Chapter 12 - The Price of a Name
Grant received the same photograph.
Claire watched him change on camera.
"What happened?" Evelyn asked.
Grant stood.
"Where's Rebecca?"
Claire called hospital security.
No answer.
Daniel called his federal contact.
Grant disconnected from the board meeting.
"Grant!"
His screen went black.
Claire grabbed her coat.
Daniel stopped her.
"We need security."
"We need the hospital."
"Both."
Within fifteen minutes, Claire was in a car with two federal agents.
The board session remained suspended.
Evelyn stayed online with directors.
Grant reached the hospital first.
Claire found him in the neonatal corridor shouting at an administrator.
Rebecca's room was empty.
The baby remained inside the secured unit.
Claire felt relief.
Grant turned.
"She's gone."
"Rebecca?"
"Security footage shows her leaving voluntarily."
"With whom?"
Grant's expression twisted.
"My mother."
Claire stared.
"Victoria?"
Grant held up his phone.
A security image showed Victoria walking beside Rebecca toward an elevator.
Rebecca did not appear restrained.
Claire immediately called Victoria.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Grant said, "She's taking Rebecca somewhere."
"Or Rebecca went willingly."
"Why?"
Claire thought about the guardianship papers.
"Because Victoria promised something."
Grant's face tightened.
His phone rang.
Rebecca.
He answered instantly.
"Where are you?"
Claire could hear Rebecca crying.
"Grant, listen."
"Where are you?"
"I'm safe."
"With my mother?"
A pause.
"Yes."
Grant swore.
"Put her on."
"No."
"Rebecca."
"She showed me the agreement you signed."
Grant went still.
"What agreement?"
"The guardianship papers."
"I never signed guardianship papers."
"You did."
Grant looked at Claire.
Rebecca continued.
"If anything happens to me, Victoria gets custody."
Grant's face drained.
"No."
"Your signature is there."
"I didn't know."
Claire closed her eyes.
Of course he did not.
Grant had probably signed a stack of family documents without reading them.
Rebecca continued.
"Victoria says she'll destroy it."
"For what?"
Silence.
Claire knew before Rebecca answered.
"Claire's vote."
Grant looked at Claire.
Rebecca's voice shook.
"She wants Claire to support a new CEO."
"Who?"
Rebecca whispered a name.
"Charles Vane."
Claire stared.
Grant turned slowly toward Charles, who had just entered the corridor with Daniel.
Charles stopped.
Everyone looked at him.
He understood immediately.
"What?"
Claire ended the call.
"Victoria wants you appointed CEO."
Charles laughed.
"I'm eighty."
"Apparently ambition survives."
His smile disappeared.
"I had nothing to do with this."
Daniel said, "Then why would she choose you?"
Charles looked genuinely confused.
"I don't know."
Claire's phone rang.
Victoria.
Claire answered.
"Where is Rebecca?"
"Safe."
"Bring her back."
"When the board finishes its work."
"Charles will never become CEO."
Victoria sighed.
"You misunderstand."
"Then explain."
"I want Charles appointed interim chairman."
Claire looked at Evelyn's name on her phone.
"Why?"
"Because Evelyn Mercer cannot remain."
Claire's eyes narrowed.
"What does Evelyn have to do with this?"
Victoria was silent for a moment.
"Ask her who introduced Nathan to Northstar."
Claire looked at Daniel.
"What?"
"You heard me."
"You're lying."
"Perhaps."
Victoria's voice softened.
"Claire, everyone you've trusted in this story has withheld something. Grant. Daniel. Charles. Me."
A pause.
"Why would Evelyn be different?"
The call ended.
Claire stared at the screen.
Grant asked, "What did she say?"
Claire told them.
Charles swore.
Daniel looked unsettled.
"Could Evelyn have known Nathan?"
"She chaired the governance committee when he was hired," Charles said.
Claire immediately called Evelyn.
She answered.
"Claire, what is happening?"
"Did you bring Nathan Cole into Northstar?"
Silence.
That was enough.
Claire's stomach dropped.
"Evelyn."
"Yes."
Grant stared.
Claire continued.
"How did you know him?"
Evelyn exhaled.
"He contacted me eight years ago."
"As Nathan Cole?"
"No."
"What name?"
"Knox."
Claire looked at Charles.
Evelyn continued.
"He said Samuel Knox had been killed because of Vale."
"Why didn't you tell the board?"
"I didn't believe him."
"So you hired him?"
"I helped him get an interview."
"Why?"
"Because he had documents."
Grant stepped closer.
"What documents?" he called.
Evelyn heard him.
"Evidence of Vale's inflated valuation."
Grant looked furious.
"You knew?"
"Not enough to prove fraud."
"You brought someone into my company who was secretly investigating me?"
Evelyn snapped.
"Your company? That's exactly the problem, Grant. It was never solely yours."
Claire interrupted.
"Did Nathan continue giving you information?"
Evelyn hesitated.
"Sometimes."
"Until when?"
"Three years ago."
"What happened?"
"He became obsessed."
"With what?"
"Taking Northstar away from the Whitmores."
Claire felt the final piece slide closer.
"Did you help him?"
"No."
"Did you know about the blackmail?"
"No."
"Did you know he was targeting Grant?"
"I suspected something."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Evelyn's voice softened.
"Because I thought I was protecting you."
Claire laughed without humor.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
Evelyn went silent.
Claire looked through the neonatal glass at the tiny baby.
An innocent child sleeping while adults traded companies, secrets, and custody rights around him.
She was suddenly done.
Done with deals.
Done with hidden leverage.
Done with allowing other people to choose the rules.
"Resume the board meeting."
Evelyn sounded surprised.
"Now?"
"Now."
"Claire, Victoria is holding Rebecca's guardianship agreement."
"I know."
"What are you going to do?"
Claire looked at Grant.
Then at Charles.
Then at Daniel.
"I'm going to stop negotiating with kidnappers, blackmailers, and dead men's instructions."
Grant frowned.
"What does that mean?"
May you like
Claire turned toward the window.
"It means Northstar is going to belong to itself."
