Chapter 2 - THE NAME BEHIND THE PLAN
Arthur stared at the message until the letters seemed to burn into the glass.
Victor Sloane was Elena's older brother, a private-equity shark who had spent two years trying to convince Arthur to sell Vance Medical Systems.
Arthur picked up the phone.
Elena lunged. "Give me that."
Maria stepped between them. "Don't."
Elena shoved her shoulder. Arthur caught Elena's arm before she could do it again.
"Touch her one more time," he said quietly, "and this conversation happens with police in the room."
Elena jerked free. "You're making a fool of yourself. Victor advises me. That's all."
"On my son's trust?"
"On our future."
Lucas flinched at the word our.
Arthur noticed.
He called Daniel Price, the attorney who had managed the trust since Arthur's first wife, Claire, died six years earlier.
Daniel answered on the second ring. "Arthur, I've been trying to reach you."
Arthur's stomach tightened. "Why?"
"Someone filed an emergency petition this morning to remove me as trustee."
Elena turned pale.
"On what grounds?" Arthur asked.
"Conflict of interest. The filing says you've suffered a recent mental-health decline and that Lucas needs a family-controlled trustee."
Arthur almost laughed. "Who filed it?"
"Elena."
Lucas whispered, "Dad, I told her you weren't sick."
Arthur crouched. "When did she ask you that?"
"Yesterday. She said a judge might ask me questions. She told me to say you forget things and yell at people."
Elena snapped, "He's confused. He's a child."
Lucas looked at her. "You said if I messed it up, Dad could lose the company."
Maria closed her eyes.
Arthur stood slowly.
Daniel spoke through the phone. "There's more. The court filing includes a physician's letter supporting the claim."
"My doctor?"
"No. A Dr. Malcolm Reese."
Arthur had never heard the name.
May you like
Elena had.
And the second Daniel said it, she reached for the front door.
