I. Seven Months Earlier

• Author: Lindsay Cameron
• Profession: Corporate attorney
• Pages: 9-20

9

1

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“W’    , people! is deal has gotta close

before the markets open in the morning!” A tall man with a phy-

sique that had earned him the nickname “Stay Pu Marshmallow

Man” thudded down the corridor. “Somebody bring me the god-

damn disclosure schedules!”

Russ Tornelli poked his head into my oce, mopping his brow

with a handkerchief. “Mackenzie, Maxwell needs the disclosure

schedules. Print them out and bring it to the war room.”

“I’ve got them right here, Russ.” I thumbed through a pile of

papers before remembering I’d stuck them in my drawer as part

of my nightly clean-up. Being privy to condential information

that could mean the dierence in millions of dollars in stock value

required strict adherence to the rm’s clear desk policy, but clear-

ing my desk at 9 .. had clearly been a tad optimistic. I passed the

stapled document over to Russ’s eager hands.

“I nished the material contracts portion, so they’re good to go.

And I’ve just started draing the press release.”

“Good, we’ll need that ready to go so it can hit the wires right aer

closing. It’s going to be a long night. Hunker down.”

I nodded like an obedient foot soldier before Russ took o down

the hallway at breakneck speed. I let out a long, weary sigh. e

adrenaline that comes with working on a high-prole acquisition

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