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Diminishing Wrath of Jackie Stone

By: Egmont0409



CHAPTER 1

The words 'bright, sullen, clever, devious and tough as old boots' would have described Jackie Stone as a young girl perfectly. She really was a mixed bag. Until Jackie turned ten she was a pretty and rather cute energetic youngster thriving under her mother's care and protection but during that year cancer was diagnosed and months later Rebecca Stone died.

The boys began the teasing, perhaps hitting out of the loss of their mom who'd displayed the greatest share of her love for Jackie. Pete aged fourteen and Drake sixteen intensified their teasing and often it turned bad enough to border on mental cruelty. Initially her father Terry reprimanded the boys but he became lazy about that and eventually joined in on the baiting and Jackie's bright personality disappeared behind enveloping sullenness.

But miraculously Jackie endured and in her final year at high school had escaped being nothing worse than bitter about her home life. School support including expert counseling had ensured Jackie didn't fall through the unseen safety net installed at schools and then there was the happiest day in her life each week, Sunday.

Jackie was totally focused on college but her father grumbled the boys hadn't gone to college so why should she. By the time the decision had to be made Drake, now twenty-four still lived on the farm but worked in their small town as a vehicle repair technician. He callously proposed Jackie should stay at home and look after them. Without thinking about fairness or what his late wife would have wanted, Terry agreed and ruled out college. Jackie was told that adamantly and advised she'd receive a small housekeeping wage.

The family hadn't counted on Jackie being stubborn and devious. She went to her maternal grandfather, a small town bank owner. The business was almost as old as the town. He'd long lost interest in the males of Jackie's family because of their unfriendliness and mean ways. For years every Sunday morning Jackie cycled to Grandpa Jack Gates' house and stayed on to cook the widower's dinner.

After dinner Jack would drive her home and wave and say howdy to the guys who'd line the front porch most times and stand like statutes. Jackie would collect her bicycle next day after school and cycle the seven miles home. 

It was Saturday, an hour after breakfast, when the final decision was made that college was out for Jacki. She cycled to town and found her grandfather in the vegetable garden scratching around. After the exchange of greetings she went in and make coffee. Jacki poured herself a soda and they sat on the swing seat where grandpa used to sit with grandma during warmer times of the year.

"Gramps will you finance me through college and keep that news from my family?"

That was a big ask but then being a banker Jack was used to being dumped with people's problems and he knew what this was about. "I'll think about it."

The next Sunday he said yes, he'd do that. He'd found that Jackie rather than her parents was required to sign the application forms and she could name him as next of kin and guarantor. He handed her the forms and after reading them Jackie went on to the college website and checked out courses, mostly confirming information received at high school.

Jack gave her papers to sign. "I'm opening a bank account for your and you'll be issued with a credit card and checkbook linked to that account. Your father should be doing this but I know how he thinks and find his stance unacceptable."

Three months later Jackie departed for college. 

She left a note for her father simply stating, "Gone to college.

Jackie worked in her grandfather's bank during college breaks and sometimes saw her father or brothers in town but they refused to speak to her. She eventually gained an MBA and invited her family individually to conferment but none of them showed up or bothered to reply. The college was just less than 100 miles from the farm.

Their no-show really hurt Jackie but her proud grandfather who attended her big day told her, "Forget that pack of assholes." But who can forget hurt that deep?

Jackie secured a marketing position with a company 250 miles away. On the Saturday she was booked to leave by train for her new city, Jackie cycled from her grandfather's home out to the farm knowing the three men would be out on the farm somewhere.

She was delighted they were not around the house and even more delighted to find Pete's rebuilt 1950s Harley-Davidson in the barn, along with Drake's cut-down bright red 1939 coupe and her father's two-year-old Mustang. She rode the bike out and parked it on the dirt road clear of buildings and then parked the other two vehicles in a line behind it. She cheerfully doused the vehicles with gas and set them alight and rode off not looking back.

Jackie had thought of leaving a note, "Aren't I a big tease" but decided if no one had seen her cycle up to the farm or cycle away the criminal responsible for that arson attack might never be solved.

Spending most of the afternoon with her grandfather before he drove her and her luggage to the train station, Jackie had expected to see a deputy-Sheriff drive up at any moment; the longer she waited the more relaxed she became.

"Bye Gramps. I'll email you my address when I settle into my apartment and will then expect you to visit me. Take care."

"Goodbye pretty lady. I'll miss your company. Now don't take too long finding a young man worthy of you and who doesn't tease, or if he does so, he only does it good naturedly."

The next day in her temporary accommodation in a rooming house Jackie received an email from her grandfather: 'There was an arson attack at your family farm on Saturday with no witnesses and no sign of a suspect or suspects. Do you have any knowledge of this my dear?'

Jackie replied in a way her grandfather would understand: 'No grandfather. I have no knowledge of Pete's bike, Drake's pride and joy coupe and dad's Mustang being taken out of the barn, lined up and set alight. I wonder who the big tease was? Jackie.'

