Chapter 8 - THE BOARDROOM REBELLIONBy noon, the Vance Corporation board had divided into three camps.
Those who supported Clara.
Those who feared federal investigators.
And those desperate to protect themselves.
The emergency meeting began without introductions.
Richard Caldwell appeared on a secure video link from his attorney's office.
His usually immaculate appearance had vanished.
He looked ten years older.
"I want immunity," Caldwell said.
Clara sat across from the screen.
"You don't negotiate with me. You negotiate with prosecutors."
"I need your cooperation."
"You had my trust."
Caldwell looked down.
That hurt him more than anger.
Good.
He deserved it.
"Your father wanted the Whitmore Diagnostic System released at cost," Caldwell said. "Julian's father believed it would damage profit margins across three divisions."
Clara's breathing slowed.
"So they killed it."
"They buried the trials. Manipulated the projections. Bought the patents through a subsidiary."
"You signed off."
Caldwell closed his eyes.
"Yes."
Someone at the board table whispered a curse.
Clara remained perfectly still.
Her father's last years had been consumed by that project.
He had believed he failed.
He died believing it.
Caldwell continued.
"There are original trial reports."
"Where?"
"Eleanor kept them."
"Why?"
"Insurance."
Against whom, Clara wondered?
Her own family?
Caldwell looked directly into the camera.
"There's another thing."
Marcus leaned forward.
"What?"
"The ledgers taken from Eleanor's study don't contain everything."
"Where are the originals?"
Caldwell swallowed.
"There's a private vault beneath the old Vance Foundation building."
Suddenly the boardroom doors opened.
Three federal investigators walked inside.
Everyone stopped speaking.
The lead investigator showed identification.
"Ms. Whitmore, we need this room."
Clara stood.
"Why?"
"We've identified unauthorized access to the Vance corporate network."
The IT director looked shocked.
"From where?"
The investigator glanced toward the screen.
"From inside this building."
Someone at that table was still fighting for Julian.
May you like
And Clara realized the war wasn't over.
It had simply moved closer.
