Conklin's Corruption (#3) (Conklin's Trilogy) Read Online Free PDF Page A

the receptionist hadn’t buzzed for me, I curiously looked over my computer screen as the door opened.
    “Got a minute?” RJ, my less-than-perfect father, asked as he breezed into my office.
    I cleared my throat, surprised he had come into my office.  He never came to me.  I was always summoned, in some way, to him.  We typically didn’t talk, mainly because we didn’t get along.  His persistence to piss me off and get under my skin was the number one reason we fought constantly.
    “Yes, a minute.  I have to catch a flight by 5:00pm.”
    RJ nodded and went to look at a framed photo of a half-built Sears Tower.  “Did you get the finances for the Cortez account settled?”
    Of course he wanted to know about that.  I sighed.  He never seemed to have faith in me to nail any accounts.  “Yes.  He just signed the paperwork this afternoon.  I was about to send the copies to legal,” I said flatly, sliding into my chair to the fax machine with the stack of papers.
    RJ still stood in front of the picture with his hands in his pockets.  “Good.”  Then he was silent for what felt like an hour.  An uncomfortable thickness was in the air.  RJ has always been right to the point, no nonsense. He didn’t linger for small chit chat.
    “Is… there anything else you need?” I slowly asked.
    RJ turned his head towards me, a blank expression turning into a slight smile.  “Yes, I wanted to talk about the wedding.”
    What?  Since when was RJ Conklin interested in the personal life of anyone in his family?  I stared at him blankly.
    “Your mother and I wanted to know if we could throw a wedding shower.  I thought we could have a guys’ day.  You, Nathan, Mitch, Becca’s father, and brother if they could come.  We could go golfing.  Spend some time together.”
    I scowled in utter confusion, surprised my jaw hadn’t hit the floor.  RJ didn’t spend quality time with his sons.  He didn’t give two shits about weddings and showers.  Even if this was entirely my mother’s idea, he wouldn’t be pitching it to me. 
    He rustled his hands in his pockets and started to tap his toe on the floor, waiting for my shocked expression to subside. 
    “Um… yeah, I’ll ask Becca what weekend would work for her,” I said, attempting to not sound dumbfounded.  RJ cocked his mouth to the side as though he were thinking about saying more.  The ticking of the pendulum clock on my desk filled the room with awkward silence.
    Finally, he spoke.  “Good.  It’ll be good for us.”  It felt as though he was trying to convince himself.  “This wedding is good.  Becca is a good girl.  You need to hold on to her.  Cherish her.”
    I snorted at his words, anger filling my veins.  Who was he to tell me I needed to cherish a woman?  He had never been faithful to my mother or anyone.  Not even business partners.  Especially the really dangerous deal he had been tiptoeing around with Lee Chino.
    “Are you kidding me?” I asked, baffled.
    RJ blinked and shrugged his shoulders.  “No.  Why would I joke about that?”
    “Because you’ve never had a functioning relationship in your life,” I barked.
    RJ narrowed his eyes.  “Don’t act like you know about my relationships.”
    “Exactly.  I don’t know you.  I know nothing about my father,” I said point blank.
    His eyes softened a fraction, a hint of guilt passing through them, but quickly vanished into a smirk.
    “Hence the golfing and the wedding shower.”
    Was he kidding?  After 28 years, he finally wanted to start a relationship with me?  I wasn’t buying it.  There had to be more, something in it for him that involved dollar signs and power.  “This is about Chino, isn’t it?  You’re trying to get me to say yes to his obscene business propositions,” I said in a menacing low tone.
    RJ groaned and rolled his head to the side.  “I told you I would take care of that.  Stop thinking I’m some money hungry business tycoon who only