Grandfather Jack visited Jackie three times during her first year at college and they spent a week at a lodge that first autumn where Gramps taught her to fly fish. They had such a great time. Two months later he suffered a major stroke and died two hours before Jackie arrived at the hospital. She stayed for the funeral, making sure her family were advised of the day, time and place of the service, but none of them turned up.

Meanwhile an elderly guy in a dark suit called on Jackie, who was staying in her grandfather's house. She recognized him as one of Gramp's friends Mr Mason who was also his attorney.

Over a glass of ginger beer Cecil Mason said it was his pleasant duty to advise Jackie she was the sole beneficiary of her grandfather's estate. She was advised two parties were interested in buying the house and four senior bank officers were preparing an offer to buy the bank as a going concern.

"My dear I must warn you that your father and your two brothers are likely to dispute the will."

"Yes that was likely. That has to occur before probate doesn't it?"

"Yes. My present reckoning is after everything disposed of according to your instructions and settles, the residual value of the estate will be in excess of $2,240,000."

"That much? Oh my. Before I leave I'll come to your office and leave documented instructions and sign power of attorney to arrange the sale of both the house and the business to maximize returns and should my family contest the will you are to oppose that, using any resources you require to accomplish that."

"Expressed very professionally young lady. Would you care to join my wife Annie and me for dinner at the Village Restaurant this evening? We both would enjoy reminiscing about dear Jack with you."

"I would be honored Mr Mason."

As soon as he'd left Jackie fell on to the sofa, her heart beating hugely. "Two million bucks. Holy fuck! Thanks a million, for every million Gramps. I so loved you."

Jackie cried but had some great memories running through her mind.

* * *

With the struggle gone out of her life Jackie became more relaxed and felt free to do as she wished. She had sufficient money never to have to work again but at twenty-six she thought the only two choices for a worthwhile life were remaining in business or living in a cottage somewhere in the wilderness and doing needlework and tending a garden. She grimaced and chose business.

On the first day back from the funeral, Jackie as department manager called in her assistant manager.

"What do you want Jackie, I'm busy?"

"Please close the door David and sit. Thank you."

"Now this is for your own good and hopefully to produce a more tranquil working life for me. The general tone of my department is not good as a result of your overbearing manner arising from arrogance or is it stupidity? I want you to face these options: you are to modify your behavior and act like part of a team or leave here Friday and work somewhere else."

"Go to hell Jackie. I'm competent at my work."

"Please sit down David. I have yet to extract assurances from you."

"Should I leave Jackie," her frightened looking PA said.

"No Liz, you are here as a witness. Sit down please David."

"Go to hell you stupid bitch."

"Go to HR immediately David. You're fired."

David's uncle owned the business and two hours later after Jackie had been advised David had not arrived to go through the termination process, his uncle Charles Wakefield called Jackie to his office suite.

"Good morning Jackie," he beamed. "I believe there has been a misunderstanding. This is Miss Crockett, my nephew's family attorney."

"Good morning Miss Crockett," Jackie smiled. Turning to Charles she said coolly, "I fail to find anything not understandable about the term, "You're fired."

Charles' face darkened. "I want you to withdraw that threat to my nephew."

"No. This morning he once again proved himself unsuitable as a team player and unacceptably insubordinate as well."

Charles said grimly, "Now you listen very carefully Jackie..."

"Mr Wakefield. Perhaps I could add something here."

"Go on Jill."

"Miss Stone, there is no way we can accept this dismissal as being justified."

"Are you are in full possession of the facts Miss Crockett, I mean the alleged facts from both sides?"

The attorney's face darkened.

"Enough of this nonsense," Charles thundered. "I'll give it to you straight Jackie. Either back down over David or else the person being fired will be you."

"Very well I accept your directive," Jackie said, seething, but kept her voice reasonably calm.

Charles appeared ready to smile until she added, "I will vacate my office immediately and return tomorrow to complete my termination process and Charles, I'm warning you to present me with a healthy bonus on top of all entitlements otherwise I take you on for unjustified dismissal, employing a team of attorneys specializing in business law."

Charles just sat staring at her, face now ashen, as Jackie turned and said sweetly to Miss Crockett, "Thank you for being my witness darling."

At 11:00 next morning, with her strategically situated studio apartment already brining in offers to the Realtor, Jackie left her former workplace with a good reference, full entitlements and an extra payment already in her bank account of $30,000. Charles and his nephew had been nowhere in sight when she called to say goodbye to everyone in her department.

As she left in a cab, her company car already back in possession of the company, Jackie had the last laugh. Three months ago she'd been asked to study a complete reorganization of the company's production, marketing and distribution strategies and had done a huge amount of work that lay detailed in her office computer, encrypted under quite superior software, and still without final conclusions and recommendations. 

Jackie came close to laughing hysterically when thinking about the moment when Charles Wakefield realized his double folly, unable to extract that hugely valuable information to the company and having his nephew run down the marketing department through having personnel resign almost en mass. It wasn't her fault she smiled, and thought what you have done to poor Mr Wakefield is such a huge tease; he'd pull his hair out expect he was very bald.

