Chapter 11 - THE MAN ON THE DEEDMalcolm Price arrived at headquarters smiling. "I heard you've been investigating my investments."
Grace placed the public deed on the conference table. "You own the company trying to evict Rosebridge."
"I own an interest in a company that owns another company. That's not illegal."
"Did you tell the board?"
He stopped smiling.
Miriam, the board chair, had already called counsel. Malcolm insisted the property was an unrelated investment and that he had no role in approving grants. Minutes later, the compliance officer produced board minutes from June. Malcolm had voted to retain Eastline as a vendor. The conflict had not been disclosed.
"I relied on recommendations," he said.
"Whose?" Grace asked.
"Victoria's."
Miriam asked him to leave the meeting and suspended his committee assignments pending the independent review. Outside, Malcolm caught up with Grace by the elevators.
"Young people always think documents make them powerful," he said. "Documents can disappear."
"So can jobs," Grace replied. "I learned that from your friends."
Her hands shook after the doors closed. She hated that. Courage, she was discovering, was mostly being afraid and refusing to turn around.
At the audit office, Milo found a curious pattern. Hawthorn had bought the Rosebridge building from its previous owner at a discount after a rumor of financial trouble. The rumor had circulated before the foundation missed a single payment. Someone had planned the shortage and the acquisition together.
Grace called Paula to explain. Paula listened without interrupting, then said, "A boy asked me this morning if we should pack our things. I told him no. Please don't make me a liar."
Grace promised only that she would do everything the law allowed.
Before she left, Milo opened one final file: a draft announcement for the demolition of Rosebridge and construction of luxury apartments.
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The document was dated three months before Eastline received its first payment.
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