Chapter 17 - The Counterattack
The plan depended on Elaine believing she was winning.
That meant I had to appear desperate.
So I became desperate in public.
Peter called an emergency Apex board meeting.
I announced that the trust freeze threatened the company’s future.
I admitted the patents could not be pledged.
I said I was considering resigning.
The news leaked within two hours.
Exactly as we intended.
By evening, financial blogs were reporting leadership instability at Apex.
Then I filed a motion agreeing to appear personally at Friday’s trust review.
That was the bait.
Elaine needed me declared incapable.
She needed the patents.
She needed the settlement evidence destroyed.
And most of all, she needed control before leaving the country.
Brenda agreed to make contact.
Her attorney arranged everything.
She sent Elaine one message.
CLAIRE IS BREAKING.
No response.
Another.
SHE MAY AGREE TO TEMPORARY CONTROL.
Twenty minutes later, Elaine answered.
PROVE IT.
Brenda sent a photograph of me sitting outside the courthouse with my head in my hands.
It had been staged.
Elaine responded almost immediately.
MAKE SURE CONNOR SIGNS.
Connor stared at the message.
His face looked hollow.
“She still thinks she owns me.”
I looked at him.
“For years, she did.”
His eyes met mine.
“So did I.”
I said nothing.
There was no apology large enough for what he had done.
Connor agreed to cooperate with investigators.
Not for me.
Not even for leniency.
He wanted Elaine to believe he had returned to her side.
His message was simple.
CLAIRE WILL SIGN FRIDAY.
Elaine replied.
GOOD BOY.
Connor stared at those two words for a long time.
Then he handed the phone back.
The plan formed quickly.
The trust review would occur in a secure conference room.
I would appear.
Connor would appear.
Brenda would appear.
Investigators would monitor everything.
Elaine might never show personally.
But she would need someone to deliver final documents.
We suspected Raymond.
What we did not expect was Dr. Stephen Mercer.
At 10:04 Friday morning, Mercer walked into the building carrying a medical evaluation.
He had never examined me.
Yet the report concluded I suffered from severe cognitive impairment.
Naomi intercepted him.
Mercer immediately asked for an attorney.
But his presence proved Elaine was still moving forward.
At 11:30, the trust administrator began the review.
My hands rested calmly on the table.
Connor sat across from me.
For the first time since the restaurant, he could not meet my eyes.
At 11:47, a courier delivered an envelope.
Inside was a notarized document supposedly signed by me the previous evening.
TEMPORARY TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY.
My signature was forged.
The notary stamp belonged to a woman who had died three months earlier.
Elaine was getting sloppy.
Desperate.
At noon, Brenda received a message.
HAS IT BEEN ACCEPTED?
She answered.
THEY’RE REVIEWING IT.
Elaine replied.
GET CLAIRE OUT OF THE BUILDING.
Naomi read it over Brenda’s shoulder.
“Why?”
Nobody knew.
Then the fire alarm sounded.
Sprinklers activated.
People began leaving through emergency exits.
Naomi grabbed my arm.
“This isn’t part of the plan.”
Smoke entered the hallway.
Not thick.
Controlled.
A diversion.
Through the confusion, Connor suddenly shouted.
“Claire!”
I turned.
May you like
Raymond Hale was standing at the end of the corridor.
And he was looking directly at me.