* * *

Almost a year later Jackie was a 7.65 million dollar woman. On the instructions of Jackie, whose resentment against her family was thawing, her attorney Mr Mason not only paid the legal expenses of the failed attempt of her family to contest the will but he was instructed to pay her brothers $20,000 each and paid off the farm mortgage for her father. Acting on instructions, Mr Mason established a Jack Gates' Community Trust to pay fees of needy college students from an endowment of $500,000. Jackie sought no kudos for establishing the trust when it was made and received none; all the publicity focused on her late grandfather.

Mr Mason wrote by hand to Jackie about her endowments. "I regret to say your brothers failed to respond to your generosity but I had face to face dealings with your father over the early repayment of the farm mortgage. When the process ended he blew his nose and said, 'Jackie always was a good girl, much like her mother.' That was all."

Reading that Jackie bawled uncontrollably.

She was doing fine in Los Angeles. She'd passed through three relationships with rather lovely guys and was now head of marketing for an importer of Italian high-class shoes. It was a huge operation. The company had established it's territory as the ten adjoining states bounding California to roughly in line to the western boundaries of North Dakota and through to the eastern line of New Mexico and excluding Texas.

Jackie had long confirmed her father and brothers were quite mild compared with some of the scumbags in business. She worked from the top with line managers responsible for sales teams and market preservation and penetration while she mainly reported to the company president and acted as troubleshooter. Because this was LA no one really questioned how Jackie could afford to live in a more expensive house than the company president and have a cook/housekeeper and pool man/gardener/maintenance man and a weekend chauffer who drove her personal car, a white top-of-line Mercedes soft-top with personalized lime green leather seats. The chauffer wore a lime green cap and Jackie declined to answer anyone who asked why. Women assumed it was simply color coordination and were relieved that Jackie never wore lime green. Her friends only ever received a smile when asking did she ever have to buy shoes.

Jackie had become well-established and displayed a keen interest in the arts and the only organization she was on was as a board member on a trust dedicated to assist college students struggling with fees. Jackie denoted a quarter of her monthly salary by automatic payment to the trust.

Then, almost without warning, her life practically fell to pieces. She'd met this guy at an art gallery opening of a new display and after further drinks at a bar she took him home simply because he'd spent so much time stroking the inside of her leg from his barstool.

She took him home by cab in great expectations but once inside the house he showed his evil side. She'd totally read him wrongly.

Ronald Arnold slammed her against the wall and pulled a gun.

"I have no wish to fuck you bitch. I have a real hot baby who is more than I can handle. I want money and jewelry."

"I have very little around because of thugs like you and may I advise you are showing excellent profiles on security cameras."

Ronald slugged her with his gun barrel and fled.

After recovering Jackie went to bed with her own gun under her pillow. In the morning she called a private investigator and he played the tapes, having asked why hadn't she called the police and the strange answer he got was 'Because."

"Because what?"

"I answered."

"Oh you don't like the thought of cops swarming all around here. Fair enough. These are good mugshots of his face in several angles, especially full on and that's what we like. If he has a record I'll identify him by running these through a special computer."

"Fine Rex. Bring me the results, if any, and say nothing about this to anyone."

"You're the boss, Miss Stone. Are you related to Sharon Stone?"

"Sorry I don't know a Sharon Stone."

Next morning the housekeeper advised at 7:10, "A Mr Vince Brady is here."

Jackie went down in a dressing grown and Ida served coffee.

"God Vince, this is Saturday. I never get up till 9:30."

"That's your problem, not mine. I have that guy positively identified plus a full report on him."

"Oh god, brilliant Vince."

"He's scum Miss Stone but with the extra appendage of sophisticated scum."

"Yes that's definitely him. I'm absolutely sure about that. See the tiny scar from his left nostril to the side of his mouth""

"Yeah of course I noticed that. You have good security cameras."

"Well thank you. This report details everyone about him."

"I can get him quietly arrested if you wish and then place through the process without media attention because you are not a VIP."

"No thank you Vince. Just leave this report with me. That's you job done. How much do I owe you"

"Four hundred bucks."

"You said $400 a day. This is the second day."

"I wasn't hired until yesterday at 10:00. It's short of twenty-four hours since you hired me."

"Well let's not argue over that. Here's a thousand. You have done brilliantly Vince. Without you I would have still been in meltdown."

"That is too much money Miss Stone."

"God Vince, don't be ridiculous. This is LA."

Jackie phoned two local Realtors. She knew both of them and said she wanted to quit her home. Both said they had buyers in the wings, whatever that meant. Angels?

She drove the Mercedes to the dealer where she'd purchased it. The sales manager said, "This is a landmark vehicle Miss Stone. Leave it here with me now and I'll give you more than what you paid for it."

Jackie returned home by cab.

She was required to work for another three weeks before her the company released her. But that was fine, because Jackie had other loose ends to finalize. She resigned from the charity board, donating $250,000 and saying that was it.

Never in her life had Jackie felt so empowered and thought that must be like military personnel felt, er most of them, when drafted to go to war. As soon as the farewells were over Jackie simply disappeared.

