Grady (The McCade Dragon #3)(61)

 

"Mr. McCade, I'm afraid we're going to have to ask you to shut your doors. Your inventory is considered stolen." The man's voice carried around the packed store, just as he'd hoped it would. But instead of people looking at Grady like he was a thief, they looked murderously at the man who spoke. "You received this inventory into your shop nefariously. I'm afraid we're going to have to either get the full amount for it, or you'll to have to close up so that we can take an inventory and you'll pay us for whatever is sold when we take it back."

 

"No. I don't think so. I called, you said you didn't make mistakes." The man said that everyone did. "Yes. And when I pointed that out to your company they said they were professionals and that they took great pride in their on-time delivery, as well as their merchandise being top notch. I tried to explain to them that I had no problem with either the timeliness of the delivery nor the merchandise, but the pricing of each piece, not to mention the amount I was sent. I was told to basically shut up, and that mistakes were never made by your company."

 

"I cannot believe that anyone would-" He was cut off when Douglas handed him the transcripts. Instead of reading them, however, he handed them off to the person next to him. "Anyone can have things printed up, Mr. McCade. If you're going to give me trouble, I'm afraid that I'll have to call in the police. I had hoped that we could do this quietly and without-"

 

"You mean quietly like you've just done? Coming into my shop on opening day and announcing to everyone that I have stolen merchandise? You mean that sort of quiet?" The man flushed brightly. "You should have all your ducks in a row before coming into a place that I own."

 

The man next to him holding the transcripts asked to speak to the attorney. When he tried to brush him off, he jerked him around and handed him a single sheet. Apparently whatever was there made both men pale.

 

As the two men conferred, Kenton reached out to his brother and asked him what had happened. Grady just laughed, the sound of it so happy that Kenton found himself joining in.

 

Mom. She called the company on Friday and talked to their company president. She told him how lovely it was that someone in his company had thought themselves to be flawless, and that their perfection was going to make her son's new company a great success. I guess he was none too pleased to find out about the mistake they didn't make. Kenton said he'd not be. Well, apparently I was told to call him directly when one of his attorneys showed up. Mom gave me the number a few days ago. And when I knew these yo-yos were coming, I gave him a call. He told me that should I need any more supplies, since I was so honest in the first place, to call him again. I guess I have a buddy in the industry now. Anyway, he wrote a note at the bottom of the printout of my conversation with them. As well as the trucker's.

 

 

 

        

          

        

         

 

And do you know what it said? Grady just winked at him when the attorneys came back from their little pow-wow.

 

"Mr. McCade, it seems that you are owed an apology for our coming here. And how you were treated when you called in to first report that we made a mistake." Grady said he was glad that they'd finally figured that out. "Yes. Mr. Winchell has told us to let you know if you ever need anything, and he said anything at all, we'll be delivering it right to your door even if we have to bring it to you in our own cars."

 

"That won't be necessary, but I do appreciate it." Grady looked around the room, then back at the people. "If you'd like to have some refreshments, please help yourself. My grand opening is a great success thanks to your company."

 

After the men walked away, Douglas patted Grady on his back and told him well played. Kenton was really proud of his little brother and told him so. The rest of the afternoon was busy, but Kenton could see that Grady was much more relaxed about it.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 13

 

 

 

Gabe moved along the hospital ward. She was beyond exhausted today, and couldn't remember the last time she'd had not just a good night's sleep, but a decent meal too. This shit needed to stop soon or she was going to be dead before she was forty. As she entered her office, she saw the brightly wrapped box on her desk as well as the little man sitting in the chair across from her seat. Going in and taking off her lab coat, she cleared her throat and started talking.

 

"It's not my birthday, so that can't be it. Nor do I have a husband, so there is no anniversary that I forgot either." He stood up and tipped his hat at her. "I don't know you, so you either explain to me why you're in my office-that I know I locked before I left.... I think it was two days ago-or I'm going to have your dapper little self thrown out on your ass."