Chapter 10 - RICHARD LOSES THE ROOM
The board met without Richard controlling the agenda.
That had never happened before.
Thomas chaired.
Independent counsel attended.
Westhaven representatives joined for twenty minutes.
Then left.
The transaction paused.
Not terminated.
Paused.
Richard objected.
Thomas said:
“Your COO is under investigation for poisoning you and burning company records.”
“He has not been charged with poisoning.”
“He burned the binder.”
“That is separate.”
Victoria spoke from the far side of the table.
“Stop doing that.”
Richard looked at her.
“Doing what?”
“Separating every fact until none of them can touch each other.”
The board voted.
Richard temporarily lost direct authority over corporate security and archive personnel.
Not ownership.
Not his board seat.
Operational control.
Why?
Because he had contacted Graham against counsel and triggered destruction of evidence.
Richard stared at Thomas.
“You think you can run this company.”
Thomas answered:
“No.”
Then:
“That’s why we hired people.”
Richard almost laughed despite himself.
Then another consequence.
Federal prosecutors postponed Richard’s voluntary proffer.
Not because Graham succeeded in drugging him.
Because Richard’s own conduct after the attempt had become relevant.
They needed to separate:
What Richard knew before.
What he learned after.
What he did to investigate privately.
What Graham did because Richard tipped him.
Richard’s lawyers had to prepare all of it.
The delay Graham wanted happened anyway.
For different reasons.
Then Richard made another mistake.
He instructed Nolan Price to find out whether Graham had visited the mansion before dinner.
Nolan reminded him corporate security access was suspended.
Richard said:
“I’m asking about my house.”
Nolan complied.
He reviewed private neighborhood-camera data available through an executive-protection agreement.
One camera belonged to a nearby gated property.
Contract permitted use for immediate safety incidents.
Not retrospective surveillance of a represented executive.
Nolan found Graham’s car entering the neighborhood at 5:31.
Useful.
Then the other property’s lawyer discovered the access.
Complaint.
Now Graham’s defense team had a privacy issue to litigate.
Detective Ortiz called Richard.
“Stop collecting evidence.”
“It showed him arriving.”
“We already had gate logs.”
Richard went quiet.
“You accomplished nothing.”
“Yes.”
“And created another dispute.”
“Yes.”
Ortiz paused.
“Good. You’re learning.”
He disliked her again.
Then police obtained their own lawful copy of the neighborhood footage.
It showed Graham arrive.
Park.
Enter through the main door.
At 5:39, another camera inside the foyer captured him turning toward Richard’s study corridor.
At 5:45, he returned.
Something small inside his hand.
Not visible enough.
Then butler’s pantry.
Then dinner.
Then privacy mode.
The sequence was narrowing.
Finally the study-lock vendor produced the administrator record.
Temporary emergency code requested from Graham Mercer’s personally authenticated tablet.
No assistant.
No shared account.
His device.
His biometric session.
5:40 p.m.
The excuse collapsed.
Detective Ortiz’s team obtained a warrant for Graham’s personal electronics.
One deleted note recovered:
Night cap + V drops = event. 60–90 min.
No dosage.
No name.
No explicit poison plan.
Then another:
Need morning moved. Binder first.
Richard read the summary.
Victoria looked at him.
“Morning.”
The federal proffer.
“Yes.”
May you like
Then Ortiz called.
“Graham wants to talk.”
