Paying My Dues

Brandon squirmed in his seat. Dad was talking about taking over his elder son's position. Evidently, they'd discussed and agreed upon strategy as a group before this meeting.

"I appreciate your generous offer but I haven't decided yet if I am even going to fill that position. The plant seems to be operating just fine without it and eliminating it would be a cost-saving measure to the company," I flatly stated.

"Yes, yes, every new manager wants to feel as if they're making a significant positive impact on the company's bottom line, and you're no different in that regard. I, of all people, understand that tactic all too well. However, let's not forget that you've gone from a floor worker to a truck driver, to the COO of a large manufacturer. Just one innocent mistake that you make could cost the company significantly. That's why you need someone like me, who has decades of experience at the helm to help guide you along the way. Plus, I think you owe me after the underhanded way you talked your grandfather into giving me the boot and letting you take over. You must admit, that's just not right, Quinn. Think about it," dad politely demanded.

"I hear what you're saying, dad but I fail to see how I owe you anything on a professional working level. I didn't talk grandpa into anything. I had left the state and was on the other side of the country running away from all of you with no plans to return. Grandpa is the one who found me and persuaded me to return. He then informed me that he had instructed you to pay Brandon and me the same annual wages. Yet, compared to him, I was grossly underpaid the entire time I was employed while you were COO.

"But that's different, Quinn. Surely you have to concur that a four-year degree in Business Administration from GWU warrants a much greater salary than a two-year mechanical certificate from a local community college," he reasoned.

"Under normal circumstances, I'd agree with you, sir. But these were not normal circumstances, were they? For one thing, I desperately wanted to attend GWU as well but you and mom shot me down. I now know that it was because mom wanted me to stick around as her daughter but that's an excuse, not a reason. Secondly, grandpa told me you were to pay us both the same wages, regardless. I've got him on speed dial if you need to be reminded of what he said to you."

"Damn it, Quinn. I lost my job. My whole career has gone up in flames because of you. I've had several interviews but no one will give me a second look. It seems a good reference has not been given when they contact HR about me."

"I instructed HR to pass on an assessment of your performance based upon comments from the managers who worked under you. I had nothing to do with a single comment they made."

"Quinn, son, please. I took out a second and third mortgage on our house and property to bankroll home improvements and Faye's arrangement with us on your behalf. We're falling short of our financial obligations. We won't be able to honor our commitment to Faye if you don't help me. Your grandfather has informed me that if you're able to successfully run the company for a year, he will transfer ownership of his stock directly to you. Brandon and I will be locked out in the cold from our rightful inheritance. I was counting on my birthright to bankroll our future. Without your help, we'll lose the house, and Faye won't get the two million she's already been promised. You're destroying all of our lives in one fell swoop, Quinn. We raised you to be better than this. Show your family some compassion," he entreated.

"You mean like the compassion you and mom showed me when I was unwittingly administered puberty blockers and female hormones? Or the compassion when you gave my brother a brand new expensive Corvette performance car for his graduation present while I received a three-year-old used Nissan Versa? How about the compassion I was shown when you grabbed me and restrained me against my will when you tried to coerce me into your demented plans for my life? That kind of compassion, dad?" He had the good sense to look away.

Mom resented my impertinence. "Your father and I gave you life, Quinn. We raised you to be a better person than what we see here today."

"Person? You simply cannot bring yourself to call me a man to this day, can you? Yes, you gave me life but ever since that day, it seems as though you've done everything possible to extinguish who and what I am, a man. I'm a man, mom, whether you accept it or not."

"What about me, Quinn?" Brandon blurted. "I shared the love of my life with you. I gave you my daughter for Heaven's sake. Everything important to me, I either shared or gave to you. I didn't hold you back as they did. It's not my fault that dad gave you that Versa and not a car like mine. I didn't determine your rate of pay. Why are you punishing me along with them? If you hire me back in the Chief Administrative Officer position, the job I've held for years, I could help you grow the company according to YOUR vision, Quinn. We could be the unbeatable team of the Davenport brothers, ready to take on the world!"

