Kelly squared her shoulders and looked him in the eye. “All right. Here’s the truth for you, Mr. Chakaris. I painted your picture in an effort to exorcise my anger at your methods of making money. My father’s death four years ago was the direct result of your ruthless business practices. My mother was never the same once he was gone. Thanks to you, I’ve lost both of them. So the portrait was an effort to deal with some of my anger and hatred of you.”
Chapter Three
N ick knew he had enemies. He’d had to fight hard to get where he was and he’d stepped on a few toes along the way, but he had never been accused of single-handedly destroying someone’s family.
There was nothing about Kelly MacLeod’s demeanor to make him think she was mentally unhinged and she obviously believed what she was saying.
The last time he’d seen her was a few weeks ago when he glanced around from a conversation to see her watching him. She’d immediately returned her attention to her friends.
If he’d known she was the artist of the infamous painting, he would have made an effort to speak to her.
Nick was a little disappointed that her interest in him was negatively based because she intrigued him.
He’d always dated tall brunettes with dark eyes. He would never have guessed that he would be attracted to a petite woman with vivid blue eyes and light blond hair. Yet he definitely was attracted to her and had been since the first moment he saw her years ago.
Kelly made no effort to speak. She appeared calm sitting on the edge of her chair so primly, her ankles crossed and hands folded, appearing as though their discussion was about the latest fund-raising event.
Nick leaned back in his chair. When he spoke, his tone was dry. “I have to say your unflattering portrayal of me was a unique way of expressing your rather violent emotions toward me.”
“Of course you would consider all of this a joke.”
“Not at all. What business did your father own?”
“The Angus MacLeod Company, started by my great-great-grandfather in the late 1800s. He converted the factory for military use during wartime. Afterward, he went back to domestic manufacturing. The factory had been in our family for years…until you decided to add it to your collection.”
At least he had something tangible to follow up on. He picked up the phone on the table by his elbow. When his assistant answered, he said, “Evelyn, please have the files on The Angus MacLeod Company sent in as soon as possible.” He hung up and looked at Kelly. “I’ll be better prepared to discuss this matter with you once I’ve seen the files. May I get you something to drink while we’re waiting?”
Kelly worried her bottom lip with her teeth. There was really no reason for her to stay. It was obvious he had no recollection of what he had done. Why wasn’t she surprised? she thought bitterly. Her throat was dry, she admitted to herself. With a brief nod, she replied, “Water, please.”
He stepped to a nearby wall and pushed a hidden button, causing the wall to move and reveal a well-stocked bar. Everything anyone could possibly want was at his fingertips.
He returned with a crystal glass filled with ice and water.
“Thank you,” she said, taking a sip.
He sat across from her once again and said, “Tell me about your father, if you will.”
“I know none of this means anything to you, but my father was an unusually gifted man. He had a keen appreciation of art and history and was an expert on sixteenth-century English writers. I could not have asked for a more nurturing, loving father.”
Dominic knew the kind of man she described. Many owners of family companies that were barely surviving were like her father. He wondered how to point out to Kelly that being an erudite man in no way qualified her father to run a successful business.
“He sounds like a fine gentleman, Kelly, but nothing you’ve said speaks to his business acumen.”
“He worked diligently at the factory his entire life. He was conscientious and did everything he could to make the business succeed.”
“Your father inherited a thriving business, is that correct?”
She stiffened. “Yes.”
“In general, I’ve found that many family-owned companies are run by a family member who has no idea how to run a business. You mentioned that your father’s interests lay elsewhere.” He paused, carefully choosing his words. “Without educating himself in the field of business, a person would have little concept of how to keep a company going. Perhaps your father was a hands-on owner. I won’t know until I’ve seen the file, but many owners in similar situations allow others to do the day-to-day supervision. A manager might suggest spending capital to modernize the business, but new technology is expensive. Perhaps your father allowed the business to continue without investing more money in it. Of course this is all speculation on my part.”
“My father was diligent about keeping informed. He wouldn’t have let the business run down. Yes, Mr. Chakaris, it is obvious that you never knew my father.” Kelly stood and walked to the wide expanse of glass that gave a bird’s-eye view of Manhattan, her arms gripped tightly against her stomach. Without turning, she said, “My father was a man of integrity. In addition, he was not a lavish spender.”
Dominic walked toward her, his hands in his pockets. “You’re welcome to believe that, of course, but it has been my experience that a home such as yours takes a great deal of money to own and maintain, not to mention the cost of your private schooling and a year abroad studying art.”
She spun around, startled to find him so close. “That’s another thing. You had no right to have me investigated. There is no way you could know about my education without prying into my life. I know exactly what my education cost, Mr. Chakaris, as well as the cost of maintaining my home. Once Dad was gone, Mom and I discovered how precarious our financial situation was. Knowing him, Dad wouldn’t have wanted us to worry about any of this, which is why he’d never discussed the business with either of us. Don’t you know that if I had known, I would never have continued my studies? I’ve had to live with that knowledge since he died. In order to care for us, he borrowed money from the bank. He took no money from the factory. He would never have put the factory into jeopardy.”
Nick clenched his jaw before he said something he might later regret. Her temper was finally showing through her icy demeanor but he refused to be baited by a grieving woman who didn’t know what she was talking about. He glanced at his watch, wondering where the hell those files were.
He was irritated with himself for having gotten into a discussion about a particular business of his before bringing himself up to date on it.
Finally, he spoke in a quiet voice. “I’m sure your father was a good man. Since I’m not interested in acquiring a business until and unless it’s obvious that it’s failing, my guess is that, despite his sterling qualities, he wasn’t able to keep his company going.”
There was a tap on the door and Nick turned away with relief. “Come in,” he said.
He was surprised to see Craig until he spotted the thick file in his hand. He lifted a questioning brow.
“Sorry it took so long to pull the file. The name’s been changed and we’ve owned it for several years.”
Nick didn’t look at Kelly. “That’s fine, Craig. Sorry to pull you away from your work.”
“No problem.” Craig left the room and Nick sat behind his desk. For reasons he didn’t quite want to admit, he half hoped to find that he had been wrong about this particular transaction. Not that it was his aim in life to destroy anyone. He owed no one an apology