Page 89 of Feared

“The ham tins?” Mary asked, ignoring the meal placed in front of her, for the time being.

“YEAH. IT’S A FANCY PLACE IN NEW YORK. THEY GOT BEACHES AND HORSE SHOWS.”

“You mean the Hamptons?”

“YEAH, THAT’S IT.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“YES, JOEY ONE EYE TOLE ME. EVER HEARD OF THE PLACE?”

“I’ve heard of the Hamptons, but I mean the business. Are you saying that Machiavelli has a business in the Hamptons?” Mary felt something gnawing at the edges of her memory.

“YEAH, LIKE FINANCIAL SERVICES OR SOMETHIN’. HE OWNS IT.”

Suddenly it came to her. “Was the name of the company Hampton Holdings?”

“YEAH, I THINK THAT’S IT. WHY?”

Mary felt a bolt of excitement. “One of the plaintiffs from the reverse-discrimination lawsuit worked there during the summers. I think it was Graham Madden.”

Bennie looked over. “You mean the lawsuit against us? Oneof those plaintiffs used to work for a company of Machiavelli’s?”

Judy came alive. “For real?”

“Yes.” Mary reached for her phone, rallying. “I can show you the resume. I was searching to see if the plaintiffs had worked for him at his law firm. I didn’t know Machiavelli owned businesses other than his law firm so I didn’t see the connection.”

Anne blinked. “He owns companies, in addition to his law firm? Who does that? Is that a thing?”

Bennie nodded. “Sure. I don’t own any other businesses, but Declan does, and I have other friends who do. Mostly business lawyers, not litigators. They buy shares of companies or form consortia to buy them, like any other investments.”

Judy straightened in her seat. “So Machiavellididmanufacture the lawsuit against us.”

“I knew it!” Mary searched her email, found the email from Bennie, and opened the attachment, enlarging the screen to see Madden’s resume, with its reference to Hampton Holdings, LLC. She held up the phone. “It’s right here. Madden worked for Hampton Holdings in the summers before law school.”

Bennie and Judy exchanged looks. Bennie said, “So Machiavelli meets this kid when he’s in college, then the kid goes to law school, and Machiavelli puts him up to suing us?” She frowned. “But why would the kid do that?”

Judy’s blue eyes came to life. “He would if Machiavelliput him throughlaw school. He’d owe him.”

“Right!” Mary felt the puzzle pieces fall into place. “Madden does well in school, then one day, Machiavelli asks him a favor. He says, Apply to Rosato & DiNunzio for a job, and when you get turned down, sue them. It’s evil, and itworks. I bet the other plaintiffs worked for Machiavelli’s other businesses. Pop, what were they, do you remember?”

“NO, UH, IF YOU SAY THE NAME, I MIGHT. I WROTE IT DOWN. IT’S AT HOME.”

Mary opened the attachment of Michael Battle’s resume, skimming to his employment experience. “How about Wheels-Up, an aviation insurance company in Wayne?”

“UH, YEAH, THAT’S ONE.” Her father nodded.

Mary’s heart beat faster. She opened the attachment of Stephen McManus’s resume, reading his work experience. “How about AI-Intelligence, some kind of robotics company? It’s in the Chicago area.”

“YEAH I THINK THAT’S ONE, TOO.”

“Were there others?”

“YEAH, BUT I FORGET.”

“Who told you this again?”

“JOEY ONE EYE. YOU DON’T KNOW HIM. YOUR MOTHER’S CAMARR JOSIE KNEW HIM FROM HER OLD PARISH BEFORE SHE MOVED AND—”