“I need to get back to the office. I’m going to head for a shower and get packed. Can you call me a car?”
“Of course.” She nodded, striding away.
I trotted up the stairs and into my bedroom, shutting the door behind myself as I stripped out of my wet bikini. I’d have liked a few more days to myself, but at least my tan lines were already nice and stark from days of constant sunbathing. As I waited for the water to heat up, my phone rumbled, and I reached for it.
SOPHIA: Any idea what we’re being called back for?
BIANCA: Not a clue, but it can’t be anything good.
SOPHIA: My thoughts too. See you back at the office.
I pressed my lips together. The sooner the better. I wouldn’t be able to rest until I got some answers.
“Thank you all for coming in at such short notice.” Frank addressed the room, leaning forward on his arms against the long, mahogany desk of the meeting room. The entire McLaren racing team was assembled here, everyone looking a little nervous. I’d asked around and no one seemed to know thereason we’d been brought in, but the same conclusion had been drawn as it became clear Harold wasn’t joining us. Something was wrong.
“I wanted to bring you all together to tell you the full story before the rumour mill undoubtedly begins to run around the paddock. Harold Warner will not be returning as team principal for the rest of the season.”
The room erupted into concerned murmuring. I glanced at Sophia, and she caught my eye, brow furrowed. Frank held up his hands for quiet.
“I know this will come as a shock to you all. Harold has been a pillar in the community for many, many years. He is well respected by you all. I am disappointed to inform you that he has been arrested, pending charges for embezzlement and fraud.”
This time there was no silencing the room. Loud chatter drowned out Frank as he attempted to regain control of the team. I felt my blood run cold. Embezzlement and fraud? Harold? That seemed inconceivable. I’d looked up to Harold, grown up beneath his wing. I felt sick.
“Please, quiet down,” Frank shouted. “I don’t have all the information, but I am more than happy to answer any and every question that I am able to.”
Several people shouted at once, their questions getting lost over one another. I simply stared into space, trying to process what Frank was saying. I could feel Sophia’s eyes on me, but I couldn’t bring myself to meet her gaze. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling – sad, betrayed, angry… Harold had fooled us all and everything our team had achieved off the back of talent and hard work would now be thrown into doubt. The FIA would be all over this, turning over every stone looking for more corruption. How could Harold have done this to us? To me? What did this mean for my career now?
“Who will be replacing him?” A voice boomed across the room, and everyone fell silent.
Frank hesitated before answering. “Harold’s fall from grace came as a surprise to me… but I was made aware of the authorities’ intentions many months ago. As such, I have been able to give a lot of thought to his replacement so as to disrupt the team and our chances of success as little as possible.”
I couldn’t stand the beating around the bush any longer.
“So?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. “Who is taking over?”
“Kristian Wright.”
The room burst into uproar once more. I’d never met Kristian Wright, but I knew of him. He was the team principal for Invicta Racing at Formula Two level. They’d had some serious success since he’d taken over the team a few years prior and I’d heard some interesting chatter around him. He was rumoured to be a real piece of work, with little tolerance for bullshit and a short fuse. He would be the polar opposite to Harold, who had been like a father to the team… but perhaps McLaren could benefit from something completely different right now, given the circumstances.
“Alright, calm down please!” Frank called out. “Kristian has rather graciously decided to step in to run things for the remainder of the season. Whether he is to remain on board as team principal going forward is still undecided. Those sorts of final decisions will be communicated in due course, but for now I think we can all agree that we need to keep pushing and ride out this storm.”
Frank’s PR manager stepped forward. “And on that note, I do not want any of you talking with the press. An announcement will be made just as soon as we adjourn here, and Harold’s swift exit will undoubtedly be the subject on everyone’s lips when the second half of the season begins.” She gathered a pile of paperstogether and began handing them out. “Which is why I will need you all to sign a nondisclosure agreement.”
I took the contract as it was offered to me, scanning over the information. One of the engineers sitting beside me handed me a pen and I swiftly signed my signature upon the dotted line. All papers were gathered back in and Frank tugged at his tie.
“I understand there will be some feelings of unrest within the team. I want you all to know you can come forward and speak with me about anything that is on your minds. I have faith in Kristian. He has the kind of firm resolve we need right now, to protect us from what promises to be a complete shit show,” Frank spat. “I need your support in this. If you don’t feel you are able to give that, then you know where the door is.”
As the owner strode away through the room, exiting swiftly, everyone began to chatter once more. I gathered my belongings, listening to the engineers beside me.
“Firm resolve,” one of them snorted. “More like balls of steel.”
“Right? Kristian fucking Wright… Thanks, Harold. Thanks a bunch. Best guard your arseholes, boys. We’re about to get fucked raw.”
“Surely he can’t be that bad?” I muttered with a scowl.
The two engineers cast me an incredulous look. “You too, Rossi. He’s not known for going easy on his drivers either. That smart mouth of yours you like to run so much might get you in trouble.”
I swallowed, palms suddenly sweaty. Though I told myself I had nothing to worry about, I couldn’t help but worry about what was awaiting us all when the season resumed.
