Chapter 14 - THE BETRAYAL INSIDE THE BUILDING
Security locked the boardroom.
Smoke never appeared.
The alarm was false.
Someone had triggered it remotely.
Federal agents searched every floor.
Then one officer discovered a service elevator moving without authorization.
It stopped at the executive level.
The doors opened.
Victoria stepped out.
She wore maintenance clothing.
No weapon visible.
But she carried a small metal case.
Officers surrounded her immediately.
She froze.
Then smiled.
“I suppose subtlety is over.”
Detective Ortiz handcuffed her.
Inside the case were forged board resolutions.
A copy of the false trust.
And documents transferring my voting rights to a Voss-controlled entity.
The signatures were prepared.
Mine.
Rebecca’s.
Even Ethan’s.
All forged.
But there was no reason for Victoria to risk entering the building personally unless something else mattered.
I looked at Voss.
His expression remained calm.
Too calm.
Then Rebecca checked the board system.
“The acquisition vote has already been submitted.”
“What?”
Someone used my temporary authorization code.
The vote recorded.
AGAINST ACQUISITION.
My vote.
But I had not cast it.
There was only one person in the room who had watched me enter my security code during earlier verification.
Rebecca.
I turned toward her.
She looked horrified.
“It wasn’t me.”
Then her phone buzzed.
She stared at it.
A message from her son Ethan.
MOM, CHECK YOUR BAG.
Rebecca slowly opened her handbag.
Inside was a small wireless device.
Someone had copied credentials from her tablet.
Victoria looked toward her sister.
For the first time, she laughed.
“I told you family would be useful.”
Rebecca’s face collapsed.
During her hospital visit days earlier, Victoria had used Rebecca’s access to plant the device.
Everything had been planned.
Even Rebecca’s attempts to help us had been turned into tools.
The board chair suspended certification.
No result would be final until the fraudulent access was reviewed.
Voss slammed one hand against the table.
“Enough.”
His calm finally broke.
“This company is dying.”
“Your father knew it.”
I stared at him.
“My father refused to sell to you.”
“Your father was sentimental.”
“No.”
“He knew you.”
Voss pointed toward me.
“You have no idea what six hundred million dollars does to people.”
I thought about Daniel.
Margaret.
Rebecca.
Victoria.
Ethan.
Dr. Bell.
Then I answered.
“I think I know exactly what it does.”
Federal agents approached Voss.
He laughed.
“You have nothing tying me to murder.”
Detective Ortiz played Ethan’s recovered recording.
Voss’s own voice filled the room.
May you like
I DON’T CARE HOW MERCER SOLVES THE SUCCESSION PROBLEM.
For the first time, Malcolm Voss had no reply.
