“You know shit!”
Nash held up his phone. “I have it all recorded on here, including your confessing to killing Barton. Up to you. The police, or you work with us?”
Temple started to blurt something out, but then seemed to recalculate. “I’m listening.”
And Nash explained about his and Steers’s roles with the FBI and CIA, respectively, and the sale of her business to Connor Lord. When he was done Temple looked at him and then Steers.
“Since when is a mole at thetopof the pyramid?”
“That is irrelevant,” said Steers. “It is what it is.”
“Well, then I’m outta here.” He started for the door, but Nash quickly rose and blocked him again.
“No, you’re going to stay here. In fact, you’re going into Sybaritic and take back the CEO position from the woman you appointed.”
“But won’t that piss off the new owner, this Lord guy?”
“Probably, but you’ll just have to prove your loyalty to him.”
“And how the hell am I supposed to do that?”
Nash said, “You’re a lot smarter than your father ever gave you credit for, Rhett. You think quickly on your feet and you have excellent survival instincts.”
“Well, I appreciate you saying that,Walter-san. But what am I supposed to do as the CEO?”
Steers answered. “Ingratiate yourself to Lord. Tell him how things can be run better with me out of the picture. Oh, and you’ll also have to convince my mother.”
“Your mother is a fucking psycho,” barked Temple.
“Sheismentally disturbed, but you can use that against her. I will show you how.”
“And with what endgame? You told me the CIA has everything it needs to bring Lord down.”
“This will buy us some more time, Mr. Temple. And distract Lord from finding me. And one can never have too much evidence.”
“Okay, you want me to risk my life and help you? Why should I?”
Nash said, “Well, for starters, you screwed my wife. Second, you ruined my life. So it’s time you started working on your salvation.”
Mindy interjected, “He screws everything, including his own stepmother.”
“Shut up, Min,” snapped Temple. He looked at Nash. “Those two points don’t really do it for me. What else you got?”
Nash held up his phone. “Well, then, you won’t have to go to prison for the rest of your life. Hard to be a true billionaire behind bars. Take it or leave it.”
Temple rubbed his face. “Shit, this is so . . .”
“Difficult?” said Steers. “Yes, it is. For all of us. But we are giving you an opportunity to avoid the serious consequences of your actions. Most people do not get that chance.”
“Yeah, but the most likely scenario is I get killed by these people.”
“You’ll have a chance,” said Nash. “That’s all I had.”
Temple eyed him and let out a long breath, and with it the man finally seemed to really calm down. “Okay, I get it, you got fucked, Walt, and I was part of that. And you lost your daughter too.”
Nash had not told him about Maggie being alive. He needed the man to feel as guilty as possible. “So you’ll do it?”
Temple looked at Steers, then back at Nash.