Chapter 6 - THE BOARDROOM TRAP
Friday was less than forty-eight hours away.
Richard was moving quickly.
Margaret called Daniel’s corporate attorney, Marcus Reed.
Marcus arrived at the hospital that afternoon.
He was younger than I expected, maybe forty, with the exhausted expression of someone who had spent two days reading documents without sleeping.
He shook my hand.
“Daniel talked about you constantly.”
I smiled weakly.
“I wish he were here.”
“So do I.”
Marcus opened his laptop.
“Richard needs the board to confirm him as executive chairman before the trust investigation becomes formal.”
“Why?”
“Because once the fraud clause is formally certified, his voting proxy disappears.”
“I thought it already disappeared.”
“Temporarily.”
He pointed to a chart.
“The final determination requires either a court ruling or a majority vote of the independent trust committee.”
“How long?”
“Normally weeks.”
My heart sank.
Marcus continued.
“Richard is trying to get control before that happens.”
Margaret leaned forward.
“Can Emily vote?”
“Yes.”
Marcus looked at me.
“Her fifty-five percent effectively decides the chairman.”
“Then the meeting is over.”
“Not quite.”
He clicked another file.
“Richard submitted a petition this morning claiming you are medically and psychologically incapable of exercising corporate authority.”
I stared at the screen.
“He is using my husband’s death and my premature labor against me.”
“Yes.”
The cruelty of it was almost impressive.
Marcus continued.
“If a probate judge grants temporary incapacity status, your trust vote could be suspended.”
“Who votes then?”
“The board.”
“And Richard has enough allies.”
“Probably.”
I looked through the glass wall toward the hallway.
My daughter was two floors away.
My husband was dead.
My father had assaulted me.
And somehow, I was the person being asked to prove I was competent.
“What do we need?”
Marcus looked surprised.
“To stop him?”
“Yes.”
“Medical confirmation.”
“Done.”
“Evidence you understand the estate.”
“I do.”
“Evidence Richard’s petition is motivated by self-interest.”
Margaret lifted her phone.
“We have yesterday’s call.”
Marcus nodded.
“That helps.”
I looked at the black drive Daniel had left.
“And we have this.”
Marcus went completely still.
“Where did you get that?”
“Margaret.”
He looked at her.
“You had Daniel’s insurance drive?”
“Yes.”
Marcus leaned back.
“Well.”
“What?”
He rubbed a hand over his face.
“That changes things.”
“You know what’s on it?”
“Not everything.”
“But something.”
May you like
Marcus looked directly at me.
“Three months before Daniel died, he told me that if Richard ever tried to seize the company, the drive would explain why Richard could never be allowed to control it again.”
