Chapter 9 - The Father-in-Law
Charles Whitmore entered carrying white tulips.
Emily almost laughed.
Preston had been sending her favorite flowers for years.
Now she wondered whether even that had been researched.
Charles looked older than he had two weeks earlier.
He set the flowers down.
“How is my grandson?”
“Alive.”
“Thank God.”
Emily watched him carefully.
“Did you come from Europe?”
His eyes flickered.
“Plans changed.”
“That happens a lot in your family.”
Charles sat.
“Emily, what happened yesterday was unforgivable.”
“Which part?”
He paused.
“Vanessa attacking you.”
Emily waited.
Not Preston watching.
Not the altered record.
Not the deleted video.
Just Vanessa.
Charles continued.
“Preston has made terrible decisions.”
“Did he make them alone?”
Charles looked wounded.
“I love you like a daughter.”
“No.”
Emily’s voice remained calm.
“You loved my shares like an inheritance.”
Charles stopped breathing for half a second.
Emily saw it.
She continued.
“My mother knew your family was watching me before I met Preston.”
Charles said nothing.
“Eleven years, Charles.”
His face changed.
“You found Catherine’s files.”
It was not a question.
Emily felt something inside her settle.
“So they’re real.”
Charles looked toward the door.
“You do not understand what your mother did.”
“Then explain it.”
“She humiliated my father.”
“By preventing him from stealing control?”
“By keeping our name on a building we did not control.”
Emily almost smiled.
“That must have been difficult.”
Charles leaned closer.
“Your mother built a trap.”
Emily thought of Section Nine.
“You mean the protection clause.”
His face went pale.
He had not expected her to know.
Emily continued.
“You knew about it.”
“I knew Catherine never trusted us.”
“Apparently she had excellent judgment.”
Charles stood.
“Do you understand what happens if Raymond invokes that clause?”
“Yes.”
“You destroy hundreds of employees.”
“No.”
Emily shook her head.
“I destroy one family’s ability to collect money from contracts it never deserved.”
His tone hardened.
“This hospital carries my father’s name.”
“And my mother’s money.”
Charles stared at her.
For the first time, the polite father-in-law disappeared.
“You think Raymond can protect you forever?”
Emily reached beneath her blanket.
Her phone was recording.
Charles did not notice.
He lowered his voice.
“Monday’s vote will happen.”
“Not the way you want.”
“You should be careful.”
Emily’s eyes narrowed.
“Is that a threat?”
Charles realized his mistake.
He stepped backward.
Then the door opened.
Detective Ortiz entered.
Charles froze.
She looked at Emily.
“Mrs. Whitmore, we found the financial records from the storage unit.”
Charles’s face changed again.
Ortiz continued.
“They include payments authorized by Charles Whitmore.”
Emily kept her eyes on him.
May you like
Charles turned toward the door.
Security was already there.
