Tag: Eli Davenport

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Kingsport #50

“All of Kingsport, Manhattan, London, Paris, and Hong Kong are a twitter with the news of today’s wedding of Montgomery scion, William Harrison Montgomery to Dr. Connor Lorenzo Windsor, both of Kingsport, Connecticut. The wedding ceremony will take place at a private chapel on the Montgomery Estate for close family and invited guests before the reception which is rumored to be hosted in the grand ballroom on the estate for three hundred and fifty people,” explained the Kingsport Press in breathless detail. “William Montgomery, the youngest child of Charles Montgomery, IV and Alison Farrell Montgomery, is the owner of the Kingsport Polo Club as well as the captain for the King’s Polo team. Dr. Connor Windsor, the eldest child of Alistair and Raquel Windsor, is a surgeon at Fairfield County Hospital…”

Jill Stanhope Montgomery tossed the newspaper aside as she took a deep, cleansing breath. Although she tried to block out the events of the other from her mind, she couldn’t stop thinking about her moment of passion with Connor. Her body ached for him. He still knew everything that made her quiver, cry, moan, and melt. Warren hadn’t had sex with her in three months. To have a man inside of her…on top of her…and ravaging her made Jill want nothing more than to run off with the man who was due to marry her brother-in-law at eleven o’clock this morning.

“Are you ready?” Warren Montgomery walked into his wife’s dressing room as he fastened his nineteenth century cuff links.

“DeShawn will be here to do my hair in a few minutes. We won’t be late.”

Warren eyed Jill carefully. “We can’t be late for my brother’s wedding,” stressed Warren. “I’m his best man.”

Jill fastened an emerald and sapphire bracelet around her wrist. “We’ll be early,” smiled Jill, lightly.

“We should’ve stayed at the estate last night,” muttered Warren. “With all of the out of town guests coming in today, there may be traffic.”

“We’ll be fine,” sighed Jill. “Warren, I want to apologize.”

“For what?”

“Everything. I know I haven’t been myself recently and I am sorry. I should have put my personal beliefs and feelings aside when it came to Will’s wedding.”

Touched by his wife’s sudden about face, Warren kissed her forehead. “That means a lot. Thank you, Jill.”

Just then, the doorbell rang as Jill’s phone bleated to life. “That’s DeShawn. Showtime,” tittered Jill.

            “I don’t think we should be talking right now,” Nicholas said into his cell phone as he waited to climb into an idling black town car. “What we did the other night…”
“We didn’t do anything wrong. It was just a kiss,” whispered Will.

“You’re getting married today. I knew it was a bad idea letting myself get sucked into your orbit again,” snapped Nicholas.

“Please don’t be mad at me, Nicholas. I… I was in a weak state and I should’ve known better,” stammered Will. “I just… Help me make sense of what to do, Nicholas.”

“I can’t, Monty. You’re on your own.”

“Nicholas…”

“Monty, I can’t be your talk-to. If you want to marry Connor, marry him. If you don’t, call it off. Either way, the decision is yours. I can’t… No, I won’t be your consolation prize or back-up plan. Whatever you do next, you have to do it on your own.”

The chapel on the Montgomery Estate was last used on the occasion of Warren’s wedding to Jill. Outside of that, the chapel sat dormant except of weekly cleanings and the off times when the Montgomery family would use it to repent for sins of the past, present, and future. Sheila Davenport, Dylan Davenport, Lisa Davenport Collins, Jackson Collins, Oliver Collins, Elijah Davenport, Faren Davenport, and Nicholas Davenport made

their way into the chapel past the assembled press dressed in their finest wedding couture. Eli led Faren towards the holding area where she joined her cousins, Hannah and Kate Montgomery, the other flower girls in the wedding party.

“How tastefully done,” Sheila said to Dylan, who walked by her side.

“I suppose,” muttered Dylan. “I’m surprised Charles allowed the press to attend.”

Sheila pursed her lips. “Raquel Windsor begged for press coverage. People like Raquel think the Montgomerys are a royal family.”

“Aren’t they?” mused Dylan.

“Royalty doesn’t have this much money,” tutted Sheila.

“I didn’t think you’d come to your ex-boyfriend’s wedding,” Lisa whispered to Nicholas as they made their way to their pew.

Nicholas lowered his eyes before saying, “If I didn’t come, people would talk. I’m happy for them.”

Lisa gave Nicholas a curious stare. “All right. If that’s the story you want to tell…”

“Drop it,” Nicholas ordered his sister. “Let’s enjoy the wedding.”

