Chapter 3: The Money Behind the Research
I followed Victoria Hayes into a quiet conference room on the hotel's lower level.
She locked the door behind us.
"How much do you know about Northstar?"" she asked.
"Only what my lawyer found.""
"Then you don't know enough.""
She placed a laptop on the table and opened a spreadsheet.
Rows of transactions filled the screen.
I leaned closer.
"What am I looking at?""
"Payments made to Northstar's research division over the last fourteen months.""
"From where?""
She highlighted a column.
STERLING INDUSTRIAL GROUP.
Then another.
REED ENGINEERING CONSULTANCY.
I froze.
"That's my father's company.""
"Yes.""
"That's impossible. We haven't made payments to Northstar.""
Victoria looked at me.
"Your company didn't make the payments directly. Sterling did. But the money originated from the acquisition account.""
I pulled out my phone and called Mr. Bennett.
He answered immediately.
"Ethan?""
"Did Sterling have access to my company's accounts before the sale?""
"No. Why?""
"Then explain why money from the acquisition account was transferred to Northstar.""
There was a long pause.
"What?""
"Fourteen months of payments. Victoria Hayes has the records.""
"Don't touch anything. I'm coming.""
I ended the call.
Victoria closed the laptop.
"There's something else.""
"Of course there is.""
"Adrian wasn't the person who initiated the arrangement.""
I frowned.
"What do you mean?""
She opened the envelope and removed several printed emails.
The first was dated fourteen months earlier.
The sender was Naomi Carter.
The recipient was Adrian Mitchell.
I read the opening lines.
*Adrian, I spoke with Ethan about the possibility of securing additional funding for the research project. He doesn't know about Northstar yet, but I think I can persuade him once the prototype is ready.*
My throat tightened.
I read the next paragraph.
*He trusts me completely. If I explain how important this is, he'll help. I just need more time before he starts asking questions about where the money is going.*
I stopped reading.
The room became strangely quiet.
Victoria watched me.
"There's more.""
I looked at her.
"How much more?""
"Enough to suggest this wasn't an innocent misunderstanding.""
She turned another page toward me.
A second email.
This one was from Adrian.
*Once the acquisition closes, we'll have control of the manufacturing patents. Naomi's research will be transferred to Northstar, and the remaining development costs will be absorbed by the new ownership structure.*
I read the final sentence.
*Make sure Reed signs personally. His father's original patent assignment has restrictions that won't transfer without his consent.*
I lowered the paper.
"So they needed my signature.""
"Yes.""
"And Naomi knew?""
Victoria hesitated.
"I can't tell you what she knew about the legal arrangement. But she knew where the money was coming from.""
I sat down.
For six years, I had convinced myself that the sacrifices were temporary.
That one day Naomi and I would look back at the difficult years and laugh.
I imagined a house with a small garden.
A kitchen where she would complain about my terrible cooking.
A framed photograph of her graduation on the wall.
Instead, she had stood outside that hall and called me a friend.
Now I was learning that the money I had used to support her dreams might have been redirected into a business deal she had helped arrange.
My phone vibrated.
A message from Naomi.
*Where are you? Adrian says you left without discussing the agreement.*
I didn't answer.
Another message arrived.
*Please don't make this personal. My career is at stake.*
I stared at the screen.
Then I typed:
*Was my company's money used to fund your research?*
The typing indicator appeared.
Disappeared.
Appeared again.
Finally, she replied.
*We need to talk in person.*
I wrote back:
*Did you know?*
This time, there was no immediate answer.
Victoria gathered the documents.
"Mr. Reed, I should tell you something else. I was dismissed three weeks ago.""
"Why?""
"Because I questioned the payments.""
"Did Adrian dismiss you?""
She nodded.
"He told the board I had mishandled confidential financial information. But before I left, I copied the original records.""
"Why are you giving them to me?""
She looked directly into my eyes.
"Because I have a daughter.""
I waited.
"She has a rare condition. Northstar promised to help fund her treatment if I cooperated with their financial investigation. When I discovered what was happening, I refused to stay silent.""
