Chapter 5
Camille had changed out of her bridesmaid dress and into cream trousers and a black blazer.
Neither expected me to be sitting at the head of the conference table.
Reid stopped.
“Nora.”
Camille’s face went pale.
Dad sat to my right.
Evelyn sat to my left.
Three members of the board joined remotely.
Our chief financial officer sat near the far end.
“Sit down,” I said.
Reid remained standing.
“Can we speak privately first?”
“No.”
“Nora, this is our marriage.”
“No. This meeting is about attempted corporate fraud.”
Camille flinched.
Reid’s expression changed.
“Nobody committed fraud.”
Evelyn opened a folder.
“We’ll determine that through the appropriate investigation.”
Reid finally sat.
Camille chose the chair farthest from him.
I noticed.
So did he.
Dad said nothing.
That was probably what frightened Reid most.
He was used to my father challenging him.
Silence was new.
I placed the forged authorization on the table.
“Did you submit this?”
Reid looked at it.
“My office submitted it.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“Yes.”
“Did I sign it?”
“I believed you had.”
“Who gave it to you?”
His eyes flicked toward Camille.
For half a second.
That was enough.
Camille leaned forward.
“Don’t.”
Reid looked at her.
“You handled the documentation.”
“You told me everything had been approved.”
“You prepared the packet.”
“You sent me her signature file.”
The room went completely still.
Reid stared at her.
Camille realized what she had said.
Evelyn spoke immediately.
“What signature file?”
Camille’s face drained.
“I meant—I don’t know. A digital file. For company documents.”
“I never gave either of you permission to reproduce my signature,” I said.
Reid turned toward me.
“Nora, this is being twisted.”
“No. I think it’s finally being untwisted.”
Camille stood.
“I want a lawyer.”
Evelyn nodded.
“That would be advisable.”
She sat back down.
I slid the resignation document toward Reid.
“And this?”
He didn’t touch it.
“It was temporary.”
“My resignation?”
“A governance restructuring.”
“Why?”
“To protect the acquisition from interference.”
“Whose interference?”
He looked at Dad.
There it was.
My father finally leaned forward.
“You mean the interference of the majority shareholder discovering you were directing millions of dollars toward a company partially owned by your mistress?”
Camille closed her eyes.
Reid’s voice hardened.
“CF Advisory’s work was legitimate.”
“That is not the issue,” Dad said.
“The acquisition is good for the company.”
“Then why hide Camille’s beneficial ownership?”
No answer.