„Hutton is trying to force a merger on us?“ Harold asked a little blankly, staring at Rand again. „Not Alastair?“
It was Kalinda’s turn to look blank. „That’s correct“
„And you’re proposing to hire Rand Alastair? To have him on our side?“ Palmer Greyson said in wondering disbelief.
„Yes. Now I’m prepared to throw this discussion onto the table, although it already appears to be there,“ she noted dryly. „I’m quite willing to have your input since this affects all of us… Hutton, by the way, has already filed with the SEC. We’re running out of time. May I have your comments, please?
Perhaps you would like to question Rand on his qualifications.“
„His qualifications!“ Margaret Vannon echoed wryly. „They could hardly be any better, as I’m sure you know.“ She looked frankly at Rand. „Have you really agreed to help Brady in this matter?“
Rand inclined his head in silent agreement.
„You’ll be working for us?“
„Yes,“ he smiled politely.
There was a thoughtful silence while everyone absorbed this. Kalinda was still trying to figure out what her staff knew about Rand that she didn’t when the vice-president in charge of marketing said half-humorously, „How’s it going to feel being on the other side of the action, Mr. Alastair?“
„Interesting,“ Rand replied, a small, anticipatory grin on his lips.
As if the single word had removed a barrier, the questions started coming fast and furiously. But this time they were asked with a growing excitement and confidence mat told Kalinda the turning point had been reached.
Rand had gone from being the villain at the table to the hero. She didn’t understand it but she was too good a businesswoman to question her luck. Her staffs obvious confidence in Rand’s abilities reinforced her own decision to believe in him. She sat musingly and watched him handle the questions and comments with easy skill. He really did know what he was doing. And he appeared familiar with the respect he was receiving. Yes, she thought privately, she had a lot of questions for Rand Alastair.
But it was Harold Sebastian who answered many of them for her. He approached her as the meeting broke up sometime later, an apologetic smile on his now-pleased face.
„You’ve really pulled off a coup, Kalinda. Your father would have been proud of you. Alastair may have been maintaining a low profile for the past couple of years but there’s no doubt he’s still got the ability! I’ll admit when I finally remembered who he was this morning and realized just how friendly the two of you seemed last night, I had a few bad moments. So did everyone else. That man’s reputation alone might be enough to spike David Hutton’s guns! How did you ever persuade Alastair to come back into battle? Word had it he’d retired a couple of years ago.“
„Just what is his reputation, Harold?“ Kalinda asked ruefully. „I mean, he’s admitted he knows something about the conglomeration business, but…“
„Knows something about it! My God, Kalinda, that man was the terror of every firm in the Rockies up until about two years ago. He had a reputation as a corporate raider that made Genghis Khan look tame! He had a piece of the action wherever he wanted it. Sometimes he would force a takeover, sometimes he only wanted a seat on the board of a particular firm. He manipulated stock, added any firm that took his eye to his own conglomerate, and generally seemed unstoppable. It got to the point where the mere mention that he was interested in a company was enough to send the management into panic.“
„How is it I never heard of him?“
„The timing, I suppose. You were working at that firm in Houston until about three months before your father was killed. You got engaged, as I recall, shortly after you moved up here from Texas. Alastair was going into retirement about the time you were going through the shock of your father’s death. When I saw you walk in with Alastair this morning I knew we were headed for disaster. And then when you said we were a target company…“
„You saw Rand sitting there and assumed I’d just handed over the reins to a shark?“ Kalinda mused with a wry smile.
„I should have known you’d never do anything like that I guess I panicked, too, just the way everyone used to do when they heard Alastair was coming!“ Harold grinned. „But to have him actually working for us…!“
„You don’t mind having a shark around as long as he’s on your side?“
„Business is business,“ Harold chuckled and then excused himself to hurry off to his office. Rand had already begun dispatching people for the various reports and records he wanted to see.
The management offices of Brady Data Processing took on the atmosphere of an armed camp preparing for battle. Word went like wildfire through the company of the takeover bid, but word of Rand’s presence spread equally as fast Instead of the sudden depression in morale, Kalinda was amazed to find everyone invigorated with a purposefulness that told its own story. Brady management had a battlefield general and they were prepared to follow him into the fray, no questions asked. There was nothing like having a shark on your side, Kalinda thought idly at one point when George Barrett appeared with coffee and sandwiches.
„Thanks, George,“ Kalinda smiled gratefully, looking up from the pile of papers on her desk. Rand, sitting across from her glanced up almost curiously and then looked appreciatively at the sandwiches.
„I didn’t know an order for food had gone out,“ he grinned, helping himself to a thick pastrami on rye.
George lifted an eyebrow. „Miss Brady would never think to send me out for sandwiches,“ he murmured. „She respects my professionalism far too much, even in a crisis, to do such a thing. But I have eyes and it was clear neither of you had remembered lunch today!“
He left the room with a stack of rough drafts that needed typing, all business. Rand watched him go, one brow cocked bemusedly.
„Things seem to have changed in the business world during the past couple of years,“ was his only comment.
„George is the perfect secretary,“ Kalinda said calmly, watching his expression.
„Bosses,“ Rand drawled, „are known for falling in love with their secretaries.“
„George would never allow such an improper situation to develop,“ Kalinda said blandly. „Here’s that breakdown on Brady’s line of credit you requested.“
Most of the management staff stayed late that day, but not as late as Kalinda and Rand. The ultimate responsibility was on their shoulders and Kalinda found her new employee seemed avid to accept his share. It was, she decided, as if the shark had swum back into his element. An impressive sight.
The dinner hour came and went, sandwiches and coffee once again the only fare. After the brief break during which Rand asked a series of probing questions concerning the material he’d been going through they both plunged back into the task of planning the defense strategy. Rand was intent on immersing himself in a thorough understanding of Brady’s resources, weaknesses, and possible options.
Finally, shortly after ten o’clock he closed the manila folder in front of him and got to his feet. „Come on, honey, let’s go home. We’re not going to be worth a damn tomorrow if we don’t get some sleep tonight“
„Where is your apartment, Rand?“ Kalinda asked bravely, rising to her feet and stretching as a yawn threatened. She must be firm.
„I’m going to show you,“ he smiled benignly.
„I meant what I said this morning,“ she began determinedly. „I think we ought to maintain a business relationship until we have a chance to know each other better.“
„I said I’d show you the apartment, I didn’t promise to seduce you, too.“ He gathered up a stack of papers and shoved them into a leather case. „I’m not even sure I could at this stage,“ he reflected seriously. „It’s been awhile since I worked liked this. I’m a little out of shape!“
She smiled at that. „You don’t look it. You look like an eager warhorse getting back into harness!“