Chapter 23 - THE BOARDROOM BETRAYAL
The board meeting began at nine.
At 9:03, Damian discovered who had betrayed them.
Vincent.
Caitlyn stared across the table.
“Say that again.”
Vincent looked exhausted.
“I signed the transfer authorization.”
Damian did not move.
That was worse than shouting.
“You transferred three hundred million dollars into the Elmore Foundation?”
“Yes.”
“Without board approval?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Vincent looked at Caitlyn.
“Because Damian’s father had structured those assets through stolen victim accounts.”
Caitlyn frowned.
“The restitution money.”
“Yes.”
“I thought it went through the legal settlement.”
“Most did.”
“Most?”
Vincent nodded.
“Three hundred million couldn’t be transferred directly without exposing an active federal informant.”
Damian’s voice came quietly.
“What informant?”
Vincent swallowed.
“My father.”
Silence.
Caitlyn stared.
“Your father is alive?”
“Yes.”
Damian stood.
Vincent didn’t move.
“He worked for my father.”
“Yes.”
“As what?”
“Driver.”
“And federal informant?”
“For fourteen years.”
Damian laughed once.
No humor.
“Everyone apparently had a secret parent.”
Noah, attending by video from the foundation office, muttered, “I’m feeling left out.”
Caitlyn ignored him.
“Why put the money into my foundation?”
Vincent looked at her.
“Because it was the only independent entity Damian’s father never controlled.”
“Why not tell us?”
“My father made cooperation conditional.”
Damian stepped closer.
“You let my wife become the public face of a questionable transfer to protect your father?”
Vincent’s voice broke.
“I thought the records would never surface.”
Damian grabbed him by the jacket.
Marco moved forward.
Caitlyn stood.
“Damian.”
He didn’t release Vincent.
“Damian.”
Nothing.
She walked around the table and put her hand over his.
“Let go.”
His jaw flexed.
Slowly, he released Vincent.
The old Damian would have hit him.
The new Damian simply said, “Get out.”
Vincent’s face fell.
“Damian—”
“Get out.”
Vincent left.
Caitlyn turned toward the board.
“Now that everyone has enjoyed the family drama, can we discuss the actual issue?”
Several directors shifted uncomfortably.
The chairman cleared his throat.
“Mrs. Hamilton—”
“Caitlyn.”
“Caitlyn. The foundation received assets through an undisclosed structure.”
“Yes.”
“You signed acknowledgment.”
“I signed acknowledgment of a lawful transfer represented to me as restitution funding.”
“You didn’t investigate?”
“I had independent counsel review it.”
Damian looked at her.
“You did?”
“Of course.”
The chairman frowned.
“Who?”
Caitlyn smiled.
“Outside counsel from Morrison, Tate and Brook.”
A lawyer near the wall stood.
“We retained all communications.”
Folders were distributed.
Caitlyn continued.
“The transfer was disclosed to counsel, tax authorities and the state charities bureau.”
Board members began reading.
The chairman’s face changed.
“This says—”
“That the transfer was legally structured.”
“Yes.”
“Then the leak is misleading.”
“Very.”
Damian looked almost amused.
The chairman leaned back.
“So there is no fraud.”
“No.”
Caitlyn folded her hands.
“But there is a larger problem.”
Everyone looked at her.
“Someone inside this company deliberately misrepresented lawful documents to the press.”
Damian’s eyes moved around the room.
“Who?”
Caitlyn looked toward the far end of the table.
A director named Charles Mercer stopped breathing.
Marco quietly moved toward the door.
Mercer stood.
“This is absurd.”
Caitlyn placed a printout on the table.
“The leaked PDF contains a metadata signature.”
Mercer’s face changed.
Noah’s voice came through the monitor.
“I found it.”
Everyone turned toward the screen.
Noah grinned.
“I have hobbies.”
Caitlyn sighed.
“You hacked company files?”
“I analyzed documents publicly released by the journalist.”
“Different felony.”
“Technically not a felony.”
Damian almost smiled.
Mercer moved toward the exit.
Marco blocked him.
Caitlyn looked at Mercer.
“You were working with Julian.”
Mercer said nothing.
Damian stood.
“Why?”
Mercer laughed.
“Because Hamilton Holdings should have been his.”
Damian’s face went cold.
“Julian promised you control.”
“Yes.”
“And now Julian is under federal detention.”
Mercer smiled.
“Not anymore.”
The room froze.
Marco touched his earpiece.
“What?”
Mercer’s smile widened.
“Check the news.”
Phones appeared.
Breaking alert.
JULIAN CROSS ESCAPES FEDERAL TRANSPORT AFTER HIGHWAY ATTACK.
Damian looked at Caitlyn.
She felt the room tilt.
Mercer continued.
“You think Julian wanted the company?”
“No.”
“He wanted you to believe that.”
Damian walked toward him.
“What does he want?”
Mercer looked directly at Caitlyn.
“Your family.”
Damian stopped.
Mercer smiled.
“He thinks your father made one mistake.”
“What?”
“He left you alive.”
Damian’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Julian’s voice.
“Little brother.”
Damian’s face hardened.
“Where are you?”
“Close.”
“What do you want?”
“Come home.”
Damian looked at Caitlyn.
Julian laughed.
“You spent so many years building a place that wasn’t a fortress.”
Caitlyn’s blood ran cold.
“No.”
Damian was already moving.
“Julian.”
“Beautiful house.”
A pause.
“Lovely photographs.”
Damian’s voice dropped.
“If you’re inside my home—”
“I am.”
Another pause.
“And Evelyn just arrived.”
Damian stopped dead.
May you like
From the phone came the sound of breaking glass.
Then Evelyn screamed.