"Yes, you gave me everything ex-brother except the truth. What you GAVE me was a pack of lies, which makes you a thief AND a liar. You stole Jenny from me when we were engaged to be married and intentionally ruined our wonderful relationship. You stole from me an exclusive relationship with Faye, who purported to love only me. You stole the belief that I had a biological child and deceptively passed yours off as my own. You stole my thunder at work by taking credit behind my back for my efficiency improvements, claiming they were ideas that you had directed me to implement. I had no inkling you'd done that until grandpa told me. You stole from me WAY more than you ever gave me Brandon." He too had nothing to counter my assertions and grew quiet.

Faye decided to make her plea, "Quinn, honey, I want you to think about something. Think about the fifteen blissful years we had as husband and wife before you discovered Brandon's involvement. Before you blew up our lives, weren't we both happy? I mean, genuinely happy? They were the best years of MY life as well, Quinn, not just yours. You may not believe that I could love you and still do what I did. You're wrong. I love you more than life itself. You ripped the heart out of my chest when you cast me aside so callously. I can't help but love you damn it. You're too wonderful of a man not to. Listen to me, Quinn Davenport and you listen to me good. I'll cast everything and everyone else in my life aside right now if you'll allow me to make you the happiest husband alive. I did it once before, and I can do it again. It will be just you, me, and Tamara, only the three of us like it was before. I'll disown Brandon, and your parents forever if you'll let me be your 'everything' again, please, Quinn, PLEASE!" She sobbed uncontrollably.

Luisa was squeezing my hand so hard I thought she would break my fingers. I could tell that she was about to explode. I patted her hand reassuringly. She relaxed realizing that I was not being swayed by Faye's impassioned plea. What fascinated me was Brandon. How on earth could he sit still after the woman he'd conspired to be with for years had profusely professed her profound love for me, was beyond me. Was this all more staging for my benefit?

"Faye, your betrayal hurt the most. I had become accustomed to my mom, dad, and my brother's indifference to my feelings as I was growing up. I had learned to compartmentalize their behavior and inoculate myself against it. But you were the one person from whom I should have not needed protection. You made solemn vows to me before God and a host of witnesses. Vows that you never intended to keep. Vows that were never kept for a single day. I've got to hand it to you; you were one of the best call girls money could buy. Yes, I was happy, happy because I mistakenly placed my trust and faith in you and in our marriage. You didn't simply fracture my trust in you, Faye, you annihilated it. It can never be restored. Since you have lied to my face ever since the day I met you, I will never believe another word you say. Talking to me is a waste of your breath."

As if on cue, a tearful Faye reluctantly nudged Tamara with her elbow and nodded at her to address me next. "Daddy, I'm so sorry I pushed you away when you and mom separated. I'm ashamed of myself for acting like a spoiled brat. I was wrong. I love you, and I never wanted anything to come between us. You're the best daddy in the whole world, and I really mean that. Our families are struggling right now trying to make ends meet. I don't want to be a burden on anyone, so, I was wondering, would you please take me back, and let me come live with you and be your daughter again? I promise I won't be any trouble. You'll hardly even know I'm there."

Chapter-7

I looked at my former daughter who had clearly been coached. The four villains must either be more desperate than I had previously believed to sacrificially offer her to me this way, or they were scheming to plant a spy in my camp. That was unmistakably the case, and it angered me that they were coaching her on how to manipulate me.

"I'm sure you mean well, Tamara but your REAL parents would be devastated if you were to ever leave them. As you know, I've introduced Luisa here as my bride-to-be. When we get married, we will be working on having a family of REAL children, just like you are to your mom and dad. I'm sure your real parents would never part with their real daughter. You're right where you belong, I could never live with myself separating you from them. I love you too much to ever let that happen."

