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"Hoas the stock divided?"

"Lance has forty-eight percent I have nine, our attor-ney has three percent, and Ebony, Olive, Ash, and Bass each have ten"

"An odd division, isn’t it?"

"It’s set up so Lance can’t act alone To make up a majority, he has to persuade at least one of us that what he’s proposing ood business sense For the most part he’s free to do as he sees fit, but we can always rally and outvote him in a pinch"

"That must drive him crazy"

"Oh, he hates it, but Iyet and he’s not that experienced Let hiet a few years under his belt and then we’ll see how things stand"

"Then the situation could change?"

"Well, yes, depending on what happens to my shares when I die Woody left that entirely up to me All I have to do is leave three shares to Lance That would make him a majority stockholder No one could touch him"

"Sounds like the stuff of which soap operas are made"

"I can wield power like a , it’s what I enjoy best" She glanced at the watch that was pinned to her dress, then reached over to the wall and pressed a button that apparently signaled the maid somewhere in the house "Time for my swim Would you care to join me? We have extra suits and I’d enjoy the company I can still do a mile, but it bores me to death"

"Maybe another tiot up and shook her hand "Tea was lovely Thanks for the invitation"

"Coain, any tiive you any information you need"