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ôRubbish,ö said Diedrich. ôDonÆt listen to your dad with his twisted ideas of the truth, honey. You just do what you want to do, and let us figure out how to get out of this mess.ö

ôAre you sure? Because Dad seems to feel I have a lot to contribute.ö

ôYes, IÆm sure. Your dad has wasted his life in the pursuit of idle passions. Please donÆt make the same mistake. You just follow your heart, sweetheart. And forget about this convergence nonsense.ö

Inari seemed to perk up at this. She took a seat on the couch next to her granddad, only when she put her sneakers up onto that fine leather, he gave her a not-so-grandfatherly look and she quickly lowered them to the floor again.

ôThereÆs one more thing we need to ask you, Inari,ö said Odelia. ôIs it true that you and Ebony Pilay were engaged in an argument last week? You were heard telling her to stay away from your dad or else.ö

ôYou used some very strong language, according to a witness we spoke to,ö said Chase.

The girl had the decency to blush.ôI may have said a few things in the heat of the moment,ö she said. ôBut she had it coming,ö she rallied. ôAll sheÆs interested in is my dadÆs money. If he wasnÆtthe Cotton Karat she wouldnÆt give him the time of day.ö

ôThe same thing can be said for most of the women my son has dated,ö Diedrich pointed out.

ôEbony Pilay is a horrible person,ö said Inari, ôas everyone who knows her will tell you. I happen to know her ex-PA, and he said sheÆs the worst person in the world. She made him work day and night, paid him a pittance, and treated him like dirt.ö

ôLook, if your dad wants to date women like that, itÆs his funeral,ö said Diedrich.

This made Odelia and Chase raise their eyebrows in surprise.ôWasnÆt it your idea to break off the affair by sending your son into rehab, sir?ö asked Chase.

Diedrich grunted,ôTobias came up with that one. But sometimes you have to admit a person is beyond salvage. Cotton isnÆt six years old anymore. I canÆt make him behave.ö

ôWhat are you going to do, Grandpa?ö asked Inari, affectionately placing her head on her grandfatherÆs shoulder.

ôI donÆt know, child. But it looks as if weÆre going to have to cut your dad loose.ö

ôWhat do you mean?ö

ôRemove him from the company once and for all. In other words: sever all ties. Professionally, at least,ö he added for Odelia and ChaseÆs sake. ôCotton will always be a beloved son, but maybe not the Karat Group CEO anymore. After all, enough is enough.ö

Chapter 23

We met up with Jared Karat at the office. The man might not have an office as nice as his brother Cotton, but it was still nice and big enough. Jared was the companyÆs CFO, which meant that he was in charge of the groupÆs financial affairs.

ôShoot,ö said Jared once we were all settled in. HeÆd raised his eyebrows when Odelia and Chase had waltzed in, accompanied by two cats, but then a man who works for a luxury goods company probably doesnÆt bat an eye at the peculiarities of his customers.

He looked a lot like his brother, actually, only his face was more lined, and the horn-rimmed round glasses he wore lent him a more intellectual aspect. He was dressed to impress, though, in a Brooks Brothers suit if I wasnÆt mistaken.

ôYour dad tells us that you have no interest in being CEO,ö said Chase, not beating about the bush. ôWhy is that, exactly?ö

The man smiled.ôIs this the part where youÆre going to get all Freudian on me and tell me I harbor a deep-seated grudge against my older brother and have wanted to smother him since I was in the cradle?ö

Chase gave him an indulgent smile in return.ôIÆm just curious to know why a man as obviously successful and intelligent as yourself wouldnÆt be more ambitious.ö

ôI see. Now youÆre asking me why my dad allows a loose cannon like Cotton to run the company into the ground while heÆs got a perfectly balanced member of his offspring waiting in the wings, jumping at the chance to take over.ö

ôThatÆs not what I said.ö

Jared took off his glasses and carefully polished them. I saw he had the same chocolate eyes as his brother.ôLook, I have absolutely no desire to run this company. IÆm a numbers guyùalways have been. I love to stay on top of everything and make sure things run smoothly. But I have no interest in flying across the world visiting factories, negotiating contracts, wheedling our suppliers into better terms, or talking to our investors. It takes a people person to do that job, and I may be a man of many talents, but thatÆs not one of them, IÆm afraid. In this business itÆs important to know oneÆs strengths and oneÆs limitations, detective, and IÆm perfectly aware of mine.ö

ôBut your brother isnÆt doing so hot right now, wouldnÆt you say?ö

Jared grimaced and placed his glasses back on his nose.ôCotton has one great weakness, and thatÆs his love of women. If he could only curb his desires in that area, he could be the best CEO this company has ever had, bar none. But unfortunatelyàö

ôThatÆs not the case.ö

ôNo, obviously not.ö