All day staring at the ceiling making friends with shadows on my wall.
All night hearing voices telling me that I should get some sleep because tomorrow might be good for something.
- Matchbox 20, Unwell.
A frown wrinkles Harvey's face as he goes over the document in his hand. It's late and he can't make sense of it anymore but the niggling in his head won't allow him to abandon the task. There has to be something he's missing, a way to find out Drake Carter's true intentions, but the words continue to blur together and he's almost relieved when a sharp knock at the door steals his attention.
He has an inkling he knows who it is. There's only one person who would call so late and he isn't surprised to see Donna outside holding a paper bag with food. "I don't remember ordering anything?" He quips leaning tiredly against the frame with an air of heaviness.
She instantly feels bad for him or more accurately 'almost' feels sorry as her gaze washes over him. "I suppose you don't remember snipping at everyone who stepped into your office today either?"
He inwardly winces not only recalling but regretting his earlier mood. Between the Carter's and his current case load he let stress get the better of him but he's no more inclined to apologise for it now than he was then. All he wants to do is put the day behind him and start again fresh tomorrow. "Donna."
"Relax, I'm not here to lecture you." She breathes out slowly, her expression easing as she motions inside. "I came to help."
He nods silently, opening the door wider in invitation and closes it behind her as she steps around him. Truthfully he could use another set of eyes and he pads behind her to the kitchen his stomach growling when she deposits the food on the counter. He can't remember the last time he ate and even the shitty Thai being served up looks appetising.
"I'm guessing this has to do with Drake Carter."
Her assumption fills the small space and his gruff acknowledgement confirms the fact. "What gave it away?"
She hovers with two plates raising an eyebrow. "A scared associate I found hiding in the bathroom." She isn't here to judge but she's spent over a decade acting on his behalf, protecting him from himself, and she isn't about to stop just because she's no longer his secretary.
He picks up on the hint of disapproval and thinks back to the handful of associates he asked to run research. There was one in particular, a brunette, who kept getting under his skin and he shakes off the accusation with indifference. "Tracey?"
"Taylor." She resumes dispersing the food, piling it onto thier plates and shaking her head, "first you need to learn their names and then you need to stop looking for another Mike. They're there to help you Harvey but they won't if you keep exploding at them for no reason."
He knows it's a valid point but that doesn't stop an exasperated sigh pushing from his lips. "I thought this wasn't going to be a lecture?" Her gaze lifts from the noodles fixing him with a glare and he finally concedes with a vague attempt at an apology. "Okay, I know... you're right." She doesn't argue and he stretches his palms out leaning defeated against the counter. "Jesus, I'm turning into Louis aren't I?"
A smirk tugs her lips as she slides over his dinner. "I wouldn't go quite that far, yet." The tone in the room lightens as she stacks the empty containers motioning for him to take a seat at the breakfast bar. He does, unwrapping a pair of chopsticks as she steals the seat beside him. "I know this is getting to you... which is why I did some digging."
The comment immediately piques his interest. She's Donna. She wouldn't be here if she hadn't found something out and he's reminded again how lucky he is to have her on his side. "What you got?"
"Nothing solid," she admits digging through her Thai, "but Drake Carter went to university with a Ryan Ashford, son of Peter Ashford."
"Peter Ashford, why do I know that name?" He asks, wracking his brain to recall the relevance. There's something there he just can't grasp it, not until she continues with the explanation.
"Five years ago Ashford Architecture and Design were a client of Bratton who had to let them go due to a major embezzlement scheme." She waits for him to catch up watching the recognition dawn on his features.
"I remember." He nods as it floods back to him. It was a massive scandal all over the news. They'd advertised building cheap modern apartments run on solar power to cut the cost but there had been a fundamental flaw in the planning. The designs had been practically useless but that didn't stop them from selling. "No one realised there was a key component missing and they became liable for millions."
"The judge ruled it fraud." She finishes, winding another bite of noodles around her chopsticks.
He mimics the action but rather than bringing it to his mouth he pauses, a frown creasing his brow. He knows the case but it doesn't shed any light on his current problem or seem to bear any relation. "So what does any of that have to do with Drake?"
She swallows wiping her mouth with a napkin. "Pete only served six month jail time before he was released on probation. When he got out a lighting business who saw the potential behind his ideas offered him a job under the provision he was paid privately and not affiliated to the company. He agreed and when he actually put in the work was able to come up with some solutions to the installation problems."
She pauses for a beat letting him absorb the information. The most integral piece is still to come and it fits in painting a complete overview of Drake's involvement. "The company eventually branched into the design industry creating the chain Eloware Lights and Furniture and Ryan, Peter's son, has recently been taken on by the board of directors. That's your connection."
"Son of a bitch." He swears flippantly, dropping his utensils and scrubbing the hand back over his face. If Drake partners up with Ryan, Eloware could easily absorb the Carter's business turning it into a franchise and making both men obscenely rich. With no one any the wiser once Drake takes full control he can buy out -or bribe- any board members who don't agree with the direction. It's completely along the lines of what he suspected was happening he'd just no way to make the connection, until now. "Donna, how the hell did you find all this out?"
