Chapter 29.7


"Do you think Stefan's numbers are good for his size company?"

"Yes, yes I do. For a small company that is."

"Have you gone back to see what my company's numbers were, oh say a month ago or even further back?"

"Yes, yes I did that yesterday when Mila and Felix returned to the office. Why do you ask, your company isn't part of this transaction?"

"Please allow me to ask a few more questions, I'll get to the point in a couple of minutes.

"Now where was I ... Oh yes, what did you see when you reviewed my company's numbers for as far back as you studied them?

"I would say, your company is very stable, and your stock numbers haven't varied all that much for the last quarter up until yesterday. Maybe a point or two, that's about it."

"Would you agree, that I am CEO of a rather large company, maybe once again as large as your company?"

After a long pause with Alex looking down at his hands he said, "Yes, yes I would agree with that."

"Now you just told me my company only varied a point or two over the last quarter all the way up until yesterday, correct?"

"Yes, yes ... that's what I said."

"Yet, you have a large company and many things make your company's stock prices vary over a period of time. Do you know the spread from, oh let's say the last quarter, last month up until yesterday?"

"Yes, yes I do. We are down substantially in the last quarter and especially the last week or so."

"Alex, would you be so kind to tell me why you want to take over a company with very stable numbers and would you like to explain to me, if you did take over Stefan's company, why you think my company would buy product from your very unstable company?"

Alex just sat in his chair rubbing his hands together as he stared blindly at them. All eyes in the room were focused on Alex waiting patiently for his response. Alex was visibly nervous, and he kept wiping his forehead with his hanky.

Finally, Alex replied after several long silent minutes, "What do you want from me Mr. Morrison? I am a businessman; I may not be of your caliber but none the less a businessman."

Alex tossed the ball back in my court, so I ran with it. I looked at Beth before I pushed my laptop over to her. She pulled it in front of her and I told her to make sure my lawyer was on the other end before I start talking to Mr. Alex Fischer, CEO of the other company. Suddenly my brain had a light come on and I turned to Stefan and asked him if his tech could link his new computer with mine so Alex's lawyer could read what Beth typed and the responses from my lawyer.

The tech entered the room and he had his bag and case with him and within five minutes he had them networked them together so both screens had the same thing on each. When the computer tech finished, I asked their attorney Mr. Weber to bring his chair over and sit next to Beth so he could look at both screens to see they were the same. He looked at Alex who nodded before he moved.

Once he was seated next to Beth, I told her to type every word I said so my lawyer knew what I said to Alex. Beth typed a test message which showed up on both screens, so she told me to go ahead.

I looked at Alex who was still looking down at his hands before I said, "Alex, I'm going to help you out of your dilemma." He looked up at me and I swear I saw tears in the corner of his eyes.

"As you already know, I am the CEO of our company, I have counseled with my lawyer and my second in command who has talked to my board of directors. My board has given me permission to present my offer to you. So, you see, I've covered all my bases."

I wrote a number on a piece of paper, folded it after I showed Alex's lawyer. I passed the paper down the line with instructions to give it to Alex. He looked at the paper and his eyes opened very wide.

"I've done my homework and I know the stake holders and the names of the Board of Directors for your company. I know you must go back to them and sell them my offer. If I were you, I'd call an emergency meeting of your Board of Directors and sell my offer to them. I would be surprised if you will still be the CEO + Chairman of the Board by the weekend."

While he was looking at the note, I said, "Alex, either way, you and your current staff will have to find a new job. I don't like bullies and that's exactly what you've been doing by trying an unsuccessful hostile takeover of Stefan's company. I said unsuccessful because I will make sure it doesn't happen, do I make myself clear Alex?"

"You and your staff came in here with a very cocky attitude and even a cockier attitude when you came back into the room with your lawyer. On top of that, you sat silently while Mrs. Weber very sarcastically talked in a condescending manner to me and my staff. I'll include Stefan in that group because he and his staff provided us with copies of your very ridiculous offer. I'm returning the favor but not in the same disdainful matter as Mrs. Weber did to us.

"Alex, do you have any questions for Stefan or me?"

