You should read your own rules sometime, Spumoni. At any rate, since Gwen’s the majority stockholder of the company, your actions in hiring the outside firm constitute a breach of corporate policy. Mrs. Peters could fire you right now, if she cares to. Mrs. Peters?”
“Yes, Mr. Creed?”
“Do you approve spending two hundred fifty thousand dollars of corporate money to divest you of your shares?”
“What’s that mean?”
“Do you want to let them take your company away from you?”
“Hell, no!”
“There’s your mandate,” I say, pointing to the house phone. “Tony, call the attorneys and fire them. Tell them to return any unused portion of the retainer.”
“I’ll do no such thing.”
I start moving toward him.
“You can’t intimidate me,” he says, jumping to his feet. He takes up a boxing stance. I let him throw a punch at me. It’s a roundhouse right that takes so long to arrive I almost fall asleep waiting for it. At the last second I duck under his punch, reach up, and tear off one of his ears.
9.
MARY SCREEMS. MRS. Greene vomits. Tony shrieks and runs to the corner of the room, and cowers, clutching the side of his head. Gwen’s eyes roll up in her head. She gasps. Then swoons.
I look at the sixth man in the room. “Who’re you?”
“George Best.”
“VP, research and development?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll have some questions for you in a few minutes.”
I toss Tony his ear and say, “Stop being a baby. Jeff, will you escort Mr. Spumoni to Dr. P.’s office? He’ll have that ear back on by the time we adjourn.”
Jeff helps Tony to his feet.
“This isn’t over, Creed!” Tony shouts. “You’re a dead man! Do you hear me? A dead man!”
“Yeah, I hear you,” I say. “I’ve got two good ears.”
“Asshole!” he shouts. “I won’t rest till I kill you!”
“You can show me how tough you are when Gwen takes control of your company and sticks you in the mail room.”
Gwen gasps, “Oh! Oh! OH!”
Everyone’s looking at Gwen, including Jeff and Tony. Being a guy who knows an opportunity when he sees one, I spring into action. “Jeff, take Tony to Dr. P.’s office and guard him.
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