I softened slightly.
"I'm sorry.""
"So am I. But I didn't bring you here for sympathy.""
She opened the envelope again and removed one final document.
It was a draft board resolution.
The date was two weeks earlier.
At the bottom were three signatures.
Adrian Mitchell.
Naomi Carter.
And a name I recognized immediately.
My former chief financial officer, Daniel Price.
I stared at the page.
"Daniel?""
Victoria nodded.
"He left your company shortly before the acquisition negotiations began. He now works as an adviser to Sterling.""
Daniel had worked for my father for seventeen years.
He had attended my father's funeral.
He had stood beside me when I announced the sale.
I had trusted him.
"What's this resolution?""
"An agreement to transfer control of the manufacturing patents through a subsidiary after the acquisition.""
"Without my knowledge?""
"That's why they need your signature. They want the transfer to appear voluntary.""
I took photographs of every page.
Then I heard footsteps outside the conference room.
Someone tried the handle.
Victoria went pale.
"That's not possible.""
The handle turned again.
A man's voice came from the other side.
"Victoria? Open the door.""
Adrian.
I looked at her.
"Did you tell him you were meeting me?""
She shook her head.
The footsteps stopped.
Then Adrian spoke again.
"Ethan, I know you're in there.""
I moved toward the door.
Victoria grabbed my arm.
"Don't.""
"Why?""
"Because he doesn't know how much I gave you.""
I stared at her.
Outside, Adrian's voice became colder.
"Victoria, you have company property. Open this door, or I'll have security remove you.""
I took out my phone and started recording.
Then I unlocked the door.
Adrian stood in the hallway with two hotel security guards behind him.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
"Well," he said, looking between us.
"This is an interesting meeting.""
I stepped forward.
"You're right. It is.""
He looked at the papers in my hand.
"Give those back.""
"No.""
His smile vanished.
"Those documents belong to Northstar.""
"They contain financial records involving my company.""
"Your company is being sold.""
"Not anymore.""
He tilted his head.
"You're making a very expensive mistake, Ethan.""
"Maybe.""
He stepped closer and lowered his voice.
"You don't understand what you're interfering with.""
"Then explain it.""
For the first time, Adrian looked genuinely angry.
He turned toward Victoria.
"You were told to stay away from this.""
Victoria held her ground.
"You were told not to use company money for unauthorized transactions.""
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"Watch your mouth.""
I stepped between them.
"Don't speak to her like that.""
He laughed.
"Still playing the hero?""
I didn't answer.
He straightened his jacket.
"Fine. Let's discuss this somewhere more appropriate. Tomorrow morning, nine o'clock.
Northstar headquarters. Naomi will be there.""
"Why?""
"Because she has something important to tell you.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
He smiled again.
"Ask her about the original research grant.""
Then he walked away.
Victoria exhaled.
"What does he mean?""
I looked down at the documents.
"I don't know.""
My phone rang.
Mr. Bennett.
"Ethan, I've checked the acquisition records. There's a problem.""
"What now?""
"Sterling has already filed a preliminary transfer request using the documents submitted last month.""
"Without my signature?""
"Yes. They're claiming your father granted a separate authorization before he died.""
My heart stopped.
"That's impossible.""
"I've seen the document, Ethan.""
"Then you know it's fake.""
Another pause.
"That's what I thought.""
I gripped the phone.
"Send it to me.""
He hesitated.
"There's something you need to understand first.""
"What?""
"The authorization was supposedly witnessed by two people.""
"Who?""
Mr. Bennett read the names.
"Daniel Price.""
I closed my eyes.
"And the second?""
His voice dropped.
"Your mother, Eleanor Reed.""
I couldn't breathe.
My mother had been dead for eight years.
And according to the document, she had signed it three months before she died.
But there was one detail that made the blood drain from my face.
The document didn't just authorize the transfer of my father's patents.
May you like
It also named the person who would inherit the company if I refused to sign.
*Naomi Carter.*
