Chapter 13 - Forty-Two Percent
Daniel reached Hartwell with Rachel eight minutes before the vote.
Security tried to stop him.
Elaine overruled them.
Inside the boardroom, Richard Kendrick sat at one end of the table. Margaret was beside him despite the new protective order, because the order covered Lily, not corporate meetings.
Richard smiled. "Daniel. Terrible family business. We were just trying not to burden you."
"By buying my daughter's company?"
"By saving it."
The proposed transaction would give North Vale operational control in exchange for emergency financing Hartwell did not need.
Elaine presented cash-flow statements proving that.
Richard dismissed them.
Then Margaret stood.
"As prospective guardian of Lily Reed, I support the transaction."
Rachel slid the judge's order onto the table.
"You are not Lily's guardian. Your emergency petition has been suspended pending an abuse investigation. You have no authority to vote her shares."
Murmurs broke out.
Richard's face tightened.
The board chair postponed the vote.
Margaret looked at Daniel with pure hatred.
"You think you've saved something?"
"I saved my daughter from you. The company is secondary."
"That's why you don't deserve either one."
She walked out.
Elaine locked the boardroom door after her.
"Now we open Emma's box," she said.
"We still don't have Margaret's key."
Elaine reached into her pocket.
"We don't need it anymore."
She placed a brass key on the table.
"Renee found it in the coat Margaret left at the courthouse."
Daniel inserted it into the second lock.
The box clicked open.
Inside were three folders, a flash drive, and a sealed letter addressed to Daniel.
He opened the letter first.
Emma's handwriting filled one page.
Daniel, if Margaret ever tries to take Lily, do not negotiate with her. She did the same thing to you when you were a child.
Daniel stopped reading.
"What does that mean?"
Elaine looked away.
Rachel picked up the second folder.
May you like
On the cover were two words.
DANIEL - AGE 4.
