Prodigal Son

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Book: Read Prodigal Son for Free Online
Authors: Susan Mallery
Jack should be at Hanson Media Group instead of practicing law.
    Jack regretted losing touch with his brothers a lot more than he regretted disappointing his father.
    “I’ll get right on that,” Mrs. Wycliff told him. “Have you spoken with your uncle?”
    “Not about this,” Jack told her. “But that’s a great idea. Thank you.”
    She rose. “I’ll let you know as soon as I locate them,” she said, then left.
    Jack buzzed David’s office. “Hi. Are you available?”
    “Absolutely.”
    The public relations department was the next floor down, on the main level of Hanson Media Group. Here the bright overhead lights contrasted with the rich blues and purples in the carpet and on the sofas and chairs.
    Jack took the stairs and made his way to David’s office. His uncle couldn’t have been more different from Jack’s father. Where George had lived and breathed business, David always had time for his nephews.
    David’s assistant waved him in. Jack pushed open the door and walked into David’s large office.
    The space had been designed to impress and put people at ease. It did both. David walked around his desk and shook hands with Jack, then pulled him close for a quick hug.
    “How’s it going?” David asked as he led the way to the sofas in the corner. “Still finding things wrong?”
    “Every day. I’m hoping for some good news soon. I figure we’re all due.”
    “Toward the end, George wasn’t himself,” David said. “I think the work became too much for him. I’m guessing. He didn’t confide in me.”
    “Did he confide in anyone?” Jack asked.
    “Probably not. You hanging in there?”
    “Do I have a choice?”
    Jack looked at his uncle. Like all the Hanson men, he was tall, with brown hair. His eyes were lighter and he was nearly twenty years younger than his brother. Maybe that was why David had always been closer to his nephews. Maybe that was why David had been able to be there for them, Jack thought. George had been more like a father than a brother to David.
    “You always have a choice,” David told him. “You could walk.”
    “I gave my word to the board. I’m here for three months to clear things up and then I’m gone. I’m trying to get ahold of Evan and Andrew.”
    David frowned. “Good luck with that.”
    “Mrs. Wycliff is going to follow the money. That always works.” Jack shook his head. “They should be here. We should do this together.”
    “You’ve never been close. Why expect it now?”
    “Good point.” Jack didn’t have an answer. “Who am I kidding? If I had the chance to bolt, I’d take it.”
    “No, you wouldn’t,” David said. “You could have told the board no and you didn’t. You have a strong sense of responsibility.”
    “Great. Look where it got me—here.”
    “Is that so bad?”
    “It’s keeping me from my real job.” Jack leaned forward. “Why don’t you take over? You know more about Hanson Media Group than any of us. You could run the company.”
    “Not my thing,” David said. “Even if it was, I would respect my brother’s wishes. He wanted one of his sons to be in charge.”
    “We don’t know that,” Jack said. “And we won’t until the will is read.” He swore. “What was my father thinking? Why on earth would he want us to wait three months to read the will? It’s crazy. Nothing can be settled until then. For all we know, he’s giving his majority shares to the cat.”
    David grinned. “He didn’t have a cat.”
    Someone knocked on the door. “Come in,” David called.
    His assistant walked in with a tray and set it on the coffee table. “Anything else?”
    David smiled at her. “Thanks, Nina. You didn’t have to do this.”
    “No problem. Oh, you had a call from the printers.”
    David groaned. “I don’t want to know, do I?”
    “Not really,” Nina said cheerfully. “Don’t worry. I’ve already fixed the problem.”
    With that she left.
    Jack reached for one of the cups of coffee. “Tell me Andrew

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