In a small sun drenched waiting room, Will waited calmly as Warren finished tying his bow tie. “Is everyone here?” worried Will.

“Yes,” said Warren, calmly. “Uncle Walton and his brood just showed up.”

“How do you know for sure?”

“Jill texted me. Everything is going to be fine, Billy.”

Will forced a smile onto his face. Despite everything that had happened, he could feel the clouds lift. He was getting married today to the man he loved! Will couldn’t think of anything more wonderful. A second later, the clock stuck eleven. Without a word, Will drew a deep breath before leaving the room and walking towards the altar.

It had been agreed that Will would begin the processional with Alison and Charles followed by Connor and his parents. After what seemed like years of stress and worry, Will cast a confidant eye over the his wedding guests. They were dressed in their finest morning clothes just for the occasion. Even his sister, India, and his sister-in-law, Jill, looked good. Will smiled confidently at Nicholas Davenport because he knew his future was with Connor. As Will took his place at the altar with Warren by his side, they faced up the aisle to await Connor’s entrance. The music swelled and…

Nothing.

Silence.

Three seconds (which felt like six years) ticked by.

More silence.

Someone coughed.

Silence.

People looked at each other with mounting concern coupled with polite society smiles.

More people coughed.

Will turned to Warren with pensive dread in his eyes.

Alison grabbed Charles’ hand with a heavy squeeze. Their eyes locked ever so briefly before they both cast them to the stone floor.

Suddenly, the door to the chapel opened.

Everyone turned around with eager anticipation.

Alistair Windsor stepped into the chapel with a worn look on his face. “We… He’s gone. We don’t know where he is. Will…I’m so sorry.”

Will let out a scream so deafening, it sounded primal. His blood ran cold before he collapsed into Warren’s arms in front of the entire congregation. A second later, everything went black.

 

In our next installment, questions abound in Kingsport…

 

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Kingsport #47

Eli Davenport closed the report on his desk with a slightly bemused smile. Had he known it would be this easy, he would have enacted this plan years ago. Moreover, he never would have involved Charles Montgomery, IV or tried to get his family to act in unison in order to take Davenport Technology private. It seemed that in Meredith’s endless bouts of hubris as the CEO of the company, she and the board had initiated several bond issuances which hadn’t made so much as a blip outside of the board room. Eli hadn’t heard anyone talk about it, but now a source had given him the names of all fifty bondholders along with the size of their debt in Davenport Technology. If Eli could manage to buy each of these bonds, he could, in effect, takeover Davenport by virtue of being its only debt holder. It was a risky proposition, but it was something he needed to explore. The price tag alone was staggering: $1.1 billion. However, if it’s one thing Eli knew how to do it was to raise money quietly before pouncing on his unsuspecting target. His family had rebuffed him as had Charles, but this time, Eli was intent to prove to them that he was the one in charge. Once he took over Davenport Technology, they’d all have to bow to him.

From the darkness of Eli’s bedroom, he thought about what to do next. He quickly dialed a familiar phone number of a contact in Hong Kong to begin raising the financing he would need to buy Davenport’s bonds. In this heady moment, Eli knew his future was all but secure. He could feel his life changing in ways he couldn’t yet imagine… And change his life it would because, in the lives of all great people, hubris proceeds every demise…

“Charles, we need to talk about India.”

Charles Montgomery, IV sat in his bedroom, a scarlet robe draped across his aging, yet firm body. He placed a thick financial report on the end table as he said, “What is it now?”

Alison Farrell Montgomery quietly padded across the room before resting on the edge of the bed. “She’s out of control. She… Charles, while India was in Paris, she accused the man I was seeing of…well…the most horrible things. He denied it. She insisted she was telling the truth. The night of my birthday party, he showed up at the estate with an invitation…which had been sent by India. Charles, I’m terrified about what she’ll do next.”

Charles eyed his wife with grave concern. “Well,” he said after a long moment, “India is mostly harmless…”

“She most certainly is not! Don’t you remember when she set fire to the cottage with Billy inside?”

“India said that was an accident.”

“I’m not surprised she would say that! Charles, the things she accused my former lover of doing almost exactly mirrored what she accused Connor of all those years ago.” Alison took a deep breath before adding, “I don’t think two men who’ve never met each other could possibly conspire to treat India the same way. It’s impossible.”

“We have to believe our daughter.”

“India is dangerous,” snapped Alison. “She’s always been volatile, Charles. For some unfathomable reason, you refuse to see it.”

“She’s our little girl…”

“She’s unhinged. We need to get her help. Real help. We can’t keep enabling her, Charles.”