He looked up from his hands and this time I did see tears in his eyes which he immediately used his hanky to dry them. He sat there and looked around the room before he quietly said, "I am smart enough to know when I've been outperformed. Dan, I must give you credit for doing your homework which I didn't do because I thought taking over Stefan's company would be a piece of cake. I never gave it a thought that he might have someone like you buying from his company and would stand beside him like you have.

I will call a meeting of my board and encourage them to take your offer based on my failure to keep my company as my first priority. Lindin, I hope you will assist me since you were here for the meeting."

Lindin looked at me and asked for the contact information for our company's lawyer. I told Lindin to use the computer and introduce himself to my lawyer who was in the room with Jerry. Linden opened his I-pad and started typing to my lawyer.

Stefan said to Alex, "I'm sorry it had to come to this, but I had to protect my family business so we can pass it on to the next generation. If you had only been willing to work with us instead against us, both of us would still be CEO next week. I wish you well in whatever you end up doing."

"Stefan is correct, you didn't have to come in with both guns blazing. All you had to do was offer to work together. Alex as a friendly comment, the next time you interview anyone with an attitude like Mrs. Weber, please do yourself a favor and don't hire her or him."

Mrs. Weber raised her hand to say something, but Alex turned to her and quietly said, "Please be quiet, you've caused enough unrest now, we don't need to leave here as total enemies."

Beth and Lindin Weber worked side by side and all the information was sent to an email address for Lindin, with a promise of a hard copy of the offer I made to Alex. That letter was going to be express mailed to Lindin.

Lindin asked me, "Dan, your lawyer is going to send me by express mail a hard copy your offer to buy our company along with all the information from this meeting with a screen shot of Beth's minutes which I can verify because I watched her type them. Is there any problem if Alex delays the board meeting until I receive the information from your company? I hope you understand all of this business will take a few days and it would be better if your lawyer was present for the signing."

I pulled my computer back to me and I typed a message to our lawyer and talked to him a few minutes before I told him to pack a bag. I told Jerry to set him up with a ride to Frankfurt and let me know what the arrangements are after they are made so we can have someone there to pick him up.

Jerry typed back; Dan I can save the mail being delayed by send the package for Lindin with him. I can have him on a plane later this afternoon. If I send him on a commercial flight, he can ride home with you. I know you won't be able to come home until the deal is done so, if you agree, I'll get right on it.

That sounds like a plan Jerry and I want you to take all the staff members out to dinner who have been coming in early to help. They deserve it.

Jerry sent me back a message thanking me for thinking of him and the dedicated staff that worked so hard.

Alex stood up when Lindin let him know he had all the information he needed, and the package would arrive when my lawyer landed.

I told Lindin which hotel we were staying in and where my lawyer would be when he arrived. I asked him if he gave my lawyer his number so he could call him when he arrived.

Lindin told me, since we don't have a car here, he would be willing to drive over to our hotel and pick up the package.

We all stood up mingled and shook hands with each other except for Mila Weber who made immediate tracks for the door and gone. Alex shook my hand longer than I thought acceptable, but I tolerated it and spoke nicely to him.

They finally filed out the door with only my staff and Stefan's staff remaining. There were smiles all around, but we waited until Frieda looked out the door to make sure they had really left before the cheers sounded.

Klaudia came over to me kissed me passionately and then bearhugged me to the point I had to fight to catch a breath. When she released me, she said, "Dan please remind me never to piss you off. You lifted Alex off the floor without even touching him and then ripped him apart piece by piece. Holy shit, I've got more respect for you than I ever thought possible between two people."

Stefan also gave me a hug and expressed the same sentiments Klaudia had. He also told me a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, his company was saved.

There was a knock on the door and when Klaudia answered it, one of the employees said, "There is a young man out here and he's been waiting since noon. I saw the other people leave so is it safe for him to come in? Klaudia asked who it was out there, and the employee said his name is Henri Wolff.

There was a squeal from the back of the room, and everyone looked and saw Connie bouncing up and down with a massive smile on her face. Stefan said, "Invite him in."

Henri stepped into the room wearing a suit and he looked so different than he did last night. Connie ran from the back of the room up to Henri and stopped short of him and asked Stefan, "May I, he came to see you, but may I hug him first?"

