Twisted Love and Money by Thomas Kennedy Read Free Book Online

care. The
photo of the two appointees appeared at the bottom of the article.
Janet drew a circle around the young and hopeful face of Peter. She
had found her mark.
     
    The mention of
‘quality customer care’ in the article got her brain going. Quality
and Peter, how could she leverage his inexperience?
     
    In the meantime
she would lunch in the Café of the National Library. The very
helpful concierge at the hotel had told her that they had a
genealogy office at the National Library and also back copies of
all the national and provincial newspapers going back centuries.
This would be a good place to research the O’Byrne family. She
needed a route to get to the O’Byrnes. She would do her homework
and find out what was in the local public domain about this private
family and their large Irish Business.

Chapter
seven
     
     
    Wednesday was a
cold dull day, but it was cosy indoors. The weekly Board Meeting
came to order as Michael picked up his papers and coughed. He
opened the discussions by welcoming the new members to the
Board.
     
     
     
    Michael O’Byrne
sat at the head of the table. To his right James O’Driscoll the
Marketing Director. Next to him Peter O’Byrne sat self consciously,
not used to the formality of the board or the fact that he was now
a member. Dorothy sat on Michael’s right. John O’Malley was to her
right again. This was the first board meeting since he had been
recruited. Finally at the far end of the table Dermot O’Rourke the
Production Director sat or rather slouched. There was plenty of
room as none of the non-executive directors nominated by the bank
were present. The group sat with at least one spare seat between
them, using the space to spread out their papers.
     
    “Congratulations Michael,” Dorothy congratulated, referring to the
German takeover. They had just been through the papers and recorded
the necessary minutes to formally authorize the purchase.
    “We did a good
deal,” Michael said agreeably.
    “Yea,” James
concurred “but a good deal only if we can use the distribution
chain as an outlet for our Irish Organic Produce and
Mushrooms.”
    “Presumably
that is why we bought in,” Dermot said dryly.
    “Yes,” Michael
confirmed. “James has been very busy. He has tied up a number of
distribution outlets around our new acquisitions. With the
increased volumes we should be looking at a two to three year pay
back.”
    He paused.
    “ Let us stay with the agenda. Production next?” he added with a
raised eyebrow towards Dermot.
     
    Dermot took up
the next hour with a detailed presentation on the status of various
procurement contracts, then on to the mushroom scene and finally
the Dublin vegetable Market.
    “Very good,”
Michael had concluded that part of the agenda after allowing some
questions that Dermot fielded expertly.
     
    “Now to the
proposed new plant in Cork. Dorothy can you start with the
Financials on the project?”
    “I would like
John to present the figures,” Dorothy said.
    Michael smiled,
“John?” he said, deferring to Dorothy’s wish.
    John cleared
his throat. “As you know the plant has a capital approval of four
million. The project is two thirds completed. It is a turnkey
project and on a green field site so the financials are
straightforward in that the main contractor has to deliver to the
contract. Our advising engineers McNaughtons certify the work
done.”
    Dermot came in,
in support. “The project seems well on time and within budget. This
week three large lorries will arrive with about a million pounds
worth of drying equipment.”
    “Total project
completion cost estimate is three point nine million,” John took up
the story again.
    “Very good
John,” Michael commented, “glad to see you are very quickly getting
on top of the numbers.”
    The other board
members murmured in agreement. Dorothy smiled. She had spent a lot
of time coaching John, but he sure was a quick learner.
    “There are
contracts on about four