The Wolf of Los Angeles

[Chapter 267: Hallasan and Ackerman]

Twitter, Office of the President.

Caroline came in to report the latest updates on negotiations with Clarium Capital management to Hawke. As he listened to her, he glanced over some written materials on his desk.

Caroline fidgeted in the office, changing positions from facing Hawke to standing sideways. If it hadn't been impolite, she might have turned her back to him and pretended to wag her imaginary tail in excitement.

To prepare for today's briefing, Caroline had styled her hair and even had a designer help her pick an outfit, opting for a form-fitting pencil skirt that accentuated her figure. Though she didn't have the voluptuous curves of a typical American beauty, she certainly had her own appeal.

Once Caroline finished her update, the office fell silent. Hawke heard her high heels clicking as she moved and looked up to see her moving gracefully. He remarked, "You're a sheep, not a cat. What are you spinning around for?"

Caroline stopped, nodded slightly, and suddenly noticed a few long strands of hair under his desk. She recalled something from her last visit; when Megan Taylor had been there...

Caroline thought about calling Megan for a chat later. This was Twitter, a reputable social media platform, not a private affair! With that in mind, she couldn't help but show a hint of mischief with a small smile.

"What are you standing there for? Take a seat," Hawke said appreciatively. "By the way, that outfit looks fantastic on you today. It really highlights your figure."

Caroline smiled, saying, "Boss, you really think so? I had it custom-made just for today..."

Hawke surveyed her up and down, commenting, "It suits you even better than that previous Chanel you wore."

'This is Haute couture,' Caroline thought to herself, realizing that once she made some investments, she would need to step up her fashion game significantly.

No, she had to wait until after the investments; if she missed this opportunity, it might not come again. Blending fashion with career ambition, Caroline firmly decided that career came first.

Once Hawke finished reviewing the report, he said, "You can go now."

"Okay." Caroline stood up and walked out, swaying slightly in her high heels. The pencil skirt hugged her slim figure, creating an exaggerated curve that resembled a large peach.

Hawke thought to himself, 'Is she developing a bit of a rear-end wobble there?'

...

After Caroline exited the office, she pulled out her phone and found Megan's number, texting her, [Are you free for coffee tonight?]

Before long, she received a reply: [How about the afternoon? I need to prepare for a segment tonight.]

Caroline realized then that Megan was the host and producer of the evening prime time show Ace News.

She responded, [3:30 PM at the Starbucks in Century City.]

Megan replied, [Sounds good.]

Caroline put her phone away and was about to re-enter the office when she noticed Edward coming from the elevator.

Edward greeted her, "Miss Baa, you look amazing today."

She slightly raised her chin, replying, "Thank you."

Edward didn't say more and walked directly into Hawke's office.

...

"Did you see her?" Hawke asked.

"I did," Edward replied, pulling out some documents from his bag and handing them to Hawke. "Veronica Lee is the founder and CEO of the Hallasan Company, specializing in medical devices. The company was struggling, but three months ago they secured an order from the Ackerman Charity Foundation, and their performance has significantly improved since then."

Hawke opened the file to look at the details of Veronica and her company. The Ackerman Charity Foundation's orders mostly consisted of cotton swabs, blood bags, blood draw needles, and plasma separators.

At first glance, there wasn't anything particularly remarkable about it.

Edward continued, "Nicholas, the boy who was implicated alongside Rachel Lee, has been looking for her these past few days, even shouting outside her house. Betty and Fiona believe he is deliberately trying to provoke Veronica and Rachel's mother-daughter relationship."

Hawke frowned slightly. Provoking the mother-daughter dynamic? What could be the benefit of that? Was it simply the nature of youthful impulsiveness?

It wasn't surprising that an impulsive teenager would act out, but Hawke responded, "Have them keep an eye on Nicholas."

Edward nodded, "We're on it. The information about the theft case has leaked, and now there are a lot of paparazzi and reporters congregating outside Veronica's house, eager to get an interview with the mother and daughter. Oh, by the way, Rachel has already withdrawn from Brooklynn School."

After reviewing the details, Hawke asked, "What about Andy Carroll?"

Edward thought for a moment and replied, "Other than visiting Veronica and Rachel, he's been working at the Ackerman Charity Foundation."

Hawke set the file aside and mused, "I have a feeling that something about this situation isn't quite right, perhaps there's information we are missing. Get Campos to make contact with anyone recently separated from the Hallasan Company."