“I’m not sending India to a funny farm. She’s merely high-spirited, if not just a little high strung.”

Alison gave Charles a look of unwavering disbelief. “You refuse to face the truth about her.”

“Alison, you’re bordering on the histrionic. India is not a threat to anyone. She likes to play games with people.”

“India is not a saint. What she does is not good-natured sportsmanship. It’s menacing. It’s planned. It’s… Someone will get hurt one day, Charles. The way she behaves…it’s a given.”

Charles shook his head with firm disbelief. “She’s been on her best behavior since she returned to Kingsport. Why, she hasn’t interfered with Billy and Connor’s wedding, has she?”

“Not that I’m aware of,” said Alison, coolly. “That doesn’t mean she hasn’t tried.”

“Billy and Connor are getting married in a matter of days. Let’s put our energies behind their wedding day instead of worrying about India.” Charles removed his glasses, took a sip of aged whisky, and stared dolefully at Alison. “You need to have a little faith, Alison.”

Alison rose with a heavy heart. “I don’t have any faith left. I’ve seen what India can do, Charles. I’m scared. For the first time in my life, I’m scared of her. I just hope… No, I pray…that she can resist causing a scene at Billy’s wedding because…knowing her…she’ll make sure their wedding never happens…”

 

In our next installment, Jill makes a plea to Connor…

 

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Kingsport #39

Ada Burke wasn’t a suspicious woman. However, she had the sneaking suspicion that Barbara Wilkes wasn’t a woman who was being completely honest about her past or her life. To Ada, Barbara was the most dangerous kind of woman: The kind who’d become anyone to get anything. However, Ada liked Barbara well enough, but from what she’d seen the other day, she wasn’t sure she could trust her.

Yesterday evening, Ada dropped off a pie for her friend, Doreen’s, picnic the following day. Little did Ada know, but Doreen lived in the same apartment building as Barbara. Ada hadn’t known where Barbara laid her head until Doreen kept gossiping about the young woman whose father…maybe lover…was causing a raucous the other night. It wasn’t until Doreen pointed to the woman and the man that Ada realized it was Barbara. Barbara looked very familiar with a man who had some relation to her, but she didn’t know the true nature of their relationship. In that moment, Ada swore to herself that she would uncover Barbara’s secrets once and for all.

And now, as Ada stood outside of Barbara’s apartment, she raised her first to knock, but she stopped herself. Was this a step too far? Barbara was entitled to her privacy, but something nagged at Ada. Something deep within her soul. She knew that woman was too good to be true…and if she knocked on this apartment door, she could finally prove it. Ada was safe in knowing Barbara was busy working at the Montgomery Estate today, so she screwed up her courage, knocked on the door, and waited.

“Yeah, what do ya want?” Kenny Wilkes belched as he opened the door, clad in his stained underwear.

Ada was aghast at the sight of this slovenly man. She preferred men who cared for themselves…maybe not as well as Charles Montgomery and his sons, but men who tried to look neat, not raggedy. “Oh, I am…from the local church. We’re out collectin’ donations…”

“Stop ya right there, sister. Ain’t interested in no bowing and scraping to some man in the sky.”

Ada quickly took a deep breath as Kenny tried to close to the door in her face. “A friend at church said your wife had donations for us.” She searched his face carefully for any sign of reaction to the word ‘wife’.

“My wife ain’t a good Christian,” snorted Kenny. “Worse than me.”

“Huh.” Ada could feel her lips tremble with glee. “Must’ve been a wrong name. Sorry for wastin’ your time.”

“Hey,” Kenny called after Ada. “I don’t know who put us on that list, but we ain’t poor no more. My girlie’s got herself a job at that big estate with them rich folks. Tell that to your church folk.” With that, Kenny slammed the door in Ada’s face.

As Ada walked outside into the muggy August air, a sense of relief washed over her. Barbara Wilkes was married. She was common! More common than Ada or anyone else she knew. That man was old enough to be Barbara’s grandfather! Ada nearly leapt into the air, but something stopped her. Yes, she may have found out one of Barbara’s secrets, but she worried…and wondered…what else that woman from nowhere could be hiding…

Eli Davenport walked into Charles Montgomery, IV’s office at Montgomery Industries with a purposeful stride in his step. One of the benefits to being the father of Charles Montgomery’s granddaughter was being able to have direct access to this influential man. They greeted each other warmly before Eli said, “Thank you again for agreeing to see me, Charles.”