The surprise in his voice isn't unexpected and a smile pulls her lips into a smirk. "Kids these days," she rolls her wrist in a fashioning statement, "their entire lives are splashed all over the internet. Once I realised Ryan and Drake went to university together the rest was a hop, skip and jump."
Well, it wasnt quite that easy. She still had to do a lot of sweet talking but tapping her resources is fortunately something she excells at. "What can I say, people like me. Ask the right way and you get the right answers."
Her casual shrug leaves him basking in awe and before he can think twice his appreciation bubbles out beneath a wide grin, "like you... I could kiss you."
"Easy tiger." She puts on the breaks her mouth quirking at his sudden enthusiasm. "Question is, what are you going to do now? We don't actually have any proof."
"We find some." His determination echoes adamantly around the small kitchen. It's not ideal but if he can work the right angle he can get to the lawyers at Eloware and start there. "The board wouldn't have let Ryan in based solely on his father's involvement. First thing tomorrow I'm going to find out what deal was cut and if there's been any tracked communication been Ryan and Drake, there's our proof."
It's more than he had an hour ago and an actual plan, easing the persistent throb that's been driving him slowly mad throughout the day. He knows he shouldn't keep being surprised by her ingenuity but damn if he isnt blown away by it every single time. "Donna you're amazing."
Heat cheeks flush at the sudden compliment and she ducks her head, lifting it back up with a composed shrug. "I know that-" she winks playfully, "doesn't hurt to hear you say it every once and a while."
"I can engrave it on a plaque if you like." And he would too, the humour ghosting over his seriousness as she finishes the remains of her meal. He honestly has no idea what he'd do without her and opens his mouth to test voicing the gratitude but before he can find a way to express it her phone rings drilling through the silence. She digs into her purse answering the call with an almost shy tone. Very un-Donna like and he quickly conceals his interest moving to gather their plates.
"Hi... no it's fine, I wasn't asleep." She glances at Harvey trying to sound polite and not rude as she deflects the call. "Actually now's not a great time... yeah I did too," she smiles softly, "tomorrow... we are, see you then." She hangs up directing her attention to where Harvey is stood by the sink, "sorry about that."
The sheepish look on her face twists in his chest but he conceals the reaction flexing his palms against the counter with a slight lean towards her. "Donna Paulsen, are you blushing?"
"Of course not." It's a lie and she feels stupid as he holds her gaze searching for something she can't discern. Usually she can always read him and it's another few seconds before he speaks, a teasing note quickly covering his overt interest.
"I take it that was Thomas."
She nods confirming the guess. "He just finished up a meeting with Beijing."
He could care less about the CEO's business dealings but rather than analyse why the man annoys him so much he forges ahead attempting to show his support. "So the date went well?"
Embarrassment warms her cheeks and she feels like a teenager with some stupid crush. It's ridiculous. She's a fully grown adult and straightens in her seat rising above the awkwardness. "We had a good time. He's nice, funny... hates clowns. I bet you'd really like him."
Unlikely, he thinks keeping the private thought to himself. It's unfounded and has absolutely no basis urging him to try and remain impartial. "Why don't you bring him along to Louis' pre baby shower drinks?" It comes out with surprising sincerity given his smile barely lifts. The last thing he wants to do is 'get to know the guy' but the gratitude that washes over her face makes it almost with the effort he's putting in.
She appreciates he's showing an interest but as the suggestion settles she reconsiders it for different reasons. Thomas is Louis' client after all and mixing pleasure with business with alcohol seems like it could be a spiraling disaster. "You don't think it would be weird? I mean, we've only been on one date and sure it was good but what if it's too soon? What if Louis says something or..." she stops suddenly, realising it's descending into a ramble and when she catches his gaze it's filled with curious amusement. "Oh crap-" she gives an almost painful wince, "I'm being that person aren't I? It's okay just go ahead and kill me. Put me out of my misery before the crazy takes over."
"Can't do that. Unfortunately I need you around-" he jokes, a smirk sliding onto his mouth, "but I will settle for teasing you mercifully."
She flops with a sigh despondent to the comment. It's amazing how he can go from zero to jerk in sixty seconds but he quickly redeems himself stepping around the island in the kitchen and dropping his hands over her shoulders with a warm smile.
"Come on, it's getting late. You can have the bed I'll take the couch."
The imprint of his touch lingers as he moves towards the open lounge and she immediately feels bad. "You sure?" She asks over her shoulder watching him take down the afghan draped casually over the leather seating. It's a new addition, something he bought for instances just like these, and she isn't in the least surprised when he waves her off.
"Would I offer if I wasn't?" They both know he wouldn't. It's not his style but when she spins around on the stool to face him he finds his expression softening. "You're only here cause you were helping me out, I owe you."
It's not untrue and she drops her feet to the floor slipping off her heels. "Thanks Harvey."
"Don't mention it."
His footsteps are light as he heads to the bedroom in search of a pillow for himself and something for her to change into. His Harvard shirt is her usual choice and he digs it out not really thinking about it until a betraying thought creeps into his head. Would Kessler see the whole thing as innocent?
It's only been one date and he's getting ahead of himself but the foreboding sense of change makes him uneasy. He wants Donna to be happy that's a given but so is the dull ache that tugs at the mere mention of her seeing someone.
He'll get over it -he has too- but he'll be damned if it isn't becoming a seriously troubling inconvenience.