Chapter 7 - A Death That Wasn’t Natural
Digitalis.
Charlotte repeated the word quietly.
Dr. Pierce explained that small amounts could be prescribed medically.
Large amounts could disrupt the heart.
Evelyn had not been prescribed it.
Her death had been labeled sudden cardiac failure.
Pierce had altered the toxicology results before they reached the final report.
“Who ordered you to change them?”
“Margaret.”
Charlotte looked at Sebastian.
Her grandfather’s face had become stone.
Pierce continued.
“She told me Evelyn had accidentally taken medication and that exposing it would damage the family.”
“You believed her?”
“No.”
Pierce looked ashamed.
“But I had gambling debts.”
Margaret had discovered them.
Then she threatened to destroy him.
Charlotte wanted to hate the man.
Part of her did.
But his fear was useful.
“Did Nathaniel know?”
Pierce hesitated.
“I heard Margaret call him after I changed the report.”
“What did she say?”
Pierce closed his eyes, remembering.
“She said, ‘The problem is buried.’”
Charlotte’s hands curled into fists.
Sebastian walked to the window.
For several seconds nobody spoke.
Then he said, “Reopen the investigation.”
The family attorney nodded.
“We already contacted the district attorney.”
Pierce agreed to provide sworn testimony.
By afternoon, news of possible financial crimes inside Valle International had leaked.
The company’s stock dropped.
Board members demanded an emergency meeting.
Nathaniel remained missing.
Margaret was believed to be in Switzerland.
Charlotte expected Sebastian to postpone everything.
Instead, he told her to change clothes.
“Why?”
“Because you’re coming to the board meeting.”
Charlotte looked down at her torn sweater.
“I don’t own anything appropriate.”
Sebastian looked almost offended.
“You own twenty-eight percent of this company.”
Charlotte shook her head.
“I’m not walking into that room dressed like someone they created overnight.”
Sebastian studied her.
Then he nodded.
“Good.”
Charlotte washed her face.
She kept the faded jeans.
Daniel found a clean white shirt from the hotel boutique.
Charlotte wore her dirty sneakers.
At four o’clock she entered Valle International headquarters exactly as she was.
Directors stared.
Sebastian sat at the head of the table.
An empty chair waited beside him.
Charlotte sat down.
The corporate attorney displayed Evelyn’s trust documents.
A director named Victor Hale immediately objected.
“These shares were transferred into temporary administrative control years ago.”
Charlotte looked at him.
“Whose control?”
Nobody answered.
The attorney changed the screen.
Nathaniel Valle.
The room erupted.
Then another document appeared.
Nathaniel had pledged part of Charlotte’s shares as collateral for a massive private loan.
The loan came due in forty-eight hours.
If unpaid, someone else could seize them.
Charlotte stared at the amount.
Nine hundred million dollars.
And the lender was Northstar Development Holdings.
May you like
The company Margaret secretly controlled.
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