Dirty Arrogant Boss by Terri E. Laine

Eleven

Molly

The word ‘anger’didn’t touch what coursed through me. My insides were an inferno, ready to erupt in flames. How could he? How could he go behind my back and involve the company I worked for? No one here knew of my past or the sordid details behind my father’s unfortunate incarceration. Yes, I believed he was innocent, but everything was stacked against him. I loved my father dearly, but he’d done some stupid things to help my mom and was now paying the price. My plans involved an attorney from my hometown to clear his name, not one from the company I worked for—thank you, Hugh.

“Molly, please take a seat,” my boss said. Ironically, he was one of the partners in the firm who I’d never even met. “You obviously know Hugh, but I’d like to introduce you to James McNeill, one of the city’s brightest and best criminal defense attorneys. He’s looking into your father’s case.”

“Hello, Molly.” Mr. McNeill stuck out his hand and I shook it.

Then my feet froze to the floor as I glanced around the room and noticed Hugh was there. Mr. McNeill looked at me expectantly, but someone had poured concrete on my shoes and no matter how hard I tried to move, it was impossible.

Hugh stood and came around to my side. “Are you okay?”

I blinked rapidly in succession, and then an urge to punch his teeth out came over me. When his hand gripped my elbow, the concrete on my shoes disappeared.

“I’m fine.” I smiled through gritted teeth and finally sat.

Mr. Lattimore smiled. “Great, then shall we begin? I’ll let James explain since he’s the expert.”

My nod was stiff.

“Molly, I researched your father’s case and think we may have a chance,” Mr. McNeill said.

“I know that. I’ve been working with an attorney already.” My words didn’t deter him.

“A bit of leeway exists since he was the co-owner of the company,” Mr. McNeill continued.

My palm hit the table. “Exactly. That’s what we’ve been saying all along. He did what he did to help with my mom’s nursing home expenses and thought everything was fine.”

“Ignorance is never an excuse when it comes to the law. That’s not where our leeway lies,” Mr. McNeill explained.

My brows hiked up. “Oh?”

“You see, I was able to get my hands on the business contract of your father’s company.”

“How’d you do that?”

He waved a hand. “How doesn’t matter. What matters is I did. The contract has a clause that allows each partner to take a loan against their portion of the company’s assets, which is what your father did. The only thing he did wrong was not mentioning it to his partner.”

“But he was going to, only he never got the chance,” I cried.

“That part doesn’t matter either. As long as that clause was in effect, he didn’t break the law, and therefore did not embezzle money.”

I was speechless. How had our attorney missed that? Oh, right. He was incompetent, that was how. “Now what?”

“I’m going to press for an appeal.”

“The attorney we have said that was going to be difficult given the circumstances.”

“Believe me, Molly, it’s very possible. What we have to consider though is whether the judge will grant it.”

“Why wouldn’t he?”

Mr. McNeill shrugged. “It depends on a few things, but don’t worry about that. I plan to use my connections to see it happens.”

Damn, people with clout sure had advantages over those without it.

Mr. Lattimore spoke up. “Molly, I hope this eases your mind somewhat. James is the best at what he does and hopefully your father will be a free man soon.”

“Yes, and thank you, sir.”

“Don’t thank me. Thank Hugh. He’s the one who brought it to my attention.”

I turned to Hugh and smiled, albeit a sour one. I was still pissed at him.

We rose to leave with James telling me I should hear from him within a week or two.

As we were walking out, Hugh asked, “Molly, can you stay a minute? I’d like a word, please.”

“Uh, I have to get back to work.”

“I’m sure Arthur won’t mind if you stay for a few minutes.”

I glanced at the door to see that everyone else was gone. “Fine.”

“I get the sense you’re angry.”

“Great perception you have there,” I snapped.

“I don’t understand.”

“Hugh, I can’t have this conversation here. I’ll be finished in another hour. I’ll meet you at your place and then I’ll explain.”

He agreed and left. I’d never been in favor of arguing in public and my place of employment was not the ideal setting for me to launch into him over what he’d done. I’d wait it out.

Turned out to be much harder than I thought. I barely got any work done and finally left early, saying I had a headache. It was true. My temples throbbed with each breath I took. I drove around, trying to collect and arrange my thoughts. When I got to Hugh’s, he still wasn’t there. I had to wait another hour for him to arrive, which didn’t help matters. My jaw ached from clenching my teeth.

He walked in and headed directly for the cabinet where the liquor was stored. “Sorry, just as I was leaving, something came up. I got news that someone is trying to buy out my company.”

Instead of being empathetic and asking him about it, I went straight for the jugular. “How dare you tell my employer about my father! What gave you that right? No one at the firm knew and now everyone will.”

He stared at me as though I’d punched him. “I was only trying to help.”

“Trying to help? Then why didn’t you come to me first?”

“I, uh, don’t know. Arthur and I go way back so I figured he would be the perfect one to approach in this situation. I never gave it a thought that you worked at his firm.”

“Right. So now he knows and what must he think of me?”

“Think of you? Why would he think any different?”

“Oh, come on, Hugh. You yourself did it. Anyone whose father is a convict gets a bad rap too. Like father, like daughter.”

He scratched his head as though he were terribly confused. “While that may be true, I’m lost here, Molly. I thought what I did was a good deed and instead I get this. Not only that, when I got back to the office, I had a shitstorm brewing.” He gulped down half the glass of brown liquor he’d poured.

“Yeah, well, I’m going to be facing my own shitstorm when everyone in the office finds out about this. The gossip chain will run wild and then I’ll probably get accused of having an affair with one of the partners.”

“What? That’s insane!”

“In your mind, maybe, but not mine. When was the last time you worked with a bunch of gossiping admins?”

His mouth opened and closed several times before he answered. “You know what? I’ll call James and tell him to forget it. That you don’t give a shit about your father rotting away in prison. How does that sound?”

“You don’t have to get nasty about it.”

“Me? Me?” His voice rose with each word.

“Yes, you!”

Then the dreaded finger came out, aimed at me. “You need to calm down and focus on the issue at hand.”

Oh, boy, he was right. “You know something? You’re exactly right.” I stomped out of the room and headed to the bedroom. Once there, I went to the closet and threw clothes into a suitcase, along with my cosmetics and everything else I needed. Then I zipped the thing shut and marched back out.

When he saw me, he ran to the door. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Home. To my apartment where I’m not accosted by some domineering asshole.”

“Molly, you can’t be serious.”

“As a fucking heart attack.” As I approached the door, he moved in front of it.

“I won’t let you.”

“So now you’re keeping me a prisoner?”

“Of course not!”

“Then step aside, Hugh.”

He crossed his arms and blocked the door. “No, I won’t let you leave. You’re being irrational.”

That was the final straw. “If you don’t move, I’m going to punch you.”

He laughed. The fucker laughed at me! I’d show him. I balled up a fist and nailed him in the gut. When he doubled over, I made my escape.