Page 136 of Rhodes

Wells exhales through his nose. "You understand that once Ridge knows, he will be making the decisions."

"Yeah."

"If the agency keeps pulling the thread, SI may have to show there was an actual consequence. You used company access in a way that had nothing to do with company business. If you're just Robert Stone's kid who gets a pass, that becomes its own problem."

My jaw locks.

"Understood."

For once, he leaves the next move to me.

"I'm getting ready to go into the office, anyway. I'll talk to Ridge first thing."

"Call me after."

"Will do."

I pick up my keys and pull my tie tight around my neck.

Ridge's assistant checks her screen when I give her my name, like I'm anyone. Three fifteen, she says. He's finishing a call. I sit in the waiting area with the other people who need something from the CEO, and I let it be exactly that. No side door, no text that clears my path. I asked for time, and I'm waiting for it.

When she waves me in, Ridge is behind his desk. He doesn't stand. He gestures at the chair across from him and picks up a pen.

I don't sit.

"I need to tell you something start to finish," I say.

He sets the pen down.

So I tell him all of it. I start with the old internal chain with the environmental firm's name still on it, that I emailed them from my Stone Intermodal address. That I asked them to raise the wetland delineation with the Corps because I thought a review would force the family's hand.

"Wait, why did you do this, Rhodes? Were you flexing? That's not your business."

"It's a long story, but Tallulah wanted to stop her father from developing the property. I thought I was helping. I didn't tell her I did it."

"Jesus Christ."

I keep going, telling him the rest, how it had a ripple effect for anything being done on or with the property, not just development. And then I told him that when I realized what was happening, I figured out the only way to fix it for them was for Banksie to get involved.

"So Banksie knows you meddled in their affairs, and caused a whole shit storm? Fucking great, Rhodes. Just great."

"As far as I know, Tallulah didn't tell him it was me. He thinks she did it. That was her call. I respected her wishes."

Ridge weaves his hands behind his head and leans back in his chair. The port forty floors below keeps moving, loading containers, ships coming and going.

"You created quite the shit storm, and you haven't even been officially working here a full quarter."

"Yep. This one turned out to be a doozy for everyone involved."

"So why are you here?"

"Wells said he can probably contain it before it gets any bigger. Keep the company out of it, clean up the paper trail, whatever he has to do."

Ridge's face hardens. "Good. Sounds settled."

"I told him not to."

He stares at me.