Lucy is right here, and any time tomorrow, I will provide her with EVERYTHING I've covered here this evening, as stated in my contract with you. That would be more than sufficient for any qualified person or persons to take this thing to completion. If you would like for me to continue with it, I'd be happy to do so under another contract, for a percentage of what's recovered.'
'That could add up to a tidy sum, there, son.'
'Yup. From what I've seen so far, I'm thinking that it could be anywhere between 250 and 300 million. Possibly more, depending on what I can find out tomorrow.'
Lucy and I heard him whistle as the client simply gasped.
'Why a percentage, and not a straight fee?' he asked after a moment.
'Simple. A percentage assures you that I'm going to be as motivated as possible to get as much back as possible. I can honestly tell you I'd do the same work for a flat fee, but you don't know me well enough to believe it, yet.'
'Yeah, I would feel better about giving you a percentage, and why.
What happens if we don't get it all, even though you show us where it is, or where it went?'
'Okay, I'll tell you what – I'll agree to taking a percentage of what I, personally, can prove is gone, and you can recover as a result.
That way, if something outside my, or your, control happens, neither one of us is left holding the bag.'
'What kind of percentage you talking about?'
'Depends.'
'On what?'
'On how bad you want the money back. Look, I know it puts you in an awkward position to try to do this without talking to Lucy, and your client. You know what I found. You know where I stand, and I think you know what I can do. There's really nothing left for me to discuss with you, right now, except the financial end of it. I'm going to head down to the bar and get a drink; you three talk it over, and Lucy knows where to find me if she wants to make me an offer.' – that part got me a dirty look from her before I went on 'However this turns out, and whatever you decide, it's been a pleasure working for you, and I hope we get the chance to meet someday.'
That over, I said my goodbyes and headed for the door. The one between my room and Lucy's, but they didn't know that, listening as I closed it firmly, so they'd know I was gone. I quickly made my way over to the girls room, where I explained to them what I'd found, and what it meant – in general terms. They understood, and quickly offered to rub my shoulders when the felt how tense I was. I readily accepted, and was feeling quite relaxed by the time Lucy made an appearance.
With a serious look on her face, she parked herself in one of the chairs before getting my attention.
'Dan? Dan! We need to talk. Money.'
I grudgingly sat up and said 'Okay, talk.'
She gave me a look, and said, 'They want to hire you. Not because of anything I told them, but because of how fast you got them the information they needed, and how you came up with ways to deal with problems.'
'Okay. So what are they going to do?'
'They're going to prosecute AND try to get the money back. That's where they want you. They told me to negotiate a deal with you for a percentage.'
'What's the offer?'
'They told me no more than ten percent; less if I can.'
'Okay. Call it eight. Tell them I started at twelve five, and you talked me down.'
Robyn and Sandra were watching this, not quite understanding what was going on. Lucy just looked at me as though I'd sprouted antlers, before saying 'You mean you're not going to take them for the max?'
'Nope.'
'Why?'
'Couple of reasons. First, I don't need it that bad. Second, coming in under their limit, makes you look good.'
'But that's still TWO PERCENT!'
'So?'
She looked at me, exasperated, before noticing that the girls were well and truly lost. She explained to them.
'Dan, here, is going to be doing some more work for my company. He's going to be helping us get some money back that some people cheated our client out of. We were just talking about what his fee will be; he said he'd do it for a percentage of how much money he helped get back. My company told me I could offer him as much as ten percent for his fee; you just heard him say that he'd take EIGHT, and why.'
Both girls nodded their understanding, and Robyn asked 'So why is the difference between eight percent and ten percent so important?'
Lucy just smiled at her as she answered 'Well, going by what Dan here told them, it's the difference – to HIM – between twenty and thirty million dollars.'
At that, both girls gasped, and got looks of wonder on their faces as they tried to imagine that kind of money. I could have told them: you can't really. Anything more than you can hold in your hand, it starts getting too abstract.
Lucy turned back to me, and said, 'They also said that your ideas sounded pretty good, and to let them know what you needed – they said they'd make sure you got it.'
I thought for a few minutes while Lucy waited patiently, and the girls just stared at me.
I finally told her 'Okay, what we've got already, it's enough to take to the law, and get them started. By lunch tomorrow, I expect to know more; enough to*really* make a case. I think we'll need to talk to the local FBI office, for starters. We can do that tomorrow, after lunch, I think. To cover it, let's tell the people at the office that I've finished, and will be preparing my report. If the FBI is anything like the military, it'll take them some time to get things rolling. To keep our suspects handy, can your client call a meeting they need to attend? I mean, without making it obvious it's a fake?'
Lucy thought a moment, and told me 'Well, next month they'd be having a regular strategy session. We could probably get that moved up, for a good enough reason.'
I thought a moment, and suggested 'How about one of your clients that has to be at that meeting, has to reschedule for something medical?
Like a wife going in, where he'd be unavailable?'
Lucy's face brightened, and she said, 'That's beautiful. Their board is getting pretty old, so a sick wife would be perfect. I'll call them and get it set up. Anything else?'
I thought some more, and said 'Other than the FBI, no. I kinda doubt that they'd take you and me all that serious. Can your boss, or even better, the client, contact them first, and let them know we'll be in? That way, we won't get jerked around as much.'
Lucy nodded her head at that, too, and told me 'Stay here; I'll go get it started, and be right back' before standing up and heading back for her room. I turned to look at the girls, and they were still staring at me as they tried to get their minds around the idea of twenty million dollars.
Finally, Sandra spoke up, asking, 'You really do stuff that you can make twenty million dollars? For just ONE job?'
'In this case, yeah, I do. Usually, though, I just make about fifteen thousand at a time.'
Robyn spoke up, asking 'You really gave up ten MILLION dollars just so my mom could look good to her boss?' in a disbelieving tone.
'Sure. Like I told her, first, I don't need it that bad. You already know that, Robyn, if you'll think about it. Second, I love her, and want to help her with HER job, if I can.'
Robyn looked pleased when I said that I loved Lucy, but didn't seem quite as sure about the rest of it. Sandra was just staring at me again.
Just then, Lucy came back into the room telling me 'Well, the local FBI office will be expecting us tomorrow afternoon. Our client's Chief Financial Officer is just now discovering that his wife has to go into the hospital next month, when the strategy meeting is scheduled; they'll be letting the local office know tomorrow morning that it's being held day after tomorrow, instead. And my boss just told me that if I never show up in the office again, I've guaranteed my pension. He actually THANKED me, and told me that I'd be well taken care of when I got back.'
