I can do a hostile takeover of Teague Manufacturing, fracture his stock portfolio and any number of his business dealings, that won’t ruin Paulson to the extent he deserves.”

  “Wow, that’s the reason for the emergency board meeting? You’re going to do a hostile takeover? Is that even possible?”

  “It is. It will take some maneuvering, and honestly the scandal will help distract his father from what is happening. They are a deeply Catholic family, and if their son is outed like this, it will go a long way to unsettling them top to bottom. That does not bring me joy. I’m not so cruel, and Joseph’s wife is a lovely woman who cares for her son. But this must be done.”

  Benjamin’s mind rattled with the fact that “Joseph” was “Wrecking Ball Joe Teague” who was a notorious union buster and ran his empire with the polished steel fist of autocratic capitalism.

  “Paulson’s actions are beyond the pale. I understand why Francis was unwilling to push the matter when he was younger, but at this point, it is my decision to make, for the good of our family’s reputation and Nancy’s political career.” He leaned over the table, and Benjamin automatically leaned back and away, despite being far out of arm’s reach. “You will do this, because you are an honorable man and you love Francis.”

  “…and because you terrify me,” Benjamin added.

  The smile he got from Alex was wolfish. “That too.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  FRANK HAD hauled ass out of Warren’s law firm, grabbed the town car that was still sitting in the parking lot, and had the driver take him to his condo. He stalked around the place a few times, then changed into workout gear and attacked his home gym, doing reps until he was covered in sweat and regret.

  Benjamin had lied to him and used him, and it was the familiar burning sensation of betrayal that drove Frank to keep lif
ting weights until his arms were shaking. Finally, he collapsed against the bench seat, breathing heavily, still angry and hurting, with nowhere for his fury to go. As he sat there, he heard his phone ping with a text message notification, but he ignored it. He doubted it was Benjamin, and he was not interested in his sister’s pity. With a sigh, he stripped his wet T-shirt off and headed for the shower, which was way overdue since he had not even rinsed off in the locker room after his LifeFlight shift.

  He thought back to his relationship with Paulie, which was always tinged with a layer of secrecy and betrayal at every turn. Frank was convinced that Paulie was faithful during the times they were officially together, so he had been blindsided by Paulie’s marriage to Joan. He had, like a fool, been waiting for Paulie to come to terms with his homosexuality and be his own man. Frank had believed it was just a waiting game; eventually, DADT would be repealed and Paulie would come out of the closet and they could finally, finally, be the kind of couple Frank had always thought they were behind closed doors. They would have been a power couple the likes of which was rarely seen, he thought bitterly. He had set his sights on being a general under the assumption that Paulie would support him every step of the way.

  But Paulie had seen it differently, if not from the start, then certainly by the time Frank was in the Air Force Academy and he was at Princeton. Frank was Paulie’s bit on the side and had been for years by the time Frank actually grasped the truth of it.

  Paulie had never been unfaithful; he had just never been honest.

  Frank did not believe for a second that Benjamin had set out to ensnare Frank. It was pretty clear that their initial meeting had been circumstantial, but from that point on? Had Benjamin gone along with Frank’s harebrained scheme just to get close to Nancy’s campaign? It wasn’t beyond possibility. Benjamin had never quite grilled Frank for information, but he had not really needed to, Frank thought with chagrin as he dried off and got dressed. He had basically served up his own life story and the inside scoop on his family on a silver platter. He had brought Benjamin in as a business partner to get his father’s blessing, and it seemed like cruel irony that his father had been supportive of their relationship even before it happened.

  All those dates, going to dinner and movies or just driving around town, enjoying each other’s company, were soured memories. Frank stood in his little galley kitchen, his hands on the expensive granite countertop that he rarely used for anything, holding back his tears and frustration. He was a grown man; he was not going cry on the kitchen floor no matter how much idea appealed to him right then. With steady, slow breaths, he worked to pull his heart rate down. Eventually he poured himself a large glass of cold water and drank that, trying to keep his mind blank. He needed time to process—he knew that—but he had no idea how.

  Someone knocked on his door. It had to be family, since no one else would have been let up by the doorman. With a sigh, he headed over and opened it, surprised when it was not Nancy or even his father.

  “Warren?”

  Warren grimaced. Jorge leaned out from behind him, where he had very obviously been hiding.

  “What the hell?” Frank glared at them.

  “Okay, up front: you are going to hate this.” Warren held up his hands. “I’m here on a mission from Alex. Don’t shoot the messengers.”

  “Why didn’t he send Nancy?”

  “You want to have this conversation in the hallway? Because I’m 100 percent ready to do that,” Warren said, crossing his arms.

  “I hate lawyers,” Frank grumbled, stomping into his living room and leaving the door open behind him.

  “Everyone says that until they need one,” Warren said with a shrug, sitting down on the sofa across from Frank. Jorge went to the kitchen island and set his briefcase there, perching on a barstool. Warren slapped his hands on his knees. “So. Good news or bad news first?”

  “Neither. Go away.”

  “Good news it is! We have a plan for nailing Paulie at his own game and saving Nancy’s campaign.”

  “And?”

  “Bad news is that we have a plan for nailing Paulie at his own game and saving Nancy’s campaign.”

