Christopher looked down.
Richard noticed.
He turned sharply.
"Christopher?"
Christopher cleared his throat.
"That was a misunderstanding."
Margaret's name had clearly unsettled him.
Eleanor watched.
"Did you say that to her?"
Christopher looked toward Richard.
"Mrs. Grant, I was explaining the practical consequences of prolonged disputes."
"Did you tell her that the industry had a long memory?"
"I don't recall using those exact words."
"Did you threaten her professional reputation?"
"No."
"Then you should have no difficulty providing the full meeting notes and correspondence."
Christopher said nothing.
Richard closed his folder.
"This meeting is going nowhere."
Eleanor nodded.
"Then perhaps we should return to the audit."
Richard stood.
"You're going to regret turning this into a confrontation."
Eleanor remained seated.
"Mr. Halston, I am not confronting you. I am asking you to account for decisions made in a company you intend to acquire."
He stared at her.
She continued.
"If the records support your position, I will consider them. If they do not, I will not sign."
Richard's face reddened.
"You think you can stop me?"
Eleanor met his eyes.
"I already have."
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Richard turned and walked out.
Christopher followed.
James Whitcomb gathered his briefcase and paused.
"Mrs. Grant, I would advise you to be careful."
Eleanor looked at him.
"About what?"
"Your statements. There may be legal consequences if you make allegations without evidence."
"I agree. That's why I'm asking for an investigation."
The lawyer nodded once and left.
Eleanor remained at the table.
She picked up her tea.
It had gone cold.
That afternoon, Richard called a meeting at Halston Capital.
He invited his chief operating officer, his legal adviser, and Christopher Vane.
He did not invite Leonard.
He did not invite Martin.
And he did not invite Eleanor.
At 4:00, he stood before a screen displaying the hospitality group's projected financial performance.
"We are facing a temporary obstacle," he began. "The founding trust has asserted voting rights that were not fully reflected in the transaction assumptions. In addition, the audit committee has opened a review of several supplier agreements."
His chief operating officer, David Crane, raised a hand.
"Is the acquisition still possible?"
"Yes."
"On what terms?"
"That depends on how quickly we resolve the trust issue."
David looked at the screen.
"What about the employee restructuring?"
Richard hesitated.
"Temporarily suspended."
"Does that affect the projected savings?"
"Not materially."
Martin's earlier warning came back to him.
Richard knew the numbers were not as clean as he had originally believed.
But he was not prepared to admit that in front of his own executives.
He changed the slide.
"We need to maintain confidence. Investors have been told that the transaction is progressing. We cannot allow uncertainty to become a public story."
His legal adviser spoke.
"That means we need to be careful with our communications."
"Exactly."
Christopher leaned forward.
"I can speak to the audit committee."
Richard looked at him.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because your name is attached to the agreements under review."
Christopher stiffened.
"Are you suggesting I should step aside?"
"I'm suggesting you stop making the situation worse."
Christopher looked toward David.
Then he turned back.
"I followed the instructions I was given."
Richard stared.
"Be careful."
"I'm simply saying that the restructuring plan came from your office. I didn't invent the cost targets."
The room became very still.
David looked down at his notes.
Richard's voice was quiet.
"Are you blaming me?"
Christopher swallowed.
"I'm saying the decisions were approved through the proper channels."
"Then show us the approval."
Christopher opened his briefcase.
He removed several documents.
One of them was an email chain.
Richard glanced at the first page.
Then the second.
His face changed.
The message was dated six months earlier.
It had been sent from Richard's office to Christopher.
The objective is to move recurring service expenses outside the direct operating structure before the transaction closes. Use a separate provider where possible. The board does not need to review every administrative detail.
Richard read the message again.
He remembered sending it.
At the time, he had meant to simplify the company's cost structure.
He had not intended to authorize duplicate billing.
But the wording was broad.
And the timing was damaging.
He looked at Christopher.
"Why do you have this?"
"Because it was part of the instruction."
Richard closed the folder.
"Did you follow it?"
"I followed the instructions."
"Did you disclose the ownership of Northbridge?"
Christopher looked away.
"Not in the first schedule."
"Why?"
"Because the ownership structure was being finalized."
"By whom?"
Christopher did not answer.
Richard felt something cold settle in his stomach.
He had believed he was controlling the transaction.
Now he was beginning to understand that he might have created a structure he could no longer control.
At 7:30 that evening, Eleanor received a call from Leonard.
"Ellie, I think we have a problem."
"What happened?"