Charles gave Eli a light smile. “It keeps me from having to deal with Billy and Connor’s wedding plans. I trust you’ll be at the wedding.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Eli quietly cleared his throat. “Charles, I need your help. Rather, I need Montgomery Investments help with a business acquisition.”

“I thought you had contacts from here to Wall Street to Hong Kong and London.”

“I do… I do. However, I want…I would like for this deal to be kept quiet for as long as possible.”

Charles raised a curious eyebrow. While he had been born into unimaginable wealth which stretched back almost as far as the modern book, he wasn’t what one would call an astute businessman. He had teams and teams of analysts, bankers, advisors, and the like who gave the go-ahead on any deal he or the company was considering. Charles wasn’t a born businessman, but he knew how to play the part for the rest of the world. “Do tell me more.”

Eli stared Charles dead in the eye as he said, “I want to takeover Davenport Technology.”

Charles sat in complete silence. For a moment, he feared that his senses had left him. “I’ll need you to repeat that…”

“I want to orchestrate a takeover of Davenport Technology.”

“Why?”

“It’s the right thing to do. I can unlock the potential which lies within the company. The current CEO is lackluster at best. If I don’t do this, someone else will see what I see and make a play for it. I need the backing of Montgomery Investments to fully execute my plan.”

Charles stared at Eli with marked disbelief. “Your mother is one of my closest friends. I admired your father greatly. The company was his legacy to you, your mother, your siblings…”

“This isn’t about family,” seethed Eli.

“It’s about your ego,” corrected Charles, bluntly. “Eli, we are family. India is fond of you and she isn’t fond of anyone. However, I will not betray Sheila by allowing one of my companies to steal her company from underneath her!”

“Davenport Technology is a publicly traded company! It’s not my mother’s company. We may own the largest block of shares, but we don’t have to vote in unison! Besides, we can buy the company’s bonds in order to take over the company by…”

“My answer is no!” snapped Charles, hotly.

“Charles! You and I both know this makes perfect business sense!”

“Eli, I will no betray Sheila and your family because you want to…oh, I don’t know, get one over on them. If this is what you want to do, then find someone else to help you. You’ve often intimated that you’re a business savant, so go and prove it. The Montgomery family and our companies will not be complicit in this action. I’m sorry, but my answer is no.”

“Then… Thank you, Charles.” With that, Eli turned, stormed out of Charles’ office, and out of the building. His mind was spinning at a million miles a minute. Charles Montgomery was his last hope. If Dylan were able to help block Eli’s takeover of the company, then all was lost. However, as Eli replayed the events in Charles’ office, he wondered if he could convince Sheila to vote her shares and Nicholas’ shares with him. After all, if he threw enough money at them and the public shareholders, they’d have to approve the deal. Money did talk and it was a language the Davenports loved more than anything else.

 

In our next installment, Connor tries with Will…

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Kingsport #34

Dylan Davenport sat in the conference room of the Davenport Family Office in downtown Kingsport. He’d come back from Greece early for this meeting, a meeting which he didn’t want to attend, but he felt it would be the only way for his voice to be heard. For Dylan, the issue at hand wasn’t about control as much as it was about ego. Not his; Eli’s. Over the last few weeks, Dylan had read and re-read Eli’s proposal to take Davenport Technology private with varying degrees of worry. Before Dylan could finish his thought, Eli strode into the office, a cup of coffee in one hand, his briefcase in the other. “You’re late,” muttered Dylan as he took his seat at the table.

Eli Davenport gave Dylan a tight, annoyed smile. “It’s always nice to know you’re minding the trains, Dylan.” He took a short sip of the piping hot cup of coffee before adding, “My plane is leaving for San Francisco in two hours. What’s this about, Dylan?”

“I think your plan to take Davenport Technology private is too risky.”

“Says who?”

“Me.”

“Ah,” chortled Eli. “You.”

“Yes, me. Me with an MBA from Harvard. Me who ran the company for ten years…”

“Before you quit,” snapped Eli. He glared at Dylan with simmering contempt. “Your arrogance is breathtaking.”

Dylan clenched his jaw. The one thing he hated about Eli was that his brother always knew how to push his buttons. “Now, wait just a minute…”

“You’re so arrogant, Dylan. You always have been. Just because Mom and the board elevated you to CEO of Davenport when you were thirty-five doesn’t make you some sort of savant. You’re a rich kid whose mommy gave him the top job at the family company. Nothing you’ve done in your entire life has been because of your merit.” Eli snorted with resounding disgust. “You’re a joke.”