The group of five looked at me with contempt. The only one crying honest tears was Faye. She was an enigma to me. Could she genuinely still love me in some incomprehensible way? The situation in which they all found themselves was of their own making. Grandpa had fired my dad and my brother, his flesh and blood son and grandson. He'd have never done so unless he knew it was the right thing to do. If I were to hire either of them back for any reason, it would seriously undermine grandpa's confidence in my ability to perform the job he tasked me with. A niggling thought planted a seed in the back of my mind. We finished our meal in silence. I'm certain I would have been yelled at by them under different circumstances but decorum spared me. After finishing our meal, I stood and took Luisa's hand in mine.

"Believe it or not, I'm glad we've all had this chance to air our grievances. Now that we all know where we stand, Luisa and I will take our leave. Since you're all here at my invitation, I'll take care of the check. Please take your time. Luisa? Shall we?"

We paid the check and left them there with their thoughts. Now that we all had the chance to openly express ourselves, hopefully, their future urgency to communicate with me will abate. Besides, now I have several tasks to take care of.

I instructed our HR department to treat Brandon the same as my father concerning recommendations. Any calls requesting references would not be met with appealing responses. Unable to secure another high-paying position in a large business, he took a job as an assistant auto parts store manager.

I wanted some serious retribution on the woman who betrayed me the most. I took two measures to impact her directly. First, I sent a copy of the recording Jerry made during my 'intervention'. Faye's admission that everything said was 100% true got her fired from her job for FMLA fraud. Her employer also sent notices to all other dentists and orthodontists in the county. No one else would hire her in that field. She finally landed a job as a bank teller. But I wasn't done. On the advice of my attorney, I stopped the divorce action against Faye. Then we turned right around and filed for an annulment owing to the fraud and deception that had been perpetrated on me from the very beginning. That recording was worth its weight in gold. An annulment would be as if we had never married. She would be forced to resume her maiden name, Dunham at least until she married Brandon. I realize it was petty but just the aggravation I was causing her by having to go through that process made me smile. My attorney managed to arrange an initial hearing quickly. The judge had listened to the evidence but ordered verification of Tamara's paternity via DNA analysis before proceeding. I was happy to oblige.

Dad remained unemployed, mom had never worked, and Brandon had taken a huge cut in his income, yet neither had put their lavish homes up for sale. Faye's bank teller income couldn't be keeping Brandon afloat. It would be spent primarily on Tamara. I would have thought that some downsizing might have been in order for both households. Yet they still maintained their memberships in the expensive prestigious country club to which they belonged. Something wasn't adding up. My thoughts began to crystallize. The following day, I hired a forensic accountant to analyze the company's financial records searching for any anomalies. I instructed my staff to allow them access to any records and information that was requested. I made it clear to them that nothing was to be withheld.

Two weeks later, a comprehensive report revealed that over the past twenty years, slightly more than seven million dollars had been embezzled through two shell companies that existed only on paper. These two entities were presented as suppliers of raw materials used in paint manufacture. However, the materials purported to be provided were duplicates of other genuine invoices for legitimate materials received and used. Each one of the falsified bills of lading delineating the non-existent materials was signed by the same man, the head of our receiving department, Fred Rice. Fred was nearing retirement. I had always liked him and would never have suspected his involvement in anything underhanded. A thorough analysis exposed the fact that one of the shell companies was overseen by Brandon Andrew Davenport, and the other by Brandon Andrew Davenport, junior. My brother had been involved in the embezzling scheme even while he was still in high school! Dad had to be the mastermind to set everything up. Suddenly Brandon's expensive Corvette graduation gift now made perfect sense. The falsified invoices averaged just under $30,000.00 per month, totaling nearly $350,000.00 per year. It was a systematic siphon that was always supported by legitimate purchase orders.

When I finally presented all of the evidence to grandpa, every 'i' was dotted and 'T' was crossed. I didn't want him to think I was trumping up charges for petty retribution of any kind. He told me that he had suspected that something shady was going on with the financial numbers right under his nose at the plant but never suspected his son and grandson as the culprits. The forensic accountant laid out an impressive easy-to-follow path for laymen to understand and explained it once again to the police department financial crimes detectives. Fred was brought in for questioning and booked after his confession. He'd been paid two grand per month for his part, clearing $480,000.00 over the twenty-year time frame. What was most interesting is that Fred had continued signing and processing the fake materials receipts even after dad and Brandon had been fired. Here they were pleading poormouth to me while they were still being remunerated like kings!