Jackie could have hired people to do this but she wanted to do it herself. That bastard had made her feel insecure in LA and had to pay.

CHAPTER 2

Jackie rented a room for five nights and insisted it be on the west side high up. She had to wait a day before it became available. Knowing she was two levels above the seedy apartment of scumbag Ronald Arnold Jackie looked through a pair of binoculars she'd purchased and bingo, should see a woman dressed only in panties in the lounge, sitting back and watching crap on TV. Yeah, if this was indeed the apartment the woman really did look like one hot bitch.

Two hours later Jackie came out of dozing, checked the apartment and right on!. Her target Ronald Arnold was handing his one hot bitch something and she unwrapped it and hugged him. Oh god, it was a pair of Playboy panties. How pathetic!

Jackie spent the next three days tracking the thug's movements. He was dumb enough to use his real name in attempted robbery so she had thought his movements would follow a pattern rather than be random and that proved correct. However it was providing tedious and exhausting and she began to wish she'd hired professionals to do this stake-out.


Diminishing Wrath of Jackie Stone



On the fourth morning just before 6:30 am Jackie was waiting in the parking area under the tenement building. As he'd done on the previous three days The Thug arrived to unlock his car. Jackie came in behind him and shoved her gun into his back.

The Thug obviously knowing this wasn't a rehearsal raised his hands without being asked and complained he wasn't carrying much money.

Jackie dropped her pistol and clubbed him with the baseball bat she'd been carrying in her other hand. The two-handed swing delivered furiously felled him like a stone.

Checking that no one was around, Jackie dropped to her knees, rolled him on to his back and unzipped him. He smelled washed, thank god.

There was enough room so she pulled out a pair of builder's nail pullers and mashed one of his testicles. She didn't have the heart to mash the second one.

Gathering her gear and placing it in her sports bag and then removing her tight hat and gloves Jackie left and on the way to the train station changed her sneakers into shoes and placed her sneakers into the bag, thinking there was not much chance of detectives doing a DNA investigator who'd converted a local hood into a one-ball complainant.

At the station, having pre-booked a roomette on the train, and collecting her checked in bags, Jackie stopped off for coffee and smiled. "No one fucks around with Jackie Stone. Already she was no longer thinking of herself as a criminal, just a sweet-talking avenger.

It was a long journey but when in Chicago Jackie dumped her sports bag into a commercial refuse bin awaiting collection. She buried it deeply and sighed, knowing she was faced a cold start again but had managed rather well so far.

The cab driver who'd watched Jackie dump the bag in the bin came up slowly when she waved and looked at her dubiously. 

"The Dana Hotel, " she said brightly.

The driver said, "You mean a side or rear entrance?"

"No thank you, the grand entrance if they have one."

At journey's end with her four bags being loaded on to a trolley, Jackie handed the cabbie a ten-buck tip and he looked at it if examining a counterfeit banknote. She was surprised that Chicago cabbies appeared to have a reluctance to accept money.

Jackie said she'd stay ten nights although only had booked for three. She said she was quite impressed. The receptionist smiled and upgraded her to a Corner King for no extra charge.

Alone in a big city, unknown to anyone, Jackie knew the way through the barrier was to do something to make things happen. She began calling agencies seeking business partners but got nowhere fast. She read newspaper business columns and finally picked one to follow up: 'Investment of up to $1,000,000 required to refinance upgrading and retooling of business manufacturing in-vogue consumer leisure products. We both market direct and supply on-sellers'.

The word 'marketing' of course caught Jackie's eye and knew she could be interested provided the product wasn't sun beds or mow-your-own-lawn. She called and smiled when the sunny-voice receptionist said, "Porthole Spa Pools."

Porthole? She winced and thought god the company required marketing expertise. "I'm enquiring about investment opportunities."

"Oh, please wait while I connect you to Mr Lawrence Junior."

"Hi ma'am. Would you like to meet to talk investment?"

"It's miss. Yes please."

"Are you aware there are risks in marketing consumer luxury products and the spa pool market is very crowded?"

"Overcrowded?"

"I'm not sure how that could be assessed. In my book best products with best marketing and after-sales service comprise the winning package."

"Agreed. So I come to you."

"No where're in a mess here. Let's meet at a hotel."

"I'm at the Dana."

"Oh very nice. Lunch?"

"No, lunch can get in the way of business. I'll be wearing a white jacket and burnt orange pants and will meet you in the lobby at 2:00. There are no conferences or meetings booked today according to info on my computer. I'll arrange to use one of the small boardrooms. Bring support material please."

"Yes ma'am."

"It's miss but I guess ma'am make me sound more like a potential investor."

"Yes miss."

She smiled and cut the call.

Jackie walked out of the elevator precisely at 2:00 to find him already waiting, dressed in a blasted suit. She smiled and said hi and the guy said hi and looked away.

Oh god, it wasn't him. She looked across the lobby and saw an under thirty guy dressed urban casual with an arm across his chest holding his other arm and that hand waved discreetly. She smiled, he smiled and they walked on a diagonally closing distance between them to arrive at the woman who waved to Jackie and stood ready to take them to the door of a room marked 'Reserved'

"Mr Lawrence I presume" Is that Lawrence with a wubble-you?"

