Chapter 12 - THE BOARDROOM
Charles Wynn entered the boardroom believing I would not be there.
I knew because his smile disappeared when he saw me.
I sat at the head of the table.
Nathan was on my right.
Thomas sat behind me as counsel.
Jonathan’s chair remained empty.
Three independent directors joined remotely.
Charles placed his briefcase on the table.
“Daniel.”
“Charles.”
“I’m surprised.”
“I’m sure.”
He took his seat.
“I heard you’ve had a difficult week.”
“My week improved significantly when your daughter stopped becoming my wife.”
His attorney whispered something to him.
Charles ignored it.
“We are here to discuss business.”
“Finally something we agree on.”
Charles outlined Wynn Capital’s position.
Several Carter projects carried short-term financing.
Wynn Capital had acquired portions of that debt through intermediaries.
Now Charles intended to demand accelerated repayment.
He expected panic.
He expected me to negotiate.
He expected control.
I let him finish.
Then I slid one folder across the table.
“What is this?” he asked.
“A refinancing commitment.”
His face changed.
Nathan smiled.
While Charles had been planning my emotional collapse, Thomas and our finance team had spent forty-eight hours contacting lenders.
Two institutions agreed to refinance the threatened debt.
At worse terms than I would have preferred.
But safely.
Carter Development would survive.
Charles flipped through the pages.
“You can’t close this quickly.”
“Already did.”
His attorney leaned toward him.
I slid another document forward.
“This one is more interesting.”
Charles did not touch it.
“What is it?”
“A notice from the board’s special committee.”
“For?”
“Investigation of undisclosed attempts to interfere with trust voting rights.”
Charles stared at me.
“You have no evidence involving me.”
Nathan placed copies of emails from Jonathan’s archive onto the table.
Charles’s face hardened.
I added the photograph of his dinner with Rebecca, Mercer, and Judge Collier.
Then transcripts from the recovered video.
Then transfers connected to Jonathan.
Charles remained silent.
I leaned back.
“You spent years believing my daughter was the easiest way to control me.”
“I did nothing to your daughter.”
“You planned to have her removed from my house.”
“My daughter handled those arrangements.”
“You financed them.”
He smiled faintly.
“Prove it.”
I nodded.
“That’s what prosecutors are for.”
For the first time, he seemed uncertain.
His phone vibrated.
He looked at it.
Then looked at his attorney.
I already knew what the message probably said.
That morning, Jonathan had signed a cooperation agreement.
In exchange for consideration regarding his own charges, he provided investigators with banking records and communications.
Charles slowly closed his briefcase.
“This meeting is over.”
“No.”
I looked around the table.
“I called a second item.”
One director asked, “What item?”
“Removal of Jonathan Pierce as chief financial officer.”
The vote was unanimous.
Then I called another.
“Permanent amendment requiring independent legal review for any action involving trust voting rights held for minors.”
Another unanimous vote.
Charles laughed bitterly.
“You think paperwork makes you safe?”
“No.”
I looked directly at him.
“Seeing people clearly makes me safer.”
He stood.
“You were weak from the moment Laura died.”
Nathan started to rise.
I stopped him.
Charles continued.
“Rebecca understood that.”
I looked at him calmly.
“No.”
I shook my head.
“She misunderstood the same thing you did.”
“What?”
“You saw a father who loved his daughter more than his company.”
I stood.
“And you thought that meant you had leverage.”
I walked closer.
“It means the company is replaceable.”
“My daughter isn’t.”
Charles stared at me.
“You destroyed your own wedding for a child’s accusation.”
“No.”
I reached into my jacket.
I carried Rebecca’s crumpled note with me.
I placed it on the table.
“I saved my daughter because she told me the truth.”
Charles looked at the note.
Then his phone rang again.
This time he answered.
He listened for less than ten seconds.
His face went pale.
He hung up.
Thomas smiled slightly.
“What happened?”
Charles said nothing.
I didn’t need him to.
Detective Alvarez had texted me seconds earlier.
Arrest warrant approved for Rebecca Wynn.
May you like
But the next line surprised even me.
A second warrant was approved for Charles Wynn.
