Chapter 13 - THE MAN AT THE BOARD TABLE
Gregory Shaw had toasted Daniel at the rehearsal dinner.
He had hugged me that afternoon and said, “You must be proud.”
Now, at eleven-thirty at night, we found him sitting in a private club three blocks from the office.
He did not deny it.
“I was trying to protect the company,” Gregory said.
Daniel slammed the term sheet on the table. “By handing half of it to Raines?”
“By getting cash before the bank shut you down.”
“You knew about the forged guaranty?”
Gregory’s silence lasted too long.
My voice came out colder than I felt. “Gregory.”
He looked at me. “I knew there was a backup guaranty. I did not know the signature was false.”
Martin asked, “Did you know Vanessa planned to approach Evelyn about selling?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know she was collecting confidential company records?”
“No.”
Daniel laughed bitterly. “Everybody knows just enough to avoid responsibility.”
Gregory leaned forward. “You want responsibility? Fine. You hid the severity of the cash problem from the board for four months.”
Daniel stopped.
I looked at him.
Aaron did too.
Daniel’s face changed.
Gregory continued. “You kept projecting that the Harbor Street sale would close. It didn’t. You delayed vendor payments. You used deposits from the North Avenue project to cover payroll.”
Aaron swore. “Daniel, is that true?”
Daniel did not answer.
My anger moved again, but this time it was not toward Vanessa.
“Is it true?” I asked.
He looked at me.
“Yes.”
One word.
A whole second betrayal.
Vanessa had manipulated him.
Gregory had maneuvered around him.
But Daniel had also lied.
Not just to me.
To his board.
To employees.
To himself.
I sat back.
Daniel’s voice broke. “I thought I could fix it before anyone knew.”
“That sentence,” I said, “has destroyed more families and companies than bad luck ever did.”
He nodded.
Gregory reached for his drink.
Martin stopped him with a question.
“Did Vanessa promise you anything if Raines took control?”
May you like
Gregory’s hand froze.
And I knew the answer before he spoke.
