Chapter 13

Come Tuesday morning things are progressing as hoped. The audit has started with minimal complaint from Al, but almost immediately Derek and Megan can tell the workers in his division seem more relaxed and appear to be performing at peak efficiency.

Maybe beginning to understand that Al is as much a sexist-ass as he is upset about being passed over to run the company while his father is recovering from the heart attack, Derek and Megan quickly notice that Al gets much more angry when Megan comes down to check on things.

With that powerful knowledge in mind, Derek starts to send Megan, Sarah, and even Casey down to check on things several times a day each. From all reports it appears it won’t be long before Mister Al Denton breaks and does something to where Craig Denton will have no choice but to fire his son.

“Excuse me again, Mister Denton, but did you say cream and sugar, or cream with no sugar, or was it no cream no sugar?”

“Son of a ... You have been getting my coffee for me for almost two months now! What is going on? Maybe I shouldn’t have promoted you to my assistant! I knew I should have promoted Bill!”

Everybody in the division understands what is happening and are helping as they can. They ask a hundred more questions than normal, but they never let it affect their overall work, as the company they truly work for treats them well. “I’m sorry, sir, it is just with all of these extra people down here, I’m so scatterbrained. Now I remember, sir, I’ll get your coffee.”

After Helen leaves the office, Al says to himself with a great sigh, “I knew I shouldn’t have promoted a woman just because I wanted to sleep with her!”

Over at the coffee alcove Helen has a big smile on her face as she continues to put more and more sugar into her immediate boss’s coffee. She drops the smile long enough to hand Al his coffee. “Here you go, sir. Sorry for the confusion, but I remember now that you like it with cream and lots of sugar.”

Just as Helen is taking her seat at her desk she hears “Helen!” and her smile widens again.

It has been a long day. Come the end of it Derek, Sarah and Casey are up in Megan’s office relaxing. Derek has his feet propped up on Megan’s desk, just as he had several times when he was relaxing just like this with his mentor, friend, and boss Craig Denton.

With his hands behind his head as he is reclining Derek says, “Good start today, ladies! Even if the audit doesn’t find anything, Al is under so much stress that he’ll make a mistake soon.”

“Sir?”

“Yes, Casey.”

“Doesn’t he seem a little too nervous? Yes, he is upset about being passed over, but it seems to be even more than that.”

“You think?” asks Derek, putting his feet down and looking intently at Casey.

“Yes sir.”

“Sarah and Megan, what do you think?”

Sarah goes first. “I don’t know anything specific, but there is just something about him that I don’t like, and I wouldn’t put anything past him.”

“Megan?”

“It’s hard to say. Yes he has a lot of money, but his dad is rich and he gets an over-inflated vice-presidents salary here.”

“Do you remember after 9-11 and we took it upon ourselves to investigate our overseas money and national accounts before the government demanded it. At the time we controlled only the one bank chain, but since then we have merged with two other smaller chains. Anyway, my point is we used an outside investigator. Megan, let’s find him again and put Mister Al Denton under investigation. Even though Al’s divisions almost always meet their numbers, he had to work his way up through the company, including working in the banking division, so let’s give him a good hard look.”

“Quietly?” asks Megan.

“For now.”

As much as Derek dislikes Al personally, he doesn’t really hold it against him that he is upset about being passed over by his father. Most people probably would be at least a little, but the thought of him actually doing something like embezzlement makes Derek more concerned for Craig Denton and his recovery from his heart attack then for Al Denton.

With those worrisome thoughts is how the day ends.

With the rise of Wednesday things are really picking up momentum now. Not really meaning it too, the audit and subsequent efforts towards Al are making for some very hectic days, even if there is a laugh or two.

Come lunchtime Derek is more than ready for a break. “What’s up, bro?”

“Eric, my friend, it is good to see you. Things have just been crazy at work.”

“Yeah, me, too! I’m over-seeing an audit of all the divisions.” Derek laughs. “What?”

“We are doing an audit at my job, also.” Changing the subject Derek asks, “Have you heard from Tasha?”

“No. I’m sure she’s spending her every moment with her sister before she leaves for Africa. Besides if she is going to be insecure about past relationships, then she will only drive herself crazy with me.”

Derek smiles, “True enough.”

“Ah, enough of that! Are we still on for this weekend?”