Chương 8
At noon, Lily walked in wearing purple leggings and a sweatshirt that said ASK ME ABOUT DINOSAURS.
She saw the crown.
“You fixed it.”
Nathan looked at the tape.
“I attempted to.”
She picked it up.
“You did it wrong.”
“I’m having a difficult twenty-four hours.”
“The star goes over the blue part.”
“It is over the blue part.”
“No, this blue part.”
Nathan looked.
There were many blue parts.
“You’re welcome.”
She put the crown on his head.
It was too small.
Mara, entering with a grocery bag, stopped.
Nathan pointed at her.
“No.”
Mara took out her phone.
“Absolutely yes.”
“Mara.”
She photographed him.
Lily laughed.
For nine seconds, Nathan forgot Julian existed.
Then his phone vibrated.
A message from Detective Ruiz.
Please call.
Nathan removed the crown.
Lily took it back.
He went into the hall.
Ruiz answered.
“Mr. Vale has been taken into custody.”
Nathan leaned against the wall.
“For the poisoning?”
“I can tell you he was arrested in connection with the incident at your home. I’m not going to discuss all evidence over the phone.”
“Did he talk?”
“Not yet.”
“Did you get the payment records?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know who owns Larkspur?”
“We’re working on it.”
Nathan lowered his voice.
“You know Everett approved those payments.”
“I know what the records you provided show.”
“He called Julian yesterday.”
“So did fourteen other people.”
Nathan closed his eyes.
“Do you ever answer the question someone asks?”
“When I can support the answer.”
He looked toward Lily, who had placed the crown on Mara.
“What happens now?”
“The investigation continues.”
“I hate that sentence.”
“I know.”
Ruiz paused.
“There is one thing I can tell you.”
Nathan waited.
“Mr. Vale’s attorney has indicated he may be willing to speak.”
“When?”
“That depends on him and his counsel.”
Nathan looked at his watch without knowing why.
“If he gives you a name—”
“I’ll contact you when I’m able.”
She ended the call before Nathan could argue.
He returned to the kitchen.
Lily was arranging blueberries into a face on her plate.
“Did they take Julian?”
Nathan stared at her.
Mara raised an eyebrow.
“You heard me?”
“You talk loud when you’re trying to be quiet.”
“Yes.”
“Is he in jail?”
“He was arrested.”
Lily thought about that.
“Does he have pancakes?”
Nathan glanced at Mara.
“I have no idea.”
She placed another blueberry.
“He probably doesn’t get to pick.”
“No.”
“Good.”
Then, after a moment, “But he should still get breakfast.”
Nathan pulled out the chair across from her.
“Why?”
“Because everybody eats breakfast.”
He looked at her for a long time.
Lily frowned.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You do that.”
“Do what?”
“Look at me when I say normal things.”
Nathan reached for a blueberry.
She slapped his hand.
“Those are mine.”
By afternoon, reporters had found the story.
The first headline used the phrase BILLIONAIRE DINNER POISONING.
Nathan hated it for several reasons, including the fact that the word billionaire had not been verified in years and varied depending on what someone thought three privately held companies were worth.
By four, a photograph of Julian leaving the building the previous night appeared online.
By five, someone had found an old charity photograph showing Julian standing beside Everett.
By six, three business channels had started discussing succession problems at Cole Meridian, although Nathan had not died.
At six-thirty, Everett arrived at the penthouse.
Marcus called from downstairs.
“He’s insisting you’re expecting him.”
“I’m not.”
“Want me to send him away?”
Nathan looked toward the living room.
Lily was watching an animated movie at low volume while Mara folded laundry on the sofa.
Nathan thought of Detective Ruiz telling him not to contact people.
Everett had contacted him.
“Let him up.”
Marcus was silent.
“Rachel will yell at you.”
“Rachel yells professionally.”
“Ruiz?”
“Probably more efficiently.”
Marcus sighed.
“I’ll stay in the room.”
Everett entered six minutes later.
He looked older than he had on the screen.
Not frail.
Just tired.
His eyes went directly to Lily.
She stopped watching the movie.
“Hey, bug.”
Lily did not answer.
Everett took a step toward her.
Nathan moved between them.
Everett stopped.
The hurt on his face looked genuine.
“That’s necessary?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Nathan.”
“Study.”
Everett looked at Marcus.
“Is he joining us?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve known Marcus for seven years.”
“Then this shouldn’t be awkward.”
“It already is.”
In the study, Everett refused the chair Nathan indicated and took the one beside the window instead.
A tiny assertion.
Nathan noticed because he had learned them from Everett.
“You authorized payments to Larkspur,” Nathan said.
Everett looked disgusted.
“Rachel told you not to do this.”
“You spoke to her?”
“She called my counsel.”
“Answer me.”
“I authorized hundreds of vendor payments.”
“Who owns Larkspur?”
“I don’t know.”
“Four days ago it paid Julian a quarter million dollars.”
Everett’s eyes shifted.
There.
Nathan felt the room narrow.
“You knew.”
“I knew Julian had consulting income.”
“You knew about the payment.”
“I knew he was expecting money.”
“From Larkspur?”
Everett did not answer.
Nathan stepped closer.
“Who owns it?”
“Nathan, listen to me.”
“Who owns it?”
Everett’s voice sharpened.
“Sit down.”
Nathan almost did.
The command had worked when he was eight.
It had worked when he was eighteen.
It had worked when Nathan became CEO at thirty-two and Everett remained chairman, telling him which battles were real and which were vanity.
Nathan stayed standing.
Everett noticed.
Something changed in his face.
“I did not tell Julian to kill you.”
Marcus shifted near the door.
Nathan felt every muscle in his body become still.
“I didn’t ask if you did.”
Everett closed his eyes.
For perhaps two seconds, he looked like an old man who had reached the end of a hallway and found no door.
Then he opened them.
“I told him tomorrow’s vote could not happen.”
Nathan’s voice was barely audible.
“What did you tell him to do?”
“Nothing like what happened.”
May you like
“What did you tell him?”
Everett stood.