Stefan smiled and said, "Go ahead Connie, and if you want to have a few private minutes with him, go into my office through that door over there."

Connie grabbed Henri's hand and pulled him across the room, and they disappeared behind the door.

While we were standing around in the room, Stefan asked Klaudia to call down to the electronic shop and ask the computer tech to come up to the conference room.

When the computer tech arrived in the conference room, Stefan asked him to unlink one of the computers to Dan's company and remove the network cables, so the two computers were separate. He asked the tech to take some extra pieces out of his bag and lay them on the table which would cause Henri to choose the right piece to use.

Stefan talked to the tech as he worked so he knew this was going to be part of Henri's interview. Stefan also told the tech that he should stand by to give Henri the company internet information and the password. Then the computer tech typed on Beth's computer and made sure someone was at the other end to accept the request to connect. He told whoever he was talking to that Dan Morrison approved the extra link.

Klaudia knocked on Stefan's office door then opened it. When she looked inside, she laughed and she said, "Henri, when you are finished, please come out here, Stefan would like to talk to you."

Klaudia walked back over to us and said, "Stefan they will be out in a few more minutes."

"Stefan, you should have known they would take advantage of a few minutes alone."

Connie was the first to come out of the office followed closely by Henri. Both were a little red faced but no one said anything to them. Stefan did say, "Henri go over to the table with my computer tech and do what he asks you to do."

Henri didn't speak English, so everything was said to him in German. Klaudia stood between all of us and translated what he was told to do.

We watched as Henri received his instructions and we saw him pick up and look at the parts on the table. Then he sat down in the chair and took a couple of minutes to look at both laptops. He stood back up and selected a couple of items. He turned on the laptops and networked them together. The tech gave him the password to access the company's internet and then the link to hook up with Dan's company's computer system. The connection was accepted on the other end and the tech told him to type something to make sure both computers were networked. When he typed a message and received an answer from Dan's company, the computer tech gave Stefan a thumbs up.

He told Stefan that Henri would have to get used to the company system, but he made the connection without any problems. Stefan asked Henri if he wanted a job and Henri said he was still in the Uni. (University) Stefan told him they could work around his schedule and when he graduated, he could come to work for him full time.

Henri smiled and accepted Stefan's offer. Stefan followed it up by saying, I think you might be busy today, so I will send word down to our HR Dept. (Human Resources) and let them know that you will fill out an employment application and do the other necessary things to work here. I will tell them you have already been hired and the application process is a task that must be completed.

Connie hugged Henri's arm and smiled at him. He leaned over and kissed the top of her forehead. The two of them hung around while we talked about going to lunch. It was finally decided to call Hans and have him bring the bus to the front doors.

We left the conference room in a celebratory mood joking and laughing all the way to the lobby. Stefan told Hans where he wanted to go for lunch while the rest of us, Henri included, boarded the bus. No one was surprised to see Connie and Henri take a seat a little further back than the rest of us. When we arrived at the restaurant, Hans let us out in front of the place and Stefan told him to come in and eat with us after he parked the bus.

We walked in and right away I could tell it was an upscale restaurant. We waited for Hans and when he came in, Stefan requested for all of us to be seated at the same table or tables. We waited for a few moments before we were shown to our seats. The waitress came a few moments later for our drink orders and at the same time dropped off menus.

The menus were written in German so if you didn't speak the language, you had to rely on someone who did. Stefan reviewed the menu and picked out several dinners and food items he thought we might be interested in. Beth was seated on my right and Connie and Henri were seated on my left. I saw Henri point out the items on the menu to Connie and either gave a thumbs up or down. When the waitress came back, we were ready to order based on Stefan's recommendations. All of us decided it was better to take the suggestions Stefan made and ordered accordingly. Before the waitress left Stefan ordered a couple bottles of champagne.

We were all still in a jovial mood when a waiter brought the champagne. He popped the cork and poured a liberal amount in each flute. We passed them around until each person had a flute of champagne. Stefan rose from his seat and everyone looked at him. He raised his glass, and everyone followed. He proposed a toast to all of us who participated in saving his company and he looked forward to a long working relationship with his new friends from America. All of us from our company said "CHEERS" after Stefan finished, however, Stefan, Klaudia, Hans and Henri said, "PROST." (German for cheers) We all sipped the champagne. I stood and proposed a toast to all of us and said, "We are proud to have such wonderful German friends." Again, the words "Cheers" and "Prost" sounded.

