Chapter 12 - VICTOR RAINES
Victor Raines arrived at 10:51 p.m.
He arrived with two attorneys and the calm face of a man who believed every crisis had a price.
He looked at me first.
“Evelyn Mercer.”
“Mr. Raines.”
“I’m sorry we’re meeting under unpleasant circumstances.”
“I doubt that.”
A faint smile.
Daniel stepped between us. “Why are you here?”
Raines glanced at him. “Your wife said financing discussions were accelerating.”
“My wife had no authority to negotiate for my company.”
Raines’s expression changed by one degree. “That is not what I was told.”
Martin asked, “What were you told?”
Raines looked toward the attorneys. One of them murmured something.
Then Raines answered.
“That Mrs. Mercer intended to withdraw support after the wedding, forcing a liquidity event. Mrs. Hale believed Daniel would then accept outside capital.”
Mrs. Hale.
Vanessa.
He continued. “I was also told Mrs. Mercer would be willing to sell if the offer appeared independent.”
My stomach tightened.
Daniel stared at him. “She engineered the crisis?”
Raines lifted a hand. “I am not accusing anyone of that.”
“But you were ready to benefit from it.”
“I invest in distressed situations. I don’t create them.”
Aaron stepped forward. “Did Vanessa tell you about our pending bank renewal?”
Raines did not answer immediately.
That was answer enough.
Daniel’s face went red.
I touched his arm before he moved.
“Don’t.”
He stopped.
For once, he listened.
Raines gathered his papers. “Given the uncertainty, my firm is withdrawing tonight’s proposal.”
“Tonight’s?” I asked.
He looked at me.
“There was a meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning.”
Daniel frowned. “With whom?”
Raines hesitated.
Then he gave us the last piece.
“With Vanessa, her mother, and one member of your board.”
Aaron went still.
I knew our board.
Five people.
Three had been with me for more than a decade.
One was Daniel.
The fifth was a man I had trusted enough to give access to every financial weakness we had.
May you like
Daniel whispered his name before Raines said it.
“Gregory Shaw.”
