Читать книгу Secrets Of The A-List Complete Collection, Episodes 1-12 - Cat Schield - Страница 33
Оглавление“Yes, fifty thousand. Transferred today.” The Fixer ended the call and tossed the cell phone on the desk. It had been a busy morning, and things didn’t seem as if they were going to slow down.
The deal with the news anchor had had the desired effect—for the moment—but there was still the reality that Harrison remained in a coma. There was only so much that stalling and hints of blackmail could do to keep that news off the airwaves. But one crisis at a time.
Now the Fixer had to smooth the way for a renegotiation. The latest client had signed on the dotted line for a property he now no longer wanted. The contract was rock solid, but everyone had a price, and once it was determined that the lawyers for the property were amenable to some creative paperwork, the Fixer put the plan in play. Problems like this one were what the Fixer lived for. The thrill of the veiled threat, the power of bending a person’s will by using inside knowledge was a turn-on. Time spent on building alliances and securing confidences were the centerpieces for success. By the end of the week, the client would be free and clear, and the lawyer’s boss would never know how he’d been skimming from the firm with his billable hours.
The Fixer’s tentacles were long and far-reaching, stretching from the corridors of politics to the boardrooms of Wall Street. The Fixer preferred creative methods to any kind of strong-arm tactics. That wasn’t the MO. The Fixer’s skill was the ability to be seen and not seen, to constantly keep an ear to the ground, to build confidences and alliances. Having countless people in debt was the lifeblood of the operation. The Fixer knew things, knew secrets and knew when and how to leverage that knowledge. More importantly, the Fixer knew how to uncover those secrets with the right questions and the perfect incentives—favors. The business flourished because of the Fixer’s innate instincts to spot weakness in the prey, and now the well of favors owed was bottomless.
The Fixer leaned back against the thick cushion of the Italian leather executive desk chair and stared off into the distance. What had started out as simple favors for Harrison’s friends in need had morphed into a lucrative business, far beyond anything they could have imagined. The Fixer was the brains behind the operation and moved all the puzzle pieces into place, yet forever remained in Harrison’s shadow. It was best that clients believe Harrison was the master puppeteer, although there were times when the Fixer wanted to stand in the light and take the bows.
At the moment, however, the biggest concern for the Fixer was the family. Between Joe and his meddling and then Mariella finding the bank statement...what were the odds of that happening? But none of this would be an issue were it not for that fucking accident! Harrison, what were you thinking? The Fixer fumed, concern and frustration mounting, one fist slamming on the desk. It was Mercury retrograde in full effect. Now instead of focusing on business as usual, extra precautions had to be taken to ensure that the family never discovered who the Fixer was. All hell would break loose if they did. For the first time since venturing into this line of work, the Fixer was at cross-purposes with the family. While they were on the hunt to uncover the identity of the Fixer, all efforts must be used to make sure that didn’t happen. Whatever it took.
