Chapter 17 - The Price of a Vote
Victoria stood so fast her chair struck the wall.
"This is ridiculous. My company moved thousands of patients when nobody else would. You're going to let a waitress and a disgruntled mechanic destroy it?"
"Nobody is destroying safe transportation," Isabella said. "We're asking whether you provided it."
The investigator showed the board an email directing Harborline managers to override several unresolved service warnings before the gala weekend. Victoria claimed it had been taken out of context. Curtis's lawyer requested a break, and the board did not pretend one meeting could decide criminal responsibility.
But it could decide where donor money went next.
By a clear majority, the trustees voted to suspend payments for new Harborline assignments, reject the proposed renewal, and commission a full outside audit. They directed staff to contract temporarily with independently inspected operators so riders would not be abandoned.
The motion to remove Isabella from the committee failed.
I turned to see her reaction. She hadn't smiled. She was already writing questions about the next day's dialysis appointments.
Victoria stopped beside my chair on her way out.
"Enjoy your moment," she said. "When every route falls apart, people will remember you."
"They'll remember who knew the vans weren't safe," I replied.
She stared at me, then walked away without another word.
I expected cheers, maybe a hug. Instead, the program director hurried into the room with a dispatch list and a face full of worry.
"Harborline canceled its remaining shifts immediately," she said. "We have twenty-seven riders scheduled for tomorrow morning."
May you like
Isabella looked straight at Vincent.
"A vote isn't a ride," she said. "Now we find them one."