Grandpa, as the CEO, sadly pressed formal charges against the three. They were arrested, charged with felony theft, and released on low bail since the crimes they were accused of committing were non-violent.

I fully expected some scathing responses from them but I had no idea what form it might take. Luisa was prepared to deflect them should they call the office but there wasn't a single call attempt from any of them. It was eerily unsettling. My attorney indicated that DNA results confirmed that I was not Tamara's biological father. The final annulment hearing had been docketed to take place in three weeks. I urgently wanted to be legally free of Faye.

Luisa had taken a day off to spend visiting Juan, her father. The temp who took her place for the day was unfamiliar with my circumstances and put a call through to me from Tamara. Not wanting to air dirty laundry in front of the temp, I said nothing to her but decided to treat it as a formal call.

"This is Quinn Davenport. Hi Tamara, how are you?" I said in an upbeat voice.

Sniffling, she replied, "I didn't know who else to call. A boy I know from school brought me out here to the quarry. He was getting too fresh, so I slapped him hard to discourage him. He got angry and left me out here all alone. Mom would kill me if she knew I came out here with a boy by myself. I just need a safe ride back home. You're the only one I trust to not tell on me. Would you come out here and get me? Please?"

Even though I knew she was not mine biologically, she still could tug at my heartstrings. What high schooler doesn't get in a fix now and then that they don't want their parents finding out about? I sympathized with her plight and was proud of her for standing up for herself.

"Sure, Tamara. I'll be there as soon as I can. Give me about twenty-five minutes. Meanwhile, if any other kids show up before I get there, just stay out of sight in the woods until I arrive."

"Thanks for coming to my rescue. You're the best. I'll be waiting," she advised.

I informed the temp that I would be out running an errand for a while, and for her to take messages until I returned. There is a swinging gate at the quarry about fifty yards from the parking lot where most teenagers park to make out. The parking lot itself is about fifty yards from the edge of the quarry, which is a steep drop-off to the bottom, 140 feet below. Huge boulders lined the bottom. Many rock climbers would scale the ledge to the bottom for practice in honing their skills. The chain to the gate had been cut as usual as the unwanted visitors ignored the many posted no trespassing signs. I didn't see any other vehicles present, which was as expected. I called out to Tamara and was blindsided by the response.

"She isn't here," Brandon said as he moved out from behind a tree.

"That's right, Quinn," Faye concurred as she revealed her presence as well.

"What?" I exclaimed. "If that's the case, then why are you two here? What's going on?"

"Tamara was never here, Quinn. She made that call from school as we asked her to do. Faye and I just want to have a little talk with you and grandpa to clear up some things and hopefully set a few things right again," Brandon said placidly. "Look, all we want to do is talk, okay? Grandpa doesn't know the truth about what's going on. We want a chance to explain our side of the story. That's all this is, alright?"

"Well, if you want to talk to him, why didn't you call him instead of dragging me out here?"

"Grandpa isn't taking our calls because he believes we're on opposite sides, thanks to you. But he'll take your call. That's why you're here. We want you to call him and ask him to come here to meet you, so we can talk to you both. After we've said what we need to say, we'll leave you alone. Fair enough?" Brandon said convincingly.

"I don't like being used like this. If you want to explain something to grandpa, why not just send him a letter? That should work just as well." I explained.

"A letter is not the same as in person and you know it. Besides, we'd never know if he would just throw it away without reading it," Brandon surmised.

"Look. I'm not going to get in the middle of anything between you and grandpa. You need to work that out on your own without me. I want nothing to do with this. I'm leaving."

"Not so fast," Brandon advised as he pulled out a handgun from behind his back. "Listen, Quinn. I don't want to hurt anyone. I just want to talk to grandpa, okay? Here, read this to him when you call him. Make it sound convincing, okay? After I've said my piece, you'll both be free to go. I swear," he expounded.