"Ma'am I presume? Yes it is. At your service."

"I'm Jackie Stone, recently arrived from LA."

"Hi Jackie. Please call me Brad and welcome to Chicago."

The conference assistant manager already had the lights on and a jug of water and two glasses, pens and notepaper on the table.

"May I serve coffee?"

Brad nodded to Jackie and she said, "Yes please Kim."

As soon as Kim left Jackie said well to business. "Please make your opening statement."

"Well please don't think me rude but you are much younger than I expected. Er the minimum amount we'd accept from any single investor is 100K."

"That's fine Brad. My opening statement is I'm seeking to invest sufficient money to secure myself a job as head of marketing in a business, preferably a smaller business. Do you still wish to talk?"

Jackie stared at Brad and wondered if the word formed by his lips but left unsaid was Jesus?

* * *

Brad Lawrence, with a bachelor of engineering degree, majoring in design, had just turned twenty-nine. He'd been called home because of a family crisis. His father had fallen, drunk, down concrete steps and was now confined to a wheelchair, possibly indefinitely, leaving him with no one to run his ailing business. His general manager and the female sales manager had resigned and been paid off not long before his accident.

When Brad arrived his father Alec, who'd been released from hospital a week earlier, had said grimly, "Either you stay home and run the business, getting it up and running again, or I fire everyone and sell the assets."

That was a tough decision to make so Brad wandered around the plant and talked to longer-serving workers, some of them he'd worked alongside during his high school and later college breaks including through summers, the company's busiest season together with late spring.

He'd said to his parent's he would return to Utah in the morning to resign and would be back in a month. It would be unthinkable to close a business founded by his father when all it required was new thinking and new funding to produce updated product.

They'd gone cap in hand to banks and other reasonable lenders for money but had to agree they looked pretty pathetic, a bearded and white-haired guy in a wheelchair and his son who was to run the business with no business experience and not yet thirty years old.

Brad, now just returned from Utah had been advertising for investors. He wanted to retool the plant, introduce new systems and expand production so that his parents and he and his finance Kate could live off profits very comfortably.

Kate had one look at what she called 'the dump' meaning the plant and took off back to Utah asking Brad never to call her. It actually took a few hours of argument and twice he was thinking he was winning her over when she said, "Fuck you Brad, I'm out of here" and left.

"Thank god we didn't end up having her for our daughter," said Laurel his mom, pushing out the wheelchair with Alec holding the bottle of whiskey and three glasses.

The men laughed, without much mirth.

The ad ran in the newspaper six days a week for two weeks and then came this response from this good-looking babe. She looked young enough to be his baby sister but Brad though he's made the effort to be here so he should hear her out.

She said, "Do you have photographs."

"Yes but you have to understand..."

"I understand production sites, I was raised on a farm. Shit and mess everywhere but that doesn't mean the outfit is not making money."

Brad nodded and said, "That's sensible talking but..."

"Show me the photos Brad. I promise not to drop dead in shock."

He pushed them across and she looked at them slowly as if trying to make sense of them. He looked closely but her face remained blank. What the hell was she thinking?

Jackie pushed the ten photos back and said, "Okay I've seen a bomb site. Now what about pictures of the plant."

Brad opened his mouth to explain to the stupid bitch when he caught the lurking smile. God she was teasing him.

He managed a lopsided grin.

"I'll call that a production center with a decayed heart."

He nodded and said her description was probably better than his one. "My dad had the guys ripping it apart to rebuild when he fell down some stairs to land up in a wheelchair.

"For life?"

"We hope not. He thinks so but mom doesn't think so and she knows him better than he knows himself, so I have my money on mom. Actually the surgeons said there was some hope, that at the moment it was nature's call."

"Great way of putting it. Most of us calling ourselves unreligious are aware there is something around us and we have this thing we call hope."

"Yeah, you express yourself brilliantly."

"That is scarcely surprising. I've been deeply involved in marketing and we think positively. What do you have behind you?"

"I'm an engineer, civil."

Because Jackie's face didn't change he guessed she was disappointed, so added, with emphasis on design.

Her face lit. "We are diverting in philosophical and personal changes and that's quite okay but will become dry business. Would a white wine go down well?"

"Oh yes, I'll get it."

"No, consider yourself my guest. If we dawdle over this I'll probably invite you to dinner."

Jackie pulled out her phone and called Kim, ordering the wine and two glasses.

"Okay," Jackie said, "Let me paint the picture. I'm running the show and you have come cap in hand asking for money. So let's see company financials for the past five years."

Brad opened and booted his electronic notebook. "I actually downloaded financials for ten years."

"Even better. Can you assure me these are audited accounts?"

"Absolutely apart for the last ten weeks but then production had all but halted by then and we lost our two largest salary-earners so they present a messy picture anyway."

"Right Brad, first show me the inventory of stock and then of materials on hand."

Brad grinned. "You are not just a pretty face are you?"

