Chapter 5 - The Hospital Signature
Thomas survived the first collapse.
Doctors called it a cardiac episode aggravated by exhaustion.
Amelia called it terrifying.
She remained in Charleston for three weeks.
Cassandra visited the hospital every day.
Julian came twice.
The first time Amelia saw them together after their breakup, Cassandra deliberately held Julian's hand.
Amelia surprised herself by feeling almost nothing.
Julian watched her.
Perhaps he expected anger.
Instead Amelia said, "Dad's sleeping."
Cassandra smiled.
"We brought flowers."
"They don't allow lilies."
Cassandra's smile faded.
"You always remember everything, don't you?"
"Usually."
Julian cleared his throat.
"Can we talk?"
"No."
"Amelia."
"No."
She entered Thomas's room and closed the door.
Thomas opened one eye.
"That was rude."
"You raised me."
"Fair."
He looked older.
That frightened her more than the machines.
"Dad, I want you to step away from the company."
"So you can run it?"
"So nobody has to run it from your hospital bed."
Thomas smiled weakly.
"You sound like your mother."
"She was usually right."
"Don't tell her that when you see her."
Amelia's throat tightened.
Thomas noticed.
"I'm not dying today."
"You better not."
He reached for her hand.
"Listen carefully."
"You're doing the mysterious old man thing again."
"Amelia."
His tone stopped her.
"There was another document."
"What document?"
"An authorization giving Cassandra temporary voting control while I was unconscious."
"Who signed it?"
"I supposedly did."
Amelia stared.
"When?"
"Six hours after I arrived here."
"You were sedated."
"Exactly."
"Who filed it?"
"Julian's firm."
Cold anger spread through her.
"We go to the police now."
"Martin is investigating."
"Martin isn't law enforcement."
"I need proof."
"You have proof."
"I have suspicious paperwork."
"Dad."
Thomas tightened his grip.
"Someone inside Hart Maritime gave them access codes."
Amelia stopped.
"Who?"
"I don't know."
Nathaniel arrived that evening.
He brought no flowers.
He brought Thomas a chess set.
Thomas looked at it.
"You assume I'll be here long enough to play."
Nathaniel pulled up a chair.
"I assume you're too stubborn to die before I beat you."
Thomas smiled.
"Good answer."
Nathaniel stayed for six hours.
At midnight, Amelia found him in the hallway speaking quietly to Martin Hale, Thomas's longtime attorney.
When Martin left, Amelia asked, "What was that?"
Nathaniel didn't lie.
"Your father asked me to help."
"With what?"
"Digital security."
"You already knew?"
"About the forged documents? Since this afternoon."
"And you didn't tell me?"
"He asked me not to until he did."
Amelia's anger flashed.
"You don't keep things from me."
"I agree."
"Then why did you?"
"Because it was his information."
She stared at him.
Nathaniel continued calmly.
"If it were about you, I would tell you. It was about his company and his legal strategy."
"Convenient."
"Amelia."
She turned away.
He waited.
Then said, "I'm not Julian."
The words stopped her.
Nathaniel stepped closer but did not touch her.
"I'm not going to tell you what you want to hear because I'm afraid you'll leave. If you ask me a direct question about something that belongs to us, I'll answer."
She looked at him.
"Are you hiding anything from me?"
"Yes."
Her heart tightened.
"What?"
"I bought you a birthday gift and it's in my car."
She stared at him.
Nathaniel almost smiled.
"Anything else?"
He became serious.
"No."
Amelia believed him.
That frightened her more than suspicion ever had.
Thomas was discharged four days later.
Cassandra attempted to visit Hart House.
Thomas refused.
For the first time, he formally suspended her access to executive systems pending an audit.
She responded through Julian.
The letter accused Thomas of discrimination and emotional retaliation.
Thomas read it once.
Then he laughed.
"At least Julian's writing has improved."
But Cassandra did not retreat.
Within two weeks several board members began questioning Thomas's mental fitness.
Anonymous concerns circulated.
Memory lapses.
Erratic decisions.
Medical instability.
Amelia recognized the strategy immediately.
"They're building a case to declare you incompetent."
Thomas nodded.
"And they started before the hospital."
"Who is they?"
Thomas looked toward the window.
"Cassandra is ambitious. Julian is desperate. Neither is smart enough to build this alone."
"Then someone else is involved."
"Yes."
"Who?"
Thomas reached into his desk.
He removed an envelope.
"That's what you're going to help me discover."
Inside was a photograph of Cassandra entering a private office building.
Beside her walked Hart Maritime's chief financial officer.
Victor Dane.
Thomas said, "Victor has worked for me twenty-two years."
Amelia looked at the photograph.
"Then either he's betraying you..."
"Or someone has something on him."
Nathaniel entered the study.
Thomas looked at both of them.
"We have one advantage."
"What?" Amelia asked.
May you like
Thomas smiled.
"They still think I'm an old man who doesn't know what's happening."
