Chapter 10 - THE DEAL
“No.”
Alexander’s answer came before Victoria finished sitting down.
She stared at him. “You don’t even know what I have.”
“I know what you did to my mother.”
“I told you, I lost control.”
Evelyn sat across the room with Marcus beside her.
“You keep calling attempted murder a temper problem,” Evelyn said. “That’s ambitious.”
Victoria’s face tightened.
Alexander leaned forward. “If you have evidence, give it to the police.”
“Nolan will have me killed before arraignment.”
“That sounds like a problem you created.”
Victoria’s eyes suddenly filled with tears.
This time, Evelyn believed the fear was real.
“Nolan has people inside your company,” Victoria said. “Inside the hospital. Inside security vendors. Grant wasn’t supposed to survive.”
Marcus’s posture changed.
“Names.”
“I don’t know all of them.”
“Then give us the ones you do.”
Victoria looked at Alexander. “I want immunity.”
He laughed once. “You pushed my mother down a staircase.”
“I can prove Nolan ordered the fraud.”
“You were part of it.”
“Yes.”
The admission hung in the air.
Evelyn watched her carefully.
“Why?” she asked.
Victoria looked at her.
“Because I was tired of being disposable.”
Evelyn’s voice stayed calm. “So you decided everyone else should be.”
Victoria looked away.
Then she reached into her purse.
Marcus moved instantly.
“Hands where I can see them.”
“It’s a phone.”
“Slowly.”
She placed it on the table.
“There’s an audio file. Nolan recorded everything because he didn’t trust anybody. I copied one conversation.”
Marcus connected the phone to an isolated device.
A man’s voice filled the room.
Nolan.
“If Alexander collapses at the gala, Kessler signs first. We already have the second physician. By morning, I have voting authority.”
Then Victoria’s recorded voice asked, “And Evelyn?”
Nolan replied, “Keep her away from him until it’s done.”
The file ended.
Alexander’s hands had curled into fists.
“The gala,” he said.
Marcus looked at the calendar.
The Reed Global anniversary gala was in three days.
Victoria whispered, “That was the plan.”
“Was?” Evelyn asked.
Victoria looked toward the front doors.
“Nolan doesn’t cancel plans.”
Marcus’s phone buzzed.
He read the message and went still.
“What?” Alexander asked.
Marcus turned the screen toward him.
May you like
Someone had just used Alexander Reed’s private medical authorization to order a new prescription.
The pickup location was two blocks from the gala hotel.
