Chapter 5: Trouble Looms

"John is that you?", I heard as I answered the phone.

"Yes, Julie it is, what can I do for you?"

"Could you please come down to the office, I think we may have a problem", Julie spurted out.

"OK, I am on my way", I said as I sat on my deck relaxing.

I drove into the office wondering what could possibly be the problem; normally either Rick or Shannon would call me.

When I got to the building the security guard told me that everyone was waiting in my office. Once I was on the elevator I wondered who he meant by everyone.

I walked into the office and looked around at the people sitting around the new conference table Shannon had installed. Everyone was there Shannon sat on what would be my right hand side Rick sat on my left, Julie sat beside Shannon, Jim sat across from her. I went in and sat down.

"OK Julie, what seems to be the problem?" I asked.

"I hate to bother you John, but I think we have a problem with the Electrical division." Julie started, "I have tried to talk to Brian but he has not returned my calls."

"OK what is going on?"

"They have been spending money like crazy and so far they have fired more than half of the people we have hired for them" Julie responded.

"It's true John. I have looked over the books and there seems to be a real hole in our finances there. I discussed it with Rick and he can't understand where the money could be going or what they could be buying", Jim added.

"OK, well I am not going to try and second guess a manager of one of our divisions on money. I gave him an account with 2 Million dollars and I am going to trust him to make proper decisions on how to spend that money, I will look into it though.", I said.

Jim cleared his throat and then said "John I don't know how to say this but he has used all of that initial 2 million and asked for another 2 million which I gave him."

"OH, I see and has he issued you any receipts for the money he has already spent?", I asked puzzled.

"No, not yet. I asked him for the receipts and he told me that you had put him in charge of the division and he would only report to you." Jim countered.

"I guess you all realize this is your fault, when I hired all of you I didn't have to watch what you did you just went out and did the job far better than I had any right to expect and I guess this is what I thought Brian would do. OK, Rick lets me and you go and talk to Brian, we can see what he is up to and maybe everything is fine." I said.

The drive over to the Electrical shop was quiet and thoughtful. Rick did not look very comfortable.

Once we arrived I saw the building was all locked up and there was no one around the shop at all, the yard was a disgrace there were parts everywhere and garbage was all over the ground.

I phoned Brian on his cell phone but got no answer.

I called Shannon and asked if she had keys to the shop, she said she did and said she would be right down.

I called Jim and asked him to close the account for the electrical division and let me know how much money was left; he told me that there was less than $750,000.

"$3,250,000! Does anything here look like it is worth that?" I asked Rick.

"Not that I can see but I am not familiar with electrical stuff so I can't tell", Rick replied.

As we were walking around grumbling about everything Shannon pulled up in a brand new Beemer, I am going to have to ask her about that I thought.

Shannon produced a key and as I walked over to the door I said, "I want you to know that I trust all of you guys fully and it is against everything I believe in to be doing this type of thing. I believe that everyone is capable of doing the right thing and it really hurts me to be sneaking in on someone I hired to do a very important job."

Shannon and Rick nodded and I opened the door.

There was garbage everywhere, it didn't look as if the shop had ever been cleaned, I looked around and wondered how it could get so messed up it was only 2 months old.

"OK let's get some people in here to do a complete inventory, I will want the locks changed as of today and all electrical employees to be contacted and interviewed about what is going on here. We better get a hold of the electricians that were dismissed as well", I said.

Shannon said, "I told security to send a team over here when I was on my way over so they can secure the building and property."

I nodded.

"Shannon could you please give Rick a ride back to the office? I have a couple of things I need to do."

"Sure no problem", Shannon said.

I got into my pick up and drove away from the site. My mind was wandering and I spotted a pub on my way, I stopped went in and ordered a double rye and coke.

I was fully plastered when I looked up and saw Shannon and Rick sitting across the table from me.

"Well I really fucked this one up didn't I", I slurred.

"How were you to know he would rip you off, he was a good guy back at the mill" Rick said.

"Yeah, he was a great guy, now he is just some asshole that has screwed me over big time", I said, "Any way have a drink in fact BARTENDER bring us all a drink", I slurred as I passed out.