Edward pulled out his phone and called Campos.

With those topics wrapped up, Hawke moved to the window of the office, looking out toward Venice Beach.

He asked, "Where's that bastard Frank? I haven't seen him around lately."

Edward explained, "He's been hanging around the neighboring company, trying to woo a female employee over there."

Hawke joked, "Is he planning to split his RV and give half of it away?"

According to Frank, he was a natural marriage enthusiast, and once he set his heart on someone, he just had to get married.

"He's quite the ladies' man," Edward commented, skipping over the old bastard, "Last night, I went to the Los Angeles Cemetery with Maria Collins. Miller Collins's grave was solid; we both stood on it, and it didn't budge at all."

What could Hawke say after hearing this? The savior always has his emotions at full capacity.

Miller Collins, whose body was blown into pieces had a more stable coffin, compared to Robert Downey Jr. who was shot.

"Good God, you really are a genius," Hawke remarked. "Aren't you afraid he might spring out of the casket?"

Edward laughed, showing his bright white teeth. "Not at all!"

He pulled out a piece of yellow talisman paper, placing it on Hawke's desk, saying mysteriously, "Boss, I bought this when I picked up some essential oils; the seller recommended it for warding off spirits. I've been using it, and it works amazing; their coffins haven't budged."

Hawke took a glance at it; it was clearly printed on paper with the words "Talisman" written on it. Though he didn't understand much about talismans, he found it odd that such items could be mass-produced.

He kept his thoughts to himself, handing it back to Edward: "You should keep that. If it works for you, continue using it."

Edward agreed, "Sure, I'll grab some more next time."

He knew he would likely need it again.

Aside from Miller Collins, who else had gotten a divorce? He would need to look into it further.

...

In Koreatown, West Street.

Juan, dressed up and driving a Dodge Ram, parked in front of an apartment building. Checking the address on a slip of paper, he confirmed it was the right one.

Recently, through payroll records, the Butterfly Company found a few former employees dismissed by the Hallasan Company. Juan had previously sought out a few, but after being let go, those people had moved away from Los Angeles or changed addresses, making them hard to locate.

He exited his vehicle, climbed the stairs to the appropriate room, and knocked on the door.

Moments later, a Latino man named Dominic opened the door.

Seeing an unfamiliar face, Dominic asked, "Who are you and who are you looking for?"

Juan handed him a fake press badge: "I'm a reporter looking to interview you about your former company, the Hallasan Company, particularly regarding illegal dismissals and quality issues with their products."

Dominic didn't want to get involved and started to close the door. "I'm not interested."

But Juan noticed the shabby sofa and interior decor through the open door and said, "I can offer a tip for the interview."

Dominic paused, his hand stopping halfway to shut the door.

Since being fired by Hallasan, he hadn't worked in a while and lacked any source of income.

With no savings left, he was scrambling to make ends meet with odd jobs, working two shifts daily, and managing to scrape by on a meager income just to survive.

Dominic asked, "How much will you pay me?"

Juan replied, "200 dollars."

Dominic wanted to save enough to pay the property tax on his old place to avoid becoming homeless and raised one hand, "500 dollars. You ask, and I'll tell you everything!"

"Deal," Juan agreed.

Dominic opened the door wider and invited Juan inside.

Juan pulled out the 200 in cash and handed it to Dominic: "The rest will come after we wrap up."

Dominic said eagerly, "What do you want to know? Go right ahead."

Juan asked, "Why were you dismissed?"

Dominic thought for a moment and said, "They said my performance wasn't up to par..."

Juan continued probing, "Did they provide a severance package?"

"Severance? What's that?" Dominic shook his head repeatedly. "I didn't receive anything."

Though not critical, he was just stalling for time. After several irrelevant questions, Juan delved into the heart of the matter: "As you mentioned, the Hallasan Company secured new business from the Ackerman Charity Foundation, but why did they dismiss you? Did the company form an agreement with the charity?"

Dominic replied, "I'm not sure about that; I was just a regular employee at that company."

Juan asked, "Why would the Ackerman Charity Foundation want to collaborate with the Hallasan company?"

"I know this one," Dominic replied quickly. "The boss Veronica's new boyfriend is an executive at the Ackerman Charity Foundation; I think his name is Andy Carroll, and the business deal was brought in by him."

*****

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