Dead Wrong (A Cal Murphy Thriller Book 7) by Jack Patterson (ebook reader for pc .txt) 📕

“Another beautiful day in paradise,” Perry said. He paused. “But let’s cut the chit-chat and get down to business. I’ve got to drop my daughters off at National Cathedral School this morning and need to leave within the next thirty minutes.”

“Fair enough. What did you think about the proposal that I sent you?”

“Looks good, but it’s not even close to the offer I’m getting from Nike.” Perry’s phone beeped. It was his office trying to reach him. Why are they calling me now? They know I’ve got an appointment.

“But Ellis has been with us since we started. His name is almost synonymous with the FTW brand.”

Silence. Perry liked to let everyone squirm.

“How much more are we talking about here?” Billups asked.

“Twenty percent more.” Perry’s phone beeped again, alerting him to a call from his office. He ignored it and grew more agitated.

“Twenty percent? I can’t do that.”

Perry grunted. “Can’t or won’t?”

“Both. I’d have to cut loose several athletes who are up for new contracts next month.”

“Who? Your big MLS star? Your WNBA face? Cut all those people out and pool it into Ellis. It’ll pay much bigger dividends for you in the long run. Besides, nobody watches those other sports anyway. Well, at least enough people that marketing to them would matter. Don’t be stupid. Ellis will jump in a heartbeat.”

Perry was all in. He had no offer from Nike or anyone else, nor was he concerned. FTW was virtually starless without Ellis. They built their company on social media, but without a big name star they had no noteworthy content to push out to the public.

“I’ll have to call you back,” Billups said. “This is just far more than I’m authorized to sign for.”

“I understand. But I also have a call with Nike later today. If I don’t see a contract by noon, we’re going elsewhere.”

Perry hung up and sighed. He never lied when he first started, not big lies anyway. But he was desperate now. Desperate to hang on to what he had, even if it was all an elaborate façade. The solid foundation he had built his business on was crumbling, though he had managed to keep it a secret from his wife. With each passing day, he struggled to find new clients and watched a slew leave him for other agents dangling better percentages and promising more lucrative contracts. Yet Perry grew more determined not to let it slip away, no matter what the cost.

He was done losing clients and contracts. Anyone who dared to cross him would pay dearly.

He gathered his folders and called his office. The persistent phone calls in the middle of his negotiation with FTW put him in a bad mood; the failure to get an affirmative answer from Billups heightened his irritation.

“Perry and Associates,” answered his assistant.

“This is Scott. Get me Emma, now.”

“Yes sir, Mr. Perry,” she said as she transferred his call.

“Good morning, Mr. Perry,” said Emma Bridges, one of his research assistants. “How are you—”

“How dare you call me during my appointment? Didn’t you see it listed on my calendar? Plain as day on mine: Meeting with Billups and FTW.”

“But, sir—”

“There are no buts here, Emma. When I have an appointment, don’t interrupt me under any circumstances. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, but I thought it was important.”

“What could be soooo important that you’d break one of the most important rules I ever laid down for you?”

“I don’t know any other way to say this. So, here it goes: Kelvin Jameson is dead.”

Perry covered his mouth with his free hand. “How did this happen?”

“It looks like a drug overdose last night after the game, at least that’s what is going around Twitter. No official statement yet.”

“This is terrible.”

Emma cleared her throat. “Not to be insensitive or anything, but wasn’t his contract backloaded?”

“Don’t remind me. I’ll be in shortly after I drop the girls off at school. We’ll talk more then.”

Perry knew he should’ve apologized, but he didn’t. He wondered about Emma, who was the only one—aside from his accountant—who had any idea that his agency was bleeding out. He’d shown her the financials when they were lying on his desk and she asked about them. As someone who helped prepare negotiations for the contracts, she also knew Jameson’s death would result in a financial hit to his company.

He walked inside and was greeted by his wife Scarlett. She kissed him on the cheek and breezed past him.

“Working hard today already, I see,” she said as she stared at a piece of paper on the kitchen counter.

“Gotta support your spending habits,” he said, half joking.

She waved him off. “Oh, stop it, Scott. You know I’m the most frugal wife you could ever hope for.”

“Is that so?”

She shot him a look and her eyes narrowed. “I hope you’re joking around with me.”

He lied. “Of course, honey. I know I could’ve married a woman with far less regard for my money than you.” The truth was she was bleeding him dry and he didn’t want to enter into another drawn-out spat about it.

“Well, good. The girls are upstairs and will be ready any moment now.”

“Good, because I need to get going.”

She stopped and looked up from her paper. “Trouble in River City?”

“Kelvin Jameson is dead.”

“What? He was such a nice guy. What happened?”

“Possibly a drug overdose. Nothing for certain yet.”

“That’s terrible.” A short pause. “Well, I’ve gotta get going. I have a planning meeting for the Spring Cotillion this morning and then I’ll be playing tennis at the club with Cynthia.” She picked up her keys and waved. “Toodles.”

Perry sighed and called for his girls. He wasn’t looking forward to the day ahead and answering questions from reporters and colleagues about Jameson. But there was always a silver lining to every cloud.

At least my name will be back in the press again.

CHAPTER 4

NIKOLAY GAVIN SMILED and put his arm around the girl who couldn’t have been a day older than