Dylan’s eyes narrowed as his breathing quickened. “I took Davenport from $850 million in revenue to $3.5 billion in two years, Eli. What else do you think made the stock price rise? I’m the one who suggested the board increase dividends! Who benefited from that? You and the rest of the family. You want to call me arrogant? Well, look at yourself. You swan around San Francisco like you came from some ghetto when you’ve had just as much money, privilege, and access as me. The Davenport name opens doors and the money that comes with it has allowed you to set up your investment company to become richer than you ever dreamed.” He took a deep breath before saying in a low, controlled voice, “I’m the reason why you are where you are today, Eli.”

Eli held his brother’s eye contact for what seemed like a lifetime. While they were polar opposites, they were alike in many ways, especially when it came to their egos. It was the trait they’d inherited from their father. “Fine.” With that, Eli stood up and started to leave the room. “You can’t stop the plan to take Davenport Technology private, Dylan.”

“Are you sure about that,” muttered Dylan.

“It’s a good plan!” exclaimed Eli. “You’re just jealous because you didn’t think about it first!”

“I don’t want to burden Davenport Technology with over $5.5 billion of debt in order to stroke your ego, Eli. It’s a horrible plan. Before we know it, the vultures will buy up our debt to force a sale of the company or its parts. I will not let that happen!”

“You’re not Dad! You can’t stop me, Dylan. Nick is on my side. Lisa is coming around. You don’t have the power to stop what I know is the right thing to do for our family.”

“Our family?!?! Until a few weeks ago, the only person who’d seen you in years was Lisa. You took your money and your trust fund, moved to San Francisco, traded on our name, and pretended we didn’t exist. My god, Eli! You’re never here and now you want to do the right thing for your family? Man, go to hell.”

Eli could feel the walls closing in on him. He hated it when he and Dylan sparred because they knew each other…the essence of the other so well, everything they said to each other was soaked with historical subtext. “I’ve had enough of this, Dylan. I’m leaving.”

“Of course. Run away like you always do, Eli. See you in another ten years, bro.”

As Eli started for the door, he turned to his brother with a feeling of dread. “I wish I knew why you hated me so much.”

Dylan stared at Eli with utter contempt. “I don’t hate you, Eli; I pity you.”

“Well. At least that’s out of the way. I’ll see you on the vote about taking Davenport Technology private.”

Dylan rose from his seat with a diffident air. “You are not taking the company private. I will not let it happen.”

“You can’t stop me!”

“I can, Eli. When I was CEO, I nominated half of the board. I suggested Meredith to replace me as CEO. Half of Wall Street loves me; the other half wants to sleep with me. And, you’re forgetting one very small detail.” Dylan walked over to his brother with a purposeful stride in his step. When they were nose to nose, Dylan whispered, “If I tell Mom to vote against you, she will. She controls her shares and Nick’s shares. She’ll vote against you as will I. You’ll lose. You know it.”

Without another word, Dylan brushed past Eli and strode out of the conference room.

As Eli stood in the cold room, he thought about everything which had led him to this moment. He thought about his childhood, his years in San Francisco, and the family he barely knew. Yes, Dylan had told a few hurtful truths, but for Eli, none of that mattered. He was going to take Davenport Technology private whether his family supported him or not. It was only a matter of time, planning, and execution. Eli had all of the time in the world. He knew far too well that Dylan had shown his hand too quickly. However, Eli was never one to give up. He would drop this takeover plan all the while building up another one that no one would see coming. The first thing he needed was an ally…and Eli had the perfect one at his disposal.

 

In our next installment, Connor explodes…

 

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Kingsport #25

“Eli, I don’t want to do this.” Nicholas Davenport paced around the living room of his Manhattan co-op apartment as his heart raced a million miles a minute. “I don’t want to join the board of Davenport. I’m not qualified!”

“You don’t have to be qualified because you’re a Davenport. Dylan and I will help you.” Eli gently sipped the ice-cold martini in his left hand. “I know all of this may seem out of left field, but with you on the board, we’ll have intel and more leverage when we take the company private.”

Nicholas turned to face his brother with angst written all over his face. For all of his life, Nicholas had been an after-thought, especially in the light of his father’s disappearance thirty years ago. Nicholas’ childhood had been marred by sadness and grief; no one took an interest in him, so he took an interest in everyone else. After flitting from career to career and failed venture to failed venture, the last thing Nicholas wanted was the burden of sitting on the board of a publicly listed technology company. “You can take the company private without me. Our family owns a majority of the stock. Eli, please drop this plan. I don’t want to do it.”

Eli stared at his brother carefully. He knew Nicholas could be a little wimp, but this was entirely unbecoming. “Nick, you need to understand that I’ve always tried to help you.”

