18. Edward
EDWARD
Zachary accosts me the moment I step out of the elevator.
"The board has convened." His face looks more perturbed than usual, his normally relaxed posture rigid.
I stop mid-stride. "I didn't know they were meeting."
"Neither did I." Zachary falls into step beside me and we walk back into the elevator. He jabs the button for the executive floor. "But something tells me it has to do with Noelle going public on LinkedIn."
My heartbeat does a double take. "Say again?"
"You didn't know?"
"I already have a job, Zach. I don't spend all my time on LinkedIn."
"Well, it's all over the office. That's how I learned of it. And I'm thinking the virality is how the board picked it up, too."
"Fuck. This is bad." I whip out my phone and dial Noelle.
It rings forever before she answers.
"Hey."
"Hey." Her voice is flat. Disillusioned.
"What's this I'm hearing about a LinkedIn thing?"
"Graham was here."
A chill floods my chest in an instant. "What?"
"Yeah. I'm glad you put in these cameras after his last visit, because he was making threats."
I exhale to steady myself and switch to loudspeaker. "Say again, please, Noelle. Zach is here."
"Graham was here." Her voice echoes in the elevator cabin, tinny but clear. "He tried to threaten me into obedience. I did not bite. I pointed out the cameras to him. That seemed to drive the message further."
My free hand curls into a fist at my side. "Have Esther send me the tapes right away."
"May I ask why…?”
“The board called, apparently. I'm putting this shit to rest once and for all."
Noelle pauses. When she speaks again, her tone is somewhat guarded. "Be careful."
"I'll try."
The line goes dead. I trade glances with Zachary. He shakes his head slowly, as if even he can't quite believe the audacity.
"The balls on Graham," I say. "The fucking balls on that guy!"
The elevator doors slide open and we walk toward the boardroom in silence.
I find myself staring up at a bunch of screens hanging from the sides of the boardroom. They are mostly used for impromptu meetings when board members can't be physically present on short notice. Like now.
All the screens are lit, with each member video calling in and accounted for, including my father. Beatrice is running point on the meeting, so I can tell it's going to be grave. Her expression is carved from stone. I'm glad for Zachary's presence at my side.
Beatrice clears her throat and adjusts her glasses. "You want to tell me why I've had to stare at your face more than I've seen my own children in recent weeks?"
I smirk and rise, undoing the button of my jacket. "I apologise, Madam Chairperson."
"Apologies won't cut it this time. The board is about fed up with this ruckus. Your father didn't give us this much of a headache during his tenure."
Murmurs of agreement emanate from the other screens. I see several heads nodding. One member, a ginger-haired man folds his arms across his chest.
"That's because my father never had to work with a spoiled golden child hell-bent on defrauding the family business."
"Mind your words, boy." Thaddeus scowls. His face fills one of the larger screens, his brows knitted together.
Beatrice ignores us and continues. "The board has decided to suspend all Whitmores until our investigations are complete, and we can make a more informed decision."
"All Whitmores," I repeat. "That includes me?"
"It does."
I nod slowly. "Do what you will, Madam Chairperson. I don't really care what decision you reach with the board. But I've been conducting my own investigations from the moment I smelled, excuse my French, shit in the water."
Quiet settles over the room. Even the screens seem to hold their breath.
"Carry on." Beatrice nods.
I gesture to Zachary, who has a laptop open before him on the table. "Share your screen, Zach."
Zachary's hand dances across the keyboard and track pad, then pulls up all the files Noelle and I have compiled on Graham, sharing it both to the projector and the board.
"This here is every discrepancy in our books that has come up since Graham became CFO," I begin.
"But all of that is small fry compared to this.
" I stroll to the projector screen and tap on the J&J logo.
"Everyone in Graham's department was under the illusion that Whitmore Holdings had a subsidiary called Jordan and Jordan Consulting. "
Murmurs start up again. Beatrice speaks over the rest of the noise.
"I don't remember any subsidiary of such a name."
"That's because we don't have one called J&J. This, I believe, is a shell owned by Graham."
"And how did you reach that conclusion?" Thaddeus asks.
"Files." I glance at Zachary who opens the documents saved from the shredder. "Like these. All with J&J letterheads. All naming Graham as chief adviser."
"That's a conflict of interest at best," Thaddeus says.
"Not if the company is located in the Cayman Islands and has no physical buildings in the United States."
"So, it's abroad? That's it?"
I turn to face my father's screen squarely. "It's headquartered at the Ugland House. Ring a bell?"