When our meals arrived, they looked more like dinners than they did lunch meals. The food was so delicious I didn't really care. I suspect the others around the table didn't care either because there was very little conversation, but a lot of eating.

After our meal we talked about what we were going to do that evening, and someone came up with the idea to go to the thermal bath. We collectively decided to do that the next night after dinner because with the big meal we just ate, we were likely to snack or eat lightly for dinner.

When we were finished, I suggested to my staff that we could go back to the hotel and then roam the streets and look around. Our business was finished for the present moment, but we had to stay in Germany until the contract was signed and sealed.

Every one of my staff agreed that sounded like a better idea so when we left the restaurant, Hans took Stefan, Klaudia and Frieda back to this office and dropped them off. I asked Henri, through Hans as interpreter, if he would like to follow us to the hotel with his car and he nodded his head and smiled. I turned to Connie and asked her, do you want to ride with Henri to the hotel. She was like a bullet jumping up from her seat and running up to take Henri's hand.

I told Hans to tell Henri to go get his car and bring it around behind us so he could follow to the Hotel. Hans repeated what I said, and I saw Henri nod his head and the two of the stepped off the bus. A few minutes later an older BMW pulled up behind the bus and Henri stepped out and waved to let Hans know it was him.

We moved through the streets smoothly until Hans pulled up in front of our hotel. Hans asked us if it would be ok for his wife to come and walk with us and be able to interpret for us if we needed it. Beth jumped at the offer and said, "Please, if she wouldn't mind, that would be so great. I want to go shopping and it would help if we had someone who spoke German."

Hans called his wife while he was sitting at the hotel and she jumped at the chance to chaperone us around the city streets. Hans said he would go and pick her up and come back in a few minutes. I told Hans we had to make room reservation for another person who was coming in early in the morning so we would be in the lobby waiting for Karin.

I asked Hans to get Henri parked before he left so he got off the bus and went back to talk to Henri. We watched Henri pull out and took a ramp to the right and disappeared. Hans told him to park in the lot under the hotel. It was free and convenient. We stood on the sidewalk with Hans for five minutes before we saw Henri and Connie walking back up the ramp. They walked up to Hans and Henri thanked Hans for his help. Hans left to pick up his wife and Beth went to the desk to make room reservations for our lawyer.

Connie and Henri sat down in the two overstuffed chairs in the lobby facing the windows. I sat at right angle to them on their right side. I looked over at Connie and used my hands and spread them apart. She smiled at me and not only did she spread her legs apart, but she pulled her skirt up until her bald pussy was visible. Henri looked at me and smiled before he looked down at Connie's pussy. People walking by and looking in the window could plainly see us sitting in the chairs. Beth joined us after we'd been sitting for almost ten minutes. When she saw Connie, she laughed and sat down without adjusting her skirt and she spread her legs open as well. Henri looked at Beth's bald pussy and then looked at me. We couldn't speak the same language but the images we had available to us spoke volumes no matter what language you spoke.

I said to both girls, when you go shopping today, it would be fun if both of you bought short skirts to wear when we didn't have to conduct business. Maybe even some loose legged short shorts so you can sit and get the same. If you can't find some loose legged short shorts, maybe we can find so loosed legged shorts and take them to a tailor and have him cut off what you don't need. There was no way for me to tell Henri what I was suggesting to the girls but the fact that both were laughing, made him smile also.

I saw Hans pull up outside and Karin got off the bus and quickly came inside. She spotted us and came over. We stood up to greet her and then walked over to the elevator and took it up to our floor. Just before we got to our suite, our three flight attendants were walking towards us. We stopped and waited to greet them. After hugs and kisses, they told us they were headed to the salon where Epi was going to get waxed. Epi looked at me and asked, "Dan are we still on for tonight? I want you to be the first one to test my bald pussy since you requested to have bald flight attendants."

I smiled at Epi and said, "I sure will honor your request since you are willing to honor my request."

Beth asked, "Where are you going to the salon?"

