“By getting out of my way. This is my company.”
“I’ve never seen you before. Do you have some ID?”
“I’m going to try and be civil with you because you’re doing your job, but only this once.” Looking to Joey, I pass him my leather briefcase. “Hold this.” He takes it and then I pull out my wallet to dig out the ID and hand it to the guard.
“Oh, sorry, Mr. Marchetti. Please don’t fire me,” he stammers.
I tug on the cuffs of my dress shirt under my suit jacket and then look at his name badge. Leaning in, I lower my voice and say, “Jose, I’m not going to fire you for doing your job. I expect that diligence out of an employee, however now that we got that cleared up, I better not have a problem again.”
“Not at all, sir.” He’s shaking as he allows me to pass, and rightfully so. I’m seeing red at the idea that no one in this building knows who I am. We take the elevator up to my main office floor and walk up to the receptionist.
“Mr. Marchetti. Welcome back! It’s so good to see you,” she says. I look at her name plate because although her face is familiar, I forget her name.
“Thank you. Are all the board members in the meeting room?” I ask Karen.
I remember her briefly starting right before everything went to shit. “All but two. They are calling in, though, Mr. Marchetti. Would you like anything to drink?”
“A bottle of water will do.”
“Here you go,” Joey says, handing back my case. I smile to myself and then up to him because of what’s in here. They aren’t going to like me.
“Thanks.”
She walks to a nearby cooler and brings me a bottle. “Thank you.”
I burst through the doors, hoping to catch them talking while I leave Joey outside of the conference room to watch the comings and goings of those in the office. My sudden release and arrival has probably taken them all by surprise. Most of them don’t know if they’ll have a job tomorrow. That’s not my intention at all. I want my company to operate as it always has.
“Hello, I’m back,” I cheer as all heads turn to me. Suddenly everyone stands up but one.
“Just in time,” Glen Denton says, barely disguising his disappointment as he sits on his ass. I’ve always hated this fucker, but he’d been on the board before I took over this company. It takes a lot to get one of them kicked off, but I have an ace up my sleeve and I’m about to play it.
“Yes, I’m sure that you’re glad I’m back, Denton. Now, everyone, sit. I don’t have a lot of time. My life has gotten remarkably busy.” I wait for everyone to take their seat before making my way over to my seat at the head of the table. Undoing my jacket button, I sit comfortably as if nothing has changed in two years. “I’m still the controlling owner, and I plan to implement some ground rules. My assistant, Martin Giuseppe, has created a draft handbook. I have to go over the details with the company lawyer, who will be meeting me tomorrow to do all of this. Please read these over. As the board, I’m giving you some options. I have appreciated that some of you have believed in my innocence.”
“Some of us think you belong in prison.”
“Well, then, you can resign from the board because you’re a liability to my company. It was proven that I was not only wrongly convicted, but the real killer had been caught.” Is he stupid enough to continue talking shit?
“Yeah, but that’s just one of the many bodies you could be tied to.” He’s stupider than he looks.
“Really, Denton, please inform everyone of the information you have that I don’t have.” I’m going to bury this bastard one way or another. Financially seems like the best way for this sick fuck.
“Everyone knows who you’re related to.” I roll my eyes and check my watch. I don’t have time for this, so I’m going to just toss him a little parting gift.
“Yes, but not everyone knows you’re related to a child molester, do they?” Denton turns white as a ghost. “Yes, I know about him. I also know that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. You learn a lot of things in prison that you didn’t have access to as a free man. I expect your resignation by the end of the day.” The authorities have already been given the information and are keeping tabs on him right now. I’ve made a charitable contribution to an agency that deals with the victims of sick fucks like Denton. That’s the extent of my involvement, though. I’m just trying to get my life back.
Denton stands up without looking at anyone but me. “You’ll pay for this, Marchetti.”
“I already have. Two long years. Trust me when I say that I’m done playing fair. Get out of my building before I have you arrested.”
He storms out. Then I address the rest of the five members of the board and the two that are listening in. “Anyone else have a problem with me?”
A cacophony of “nos” go around the room. “That’s what I thought. Now, let’s get down to business.”
I got a lot of reading done while in prison. Since I still owned the company and it couldn’t be taken from me without giving me millions, I received all the materials for the meetings, copies of the contracts. I may not have had my freedom, but I had access to everything to make shit happen. Thankfully, I was smart