"I possess an MBA Brad and am probably hugely overqualified to run your company but setting up new production lines and retraining people and building up marketing for new production and selling concepts to consumers and on-sellers will take a number of support personnel before we get income streams looking anywhere near healthy. Without rigid planning and inspired thinking we could be swept down the drain and I'd never see my money ever again."

"I'm good for rigid planning Jackie and driving the troops on the ground."

"That sounds promising Brad but we need to talk more. I'm good for inspired thinking and marketing including leading the team to talk to major on-sellers including new ones and doing budgets. Is your father good to running admin?"

"Yes but the office is above the plant."

"No problem Brad. You're the engineer. That's a problem for you to resolve."

Kim arrived with the wine.

"This is a good drop. Thanks. Why are you talking as if you have made the decision to invest?"

"I know nothing about spa pools and marketing them and the nature of competition but I sense I have a setup here that's ripe for exploitation and I end up being a director and having the business pay me a salary as well as a dividend."

"Um Jackie may I ask how much money you are willing to invest?"

"Hold on to your seat boyo because at this stage I think we ought to go big but there is more pre-investment study to do. I'd say I'll make two million dollars available for capital investment. Does that interest you?"

Brad's hand was shaking so much he stopped attempting to pick up his wine. "Ohmigod."

"Yes I can understand that giving you quite a jolt. We have to get that existing production line back into full output because we have to make money to pay all overheads including wages and salaries. The money I'll be pumping in, if this goes ahead, will be earmarked entirely for capital development. Two many businesses attempting to restructure fail simply because they milk the capital inflow. We are not going to do that Brad, are we?"

"No of course not. Um, this is embarrassing: you really do have the capital we'd require?"

"Yes Brad slide that notebook to me." After several series of keystrokes Jackie said, "This is just my investment account of money on call. You can see the total in the box at the bottom of this page and my name, current address which is here and even my photo at the top of the page."

"Yeah, right and that says it's your passport photo," Brad noted, having already seen the box that stated total funds on call were $2.7 million."

"I inherited a lot of money from my grandfather and this lot is on standby waiting for me to find an investment opportunity. I can top it up by liquidating investments in stock and bonds anytime."

When Jackie went off for a pee Brad called his father and tried to play down his excitement. "It looks pretty good dad, in fact very promising. The downside is a condition is that we employ her. She has the credentials we want."

Alec said, "Yeah, yeah son but be careful, very careful."

"We went to her college and university web sites. She definitely has her MBA and she pulled up her investment funds available on call."

"Oh yeah, and so how much is she talking about investing. It better be heaps if we have to employ her."

"Two million bucks dad."

"Oh fuck I can walk again," yelled Alec and then his voice turned serious. "Be very, very careful son. I smell a con. Perhaps she is who she says she is. But let's not get too excited until we see the money in our company account."

"Right dad, I'll watch my ass. Bye."

Brad looked around guiltily thinking Jackie might be standing right behind him but it was another minute before he heard his high heels clicking on the floor as she approached the door. She entered and smiled and said I went and booked dinner knowing that would give you time to call your dad. I bet her warned you to be very careful?"

"Yeah he did," Brad said, struggling to hold her gaze. The brunette had really intense green eyes.

"Good, he sounds careful. Well back to business."

* * *

As they were leaving the restaurant, Brad pushing back his brown curls nervously, wondering if he should suggest going up to the rooftop Vertigo bar Jackie said, "It seems a pity to end our day right here. Would you like to come up to my room?"

"Sounds good."

"You are free to decide whether to stay for just a while or even all night."

"All night?"

"Yes, having sex if that's what you decided you should but then you might think you ought not be rushed."

"You are quite right. It ought not be rushed."

Brad boggled at the city lights through the wall to ceiling windows, nearby buildings appearing almost looming above them.

"Er can people in those building see into here?"

"I really don't know and am not bothered. They won't know who I am and I'll never recognize them so there's nothing to worry about."

"What if..." Brad stopped.

"You fuck me? Well turn the lights down if you wish, even turn them off."

Brad's response to her offer of coffee leaped out of his mouth.

Minutes later Brad's mouth turned dry and he felt shy. Hell Brad Lawrence shy? If this had been Kate he'd been feeding his erection into her eager mouth.

"Don't hold back. The first time for most things is awkward. Just grab my left breast and kiss me or kiss me and grab my breast."

"Which do you prefer?"

"Oh Brad, just grab at both breasts and kiss me and this ends this conversation. Take over Brad."

The breasts were smallish but firm and after playing around a bit he had the nipples up and he thought they'd by worth a nibble or two.

Jackie's mouth opened and his tongue slipped in and hers struck at his like a snake. They were heating up and dribbling and she was unbuttoning his shirt so he assisted and pulled it off for her and felt her going in for his nipples.

"God you don't have much hair and feel surprisingly muscular."

Although he knew for sure what she was on about he teased, "Is that good?"

"Very good," she said huskily and without warning slammed her hand over his cock. He almost panicked because he didn't want to offend this lady who might be the salvation of his parent's company: should he unzip or leave that to her?. He was under pressure and hoped that wouldn't lead to his erection sagging. Brad decided she was a very forward young woman and would prefer to do it herself.

