Read Online Annihilate Me 2: Vol. 1 by Christina Ross - Free Book Online Page B

Blackwell
said.   “And good luck.   At least one of us will see both of you
tonight.   And I, for one, can’t wait
to hear how things turn out for all involved.”

 

 
 
 
 
    CHAPTER SEVEN

 
    Hours later, when we left Barneys
with the fitted, deep red Oscar de la Renta dress
Barbara and Chloe had chosen for me, which was at once impeccable and poignant,
especially since the iconic designer had only just recently died, I checked my SlimPhone —and saw the worst possible news.   Wenn’s stock was down another
twenty-seven points, and it was only just past one in the afternoon.   I showed the screen to Blackwell, whose
expression darkened before she turned away from it and looked out the window
that was to her right.
    “The interviews he gave this
morning must be online by now,” I said.   “So why is the stock down?”
    “It’s only one-twenty.   It takes time to write a story.   And even if one or two stories are live
right now, that doesn’t mean people have found them and read them yet.   Obviously, it’s going to take more time
than we’d hoped.”
    I tapped out Alex’s number, but it
wasn’t he who answered.   Instead, it
was our executive assistant, Ann.
    “I need to speak with him,” I said.
    “I’m afraid that’s impossible,
Jennifer.”
    “Why?”
    “Because he’s meeting with the
board again.”
    “The board?   He never meets twice with the board in
two days.   What’s this about?   He has other interviews to give this
afternoon.”
    “Those have been pushed back by at
least an hour.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    “I wish I knew more.   All I know is that the board members
looked unhappy when they arrived here.   It was Stephen Rowe who demanded the meeting.”
    “Demanded?   But he and the rest of the board must
know that those interviews are critical to lifting our stock.   Why would they delay them now when we
need them most?”
    “I don’t even want to think about
it,” she said.   “I don’t even want
to know.”
    “Please tell Alex to call me the
moment he’s free.”
    “I will.”
    “We’re going to Cartier now.   Later tonight, Bernie and Barbara will
style me for the evening.   But I
hope to hear from him before then.   I’ll be home by four at the latest, and I’ll see him there when he
returns.”
    “I’ll let him know,” she said.   “If he has even a moment, I’m sure he’ll
call.”
    But he didn’t.  
    By the end of the day, Alex hadn’t
returned my call yet.   My mind was
in overdrive, reaching out for ways to help my husband.   For several moments, I thought through
what I had in mind, and decided that, even if nothing came from it, it would be
best to find out rather than do nothing at all.
    And so I called Tank, who answered
on the first ring.
    “Jennifer?” he said.   “Is everything all right?”
    “I’m wondering if you’d be willing
to do me a favor?” I asked.
    “Anything.”
    “You might not want to say
‘anything’ so quickly.”
    “All right….   So, what can I help you with?”
    “Do you know Stephen Rowe?”
    “Of course I do.   He’s on the board.   And, by the way, he’s a sonofabitch.”
    I ran my hands through my
hair.   “Do you know anything about
him?”
    “What are you really asking,
Jennifer?”
    “Alex is in trouble.   It’s become clear that Rowe wants to do
him harm, and I can’t accept that.   He’s actively trying to take Alex down as CEO.   I think he wants to try to oust him from
Wenn.”
    “Because of the falling stock?”
    “Among other things.”
    “What do you need?”
    I told him what I had in mind.   It was a moment before he spoke.
    “If you need this information
before you leave for the party tonight, that won’t give much time to get
it.   And if I can’t get it, it’ll be
either because I can’t get in touch with my guy, or because he refuses to
talk.”
    “Do you mind if I ask whom you’re
referring to?”
    “I’m friends with