Chương 7
Silence.
Not surprise.
Silence.
Savannah closed her eyes.
“What did he give you?”
Mark exhaled.
“I think you should talk to your attorney.”
“That is not an answer.”
“I know.”
Behind her, the front door opened.
Ruiz and Pike were taking Christopher outside.
Savannah heard Beatrice say his name once.
Christopher did not answer.
Mark spoke again.
“I don’t want to be in the middle of your marriage.”
“You already are.”
“I didn’t ask to be.”
“Neither did I.”
Another pause.
Savannah watched the police cruiser through the glass.
Pike guided Christopher into the back seat.
Christopher turned his head before the door closed and looked directly toward the house.
He could not possibly see Savannah clearly through the reflection.
She still stepped back.
“Mark.”
“I’m here.”
“What records?”
He rubbed something near the phone, maybe his beard.
She remembered he always did that when nervous.
“There’s an old agreement.”
“What agreement?”
“One Christopher says you signed.”
Savannah’s stomach tightened.
“When?”
“Years ago.”
“That narrows it down beautifully.”
“I’m not trying to be difficult.”
“Then stop being difficult.”
Mark went quiet.
Savannah regretted the sharpness immediately, but she did not apologize.
There was no room inside her for courtesy.
He finally said, “It’s dated eleven years ago.”
Savannah stared at the rain-dark patio stones.
Eleven years.
One year after incorporation.
Three years before she married Christopher.
“What does it say?”
“That he provided financial and operational support during the early stage of the company in exchange for a future interest.”
Savannah’s grip tightened around the phone.
“How much interest?”
“Five percent.”
She almost laughed.
The number was too clean.
Too deliberate.
Too dangerous.
Five percent of Mercer Adaptive Systems was not symbolic.
At the company’s most recent internal valuation, it was worth millions.
“I never signed that.”
Mark did not answer.
“Did you hear me?”
“Yes.”
“I never signed anything giving Christopher equity.”
“I’m telling you what I have.”
“And where did you get it?”
Mark hesitated.
“Christopher sent it to me three weeks ago.”
Savannah turned.
Beatrice was watching her from the island.
The police cruiser pulled away.
No one in the kitchen spoke.
“Why would he send it to you?”
“He asked me to look at it.”
“You’re not his lawyer.”
“I know.”
“You’re not even practicing law anymore.”
“I know that too.”
Mark’s irritation surfaced.
“He said he was worried you were going to cut him out financially.”
Savannah pressed two fingers against her forehead.
“And you believed him.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You looked at the document.”
“He asked whether it seemed enforceable.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“That I had no idea.”
“Did you tell him to get counsel?”
“Yes.”
“Did you tell him to talk to me?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Mark breathed out slowly.
“Because he asked me not to.”
Savannah looked at the ceiling.
For twelve years, Christopher had been adjacent to her business.
He attended holiday dinners with employees.
He shook hands with investors at charity events.
He carried boxes during the first office move and complained afterward that Savannah had not ordered enough pizza.
He knew names.
He knew stories.
He knew which failures still embarrassed her.
That proximity had always seemed harmless.
Now it felt like a map.
“Send me the document.”
“I already sent it to your attorney.”
Savannah froze.
“What?”
“This morning.”
“How do you know who my attorney is?”
“Christopher told me.”
Savannah turned back toward Beatrice.
The room seemed to tilt without moving.
Christopher knew about the meeting.
He had known she was preparing.
“How long has he known?”
Mark spoke carefully.
“About the attorney?”
“Yes.”
“At least a week.”
Savannah thought of Christopher asking whether she wanted Thai food last Tuesday.
His hand had rested on the refrigerator door.
His tone had been ordinary.
She had said yes.
He had ordered green curry and remembered to request extra basil.
They had eaten on the couch while watching a terrible renovation show.
All that time, he had known she was consulting a lawyer.
All that time, she had believed she was keeping one thing from him.
“Savannah?”
“I’m here.”
“I’m sorry.”
She almost told him not to say it.
Instead, she asked, “Is my signature on the agreement?”
“Yes.”
The word entered quietly.
Her body reacted before her mind did.
Her fingers went numb.
“What does it look like?”
“Like your signature.”
“That’s not possible.”
“I know.”
“No, you don’t.”
“You’re right.”
Mark’s voice softened.
“I don’t.”
Savannah walked back to the island.
Beatrice took one look at her and stood.
“What happened?”
Savannah held up one finger.
“Mark, send it to me now.”
“All right.”
“And every message Christopher sent you.”
A pause.
“Savannah.”
“Every message.”
“Some of it is personal.”
“He is claiming millions of dollars of my company.”
“I understand.”
“No, I don’t think you do.”
She lowered her voice because anger made the burn sting.
“If you choose to protect him by withholding anything relevant, my attorney can deal with that part.”
Mark swore under his breath.
“You don’t have to threaten me.”
“I’m not threatening you.”
“That sounded exactly like a threat.”
“Then maybe this is a bad day for nuance.”
He went silent.
Savannah heard typing.
“I’ll send everything.”
“Thank you.”
She ended the call.
Beatrice waited.
Savannah put the phone on the counter.
“There’s a document.”
“What document?”
“A supposed equity agreement.”
Beatrice frowned.
“Equity in what?”
“My company.”
The frown disappeared.
“He doesn’t own your company.”
“He’s claiming five percent.”
Beatrice stared.
“That’s ridiculous.”
Savannah looked at her.
“Is it?”
“Yes.”
“How would you know?”
“Because if Christopher owned part of your company, he would have told me.”
Savannah almost smiled.
That was the first useful thing Beatrice had said all morning.
Her phone chimed.
An email from Mark.
Four attachments.
Savannah opened the first.
The agreement appeared on the screen as a scanned PDF.
The document was crude but not obviously fake.
Her full legal name was correct.
May you like
The company’s original name was correct.
The address matched the rented office she had occupied that year.