Epi explained where it was but couldn't say the name of the salon. Karin said, "I think I know the place you are talking about."

Beth said, "We are going to change clothes and are planning on going shopping. Maybe we can meet up at the salon and you can go shopping with us."

"That would be so cool." Julia replied.

"We have to get going because I don't want to be late for my appointment." Epi said.

They scurried off down the hall waving and saying "Goodbye."

We went into our room and found Allison and Kelly busy on their bed making plenty of noise, enjoying their sixty-nine position for an afternoon delight.

Connie pulled Henri's hand and took him into their room so they could watch the two make love to each other. While they were standing there, Connie removed her jacket and skirt and hung them up in the closet. She turned while standing in the closet she unbuttoned her blouse took it off and hung that up and turned back to face Henri, completely naked. She walked back over to him and kissed him. With her naked and him still dressed in a suit, they came back into our suite to ask Beth what she was going to wear to go shopping.

Beth walked out of our bedroom completely naked and said, "I don't know, you suggest something."

Connie looked at me as I stepped up behind Beth and asked, "Dan what do you suggest?"

"I would suggest that each of you choose something you can wear braless and without panties."

"Doesn't that sound familiar?" Beth added.

"Alright I'll go look at what I brought and see if I have a blouse that's not opaque or transparent but thin enough to allow my puffy nipples be seen." Connie said.

Beth turned in my arms and kissed me before she slipped away to go find something to wear. I walked in and asked if I had any sport shorts here?

At home Marsh's team went through the police station and removed several bugs. The bugs were located in both male and female locker rooms, both male and female bathrooms including one by the toilets and by the shower stalls, the breakroom, in each interrogation room and even the chief's office. The team found all the bugs were wirelessly hooked to recording machines. The recording machines were hidden in various locations including padlocked lockers, chief's desk drawer, inside the small locked stands in each of the interrogation rooms. They also found every phone in the whole police station, including the chief's phone were bugged. HOWEVER, the phone bugs were linked to something or someone outside the police station.

When they were finished clearing the bugs, they showed Ted what they found along with the recording devices. They said it would take a little bit longer to clear the phones because they were being wire tapped by someone outside the police station and they had to chase down where the connection was.

What they determined was someone inside the police department monitored what everyone, in every room said. But someone else outside the police department monitored whatever was said on any phone inside the police department. They said they would have to go to the phone company for their assistance and would let Ted know when all the phones were cleared. They advised Ted to use his cell phone, but it was safe to talk in his office, he didn't have to go outside anymore.

Ted met with the three officers who were going to make up his IA and reviewed each of their files that had come to him in sealed envelopes. When he was finished talking to each one individually, he approved of all three. He moved all three into the same room and said he had an attorney who would come to the police station tomorrow morning to help them with their IA Investigation. He told them the attorney he had contacted was not a local attorney but was licensed to practice law in their state. He stated, "All of you are officers of the law and I really need you to keep your investigation confidential. Please don't even tell your boss what we are doing until the investigation is over. I don't want dirty cops working for me; however, I want to give each officer here a fair shake and I think all of you will agree they need that. When the investigation is over, I will let the governor know all of you helped me."

Ted finished by asking, "Do you have any questions for me?"

One officer asked, "How much time will we have to question each officer?"

"I would suspect that we can schedule an hour for each officer. Remember, this is only an Internal Affairs panel. We need to collect information on each officer to turn over to the State Attorney General's office to let them review your findings and decide if the officer will be arrested and prosecuted or not. The lawyer I have coming to assist you will help you form each question the right way. After the first couple of interviews, I suspect each of you will have a good handle on how to ask the questions and won't need the attorney anymore. However, he will stay through all the interviews and at the end, will assist you again with the proper wording on each officer's report which will be read by the State's Attorney General. I need to get the innocent officers back to work so I would like to wrap this part up as soon as we can."

"How are you going to schedule the officers for the IA panel?" one of the officers asked.

"I am going to do it fairly by calling them in, in alphabetical order. That way none of you will know if I suspect the officer is dirty or not. This afternoon I will call the first names on our roster and make it scheduled an hour apart. If we go a little longer on one or two, you may end up shorter time on another. I would like to get through at least seven of them tomorrow and that gives you an hour off for lunch. If you need a break in-between the officers for bathroom breaks, that will be fine too."

