Chương 5
“He filed before asking me to approach you.”
There was a pause.
“That is useful context,” Mara said.
“He also appears to have submitted Bellweather House as collateral to another lender without my authorization.”
“Appears?”
“The documents are being reviewed.”
Mara exhaled slowly. “Emily, I like you. I respect your work. But I cannot bring my committee into a domestic fraud investigation.”
“I’m not asking you to.”
“You asked us to move in eight days.”
“I’m asking for twenty-four hours before you withdraw.”
“Why?”
Emily looked at the framed photograph on the desk. It showed the Carter Residential Group staff at the opening of their first affordable senior complex. Daniel stood in the center, younger and less polished. Emily was beside him in a hard hat, laughing because the ceremonial shovel had broken.
“Because the employees should not lose their paychecks because Daniel betrayed me.”
“That may be true. It does not make the company financeable.”
“What would?”
“A clean title picture. Verified liabilities. Independent control. And Daniel Carter nowhere near the closing documents.”
Emily looked at Mr. Meyers.
He shook his head once—not disagreement, but warning.
“Give me until tomorrow afternoon,” Emily said.
“Three o’clock Eastern.”
Mara ended the call.
Mr. Meyers removed his glasses and cleaned them with his handkerchief.
“You heard her,” Emily said.
“I did.”
“If Daniel steps aside, the deal might survive.”
“If Daniel steps aside, perhaps.”
“He won’t.”
“Probably not.”
“I need the company records.”
“You resigned nine months ago.”
“I still own eighteen percent.”
“You also signed a voting agreement giving Daniel proxy authority while you remained married and not active in management.”
Emily stared at him.
The agreement had been Daniel’s idea. He said lenders needed one voice. He said her continued influence made the board uncertain about who was in charge. She had signed after a fight that lasted until two in the morning.
“I was an idiot.”
“You were trying to preserve your marriage.”
“That is a polite synonym.”
“No. Idiocy is simpler.”
At eleven, Daniel called.
Emily let the phone ring until Noah appeared in the library doorway.
His bow tie was gone. He had changed into pajamas but still wore the suit jacket.
“Why aren’t you asleep?” she asked.
“I heard your phone.”
“It’s Dad.”
“Are you going to answer?”
“I don’t know.”
Noah climbed into the chair across from her. “He might think we died.”
“He knows you’re safe.”
“How?”
“Mr. Meyers told his lawyer.”
“That’s not the same.”
Emily picked up the phone before it stopped ringing.
“Hello.”
Daniel’s breath came through the line. “Are they awake?”
“No.”
Noah watched her.
Emily looked away.
“I want to speak to them.”
“It’s after eleven.”
“You let them stay up after parties.”
“This was not a party.”
“Please, Emily.”
Noah held out his hand.
She gave him the phone.
“Hi, Dad.”
Daniel said something Emily could not hear.
“No,” Noah replied. “I’m not mad.”
Another pause.
“I don’t know.”
He rubbed the jacket cuff between his fingers.
“Did you pack my coat because you didn’t want me?”
Emily turned toward the window.
Daniel’s voice came faintly, quick and urgent. Noah listened without responding.
Then he said, “Okay,” and handed the phone back.
“He wants you.”
Emily took it.
Daniel sounded raw. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“How did you mean it?”
“I thought they’d stay with you while we worked things out.”
“You packed their belongings but none of your own.”
“I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
“You planned enough to bring Vanessa into the house wearing my jewelry.”
Silence.
“Did she take the pearls from my safe?”
“I gave them to her.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“I knew the code.”
“Did you remove them?”
“Yes.”
The admission was so ordinary that Emily had trouble absorbing it.
“Why?”
“Because she liked them.”
“They were not yours.”
“I was angry.”
“At whom?”
“At you. At the house. At every room that reminded me I was a guest in my own life.”
Emily lowered her voice. “So you gave Vanessa something my grandmother wore to my wedding.”
“I didn’t think of it that way.”
“That is the problem, Daniel. You did not think of anyone’s way except your own.”
“I know how it looked.”
“It was not a visual misunderstanding.”
He breathed against the receiver.
“Where are you?” she asked.
“The Crestview.”
“With Vanessa?”
“No.”
Emily did not believe him, but she was surprised by the relief she felt.
“I need access to the company books,” she said.
“What?”
“Harbor Ridge will withdraw tomorrow unless there is independent control and a verified liability review.”
“You told them about this?”
“They already knew about the divorce. You told them I was hostile.”
“You arrived with security officers.”
“You filed the petition three days ago and still asked me to save your company.”
“I was trying to protect the business from our marriage.”
“You used my signature.”
“I did not forge it.”
“Then explain it.”
“I can’t do this on the phone.”
“You can do it tomorrow morning with our attorneys present.”
“I’m not stepping down.”
“Then Harbor Ridge walks.”
“I’ll close First Continental.”
“Not with Bellweather House.”
He was quiet.
“You were going to let me believe the estate secured the loan,” Emily said.
“The project needed one strong asset behind it.”
“You promised the board you would never ask for this house.”
“The market changed.”
“You could have told me.”
“You would have said no.”
“Yes.”
“That is why.”
For a moment, Emily had no words. Daniel had offered the logic without embarrassment: she would not consent, so consent had become an obstacle to route around.
Noah watched her face.
Emily turned slightly so he would not see.
“Tomorrow,” she said. “Nine o’clock. Mr. Meyers’s office.”
“I’m not meeting with that undertaker.”
“Bring your own counsel.”
“Emily—”
She ended the call.
Noah looked at her.
“You said I was asleep.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“Because it was late and I wanted to protect you from more adult conversation.”
May you like
“That was lying.”
“Yes.”