She was now beginning to unbuckle his belt, struggling with it.

Brad tried to ignore that and pushed up her top and worked to free her tits. They were only just big enough to use to jerk him off if that's what she wanted, providing she squeezed them in against him. He was used to Kate's tits. They were big enough to tie into a knot around his cock. Should he be thinking of Kate at a time like this? He cringed.

While Brad kept up the pressure with tit-play and going after her tongue he did feel Jackie wriggling and then felt warmth and wetness around his cock. She had moved into position and was feeding him in.

Oh boy, what a girl.

He began moving his ass and she murmured, 'Good boy." She really sucked on his tongue.

Sweaty and tired Jackie and Brad faced each other on the bed. She stroked his face and said, "You are a very nice man. I really like you."

"Will you consider living with me Jackie? I have to find somewhere because it's a little crowded at home."

"Oh Brad, that sounds tempting. That's some of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me. I'll let you know tomorrow late. First thing tomorrow I want you to take me on a tour of the plant and to meet key personnel. I need to get a feeling of the place and the people before I can proceed further towards commitment. I also need a meeting with your parents... perhaps early afternoon tomorrow if that is suitable to them."

Brad called his parents later and his mom asked that he bring Jackie to lunch and that she'd try to get his father into some decent clothes.

After gloriously slow sex in the morning, the young couple went out to breakfast and then took a cab to the plant.

The marketing/head of sales person with two assistants was a male. Jackie took an immediate dislike to him and decided he must go before if she instantly disliked him and she was reasonably tolerant, what would be the reaction of less tolerant clients? Everyone else seemed fine and the production manager confided personnel were anxious that production had all but halted in preparation for restructuring.

"We worry about our jobs"

"What would it take to keep the production line going to remove that fear Nick?"

"To get up to a minimum of fifty units a week."

"Well that seems like chicken shit Nick. I'm confiding with you. I'm looking at investing in this operation and if I do I would be thinking 600 units a month average, perhaps peaking at 1200."

Nick scratched his nuts. "How much money do you have?"

"A big bundle Nick."

He scratched his leg by his nuts and looked unconvinced.




Diminishing Wrath of Jackie Stone



So Jackie told him more of her hitherto undisclosed concept. "We'll get the upgrading plan boosted, get a new marketing person who knows what they doing and a team of four sales people including a competent manager."

He grinned. "Achieve that and I promise you I'll pump out as many units the boss tells me to make."

"The production boss would be Brad. Are you comfortable about that?"

"He's a bit green behind the ears but he knows this operation because he worked here from when he turned sixteen. I'd feel even happier if you and he got together. You appear to have vision and that's something this outfit lacked. I formerly worked in vehicle assembly and so am familiar with the need for the business to be driven from the top if a plant it to meet its targets."

"Well said. I take it that Johnson Jones is a lightweight?"

"He couldn't organize a kid's kite-flying day let alone increase in sales but Brad's father won't get him out of here."

"Why not?"

"Because Johnson called in his brother, a union area organizer, to sign up our guys in the plant and they elected Johnston's pal Benny as union delegate. Johnson dominates Benny.

"God that's contorted."

"What does contorted mean?"

"Um it has slippery Johnston operating like a snake in the grass."

Nick laughed and said, "Yeah right. You have a great way about you Jackie and a great butt, pretty too."

"Oh come on Nick you are getting all romantic," Jackie said, attempting to speak plant language. "I say pull your finger out when you're required and your job will be safe."

"If move to get your vision off the ground I'll do anything for you Jackie. I mean that."

Lunch went well and Brad's parents listened to him relate what he and Jackie had discussed the previous day.

"So the plan is to dump me in the office"."

"Yes and a great idea Alec," said his wife. "Perhaps that will be reviewed when you get off your ass and walk.

"Oh good one Laurel," Jackie laughed.

"Fucking women," Alec growled. "Well young lady you've seen the heart of our outfit and Brad has spilled our confidential information to you. Can we have your decision now?"

"Dad, cool it."

"No it's okay Brad. Why sit on our butts contemplating? Alec will you right now appoint Brad director of production and me director of sales and marketing. You can appoint yourself chairman and director of administration and get your attorney to reform the company with those three positions plus Laurel as a director and named as company secretary. Also have the board empowered to appoint up to two outside directors as they could be needed as we grow the business. Do that and I'll place two million bucks into the company's bank account. My only other requirement is that from tomorrow the production line be shifted to the left hand side of the plant and rushed back into full production of existing lines. What happens to output will be my responsibility."

Alec rubbed his chin. "Jesus young lady you are taking one hell of a risk."

"That's my worry Alec. Well?"

"We do as you have outlined. Nick and I will drawn up the production outlay plan this afternoon and I'll get my attorney to draw up the legal agreement to protect you and your investment as best we can."

Jackie beamed, "Excellent, let's drink to this auspicious day." 

CHAPTER 3

Jackie began working for the company that evening. As Nick came out of the yard in his pick-up she waved him down and got in beside him. "Take me to a bar around here where you're not known Nick. I wish to conspire with you to rid ourselves of Johnston Jones."