“When?” asked Nicholas, incredulously. “We’ve barely spoken in… What? Three years?”

“I’ve been busy.” Eli cleared his throat. “Regardless, I’ve always kept an eye on you. Always. Ever since you were a baby.”

“You were barely around! After Dad vanished, you went away to boarding school. So much for being a brother.”

“I was sent to boarding school,” corrected Eli. “Mom couldn’t stand to be around me and she still hates the sight of me. I’ve learned how to live with it. But you have to know, Nick, that I always tried to protect you when you were little. Always.”

Nicholas gave Eli a quizzical stare. This was the first time in their relationship that Eli had shown a modicum of love or concern for him, let alone said it out loud. “I appreciate that, Eli. However, I don’t want to sit on the board of Davenport.”

“You’ll do what’s good for you,” whispered Eli. “You need to put your family first.”

“Like you have?” countered Nicholas, hotly. “You live in San Francisco and do whatever you please. All I want is to be in control of my money without having to go to Mom whenever I want access to my trust fund. I want nothing to do with Davenport Technology.”

“You’re such an entitled brat,” bit Eli. “It’s time for you to step-up and be a man for your family. You’ve had everything handed to you your entire life, Nick. Everything. You can’t want the rewards without doing any of the work. Maybe that’s why all of your careers and ventures fail.” Eli walked over to Nicholas and stared at him in the eye. “I’m putting your name forward to take Patrick Petersen’s seat on the board. End of. This isn’t up for discussion. The family will vote you in and that will help us take back control of the company.” Eli patted Nicholas on the arm as he walked towards the entry of the living room. “I’ve done more for you than you’ll ever know, Nick. It’s time for you to do this for me.”

Nicholas thought about Eli’s words long after he left. He couldn’t understand or fathom what Eli meant, especially when Eli had been a non-factor for so many years in his life. Nicholas wanted to call Lisa or Dylan for more information, but when it came to Eli, everyone went silent. Hell, when it came to the disappearance of their father, Larry, everyone went mum. The only facts Nicholas knew about his father were culled from the press and the collective memories of his mother. Outside of that, Nicholas couldn’t remember the man who had once loved him. In that moment, Nicholas had a thought: Maybe if he sat on the board of Davenport, it might be a way to honor the father he couldn’t remember and never knew. That thought alone filled Nicholas with joy. Maybe, thought Nicholas, sitting on the board of Davenport Technology could be just the thing for the rest of the family to take him seriously…and for him to take control over all aspects of his life…

“I think all of this is a big pipe dream,” Lisa Davenport Collins whispered to her brother, Dylan, by his pool. “Where is Eli going to get four billion dollars to take Davenport Technology private?”

Dylan took a long sip of his Tom Collins. “First of all, Eli will have to pay a premium for Davenport. With fifty million shares outstanding and a twenty percent premium on the eighty dollar a share price, he’d have to pay $4.8 billion to feasibly take the company private without upsetting the other shareholders.” Dylan took a small bite of his club sandwich before adding, “Actually, I’d expect the board to force him to pay five or six billion dollars to take the company private. They may not go for it.”

Lisa laid back on the lounge chair as she let the hot July weather sweep over her. “We control the majority of the shares, Dylan. Isn’t this our decision?”

“In theory, but we can’t make a unilateral decision such as this without bringing it to the board and the shareholders.” Dylan finished his sandwich as he turned to Lisa. “I actually think it’s a smart idea.”

“You do?!?” Lisa gulped down the rest of her white wine. “I thought you were against it!”

Dylan shrugged. “I don’t want to run the company… I’ve given enough of my life to Davenport Technology, but having the family own the company again outright while ensuring its long-term future is exciting to me. The only downside is having to work so closely with Eli.”

Lisa sighed heavily. “He’s not that bad,” she said, firmly.

“He’s always up to something, Lisa. I bet he didn’t even ask Nick if he wanted to be nominated for the board. Eli works in an underhanded way to get what he wants. Nothing he does is out of the goodness of his heart.” Dylan exhaled sharply. “I think we should all be on our guard where Eli is concerned.”

“I think you’re holding onto the past, Dylan. I’m the only one who has even been in touch with Eli over the years and he’s changed. We all have,” Lisa added, quietly. “I’ve made mistakes. You’ve made mistakes. However, I don’t think it’s prudent or wise, for that matter, to judge someone by who they used to be rather than who they are now.”

Dylan stood up, walked to the outside bar, and poured himself a tumbler of water. “Believe what you like, Lisa.”

