if_inconvenient | (no subject)

Peter hasn't bothered to make the call himself. He and Sherlock both have plenty on their plates right now, and as far as Peter is concerned professionally, nothing to do with Obadiah Stane is relevant anymore.

Which isn't to say he's not dying of curiosity on a personal level.

So, when the phone rings, he takes the call instead of letting it go to voicemail.

"Chandler security."

"They were murdered."

Why is he amused by this?

"Surprise of the century," Peter says dryly.

Frankly, if Sherlock had turned up any other conclusion, Peter would assume the kid had fucked up somewhere along the way. No one's perfect.

"It was quite clever, actually. I had suspected he might have tried something of the sort—the collapse of the hillside was deliberately engineered."

Peter snorts.

"Really? Sounds like he shot his assassination wad on that one."

Anyone who could pull that off should have been able to get rid of Tony a long time ago, with a little more flair than Stane managed in recent months.

"Maybe he had help." Of course, that help would now be dead.

"Of course, anyone trying to arrange a driving accident for Tony would run into a little trouble. And he always did tend to underestimate teenagers. But he could have had help, yes."

- that help would now be dead.

Hmm.

Peter taps a pen thoughtfully against the edge of his desk.

"If I were an asshole PR guy," he says musingly, "and I wanted to kill off my engineering genius buddy and make sure no one would be around to rat me out after, who would I go to for ideas on how to cause a hillside to collapse at just the right moment to make it look like an accident?"

He starts to laugh.

Peter takes a moment to reflect on the fact that this kid has some serious issues.

"Good heavens, that's brilliant. Of course. Use the man's own genius against him. I don't doubt he could have done exactly that."

He can just see it unfolding in his mind. The late-night conversation, the hypothetical scenario. Both of them having a good laugh. Careful preparations—Obadiah was just the sort to watch his friend for as long as it took until he knew exactly which road to destroy, exactly where and exactly when. Perhaps he cut the brakes on the car, just to be sure; perhaps he trusted Howard's drinking habits to do the job for him.

"The destruction was accomplished by one man, as far as I could tell," he adds. "Over several weeks. I can't be more precise than that so long after the fact. All in all, however, it confirms our suspicions perfectly."

For Tony's sake, Sherlock has tolerated Obadiah Stane all his life; for Tony's sake, Sherlock is starting to hate the man.

"Shame he had to disappear on us so soon, then," Peter says.

That would have been a very satisfying interrogation. He doesn't usually take more than a professional pride in those, but Obadiah Stane went out of his way to involve the Chandlers in his plans, and no one pisses on Peter's territory without getting his dick ripped off sooner or later.

(Not literally.)

(Probably.)

"If he were not in Hell already, I would rather like to put him there," Sherlock agrees.

It's very possible they are thinking along similar lines.

"Thoughtful of him to save us the trouble, I suppose," Peter says.

"One less thing to worry about, at any rate."

Peter will be thoroughly surprised if there's another attempt on Tony's life any time soon.

"And a dozen more to compensate. But at least we have done this before."

"Old hat," Peter agrees. "Did you know most of the morticians in this town offer faking a cremation as a service? A few of them even list it."

Only in fucking Sunnydale.

"We'll be sure to select one that doesn't. Amidst finding someone to hang onto the company while Tony finishes school. Astonishingly, Obadiah made no plans for this eventuality."

And of course Tony didn't, because it never occurred to him that this might happen.

"Have fun with that."

That particular issue is well out of Peter's jurisdiction. Thank Christ.

"Fun is the last thing it will be, I'm afraid, but we'll manage it just the same."

"Be ready to make your move the second you announce his death," Peter warns. "As it is, the sharks are probably already smelling the blood in the water."

Stane's being sick and out of touch with the company is no doubt making a head or two on the board perk up. Peter works for a political family, not a business one, but some things are the same everywhere.

"Oh, the legalities are quite clear. It goes to Tony. Obadiah was only ever holding it for him."

"So that's one point in your favor."

Peter can already envision half a dozen ways in which it could be neatly sidestepped.

"I defy anyone to snatch it out from under us. But you're quite right. We won't give them the chance."

Sherlock knows how Tony thinks. He considers Stark Industries ultimately his responsibility no matter who has temporary control. If necessary, he will run the place himself until he has found a worthy successor, and he will do it so brilliantly no one will have any rational cause for complaint. He won't allow himself any less than that.