  Frank rubbed his temples. “It’s been a bad morning for me, Warren, after a twelve-hour shift. Get to the damn point.”

  “Apparently your father has decided to, in his words, ‘ruin the bastard.’ So he’s running things now.”

  “My father did not say that,” Frank said, shaking his head.

  “Oh yes he did.” Warren nodded. “And he meant it too. I think he’s planning a hostile takeover of Wrecking Ball Joe Teague, which should be fun for the whole family!” Warren groaned and pinched his nose. “But that’s beside the point. He wants to ruin Paulie, and he’s willing to break the law to do it.”

  “What?” Frank glared at him.

  Jorge spoke up. “It’s true. He gave me an outline of his plan, and it’s pretty flagrant. As your lawyer, my advice is to say no.”

  Warren waved a hand at Jorge. “Which is why Jorge is here, because I’m going to do this by the book. He’s your lawyer. I’m here as your brother-in-law.”

  “What the fuck is Father planning, Warren?”

  Warren took a deep breath. “He wants you to meet with Paulie while wearing a wire and illegally record his confession.”

  Frank sat there in shock for a long moment, his mouth hanging open, while his brain stalled, trying to process the statement. Warren and Jorge both nodded at him in confirmation. Frank shook his head, but Warren raised a finger to stop him before he could answer.

  “Nancy, Camila, and myself are all on his side in this. I think you should do it. I think it is very least Paulie deserves. We get that confession and it will ruin him.”

  “It will out him too. That makes me no better than he is.”

  “Take the high road if you want, but I think that is happening with or without your help. Benjamin made it clear that Corsak is going to the mattresses with this, caution to the wind.”

  “Benjamin set him up to do this?” Frank fell back on the sofa, arm slung over his eyes. “Of course he did. MudzNewz.”

  “The point is, it will ruin Corsak to fling himself onto the fires of public opinion and libel. Admirable, but ultimately useless. The only one Paulie will actually confess to is you, and you know it.” He lowered his voice. “For what it’s worth, Benjamin is the one most vocally opposed to forcing you to do this. He’s made that, ah, pretty clear.”

  “He shouted at Nancy that she was a ‘filthy sycophant to her father and only cares about her political career,’” Jorge clarified.

  “Oh my God,” Frank groaned.

  “Exciting times,” Warren said, his voice dry as a desert. “You sure know how to pick the feisty ones.”

  Frank sat up. “Don’t. Don’t go there. He used me and I’m… I’m fucking pissed about that.”

  “Okay, okay.” Warren held up his hands in surrender.

  Jorge cleared his throat. “Back to the point: your family is pressuring you into doing something illegal. While that makes an easy defense for me to make, I’d rather just avoid the whole thing.”

  Warren shrugged.

  Frank sighed. “Father is setting this all up, I assume?”

  “Actually, he’s having Benjamin head the project.”

  “But… MudzNewz?” The idea that his family—his father—would willingly work with Benjamin, knowing that he ran the muckraking website, boggled his mind.

  For the first time, Warren looked uncertain. “Obviously you haven’t spoken to Benjamin about that and… well, I think you should.”

  “You do? Really? Because from here it looks like Benjamin used me to get close to Nancy’s campaign.”

  “That’s what I’ve been saying!” Jorge said, rolling his eyes.

  Warren gave Jorge a nasty look, shutting the junior lawyer down. “Look, Frank, I’m on your side here, and if you want to hate Benjamin and never see him again? I’ll support you. But there are things
you need to talk to him about, and MudzNewz is one of them.”

  Frank took a deep breath, then looked over at Jorge. “You mind heading out? I want to talk to Warren off the record.”

  “Ah hell. Fine. Whatever. I’ll go draft up your defense now, save me time later,” Jorge grumbled as he left the loft and slammed the door behind him.

  Warren stayed silent, waiting for Frank to start.

  “You think I should do this?”

  “Yeah, I do. Because I hate Paulie but also, let’s be clear: I find your father terrifying. He’s on the warpath and we are either with him or against him.”

  “Warpath? For me?” Frank had to chuckle at that.

  Warren leaned over, setting his elbows on his knees. “Alexandra was named after him. She’s twelve years old and my only child, and I want nothing but happiness and joy for her, all her years. However, I know she will get her heart broken at some point. People will be mean to her. She might even end up being truly hurt by someone she trusted. I get that, because I am an adult and I know that’s how growing up works. But I’m also her father, and let me tell you this: anyone who hurts my baby better keep looking over their shoulder for the rest of their lives, because I will be coming for them.” He took a deep breath. “You are Alex’s baby boy, his last connection to Grace, who doted on you. Don’t even front—you were the spoiled baby of the family, and you know it. Hell, Nancy spoiled you as much as your mother did. Bottom line: your father loves you, and Paulie hurt you. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out what one of the most powerful, richest men in the country is going to do in that kind of situation.”

  “Fuck.” Frank rubbed his face.

  “The only question we’ve got here is what are you comfortable with? Can you do this? You will be working with Benjamin to set up a meeting with your ex-boyfriend. I don’t envy you. I understand you are pissed at Benjamin and you hate Paulie. So if you can’t do this, if you can’t bring yourself to do it, I’ll understand and try my damnedest to keep Alex and Nancy off your case about it.”