Lisa shook her head with annoyance. As much as she loved her big brother, she hated the way he held a grudge and refused to see the good in people. She knew that Dylan could be ridged, firm, and unmoving. She also knew that Dylan had a big heart and had been hurt time and again by the women in his life. The only thing Lisa wanted for Dylan was for him to learn how to love…how to forgive…and how to let go. “Dylan, if we do vote to take the company private, you’re going to have to find a way to repair your relationship with Eli…so will Mom.” Just then, Lisa’s smartphone began to ring. She looked at the screen to see it was Oliver’s nanny. “Tanya,” she said as she moved to the pool house, “is everything all right?”

Dylan watched his sister walk off as memories of the past flooded his mind. Along with Eli and Sheila, Dylan was the only other person who could possibly remember the events which transpired on the night that Larry disappeared from the face of the earth. He could vividly recall Eli shouting at Larry as Nick cried upstairs… Sheila and Eli got into a fight… Eli chased Larry out of the house… Dylan tried to stop him, but Sheila ordered him to stay in the house… After what seemed like days, Eli returned, wet, cold, and covered in mud. Larry was never seen again. The memories proved to be too potent. Dylan quickly grabbed a clean crystal tumbler and filled it with ten-year-old whisky. He downed the soothing liquid as he tried to erase those memories from his mind. However, the only thing that raced through Dylan’s mind were the words Eli said when he walked into the house, “I tried to stop him… I tried…” Dylan didn’t know what he meant. Eli never offered up any more than that. It had altered the course of their lives. Dylan knew Eli held the missing piece of Larry’s disappearance and until his brother spilled his guts, Dylan refused to trust him ever again.

In our next installment, Alison confronts Charles…

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Kingsport #24

Barbara Wilkes approached the door to Alison Farrell Montgomery’s bedroom suite with great trepidation. She had been warned by Mrs. Taplin to knock twice, count to five, enter the suite, turn right, walk to the last door at the end of the hall, knock twice, count to five, and enter the sitting room where she would find Mrs. Montgomery. After that, Barbara would be at the whim of the lady of the house before going down into the staff room where the staff answered calls, collected mail, and handled the day-to-day scheduling for members of the family. Barbara was assigned to Mrs. Montgomery for the duration of her trip to Kingsport. Every bone in Barbara’s body told her that she had to excel with Mrs. Montgomery while ensuring she never put a foot wrong. This was her moment.

When Barbara stepped into the bedroom suite, her mouth fell open. She stood into a corridor which seemed to go on forever with doors leading to one room or another. Had she not been told exactly what to do by Mrs. Taplin, Barbara would have been terrified about what to do next. She took a deep breath, screwed up all of the courage inside of her, and approached the door to the sitting room.

Barbara knocked twice on the door and waited for what seemed like hours. Finally, a firm voice said, “Come.” With that, Barbara deftly opened the door to the sitting room to find Alison Farrell Montgomery sitting on a love seat with a spread of newspapers in front of her. “Good morning, Mrs. Montgomery,” Barbara said, softly.

Alison extended a finger towards a table which had already been set for breakfast. Fresh flowers, silver salt and pepper shakers, and sterling silver cutlery sat on a linen tablecloth she had no doubt pressed weeks ago. “There will do,” said Alison, evenly.

Barbara took a quiet breath as she placed the tray on the perfectly laid table. “Enjoy your breakfast,” Barbara said, quietly.

“What is your name?” Alison snapped as she watched this unknown maid walk across the room like someone who’d just shoplifted.

“Oh, I’m Barbara.”

Alison eyed this young woman carefully. What she saw didn’t frighten her or intrigue her. Alison found her to be a perfectly unassuming woman who seemed to try too hard to be just right. “Barbara.” Alison let the name linger in the cherry blossom scented air. “I suppose Mr. Hurley has informed you that you’ll be assisting me as needed while I’m in town for my son’s wedding. Please call Mrs. Davenport’s office to arrange a cocktail hour with her at the estate or her mansion at six o’clock this evening. The location isn’t important to me. Also, call my house in Paris and tell Marianne to arrange with my dressmaker to be flown out by next week for the initial designs for my outfits for my son’s wedding. Tell Mr. Hurley to inform the family office that flights and accommodation will need to be made for this trip. I’d like my car brought around by ten o’clock; I will not need a driver. Lastly, I’ll need a copy of my schedule and my husband’s schedule emailed and printed out for me every morning. Oh, and Barbara, do bring a pen and notepad as I do not repeat myself.” Alison rose from the loveseat, a vision in an expertly tailored dress, and sat at the breakfast table. “You may go.”

