Chapter 4: The Man I Trusted
For eleven years, Richard Hale had been the man I called before making any investment that mattered.
He had protected my first company during a hostile takeover, negotiated the sale of my technology firm, and helped me build Carter Capital into an investment group worth more than I had imagined possible when I started with a borrowed laptop and a rented office.
I had trusted him with my money.
More importantly, I had trusted him with my judgment.
Now his signature lay on a restaurant table beside a broken wineglass, beneath six words that made the entire room feel colder.
*Daniel Carter must never see this.*
I read the sentence again.
Then I looked at Grant Collins.
"Where did you get this?""
"From the board's private correspondence," Grant answered.
"I found it three days ago.""
"Why didn't you tell me before tonight?""
"Because I needed to know whether you were coming here to save my company or destroy it.""
I folded the paper carefully.
"You had eleven months to tell the truth about your company's finances. Don't pretend you were protecting me.""
Grant's jaw tightened.
Peter Wallace shifted beside him.
"Mr. Carter, Richard attended the board meeting when the first transfer was approved. He said the money was being moved temporarily to cover a cash-flow emergency.""
"And the board agreed?""
"Some members did. Others objected.""
"Who objected?""
Peter hesitated.
"Marcus Reed was one of them.""
The name brought me back to the photograph.
Marcus had left Collins Development under accusations of financial misconduct. His professional reputation had been damaged, and several companies had withdrawn job offers after hearing Grant's version of events.
I had assumed his dismissal was another consequence of a failing company.
Now I wondered whether Marcus had been removed because he knew too much.
"Where is he now?"" I asked.
Grant rubbed his mouth.
"I don't know.""
Peter looked at him.
"You know exactly where he is.""
Grant's eyes narrowed.
"Be careful, Peter.""
"No. I'm finished being careful.""
Peter opened his briefcase and removed a second envelope.
"Marcus sent this to the board six months ago. It was never entered into the official minutes.""
He handed it to me.
Inside was a photocopy of an internal report describing suspicious transfers between Collins Development and three subsidiary companies. Several pages had handwritten annotations. At the bottom of the final page, Marcus had written a sentence that made me stop.
*The money is not being stolen to save the company. The company is being weakened deliberately so someone can buy it cheaply.*
I looked up.
"Who was planning to buy it?""
Grant said nothing.
Peter's gaze moved toward the restaurant entrance.
"That is what we've been trying to determine.""
I turned the page.
A company name appeared in the report.
Northbridge Holdings.
The company had recently approached several Collins Development creditors, offering to purchase their outstanding claims at a discount. If enough debt changed hands, Northbridge could gain enormous influence over the company's future.
I had encountered the name during my preliminary review.
Richard had dismissed it as an opportunistic buyer with no serious interest in construction.
Apparently, he had neglected to mention that Northbridge had been purchasing pieces of Collins Development's debt for months.
"Who owns Northbridge?"" I asked.
Peter swallowed.
"The registered ownership leads through two holding companies. The final beneficiary hasn't been publicly identified.""
Grant leaned forward.
"But Richard knows.""
I looked at him.
"How?""
"Because Richard introduced Northbridge to our board.""
The restaurant seemed to grow quieter.
I slipped Marcus's report into the folder.
"Joseph," I called.
The manager approached immediately.
"Yes, Daniel?""
"Would you ask your staff to preserve the security footage from this dining room? I want a record of what happened here tonight.""
"Already taken care of," Joseph replied.
"The cameras cover the entrance, the dining area, and the service station.""
Brittany stared at me.
"You think we're all criminals?""
"No," I said.
"I think the truth deserves a chance to survive everyone's version of events.""
She lowered her eyes.
For a moment, I felt sorry for her. Then I remembered the wine running down my shirt and the way she had smiled while demanding that I lose my livelihood.
Feeling sorry for someone didn't require pretending they had done nothing wrong.
My phone vibrated.
A message appeared from Richard.
*How did the meeting go? Please don't sign anything until we've spoken. There's a serious concern about Collins Development that I need to explain privately.*
I showed the screen to Peter.
He exhaled.
"He knows you're here.""
"Apparently.""
Grant gave a humorless laugh.
"Richard knows everything. That's his talent. He always knows which room to enter and which person to flatter.""
"And yet you followed his advice.""
"I was desperate.""
"Desperation explains decisions. It doesn't excuse them.""
Grant looked away.
I called Richard.
He answered on the first ring.
"Daniel. Finally. I've been trying to reach you.""
"I'm at The Hawthorne.""
A pause.
"How was the meeting?""
"Interesting. Did you know Grant Collins transferred restricted contractor funds into an account controlled by his family?""
Richard sighed.
"Daniel, please don't make a decision based on incomplete information. Grant's company is in serious trouble. I've been trying to protect your investment from a disastrous acquisition.""
"By hiding information from me?""
"I'm trying to prevent you from walking into a legal nightmare.""
"Then explain Northbridge Holdings.""
Silence.
It lasted long enough for me to hear someone speaking faintly in the background.
When Richard finally answered, his voice had changed.
"Where did you hear that name?""
"That isn't an answer.""
"Daniel, this conversation shouldn't happen over the phone. Come to my office tomorrow morning. I'll bring the relevant documents.""
"Why not tonight?""
"Because I need time to verify what you're telling me.""
I looked at the folded note.
*Daniel Carter must never see this.*
"You have until eight tomorrow morning," I said.
"Bring everything.""
"Daniel, listen to me. If you proceed with this investment, you could lose a great deal more than money.""
"Is that a warning?""
"It's a fact.""
"No, Richard. It's a fact that I've heard from you before. Usually right before you tell me something I should have known weeks earlier.""
I ended the call.
Grant stared at me.
"What did he say?""
"That I shouldn't proceed with the investment.""
Grant's expression darkened.
"Then he's afraid you'll discover what happened.""
"Perhaps.""
I gathered the documents.
"But I won't know until tomorrow.""
As I stood, Peter caught my sleeve.
"Mr. Carter, there's one more thing.""
"What is it?""
He glanced at Brittany.
She had turned away from Grant and was staring at her phone.
Peter lowered his voice.
"Marcus Reed didn't send that report to the board six months ago by accident. He sent it because he believed someone was planning to destroy the company from inside.""
"And?""
Peter's hands trembled.
"He told me that if anything happened to him, I should look at the original Rivergate land deed.""
I paused.
"Where is it?""
"In the county property records. But the name on the deed isn't Collins Development.""
"Whose name is it?""
Peter looked toward Grant.
Grant's face had gone pale again.
Before either man could answer, Brittany's phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
Then she stood so abruptly that her chair fell backward.
"Tyler?"" she answered.
"Why are you calling me at this hour?""
She listened.
Her expression transformed from confusion to horror.
"What do you mean, they're at your house?""
She pressed the phone harder against her ear.
Then she looked at me.
"Daniel, my brother says two men just arrived with legal papers. They say the bank is freezing his property.""
I said nothing.
Brittany's voice broke.
"And he says the money he used to buy the house came from an account that was never supposed to exist.""
She listened for another moment.
May you like
Then she whispered the words that made Grant close his eyes.
"Tyler says Richard Hale is standing in his driveway.""