Gasps scatter across the room. Beatrice leans forward. The ginger-haired man uncrosses his arms.
"Am I the only one that doesn't know what this place is? Is it like the Neverland Ranch?" Beatrice breaks the silence.
I chuckle and turn my attention away from my father to face the chairperson.
"No, ma'am. It was at the center of the unraveling of international tax havens, especially when investigations found that it was the registered address of over forty thousand companies, government agencies and multinational corporations included. "
"Oh. I remember that Bloomberg expose. 2004, wasn't it?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"That doesn't mean it's illegal." Thaddeus chimes in.
"Maybe not." I turn back to my father. "But Graham attempted to shred these documents when the net started to close in around him.
I set up a meeting with the higher-ups, but they were conveniently renovating their offices and working from home.
You're all phoning in for this meeting, but even J&J couldn't do that.
" I address the whole board now, sweeping my gaze across the screens.
"Can you imagine a company of our stature not being given an audience by the only consulting firm we use? "
"Disgraceful!" Beatrice adds.
"Perhaps. But that's because there's no business called J&J. I'd wager, J&J is in his penthouse right now, suspended from this very company. And the amount they charge in fees is the kind of greed the bible warns about. No one in their right senses would sign off on those deals."
"It was good for Noelle." Thaddeus remains unyielding. His voice is quieter now, but no less stubborn.
"Only because Graham made her believe it was our subsidiary, and a way for us to practice Hollywood accounting."
"Have you got any proof of that?"
"You mean besides having a history of bribery, fraud, and the fact that all these documents mention him and no one else? Did I also mention he went to my company to threaten my employee."
"Why would he do that?"
"Because that employee happens to be Noelle, who brought him down a peg.
" I turn on my heels back to Beatrice. "Madam Chairperson, I'll have these files uploaded to the secure servers immediately so everyone can see for themselves.
It should also help with the investigations.
If my father refuses to help toss aboard a captain intent on sailing this ship aground, I implore that you all fine ladies and gentlemen share no drop of his delusions.
I'm not more interested in saving myself or my position for familial honor or at the expense of this company.
And if you'll excuse me, I’d like to begin my suspension. I could use the break."
Zach closes his laptop and starts to follow me out the door.
"Wait." Beatrice's voice booms across the boardroom.
I turn to face the board. The screens flicker with barely contained motion. Several members are leaning toward their cameras.
"We commend you for the blood, sweat, and tears it took to put this together," Beatrice says.
"We also understand that it couldn't have been the easiest thing to hold your brother accountable.
It would be foolish to toss the baby with the bathwater.
So, I will now put forward three motions for a vote.
One, you retain your position as CEO, with greater oversight on finances.
Two, Graham is suspended indefinitely from Whitmore Holdings and her actual subsidiaries, with potential for indefinite termination and his shares liquidated and docked pending the result of investigation and subsequent litigations.
And, finally, we bring on Noelle as the new CFO. "
I glance across the screens. Approving looks from most. My father looks defeated. His shoulders slump. His gaze drops from the camera.
"Ladies and gentlemen, vote by show of hands on the motion to keep Edward as CEO."
Hands go up in a flurry. All in favour, including Thaddeus.
"Now, for Noelle taking over as CFO."
Again, all hands go up.
"And finally, for Graham."
I watch with bated breath as all hands rise, one after another. Beatrice. The ginger-haired man. And then, slowly, my father's hand lifts into the frame. It trembles slightly.
"We're in agreement, then." Beatrice beams. "Good day, ladies and gentlemen."
"Wait!" cries Thaddeus before everyone can log off. "I have something to say."
All eyes focus on him.
"I would like to apologise to the board.
I enabled my son and turned him into a monster.
And even when it was obvious to everyone else, I still held out hope that you were all mistaken.
That the last living piece of my wife wasn't bent in all the wrong ways.
I let it blind me to the real harm he was doing.
But, worst of all, I let it drive a wedge with my other son, who's been invaluable in growing this company and saving it even now. I'm terribly sorry, Edward."
I feel lethargic. When I'd pictured this moment in the past, I'd imagined being overwhelmed with catharsis. Not now. It just seems pointless. The words hang in the air and I wait for them to mean something, but they don't.
"Thank you," is all I can manage.
"Your apology does nothing to fix the problem, Thaddeus." Beatrice's voice cuts through the heartfelt moment. Her eyes are hard, unimpressed. "You want to show remorse? Make sure Graham doesn't go on air.”