Chapter 9 - The Board Meeting That Became a Trial
By nine the next morning, every board member had received Bryce’s petition to suspend Sloane.
The special meeting took place in the Whitmore Heritage headquarters, inside a glass conference room overlooking the city.
Bryce arrived with Martin and two attorneys.
Marlene was not with him.
She had disappeared after leaving the mansion, and the police had not located her.
Sloane arrived with Naomi, Gavin, Adrian and Emilia.
The board members reacted visibly when they saw the pregnant woman.
Bryce did not.
He sat at the opposite side of the table and arranged his papers with deliberate calm.
The board chairman opened the meeting.
“We are here to address allegations regarding executive conduct, financial irregularities and concerns about Sloane Whitmore’s capacity to continue leading the company.”
Bryce placed a sympathetic expression on his face.
“This is painful for me. Sloane is my wife. I have tried privately to protect her, but her recent behavior has become dangerous.”
Sloane said nothing.
Bryce continued.
“Following her grandmother’s death, Sloane developed intense paranoia. She began accusing employees and family members of conspiring against her. Last night, she illegally confined guests in her home and seized private property.”
One board member looked at Sloane.
“Did you lock the doors?”
“For twelve minutes after a laptop containing evidence of financial fraud was stolen.”
Bryce sighed.
“She believes the laptop proved I was stealing her house.”
“It contained a transfer to Emilia Rowe and messages discussing my property.”
“Messages anyone could have created.”
Emilia looked at him.
“You sent them.”
Bryce turned toward the board.
“Ms. Rowe and I had a personal relationship. I regret it deeply. When I attempted to end that relationship, she threatened to damage my marriage and career.”
Emilia’s face went pale.
Sloane expected the attack. Emilia did not.
Bryce slid documents across the table.
“These are messages in which Ms. Rowe demands money.”
Emilia read the first page.
“I never sent this.”
Bryce’s attorney spoke.
“The messages came from your account.”
Naomi leaned toward her.
“Do not answer further.”
Bryce continued.
“Sloane discovered the relationship and responded by constructing a conspiracy involving me, my mother and company counsel. Gavin encouraged these beliefs because they distract from his theft.”
Gavin remained silent.
The chairman looked at Sloane.
“Do you have evidence that the medical evaluations are false?”
Naomi placed a folder on the table.
“The doctor who signed them has admitted he never examined Ms. Whitmore.”
A murmur passed through the room.
Bryce’s confidence shifted slightly.
Naomi continued.
“He received seventy-five thousand dollars through a consulting company controlled by Martin Saye.”
Martin’s attorney whispered to him.
The chairman turned toward Martin.
“Is that true?”
Martin said nothing.
Adrian distributed a second set of documents.
“These records show that the missing company funds were authorized from a terminal inside Bryce Vale’s office. The original logs were later deleted by the head of information security, who received payments from a company controlled by Mr. Vale.”
Bryce looked at Adrian.
“You accessed restricted systems without authority.”
“I was authorized by the majority shareholder.”
“The majority shareholder whose competence is under review.”
Gavin opened his laptop.
“The first fake vendor was created while I was in London negotiating a hotel contract. The second was created while I was presenting at the board retreat. The third was registered from an internet address assigned to Bryce’s private office.”
Bryce leaned back.
“You had access to my office.”
“The security cameras show I did not enter it on any of those dates.”
“The same security cameras show Sloane entering the vault.”
Claire Mason entered the conference room.
Two detectives followed her.
Bryce’s expression finally broke.
Claire stood beside Naomi.
“I was paid to wear Sloane Whitmore’s clothes and appear on camera inside the building.”
Bryce’s attorney immediately objected.
“This is not a courtroom.”
The chairman looked at him.
“No. It is a board meeting considering whether your client should control a company.”
Claire continued.
“Bryce gave me a copied identification card. The security chief let me inside. I was told the purpose was to test the company’s surveillance system.”
“You are lying,” Bryce said.
Claire looked at him.
“You said no one would ever know my name.”
The detectives placed a photograph on the table. It showed Bryce meeting Claire at the Ashcroft loading dock.
Another image showed Martin entering the service elevator.
A third showed Marlene arriving through a separate entrance.
Sloane turned toward the detective.
“You found her?”
“No. She left before officers secured the hotel.”
Bryce looked toward the exit.
The detective moved closer.
“You are not free to leave.”
Naomi played the complete hotel audio. Bryce’s threat against Sloane echoed through the conference room.
She will not be available to prove anything.
Bryce claimed the words were taken out of context.
Then Emilia played her recording.
The baby belongs to me.
Bryce’s mask disappeared.
“You all believe you understand this,” he said. “You understand nothing.”
Sloane looked at him across the table.
“I understand that you framed my brother, stole company money, forged medical reports and tried to transfer my house.”
Bryce laughed softly.
“You still think this is about the house.”
“Then tell us what it is about.”
His eyes moved toward the board members.
“Ask her grandmother.”
“My grandmother is dead.”
“Exactly.”
The chairman called for a vote.
Bryce was removed as chief financial officer immediately. Martin was suspended. Gavin was formally cleared of internal wrongdoing pending the completion of the criminal investigation.
Police arrested Bryce and Martin after the meeting.
As officers led him toward the door, Bryce stopped beside Sloane.
“You won the company,” he whispered.
“I reclaimed what you stole.”
“You reclaimed the pieces I allowed you to see.”
Sloane held his gaze.
“You are not as powerful as you believed.”
“No,” Bryce said. “But neither was your grandmother.”
He leaned closer before the officer pulled him away.
“Ask Gavin where he was the night Evelyn died.”
May you like
Sloane turned toward her brother.
Gavin’s face had lost all color.