Barbara nodded, walked quickly towards the door, and stepped into the corridor as she tried to fight back tears. While Alison hadn’t been horrible to her, she wasn’t prepared for the onslaught of demands from this intimidating woman. Barbara tried to recall everything Alison had told her. She had to remember it all because if she didn’t, she’d be back in the bowels of the mansion folding linen with Ada. The more Barbara thought about it, the more she swore something like that would never happen to her again. She made it upstairs. She wasn’t going anywhere.

“What is the point of this meeting?” asked Dylan Davenport to no one in particular. He crossed his legs while removing his sunglasses. Dylan had plans to leave for Greece this morning, but due to Eli calling an emergency meeting with the family, he was now seated in the conference room of the Davenport’s family office in Kingsport. “Eli, I do not appreciate being summoned.”

“Neither do I,” sniffed Lisa. “Mom, do you know anything about this?”

Sheila Davenport sat at the far end of the table, her gaze averted from Eli’s. “No,” she said, quietly.

Eli Davenport glanced at his family with mounting irritation. For all of their education, money, status, and power, they weren’t the brightest people. “I called this meeting because of Nick.”

Nicholas felt his stomach do a triple flip. “I didn’t ask for a family meeting,” he huffed. “I’m supposed to be in the Hamptons right now, Eli.”

“I’m aware everyone has plans, but this is important,” began Eli. He stood before his family, shoved his hands into his pockets, and stared at them. “Nick came to see me in San Francisco on Wednesday. He wanted me to buy his stock in Davenport Technology in order to free himself from the family.”

“How could you?!?” shrieked Sheila. She turned to her youngest child with fury in her eyes. “This is why you aren’t in control of your trust fund!” hissed Sheila.

“I’m not having this fight with you again, Mom!” Nicholas said, hotly. “It’s my stock!”

“I didn’t want that to start a fight,” said Eli, calmly. “Mom, you’re upset with Meredith about the way she’s running the company. I don’t blame you. Luckily for us, she didn’t go ahead with the stock buyback, but she still has the board’s approval to do so which gives her an immense amount of leverage. Ever since Dylan quit as the CEO of Davenport, we’ve all been a little anxious about the future of the company.”

Dylan shot Eli a terse look. “Thanks, bro.”

“He has a point,” added Lisa. “None of us have been overly thrilled with Meredith’s vision for the company. She seems to have big ideas without the team to execute them.”

Eli nodded in agreement. “Exactly. The dividend is what keeps us from making a ruckus, but I think it is time to make a lot of noise. Davenport Technology is our legacy. Jeremiah Davenport founded the company one hundred years ago with a hope and a dream. I think it’s time for the company to return to its roots.”

Sheila looked at Eli with a mixture of anger and intrigue. While she and her son had a rocky history, she didn’t trust him; however, she respected the fact that he was a brilliant businessman. “What are you suggesting, Elijah?”

“I think the first thing we need to do is nominate Nicholas to the Davenport Technology’s Board of Directors. Patrick Petersen is stepping down at the end of August. The search to replace him has yielded subpar results. Nick is a Davenport, he has some media cache, and it’ll get us press. ‘Davenport Scion Sits on the Board’! It’ll boost the stock price,” Eli said without missing a beat.

Nicholas shifted uncomfortably as all eyes turned to him. “I don’t want to sit on the board,” he whined, listlessly.

“You do need something to do,” reasoned Dylan. “It’s not like you have a real job or anything.”

“I think it’s a very good idea,” Sheila added. “Nicholas, it will be good for you. It will be good for the family.”

“I’ll mentor you as best as I can.” Eli took another deep breath. “Actually, having Nicholas on the board will give us an ‘in’ we haven’t had since Dylan quit the company.” Eli took in a sharp breath as he eyed his family carefully. In a low voice, Eli added, “I want to take the company private again. We can assume control, ditch our shareholders, and make Davenport a company of the future. We can invest in the future while doing what we do best. No more stock buybacks. We won’t have to fight with a CEO we hate. The Davenports will be in control of their company and future once again. Who’s with me?”

The Davenports looked at each other with masked faces. Each of them knew that Eli’s proposal was a risk, yet the reward it entailed could transform their lives. On the other hand, if Eli’s proposal failed, it could destroy the Davenport fortune along with the legacy of a great American family. No one knew what to say, yet everyone knew whatever was said next would change their lives forever.

 

In our next installment, Dylan remembers the past…

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