"What if an officer brings an attorney with him?" one of the officers asked.

"I think it's only fair to think each officer will want to have representation with him. But again, please remember, we aren't going to judge the officer and accuse him of anything. We are only going to ask questions and then send all the information to the state. I know it's unusual, but I can't use the county district attorney which would be normal in cases where an officer is suspected of doing something wrong. Everyone, is under suspicion for working or participating with the former police chief until we know better."

"Guys, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help on this panel. I just want to treat our fellow officers fair if they deserve it. I don't think any one of you would want to work alongside a dirty cop. We need to know, when we call for backup, the cop responding is on our side not the other side. I'll admit to all of you, I'm in a bind here, the mayor slammed the phone down on me because he didn't agree we should have this panel. So, I'm on the top of the post because the governor appointed me to this position in hopes I could clean up this mess. I'll never forget any one of you for helping me sort through the shit pile the former police chief left this office in."

If there aren't any more questions, we'll meet here tomorrow morning at eight o'clock sharp. I'll have plenty of hot coffee and pastries here for you. Again, I want to thank all of you."

Each one shook Ted's hand and told him they would do their best for him before they left the office.

Ted picked up his cell phone and called his lawyer friend and told him all was well and to please be in the office tomorrow by eight in the morning. His friend told Ted he would and then said goodbye.

Ted next called seven officers whose names appeared alphabetically on the top of his roster. One officer told Ted to go fuck himself he wasn't going to sit for any Internal Affairs review board. He told Ted he would send in his resignation letter in the mail and he didn't want Ted to call him again.

Before the guy hung up Ted was able to inform him that his refusal to sit for an Internal Affairs review put him at the top of the list for a suspect in the crimes perpetrated by the former chief as an accessory to the crimes which were all felonies. The guy hung up on Ted. Ted pulled the officer's file and put it in his desk.

The next call Ted made was to a local lock smith. Ted explained to him that it was an emergency, he needed to have all the locks changed ASAP. The lock smith said he could come right over, and Ted thanked him.

When he arrived, ten minutes later, Ted explained he needed all the outside door locks changed immediately and he needed fifteen keys made and labeled for each door. He then said he needed all the inside door locks changed with fifteen keys made for each of them and labeled. The lock smith went right to work while Ted looked over that one police officer's file. He saw that the former chief had reprimanded him several times, however over the past six months there was nothing in his file. Ted put that file in the back of his desk drawer, for safe keeping.

Ted took a tour of the building while no one was there and looked around. Ted unlocked the heavy fortified door that led out to the jail, which was really a separate building but there was a small secure breezeway with the heavy door at each end. Only the police chief had the key to both doors. Those who worked in the jail came and went through the jail entrance door where there was a medal scanner the officers had to pass through on the way to and from work. Before entering the second Ted unlocked the box which was provided for service weapons to be kept in. No weapons were allowed in the jail.

Ted walked into the jail and over to the security desk and asked how things were going. The officer on duty reported everything was going great and then he congratulated Ted on becoming chief of police. Although Ted had been to the jail many times, he was usually bringing in a prisoner, today he wanted a tour. He asked the officer at the desk if there was an officer who could provide a tour for him and he was provided with someone. Over the next hour, Ted walked through the jail, kitchen, laundry room and the exercise area. He asked many questions especially about the jail break.

He found out what cells the three men were in, he also asked to see where the former chief was shot. The jail officer took him to the spot where the chief fell and then back tracked to the spot where they believe the fatal shot was fired from. Ted asked why there was a weapon in the jail when it was clearly against jail policy. The officer told Ted; the former chief is the one who brought the pistol with him when he entered the jail. He said, "The prisoner took the pistol away from the chief and shot him before he demanded the other two be released from their cells.

He went on to tell Ted, when the other two were out of their cells, they had the desk sergeant go ahead of them and unlock the doors. When they went out the door the jailers come and go through, one of the guards made his way over to that side of the building and fired a few shots before they jumped into a car and took off. That officer said he thinks he hit one of them but wasn't sure since he really didn't have a clear shot out of the window.

"Please take me up to that window, I'd like to look around."
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