The vehicle served. "I-I'll not murder him."

"Oh Nick, all we need to do is to scare the shit out of him."

Nick laughed nervously. "I'd picked you for an ideas girl Jackie."

"Is this guy Jones married?"

"No but a line of women pass through his clutches. It's said he's a little rough with them."

"Oh great."

"What?"

"I tell you what I want from you Nick."

The next morning as Johnston Jones spat on the road and unlocked his car to drive off to work two guys in hoods grabbed him, gagged him and pulled him into an alley where they bound his arms and feet.

"Can you hear me?" snarled one of the guys and the terrified sales and marketing manager nodded furiously.

"Asshole you have been shafting my girlfriend. You have twenty-four hours to get out of this neighborhood. Fail to do this and we'll make a concrete jacket for you and drop you into the Hudson. Understand."

Johnston nodded furiously.

"Okay slimeball. You have twenty-four hours to get paid off at work and to give your landlord notice and pay overdue rent. Just in case you are not taking this seriously I'm going to cut the tip off your cock, just a couple of inches ought to do it. Hand me the knife Charlie."

"You have the knife boss."

"Oh shit, I have a spare in the car. Oh shit there's someone coming. Let's get out of here. They dragged Johnston so his feet were sticking out on the pavement where he'd been seen and 'the boss' kicked Johnson's ribs but not too brutally because the woman had said not to rough him up too much.

They then took off and met Jackie who made no effort to conceal her identity.

"How did it go?"

"Great," said Ian, a retired semi-professional wrestler and one of Nick's poker night buddies. I think he pissed himself."

"Oh excellent work boys. Here's the second five hundred bucks for each of you. My sister will be pleased that creep will be no longer around to fuck her but she said she'd needed the money. My baby sister needs better guys than that."

"That's for sure, I could be interested."

"She's eighteen."

"Oh god no. My wife would kill me if she found I was shafting a babe that young." 

Jackie arrived at the plant next morning and smiled when she saw Johnstone Jones arrive looking stressed. He failed to answer any of the half-hearted greetings and hurried over to Alec's house. She never saw him leave but when she checked found his car had gone.

A few minutes later Brad came to her and said, "Dad just phoned me with a very lucky development. He's just paid off Johnston Jones who appeared very anxious to quit. All he'd say was woman trouble."

"Oh then I can work in his office instead of here in the lunchroom?"

"You sure can babe. I can then come over for lunch, pull down the blind and knock you up because I don't have condoms."

"Do that and I'll have some guys call on you."

"What?"

"Just joking. I always pack condoms sweetheart. Lunch time you say""

"I was just joking but if you are in the mood let's see how we go. Although there's a lock on the door unfortunately there's no blind."

Brad's phone went and the call was brief. "Bad luck; no sex sandwich for lunch. Dad wants you and me over at the house at 12:30. The company's attorney will be there for a business lunch."

* * *

During the next two weeks Jackie called on re-sellers, most of whom complained they hadn't had anyone from the company contact them for months. She spoke to them about the production line upgrades and increased capacity but made no mention of the new range because her mission was to secure orders for the growing inventory of pools coming off the production line. Each day spent soliciting on-sellers she'd come back to the plant with orders.

Brad gaped each time she handed across a batch of orders and after ten days the company had orders for 489 units. Brad had been out-of-state inspecting the production lines and output of three of the country's leading manufacturers of spa pools and signed up to make eight types of new-age pools under license.

"Oh fantastic, you're amazing," Jackie said.

"Sure beats trying to design our exclusive range at this stage of my limited knowledge of converting pool design into efficient production and winning over market acceptance."

"True darling but I now have a sales manager and two assistant sales people and the marketing administration assistant I require. We'll be full throttle before you get the new production lines commissioned. As soon as you say hi to your folk I want you to see this apartment I'm thinking of purchasing, only fifteen minutes from here overlooking the river."

"Right on. Um what about sex?"

Eyeing him through narrowing eyes and licking her top lip, Jackie asked, "What about it?"

As Brad walked over to his parent's house Jackie thought damn it, she knew there had been something else to tell him. She'd organized a venue for their wedding next month and her granddad's attorney Mr Mason had agreed to give her away. But she ought not rush into telling him that. Best she casually ask did he think they should marry soon, er, before she became pregnant. He knew it would be advantageous to be married, having been elected junior vice-president of the regional Association of Pool and Spa Professionals and had been asked if he were interest in taking an active role in the Chamber of Commerce.

Brad returned from talking to his parents saying he thought his dad took the news they would make pools under license very well. "Dad admitted part of the company's hiatus had been the lag in innovation in the pools he and Nick had combined to come up with. Now sex or see the apartment first?"

"Oh darling, since you brought up the subject of sex could I talk to you over a glass of wine. "I've had this thought about your being a little overdue with your proposal of marriage."

"But you won't want me; I have no money."

"True but you have something else I rather like darling. I think we should sit down and let me explain to you that marriage is about sharing."

THE END