mistakes that Groom had. The company was too big for just one man to rule. He did what Groom had found it impossible to do, and that was to delegate authority. Potter was in overall charge, but now other members of the board were responsible for the various independent divisions of the corporation.
The first few months had been difficult, as shown by the drop in the value of their stocks, but the latest reports from the divisions had been very encouraging.
A grin of satisfaction creased his mouth as he read the figures.
He was still congratulating himself when his assistant ushered Bree and Sam into his office. Potter had been expecting them, but had no idea what Inland Security would want from him. Probably something to do with one of their industries that supplied the military.
Expecting two suited males, he was surprised to find the agents to be a casually dressed male and an expensively dressed, and beautiful, woman.
‘Well what can I do for Inland Security?’ he asked as they shook hands.
‘Frank answers to our questions would be a good start,’ replied Bree with an ingratiating smile.
Potter returned her smile.
‘Of course. Our company is always willing to co-operate with the authorities.’
The three continued with small talk for a while as the agents lulled Potter into thinking this was a periodic occurrence and not an actual investigation. The topics ranged around security procedures being adopted and the latest in security devices.
Finally, Sam decided the time had come. ‘I was wondering why the Briscoe Corporation decided to settle so quickly after losing your case with Toby Brown.’
Potter was taken completely off guard.
‘What?’
Bree smiled at him.
‘My partner asked why your company settled so quickly, after losing to Toby Brown.’
Potter didn’t know what was going on
‘What would make you ask a question like that?’
‘I’m asking that question because I would like to have your answer.’
‘But what has that to do with security?’
‘It has a great deal to do with security. However, we are not at liberty to discuss the details with you. We simply require you to answer the question. Do you want me to repeat it?’
‘I think the reasons are a matter of privacy.’
‘Would you like us to subpoena the corporation for transcripts of all board meetings for the relevant period?’ asked Bree. ‘I’m sure you don’t want to put your staff to that trouble. They might even read the documents as they photocopy them for us.’
Potter realised he had been backed into a corner.
‘It was a commercial decision,’ he blustered. ‘The sooner we settled the question of ownership, the sooner we could purchase the property from Brown, and the sooner we could commence sub-dividing it.’
Sam asked: ‘Why didn’t you appeal the decision? Surely you could have waited that long. You might have won and not had to purchase the property for a second time.’
‘An appeal would have cost us a lot more in legal fees. We saved ourselves a lot by not appealing.’
‘You saved yourselves a lot, compared to the amount of compensation you paid to Toby Brown?’
‘Yes. That’s right.’
Bree and Sam exchanged glances. The first lie.
Bree decided to let the matter rest for the moment and moved on to a different topic. ‘Why did Walter Groom give up the running of Briscoe Corporation?’
‘What’s he got to do with anything? He was a criminal. We’re better off without him.’
‘Was he a criminal before he resigned as managing director, or after?’ asked Sam.
Realising he was being pushed into making admissions he wanted to avoid, Potter decided to tell the truth. Partly. ‘We voted Groom off the board. He wasn’t well liked. We thought he wasn’t an asset to the corporation any more.’
‘Who decided?’
‘The board as a whole.’
‘So who got the board together? Who started the drive to oust Groom?’
Potter reddened: ‘What’s that got to do with anything?’
‘Was it you Mr Potter? Is that why you became managing director?’
‘What are you saying?’
Sam looked at Potter closely: ‘Did you organise the overthrow of Walter Groom, and were you rewarded by being given his job?’
‘The board voted me this position. The board voted to remove Groom as managing director.’
Bree leaned in closer to Potter and looked him in the eye: ‘So the board, with no prior planning, decided unanimously to replace their current managing director. A man who had led the corporation for many, many successful years. A most unusual occurrence wouldn’t you say Mr Potter?’
Potter was trying to think; what could he say, how could he get out of this?
‘Perhaps we had an indication of Groom’s criminal behaviour.’
Bree smiled: ‘Ah! So you were aware of his activities and decided to get rid of him. He would be a liability, wouldn’t he?’
Potter saw a way out: ‘Yes. Of course.’
Sam said: ‘So. Let’s recap. The board, as a whole, knew about Groom’s criminal activities and decided to get rid of him as managing director?’
‘Um. Yes,’ agreed Potter.
‘So why wasn’t he dismissed from the board completely? Why was he allowed to remain as a director?’ asked Sam.
Not giving Potter time to think, Bree quickly added: ‘Groom was officially a director of Briscoe Corporation right up till the day he was killed by Jade Green.’
Sam watched as Potter paled at the mention of Jade Green’s name.
‘Were you a client’s of Jade Green’s?’ asked Bree.
‘No! Never!’ exclaimed Potter.
Sam and Bree rose as one. Bree said: ‘That will be all for now. If we have any further questions we’ll be back.’
They walked towards the door. As they were about to leave, Sam turned to Potter, who sat unhappily behind his desk. ‘By the way, if the entire board knew about Groom’s criminal activities
