Chương 3
Madison made another broken sound that almost became laughter.
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
Richard ignored her.
“Evelyn, if you intend to refer anything to law enforcement, say it.”
Evelyn did not answer immediately.
That pause mattered.
Richard’s breathing changed.
Madison heard it.
Noah did too.
Evelyn said, “Counsel is reviewing the findings.”
“Counsel has been reviewing everything I’ve done since 1998.”
“Not everything.”
Richard looked at the folder.
“What’s in there?”
“Your termination agreement.”
“And?”
“Instructions concerning document preservation.”
“And?”
“A notice that the company is suspending certain deferred compensation pending review.”
His head lifted.
“You can’t do that.”
“We can.”
“That money is vested.”
“Some is. Some isn’t.”
“My attorneys will destroy this.”
“Your attorneys may disagree.”
He stepped toward her.
Noah moved one foot forward.
Richard stopped.
It was barely a movement, but they all understood it.
For the first time, Richard looked at Noah as someone physically capable of blocking him rather than as Evelyn’s quiet son.
“That’s enough,” Richard said.
Noah’s voice remained flat.
“I agree.”
Evelyn returned to her side of the table and slid the folder toward Richard.
“You’ll receive digital copies through counsel. Your company phone and laptop have already been locked. Claire will escort you to collect personal items from your office under supervision.”
Richard’s mouth tightened.
“My office.”
“Former office.”
“Thirty years and you’re going to have a thirty-two-year-old assistant watch me pack photographs.”
“Claire is thirty-four.”
Richard stared at her.
Evelyn’s expression did not change.
Madison muttered, “That was necessary.”
“No,” Evelyn said. “It wasn’t.”
For a fraction of a second, Noah almost smiled.
Then it vanished.
The door opened.
Claire stood outside.
She had waited exactly ten minutes.
Evelyn looked at Richard.
“Do not contact anyone on the audit team. Do not contact employees to discuss records. Do not ask anyone to delete, alter, move, or explain anything.”
Richard lifted the folder.
“You’re talking to me like a criminal.”
“I’m talking to you like a former officer of the company who has preservation obligations.”
“Same tone.”
“Then listen carefully.”
He tucked the folder under his arm.
Madison stayed beside the table.
Richard looked at her.
“Come on.”
She didn’t move.
“Madison.”
“No.”
His face sharpened. “We’re leaving.”
“You’re leaving.”
“Don’t do this.”
She looked at him with an expression he had never seen from her. Not anger exactly. Something worse.
Assessment.
“Did you use my badge?”
Richard glanced at Evelyn.
Madison stepped into his line of sight.
“Look at me.”
He did.
“Did you use my badge?”
“No.”
“Did you give it to someone?”
“No.”
“Then how did it get into this building thirty-six times?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s your answer?”
“Yes.”
She nodded slowly.
“Okay.”
Richard mistook the nod for acceptance.
He moved toward the door.
Madison said, “I’m not coming with you.”
He stopped.
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I need to talk to Noah.”
Richard glanced at Noah and then Evelyn.
“This is exactly what they want.”
Madison’s face tightened.
“Who is they?”
Richard did not answer.
“That’s what I thought.”
Claire stood to the side of the door.
Richard looked once more at Evelyn.
There had been a time when he could read her. Or believed he could. He had known which joke would make her cover a smile at investor dinners, which quarter would scare her, which board member she privately distrusted, how long she would argue before compromise became possible. They had built offices together out of borrowed space, eaten terrible sandwiches over acquisition models, slept in airports, lied to each other about not being tired.
Now her face gave him nothing.
“I made you rich,” he said.
Evelyn’s eyes remained steady.
“You helped build a company.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Goodbye, Richard.”
He left with Claire.
The door closed.
Madison stayed standing for several seconds.
Then she reached for the ring.
Noah watched her fingers struggle at the knuckle.
“Don’t,” he said.
She looked up.
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t take it off because you think I want the gesture.”
“You brought a ring box to my father’s termination meeting.”
“It isn’t empty.”
Her hand stopped.
She stared at the box on the table.
“What’s in it?”
“The ring you gave back to me three weeks ago.”
Madison frowned.
She looked down at the diamond still on her hand.
Evelyn’s eyes moved to Noah.
Noah did not look at his mother.
Madison said, “I never gave this back.”
“No.”
“Then what ring?”
“The original.”
The city outside seemed suddenly too bright.
Madison’s mouth opened, then closed.
Noah placed two fingers on the box and pushed it toward her.
She did not touch it.
“What are you talking about?”
“The ring on your hand isn’t the one I proposed with.”
Madison looked at the diamond.
“That’s insane.”
“I noticed before Christmas.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“I did.”
“How?”
“My grandmother’s ring had a small nick in the platinum under the lower left prong. You asked me about it when we had it resized.”
Madison stared at him.
Noah went on.
“The ring you started wearing in November didn’t have it.”
Evelyn said nothing.
Madison’s breathing had become shallow.
“So you thought I replaced your family ring?”
“I asked you.”
“You accused me after two bottles of wine at two in the morning.”
“I asked where the original was.”
“You were drunk.”
“So were you.”
“That conversation made no sense.”
“It made enough sense that you took your ring off and told me maybe I should marry the piece of jewelry.”
Madison looked at the box.
“And then?”
“You went upstairs.”
“And you stole a ring from me?”
“No.”
“Then how do you have it?”
Noah looked at his mother for the first time.
Evelyn’s face was controlled, but her shoulders had gone slightly rigid.
Noah said, “Security found it in a locked drawer in your father’s office.”
Madison stared at him.
“No.”
“It was in an evidence bag when I saw it.”
“No.”
“I identified it.”
“Noah.”
“I didn’t know why it was there.”
May you like
Madison shook her head.
“My father does not have a key to my apartment.”
