Chapter 29 - Thomas Asked for One Dollar
Six months later, the ownership lawsuit was settled.
The original partnership agreement was genuine.
But subsequent records recovered from Warehouse Six showed that my father had arranged a buyout.
Payment had been placed into escrow after Thomas disappeared.
Thomas had never received it because he had fled the state during the investigation.
With decades of interest, the amount was considerable.
Our attorneys prepared a settlement.
Thomas refused the first number.
Then the second.
Finally, he came to my office himself.
“I want one dollar.”
I stared at him.
“Thomas.”
“One dollar for my ownership interest.”
“That isn’t reasonable.”
“No.”
He smiled sadly.
“But neither was wasting twenty-eight years being angry.”
He signed the agreement.
I refused to let him walk away with nothing.
Instead, we established the Vale-Morgan Scholarship Fund for workers whose careers had been damaged by wrongful accusations.
Thomas agreed on one condition.
“My name comes second.”
“Why?”
He glanced toward the old photograph of himself and my father.
“Samuel always hated alphabetical order.”
May you like
I laughed.
For a second, Thomas did too.
