Carter's War - 34. Chapter 34

That thought soon soured as he walked into Robert Avery's study to find the man staring at the documents Weippert had just left behind. The normally strong and independent countenance of the man was bowed and his shoulders slumped. He looked for the entire world like an old man.

He didn't look up as Will approached his desk, only sat there with his hand resting on a frayed piece of cable. Will gave him a concerned look, and without invitation sat down across from his mentor.

"What's wrong?" he asked, it seemed he had been using that question a lot lately.

"I lost," Robert said with a tired sigh, "I gambled and lost."

Will gave him a puzzled look, "How do you mean?"

Robert Avery tapped the twin documents in front of him, the contracts. "In order to cover the missing pension fund, I transferred an equivalent value in Avery-Woods stock into the control of the Pension's board of trustees on the condition that it could not be sold without my express permission, and that I would be able to purchase it back after the tri-tech merger."

Will nodded, "Yes," he said still confused, and then a thought hit him, "The share holders meeting?"

Robert nodded, "Bruce is using this as an opportunity to wrest control of Avery-Woods from me."

Will contemplated the situation, "He can't do that surely, I mean you still control those votes right?"

Robert Avery shook his head;"The board of trustees control them at the moment and can't be used."

Will reached out and took one of the documents and studied it, "So with the controlling interest of the company unable to vote that leaves the minority share holders in a position of power. It must be a close vote if he's desperate to get you to sign this," he held up the document.

"He wants control, and can get it, this is...a safety net for him. If I sign the board of trustees can sell the shares and he is in a position to buy them."

Will considered it again, "Where did he get the money to do this?"

"I don't know," Robert replied, "All I know is that if he does seize control stock prices are going to fall, we are going to have to scale back our operations."

"You were expecting it?" Will inquired.

Robert nodded slowly, "The shareholders have wanted Avery-Woods to downsize and cut costs in staff ever since the recession. I have so far refused, I fear Weippert will have no such loyalty for the people working under him."

"Who is in charge of the board of trustees while Bertha is away?" Will asked.

"Gavin Jefferies." Robert replied.

Will stood, "Right then, don't sign anything, give me twenty four hours and I'll find a way out of this."

Robert nodded slowly, "Be careful Will."

Will flashed him a smile, "My daddy once said, 'be good, if you can't be good, be safe, if you can't be safe have fun'." With that he marched from the study.

* * *

Gavin tried to slam the door on him after realize who it was standing on his doorstep, but Will's foot inserted itself between the door and the frame and he easily pushed the door open. His house was fastidiously neat, well maintained and pasta was cooking on the stove.

They stood in the entryway to the accountant's house as Will loomed over him, menace evident in his eyes. Gavin paled slightly as he backed up a step. "What do you want?"

Will cocked his head slightly, "I want to know why you are helping Weippert."

The accountant licked his lips, "I don't know what..."

Will strode past Gavin and into the kitchen, taking a moment to look into the pot of pasta bubbling happily, "I have evidence," he said as he turned slowly and deliberately, "I also have another witness that saw you transferring the pension fund illegally." He stepped back towards Gavin, "Now unless you want me to go to the police and inform them that I saw you steal the pension fund," he paused as he raised a finger, "which I believe is a violation of the charter of accountants," he dropped the finger, "I suggest you start explaining it to me."

Gavin swallowed nervously, and he looked about for an escape, seeing none he caved, "I... he had me purchase stock for him in Tri-tech, told me we'd make a fortune, when the merger was announced."

"Insider trading?" Will inquired, mulling that over, "Alright and so you went along with it?"

Gavin licked his lips his eyes darting towards the door; Will turned his head towards it, "You'd never make it." He said coldly.

Gavin sighed dejectedly, "He told me that since I had bought the stock if I didn't help him with the pension fund he would report me."

"Blackmail." Will said softly, "Go on."

"And when the Avery-Woods stock was transferred to replace it he told me that if I didn't sign the sale agreement I was going to jail... I had no choice..."

"You have no choice now," Will said reaching out to pull a pad of paper from on top of the fridge he had noticed and set it down, "You are going to write exactly what you just told me onto this..."

"W-what?" he asked in obvious fear.

"And then you are going to sign it." Will said quietly as he pulled the small dictation tape recorder from his pocket and indicated it had been recording.

"Your not serious..." Gavin said and realized Will was deadly serious.

"You will sign it, and I will promise you that these will never reach the police," Will set the pad down and drew out a pen, "And if I find out Weippert has heard anything about this I won't hesitate..." he left the threat hanging in the air.

Gavin closed his eyes in resignation as he sat down and wrote exactly what he had done, including the account numbers. Will left the accountants house with the piece of paper neatly tucked into his pocket and the tape to substantiate it.

He had nothing but Gavin's word that Weippert was involved in the insider trading, and that Weippert had instructed him to liquidate the pension fund. But that wasn't the point, he had a start and that was all he needed.

His phone rang as he started the Jeep, he listened to what Brody had to say and sank back into the seat holding the wheel. Reaching down to release the parking brake, "I'll be right there." He said as he wound his way onto Queen Street he headed towards his last problem of the night.